College Football Around the SEC: 11.04.15

We are trying something new this season: attempting to put a weight on records by measuring in certain factors. It is the first attempt (plus I barely made Cs in Statistics 101 & 102 when I was at the Capstone), so it may need some tweaking in the future.

Some of you had queries about it and I have some clarifications.

1. Week 1, Mississippi State played at Southern Miss. Should they get 0.5 point for winning on the road? No. No credit is awarded for winning at a cupcake's stadium.
2. Also Week 1, Texas A&M played in Houston but only received 0.125 point for neutral location. College Station to Houston is just under 100 miles. Phoenix to Houston is about 1,100 miles. More fans, more familiarity, easier commute.
3. So, why should they get any points at all? Even with all the advantages listed above, there is nothing like playing in your home stadium on your field with your locker room in front of your fans/students, etc. etc. etc.

A new tweak added is holding off on "Win over a ranked opponent = additional 0.5" until the end of the regular season. The logic (if there is any) is that a team ranked in September, may not be in December. [Hi Auburn!] By that time, perhaps I can come up with a good bonus equation.

Below is the key.

Win-Loss Record key:

• SEC - conference record
• P5 - non-SEC record against Power 5
• MM - record against Mid Majors/Non-Power 5 but projected bowl participant
  
• CC - record against cupcakes

Trying something new this season, we will attempt to put a weight on records.

• Win over P5 = 1 point
• Win over a ranked opponent = additional 0.5 (See above)
  
• Road win = 0.5
• Neutral site win = 0.25
• Win over a MM = 0.5
• Win over a CC = 0
• Loss to CC = -1
• Loss to MM = -0.5
• Home loss = -0.5

Texas A&M Aggies (6-2, SEC 3-2, P5 1-0, MM 2-0, CC 0-0) 4.75 Points

Points this week: 1 home win over SC.

Auburn at Texas A&M 6:30pm/7:30pm, SECN

Ever since Christian Kirk returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown against Bama, he has gone into a bit of a funk. At Ole Miss the next week, he caught two balls for 16 yards and no scores. Against South Carolina this past Saturday he only managed 37 receiving yards on 6 receptions. He has yet to find his way back to the end zone.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-2, SEC 2-2, P5 0-0, MM 1-0, CC 3-0) 2.5 Points

Points this week: 0 did not play.

Mississippi State at Missouri 8pm/9pm, ESPN

Though the preseason expectations for De’Runnya Wilson were set pretty high, he got off to a slow start with only 19 grabs for 266 yards and two touchdowns through the first five games. He has almost matched that output in the last three games with 14 catches for 258 yards and four scores.

Florida Gators (7-1, SEC 5-1, P5 0-0, MM 1-0, CC 1-0) 6.75 Points

Points this week: 1.25 neutral site win over UGA.

Vanderbilt at Florida 11am/12pm, ESPN

The Gators are second to only Houston in turnover margin at +13. They have recovered eight fumbles to go with 11 interceptions. The Gators offense has only lost three of each.

Tennessee Volunteers (4-4, SEC 2-3, P5 0-1, MM 1-0, CC 1-0) 2.0 Points

Points this week: 1.5 road win (0.5) at UK (1).

South Carolina at Tennessee 3pm/4pm, SECN

Butch Jones said senior Curt Maggitt will have an MRI later this week to determine when he may be available to return, if at all. The linebacker/defensive end has a chipped bone in his hip and could be out for the season. Tennessee is expected to seek a possible sixth year of NCAA eligibility for Maggitt, who also missed the entire 2013 season after suffering a knee injury in 2012.

Auburn Tigers (4-4, SEC 1-4, P5 1-0, MM 1-0, CC 1-0) 2.25 Points

Points this week: -0.5 home loss to OM.

Auburn at Texas A&M 6:30pm/7:30pm, SECN

Defensive end Carl Lawson returned to the Tigers line-up against Ole Miss on Saturday and recorded only an assisted tackle but was credited with three hurries on Chad Kelly. A hip injury suffered in week 1 against Louisville had sidelined him all season. A torn ACL forced a redshirt on him in 2014 after being a Freshman All-American the year before.

Kentucky Wildcats (4-4, SEC 2-4, P5 0-0, MM 1-0, CC 1-0) 1.5 Points

Points this week: -0.5 home loss to Tenn.

