Questions Ahead of Week 10 of SEC Football
By Tucker Harlin
As always, here’s a review of what happened last week.
WAS BRENT VENABLES’ DECISION TO BENCH JACKSON ARNOLD AGAINST TENNESSEE TOO HASTY? I believe the answer is yes.
WAS LAST WEEKEND WHEN MISSISSIPPI STATE FINALLY PULLED OFF AN SEC WIN? That’s a hard no.
HOW DID TEXAS RESPOND AFTER TAKING A PUNCH IN THE MOUTH? With a hard fought win.
DID LSU DO WHAT IT NEEDED TO IN KYLE FIELD? Another hard no.
Now let’s jump into four questions in Week 10.
CAN TENNESSEE’S OFFENSE BREAK THE SEAL IN SEC PLAY?
Sputtering offense is the issue that can break Tennessee’s playoff chances in 2024. The defense has performed at a level we haven’t seen in a long time, but what’s normally the strength for Josh Heupel is actually the weakness right now.
If Tennessee doesn’t get it rolling on offense this week or next, I’m not sure when it will.
Kentucky was torn apart on the ground by Jarquez Hunter and Auburn in Lexington last week and surrendered 41 points to a very questionable Florida offense. The Wildcats are down several key pieces on defense due to injury.
The Vols can’t miss on this opportunity.
WHERE DOES ARKANSAS TURN WITH AN INJURED JA’QUINDEN JACKSON?
Fayetteville is typically a trap game destination whenever Ole Miss is in town.
But Arkansas won’t have running back Ja’Quinden Jackson available against the Rebels due to injury. Braylen Russell is a 253-pound bowling ball, but can he match Jackson’s production.
Taylen Green has shown he can air the ball out in SEC play, particularly in the wins over Tennessee and Mississippi State.
But turnovers presented themselves as an issue in games against Auburn and LSU, something the Razorbacks will need to avoid against an Ole Miss defense that just sacked Oklahoma 10 times.
The defense turned Mississippi State over five times last weekend and has played well in the SEC with the exception of the loss to LSU. It needs to make Jaxson Dart feel pressured.
CAN SOUTH CAROLINA’S DEFENSIVE FRONT MATCH THE SPEED OF TEXAS A&M’S RUN GAME?
Outside of special teams, the most endearing element of Shane Beamer’s 2024 squad is its defense.
Edge rushers Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart along with defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway make for a miserable experience for any quarterback. The defense hasn’t allowed an output of more than 140 rush yards in SEC play this season.
However, Texas A&M presents the toughest run offense the Gamecocks will have faced all season.
The tandem of Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss along with a dual threat quarterback in Marcel Reed presents a three-headed monster for defenses to stifle.
Arkansas was the only defense capable of keeping the Aggies under 230 rush yards with Reed starting at quarterback.
We’ll see which side gives.
IS A SUSPECT GEORGIA DEFENSE IN DANGER AGAINST DJ LAGWAY?
Georgia’s defense is a bit of a mystery this season.
It managed to stifle a pair of strong offenses in Clemson and Texas but also performed questionably against a pair of iffy offenses in Mississippi State and Alabama.
Florida lost Graham Mertz for the season against Tennessee, but the injuries to Mertz haven’t killed the Gators’ offense.
Two of Florida’s best outputs were games in D.J. Lagway played the whole way. I’m not suggesting Samford and Kentucky are world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but this offense plays looser when Lagway is the one in control.
I don’t expect the Gators to go down without some fight.
