IT’S NEVER OVER… TILL IT’S OVER
Monday 11/11/02
We all know it but sometimes you start to forget it. We were reminded of this basic truth of football in one of the most amazing plays you will ever see in the LSU/Kentucky game. The ripple effects of the play are still being felt. The Wildcats suffered another devastating setback at home. This one looked to be finally in the bank but once again it ended bad for Kentucky. Kentucky has been so close to beating South Carolina, Georgia and LSU multiple times in the last few years at home but once again victory eluded them. On the flip side, LSU avoided a devastating setback in their attempt to defend their SEC title. Auburn fans were about as crushed as Kentucky fans when LSU pulled it out. An LSU loss would have boded very well For Auburn.
The biggest near-upset of the week other than this game was the Florida/Vandy game. The Gators just don’t like going to Nashville in November. They were shutout in the second half for the second time this year. However their strong first half was enough Georgia rebounded against Ole Miss setting up a huge upcoming weekend of games. South Carolina goes to Gainesville and with the way they have been playing I certainly wouldn’t look for an upset. Therefore it all comes down to Georgia at Auburn. A chance to finally break the Florida/Tennessee stranglehold on the SEC East title and a chance at Georgia’s first SEC title in 20 years. Georgia will have to earn it. They have not fared well against Auburn in the last 20 years going 5-13-1. Auburn is playing very well at the moment and trying to stay with LSU in the West. It should be a heck of a game.
Also staying in the West race is Arkansas. They just went into Columbia and laid the wood to South Carolina. The South Carolina QBs were awful as the Arkansas defense forced them into 3 INTs and the Gamecocks had less than a 100 yards passing. That is really bad. Lou Holtz has been working at damage control on the season but the writing is on the wall, South Carolina better get some decent offensive players on board. As for Houston Nutt, I read a good point this week, do you praise Nutt with the way he keeps Arkansas always in it or criticize him for always having them nearly out of it?
The Tennessee/Miami game turned out to be the dud everyone expected. The Vol defense slowed down Miami as expected but the offense stunk it up again… as expected. Fulmer has always been conservative but UT has had big strike capability. The offensive performance this year is well offensive. The Vols were only able to amass 77 yards through the air. With or without Casey Clausen that is ridiculous. Tennessee has better players than this, there is just no excuse to be that bad passing the ball even against Miami. The Tennessee offense is about the worst I have seen since I started watching the Vols. If there was any doubt before I don’t think there is now, the Vols need a breath of fresh air on offense. Randy Sanders has just continued to get worse and although there are a lot of other things effecting the Vols, the offense should not be this bad. The Vols also need to bring in some more WRs. Fulmer has always been able to target a need on offense so this year’s recruiting should be interesting.
Elsewhere the rumors are starting to surface of former Georgia coach Jim Donnan going to Miss St to replace Jackie Sherill. That might be a good move. It ought to be interesting to see what happens at State. Till next week…