Questions Ahead of Week 7 of SEC Football
Credit: University of Mississippi Athletics
By Tucker Harlin
As always, here’s a look at how my questions last week were answered:
HOW DO OLE MISS AND MISSOURI RESPOND IN HOSTILE ROAD ENVIRONMENTS AFTER STRUGGLING AT HOME?- One responded accordingly, the other just forgot to respond
DO TURNOVERS LOSE TAYLEN GREEN ANOTHER GAME?- The answer was no because he didn’t have any turnovers or bad mistakes against Tennessee.
CAN FLORIDA SLOW DOWN A POTENT UCF OFFENSE?- A resounding yes! A long opening drive mixed with the best run defense the Knights have faced all season got the job done for Florida. The Gators only turned UCF over once and in a desperate moment in the fourth quarter.
This week, I have four questions about the SEC in Week 7.
IS TENNESSEE’S OFFENSIVE LINE AS BAD AS IT PLAYED LAST SATURDAY?
This is the one I’m the most curious about.
We just assumed the offense would hum in Fayetteville with the return of Lance Heard and that his absence in Norman hindered much of the usual production.
The result at Arkansas told a much different story as Heard’s pre-snap penalties and missed assignments drew the ire of Vol fans. Heard wasn’t the only Vol to shoulder blame as both Javontez Spraggins and John Campbell struggled with their blocking assignments.
Florida’s defensive front unlocked a new gear last week against UCF, sacking K.J. Jefferson five times while holding R.J. Harvey and the Knights offense to 108 rush yards.
This is the same defensive front that let Mississippi State run for 240 yards so consistency has been questionable through the first half of the season. But Tennessee is searching for an offensive line that has looked worse than advertised in the last two contests.
HOW DOES ALABAMA RESPOND TO A BAD LOSS UNDER A NEW COACH?
Nick Saban Alabama teams were always ones to avoid after losses. Mississippi State took the brunt on four different occasions as did a number of group of five and FCS opponents.
The only examples I could find that didn’t point to a Bama blowout the next week were the 14-13 win over a resurgent Arkansas team in 2014 and an ugly 17-3 win at USF last season, but that game was Saban proving a point on who he thought was his quarterback of the future.
Kalen DeBoer didn’t have a regular season loss in 2023, so we have to go back to 2022.
Washington lost to a 9-3 UCLA team in the Rose Bowl 40-32 but turned around and dropped a 45-38 loss to a 3-9 Arizona State team in Tempe the next game.
Fortunately for DeBoer, South Carolina is a home game. But the Gamecocks have a volatile energy right now that every SEC team should be cautious around.
CAN OKLAHOMA’S DEFENSE CAUSE ENOUGH TROUBLE TO KEEP THE SOONERS IN THE SHOOTOUT?
A stout defensive effort from the Sooners is the only way they stay in the Red River Shootout, and I’m leaning toward that not happening.
The two best offenses the Sooners have seen are what may be a suspect Tennessee offense and a bad Auburn offense. Texas has already played one of the stronger defenses in the country at Michigan and did well with the challenge.
Michael Hawkins Jr game managed his way to a victory at Auburn, but he won’t be able to do that unless the defense shuts down Quinn Ewers and the Horns.
The Texas defense should also have no issue with Oklahoma’s offensive front with how bad it’s looked in SEC play.
HOW DOES OLE MISS BREAK A PROLONGED LOSING STREAK IN BATON ROUGE?
Houston Nutt was in his first year at Ole Miss the last time it won a game in Baton Rouge.
LSU has evolved into a different kind of football program since Nutt’s win in 2008. The Tigers were a run-heavy offense with a stout defense in those days, and now it’s pass-heavy with limited reliance on the run and hoping the defense does enough.
Limiting the effects of the pass on defense is paramount for a Rebels win.
Harold Perkins’ injury changes the outlook of the Tigers defense, something Ole Miss can exploit if the Tigers aren’t ready.
But the environment is on LSU’s side, something it will rely on heavy to win its seventh straight over Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium.
