Week 12 SEC Letter Grades: Alabama Through Florida
Credit: University of Alabama Athletics
By Tucker Harlin
Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt all had the week off, so they don’t get letter grades.
This was also a very cakey week with several teams across the conference playing FCS or group of five competition, so I'm forced to grade a bit easier than I’d like.
ALABAMA: A
We’re starting the letter grades with a cakey 52-7 Alabama victory against Mercer.
This one spiraled out of control quickly.
The Bears fumbled on their opening possession, and the Tide turned it into points four plays later. The Tide picked off Mercer two possessions later and took a 21-0 lead as a result. A scoop and score put it up four scores in the middle of the second quarter.
The Bears scored a touchdown before the end of the half, but that was the only ounce of positivity to go their way all game.
On to Norman for the Tide.
ARKANSAS: C-
I was between a C and a D for Arkansas, but I decided to be nice because it showed fight despite early struggles.
Taylen Green threw an interception on a pass he probably shouldn’t have thrown, and the Longhorns capitalized. While the offense didn’t do enough in the loss, the defense did its best to keep Texas behind the chains after its first score.
I attribute C.J. Brown’s fumble at the end of the game to a great defensive play more than a mental mistake. However, there was no getting up from this moment.
Fortunately, the Razorbacks’ next opponent is Louisiana Tech, so a bowl game may be in the future.
AUBURN: A
Auburn had another one of those cakey games I was talking about, a 48-14 victory against ULM.
Payton Thorne threw for five touchdowns in the win, three of which went to Cam Coleman. Both Coleman and KeAndre Lambert-Smith went over 100 receiving yards.
The offense ran for 203 yards, almost half of which were Jarquez Hunter’s doing.
On to Texas A&M for the Tigers.
FLORIDA: A
The Curse of Marco Wilson has been lifted.
D.J. Lagway was less than 100%, but he gutted out Florida’s first win over LSU since 2018. Lagway and Elijhah Badger hooked up six times for 131 yards and a score at the beginning of the game.
I can’t mention Florida’s offense without this run from Jadan Baugh to put the game away.
Florida True Freshmen Jadan Baugh is a PROBLEM💨
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 16, 2024
pic.twitter.com/C7l183vGSY
The defense wasn’t great at getting off the field on later downs, but it lived in the backfield. The Gators single-handedly doubled the amount of sacks LSU has allowed this season.
