SEC
THIS WEEK IN THE SEC
November 4, 2004
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The Guilbeau Poll
1. AUBURN (9-0, 6-0) -- In the end, Auburn's schedule, including the SEC
Championship Game, will prove tougher than either USC's or Oklahoma's,
but the Tigers sadly might not get to play for it all in the Orange
Bowl. And that will be a crime. Last week: Won 35-14 at Ole Miss for its
eighth win in nine games by three touchdowns or more. Last ranking: 1st.
2. TENNESSEE (7-1, 5-1) -- The Vols host Notre Dame this week in an
interesting game, but the 5-3 Fighting Irish are probably only the
fifth-best team on the Vols' schedule behind Auburn, Georgia, Florida
and Alabama. Last week: Won 43-29 at South Carollina. Last ranking: 2nd.
3. GEORGIA (7-1, 5-1) -- At last, Ron Zook was fired and Georgia beat
Florida for the first time since 1997 and for just the second time in 15
years. Last week: Beat Florida 31-24. Last ranking: 3rd.
4. LSU (6-2, 3-2) -- The only team that has stayed on the field with
Auburn this season and easily could have won that game. Last week: Beat
Vanderbilt 24-7. Last ranking: 4th.
5. ARKANSAS (3-4, 1-3) -- This team has the worst record in the West at
1-3, which means the West is as good as some conferences. The Hogs also
have one of the toughest schedules in the country. Last week: Open after
losing 20-14 to Georgia, its fourth ranked opponent of the season with
another to go. Last ranking: 5th.
6. ALABAMA (5-3, 2-3) -- The Tide keeps losing players to injuries but
keeps hanging tough and is hungry for its first bowl since the
Independence Bowl in 2001. First quarterback Brodie Croyle, then
tailback Ray Hudson and now fullback Tim Castille are all out for the
year with knee injuries. Last week: Open after narrowly losing 17-13 at
Tennessee. Last ranking: 6th.
7. OLE MISS (3-5, 2-3) -- The Rebels won't be going to a bowl, but they
could mess up LSU's or Arkansas' season in the coming weeks. Last week:
Lost 35-14 to Auburn. Last ranking: 7th.
8. FLORIDA (4-4, 2-4) -- Now you know why so many SEC coaches were
Washington Redskins fans the last couple of years. Will Steve Spurrier
be back? Last week: Lost 31-24 to Georgia. Last ranking: 8th.
9. SOUTH CAROLINA (5-3, 3-3) -- The Gamecocks had Tennessee on the
ropes. Games like that are why this league is the best in the country
most years. Last week: Lost 43-29 to Tennessee. Last ranking: 9th.
10. VANDERBILT (2-6, 1-4) -- The Commodores' 83-yard touchdown drive at
LSU Saturday was the longest against the No. 5 defense in the nation.
Last week: Lost 24-7 at LSU. Last ranking: 10th.
11. MISSISSIPPI STATE (3-5, 2-3) -- The Bulldogs' win over Kentucky last
week may have fired its second coach in two weeks. Last week: Won its
second in a row with 22-7 win over Kentucky. Last ranking: 12th.
12. KENTUCKY (1-7, 0-5) -- Coach Rich Brooks refuses to concede, but
then Dan Rather still hasn't given up on the presidential race.
Evidently, there are still provisional votes to be counted from the
moon. Last week: Lost 22-7 at Mississippi State. Last ranking: 11th.
Saturday TV
(USA Today Rankings)
CAN'T WAIT: Notre Dame at No. 11 Tennessee, 2:30 p.m., CBS. This is
always an interesting game, but it may be interrupted by Dan Rather
finally conceding the election before he goes off to watch old West Wing
reruns.
CAN'T WATCH: Dan Rather and Florida at Vanderbilt, 1 p.m.
OTHER TV GAMES: Arkansas at South Carolina, 11:30 a.m., Jefferson
Pilot/ESPN GamePlan.
No. 5 Georgia at Kentucky, 11:30 a.m., Jefferson Pilot/ESPN GamePlan.
Mississippi State at Alabama, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2. Alabama is at LSU next
week on ESPN at 6:45 p.m.
Notebook
NATIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAY: The more things change, the more things
stay the same? On Nov. 6, 1869, Rutgers beat Princeton 6-4 in New
Brunswick, N.J., in what is believed to be the first college football
game. The Cotton Bowl, which could host LSU and Texas in its Jan. 1
game, is trying to make Nov. 6 an annual holiday in honor of that game.
A coincidence was just missed. On Oct. 23, 2004, Iowa beat Penn State
6-4. No, Penn State coach Joe Paterno did not coach in both games.
BAMA "D" OF OLD?: Some say Alabama's 1992 defense that carried it to a
13-0 record and the national championship was one of the best ever. The
Crimson Tide may have one of a similar mold this season. The Tide leads
the nation in total defense (221.8 yards allowed a game), pass defense
(106.6 yards allowed per game) and pass defense efficiency (83.3
rating). Alabama, which is second to Auburn in scoring defense (13.5 to
9.7) and ninth nationally, will be in Tiger Stadium a week from Saturday.
"Piece by piece, it's a really unselfish defense," free safety Roman
Harper said. "That's why you don't see one person with eight billion
tackles like you did last year. People were trying to do too much. This
year, you just do your job. You might not
