Week 2 SEC Letter Grades: Georgia Through Miss State
By Tucker Harlin
GEORGIA: A
Credit: University of Georgia Athletics
This was the easiest week of the season for Georgia in its 48-3 win against Tennessee Tech.
The Bulldogs scored on seven of their first eight possessions, the one scoreless possession a turnover on downs to end the first half.
Carson Beck finished the day with 242 pass yards and five touchdown passes, whereas the Golden Eagles’ quarterback threw for just 18 yards.
The field goal Tennessee Tech scored was a petty one in the closing seconds of the game, so can you really fault the Bulldogs for allowing it?
KENTUCKY: F-
I thought South Carolina looked horrible last week against Old Dominion.
Kentucky asked South Carolina to hold its beer.
This disaster class performance at Kroger Field had far less to with its defense surrendering three touchdowns and a lot more to do with the failures of its offense.
Brock Vandagriff is that stale candy bar that’s been sitting on the shelf of your local convenience store for too long. Vandagriff and backup Gavin Wimsatt combined for 44 pass yards and two interceptions in 17 attempts.
With the 31-6 beatdown, the Wildcats have now lost eight of 10 SEC home games under Mark Stoops. The temperature on the seat is rising.
LSU: C-
Credit: LSU Athletics
You aren’t going to get a high grade from me if some dude named Collin Guggenheim tears apart your run defense.
That’s exactly what happened to LSU in its 44-21 win over Nicholls.
Guggenheim opened the third quarter with a 67-yard touchdown play to cut the Colonels’ deficit to two.
Now the Bayou Bengals were able to score three touchdowns in the quarter and Garrett Nussmeier ended his night with six touchdown passes.
But after watching incredibly dominant blowouts of FCS teams by SEC teams in Week 1, I’m not anywhere close to the same level of enthusiasm I had for the Tigers coming off a loss to USC.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: D
Credit: Mississippi State University Athletics
Mississippi State gets a D instead of an F because it didn’t quit in the second half of its 30-23 loss at Arizona State.
That said, you just can’t start off as poorly as the Bulldogs did in Tempe and expect to be given a puncher’s chance.
The Sun Devils pounded the rock, finishing with a 359-30 advantage in rush yards. Arizona State is not the last stout rush attack the Bulldogs will see in 2024.
To make matters worse in the first half, Blake Shapen lost a fumble that went for six the other way.
But like I said, the Bulldogs showed some fight in the last quarter and change, so that could at least boost morale for the coming weeks.
