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 make the tackle, but the person behind you will."
Last year, Harper and linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Derrick Pope became the first trio in Alabama history to make 100 or more tackles. Ryans had 126, followed by Harper's 111 and Pope's 105. More people are making more tackles this year as no Bama player ranks in the top 10 in the SEC this season.
Last season, Alabama finished 10th in the SEC in pass defense and 72nd nationally, eighth in scoring defense and 61st nationally, sixth in total defense and 46th nationally and ninth in pass efficiency defense and 68th nationally.
"We're understanding things much better, and it lets us make more plays," said Harper of year two of coordinator Joe Kines' system. "Coach Kines' system is really simple."
Alabama's 1992 defense remains No. 7 in SEC history in fewest yards per game over a season at 55 and 10th in total yards allowed in a season at 660. The teams ranked ahead of Alabama in both categories set their marks between the years of 1938 and 1970.
CROOM VS. SHULA I: Many, including prominent Alabama football alumni, still believe Alabama should have hired Sylvester Croom instead of Mike Shula two years ago. Croom then got the Mississippi State job last December and will meet Shula for the first time as opposing head coaches Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., which is Croom's hometown.
Croom, a center for Alabama when it won the 1973 national championship under Bear Bryant, was a linebacker coach on Ray Perkins' staff at Alabama when Shula was Alabama's quarterback from 1984-86. Last spring, Shula drew the ire of Croom and other former Alabama players when he tried to change the namesake of a spring football award from Croom to Bart Starr in a public relations blunder. Shula later relented, realized his mistake and the award remains in Croom's name.
"It's become a huge story because everyone is trying to make a big deal about my going back to Tuscaloosa and the relationship between Mike and me," Croom said. "Mike and I have been friends for a long time, and this game isn't going to change that. The game is played on the field by the players."
Yes, but five members of Croom's staff either played or coached at Alabama -- offensive coordinator Woody McCorvey, defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens, linebackers coach Amos Jones and Director of Football Operations Rockey Felker. Two Alabama coaches -- offensive coordinator Dave Rader and running backs coach Sparky Woods -- each coached at State. Plus State punt returner Jonathan Lowe's father, Eddie, and uncle, Woodrow Lowe, both played at Alabama.
QUOTE: "It's been a long time coming. A lot of people have been through a lot of pain and suffering, and they finally get to enjoy it," Georgia coach Mark Richt after his first win over Florida as a head coach.
-- ROLL TIDE!! Rick
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