Kentucky at Georgia 11am/12pm, SECN

The 'Cats have connected on only nine scoring passes on the season, good for 101 out of 128 teams in FBS.

Ole Miss Rebels (7-2, SEC 4-1, P5 0-0, MM 1-1, CC 2-0) 5.0 Points

Points this week: 1.5 road win (0.5) at Aub (1).

Arkansas at Ole Miss 2:30pm/3:30pm, CBS

Hugh Freeze started giving more play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Dan Werner so he could work more with the defense. Werner called about 80 percent of the plays last Saturday. All-SEC safety Tony Conner will try to go on Saturday. He underwent a right knee surgery last month.

Missouri Tigers (4-4, SEC 1-4, P5 0-0, MM 1-0, CC 2-0) 1.5 Points

Points this week: 0 did not play.

Mississippi State at Missouri 8pm/9pm, ESPN

Although this season is circling the drain, there is one thing that the Tigers can hang their hat on and that is passing defense. Mizzou is tops in the SEC and sixth in the nation yielding only 161.6 yards per game and only 5 passing scores.

South Carolina Gamecocks (3-5, SEC 1-5, P5 1-0, MM 1-0, CC 0-0) 2.25 Points

Points this week: 0 road loss at TAMU.

South Carolina at Tennessee 3pm/4pm, SECN

Things went south for Brandon Wilds after reaggravating a rib injury against Georgia on Sept 19. He sat out SC's next three games but has returned better than ever. Against Vandy, he was 24-119 and improved on that last Saturday with 128 yards on 17 rushes with two scores at Texas A&M.

Georgia Bulldogs (5-3, SEC 3-3, P5 0-0, MM 0-0, CC 2-0) 3.0 Points

Points this week: 0 loss to Fla.

Kentucky at Georgia 11am/12pm, SECN

Mark Richt has been known to get a pass from the press during his tenure in Athens. However, now it seems as though the gloves are off. Both local and national columnists are calling for an end to the Richt era at UGA.

Arkansas Razorbacks (4-4, SEC 2-2, P5 0-1, MM 0-1, CC 2-0) 1.0 Point

Points this week: 0 home win over CC UT-Martin.

Arkansas at Ole Miss 2:30pm/3:30pm, CBS

Alex Collins has made his way up to fourth place on the all-time rushing list for the Razorbacks. Only a junior, he has 3086 career yards, only 484 yards out of second place. Should Collins decide to return for his senior season, he could have a shot at Darren McFadden' school record of 4,590.

Vanderbilt Commodores (3-5, SEC 1-3, P5 0-0, MM 1-2, CC 1-0) 0.5 Point

Points this week: 0 road loss to MM Houston.

Vanderbilt at Florida 11am/12pm, ESPN

Vandy's humiliating 34-0 loss to Houston was their first shutout defeat to a non-SEC team since Notre Dame beat them 41-0 in 1995. As a team, they have scored 13 offensive touchdowns (7 rushing, 6 passing) all season. That is two less than Leonard Fournette has and one less than Derrick Henry.

LSU Tigers (7-0, SEC 4-0, P5 1-0, MM 1-0, CC 1-0) 6.5 Points

Points this week: 0 did not play.

Lsu at ALABAMA 7pm/8pm, CBS

The Tigers haven't beat a top 10 team on the road since their 2011 matchup at Alabama, the 9-6 overtime victory when LSU was No. 1 and Alabama was No. 2. Since then, the Tigers are 0-4 in such games. Also, since Nick Saban became Alabama's coach in 2007, the Tide and LSU have been ranked in the top 25 every time they've played each other. LSU doesn't have a player on its team with a victory over Alabama.

Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1, SEC 4-1, P5 1-0, MM 2-0, CC 0-0) 6.75 Points

Points this week: 0 Did not play.

Lsu at ALABAMA 7pm/8pm, CBS

The Crimson Tide already has twelve interceptions on the season eclipsing last season's total of 11. They are tied for  the eleventh most in FBS, fourth most among Power 5 teams, and tops in the SEC. Eddie Jackson is tied for fifth in the country with five picks.

TOTALS:

There is a tie up top.

#ROLLTIDE!