10 things I'm absolutely overreacting to after Week 3 in the SEC
Bo Nix never looked better.
Compare his Saturday to Auburn’s Saturday, and his next NIL deal might be starring in a Toby Keith “How do you like me now?” remake.
At least Texas A&M found a quarterback. Now, if only Florida could find an offensive coordinator …
Those are among the 10 things I’m absolutely overreacting to after Week 3 in and around the SEC.
10. “Will South Carolina score?”
Barely 3 games in, this is where we’re at with this “Georgia geoggernaut.”
Georiga entered Week 3 having allowed exactly 1 field goal in its first two blowout victories.
The Dawgs jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead at South Carolina, basically turning an SEC football game into a glorified scrimmage.
Forget wondering whether South Carolina could somehow mount a comeback.
At halftime, ESPN announcers simply wondered aloud whether South Carolina could score. (Jesse Palmer, at the last moment, said yes, late. And so it was. The Gamecocks added a meaningless TD in the final moment of a 48-7 blowout, the largest in series history. And, no, Shane Beamer wouldn’t have liked that question, either. Come on, Shane … your reactions to questions you don’t like are growing old already.)
Forget South Carolina for a minute. Back to Georgia. I’m wondering whether anybody can score 3 TDs in a game against this team.
These are the teams that have scored 3+ TDs against Georgia in the past 4 seasons:
- 2019 LSU (4)
- 2020 Tennessee (3)
- 2020 Alabama (5)
- 2020 Florida (5)
- 2020 Mississippi State (3)
- 2020 Cincinnati (3)
- 2021 Alabama (5)
Once in the past 18 games has an offense scored 3 or more TDs against Georgia — and the Dawgs immediately rectified that by holding the Tide to 1 TD in the national title game.
This defense is every bit as dominant as last season’s — and this group will only continue to get better.
Everybody Kirby Smart runs out there looks like a future pro. Nolan Smith was unblockable Saturday — against double-teams. When he didn’t get home, teammates did.
If you’re a Dawgs fan, this is the most beautiful part: Smart doesn’t have to worry about complacency. The kids doing it now mostly watched last season. Now is their time … and they know there are more future pros waiting behind them.
9. And if you can’t get to 21, forget about it …
As the TV crew noted, Georgia has scored on 21 of 27 offensive possessions this season. The Dawgs have scored 28, 30 and 24 points in the opening half of their first 3 games.
They are more versatile, more relentless on offense than ever. Brock Bowers looked like the greatest tight end in SEC history — barely 2 years after we gave Kyle Pitts that crown. Five Dawgs had runs of 10+ yards. Nine Dawgs had catches of 10+ yards. Two Dawgs made field goals, for no other reason than they have 2 guys capable of making field goals.
Last year’s national champions set the program mark for most points in a season — 579. The 2014 Dawgs were the highest-scoring by average (41.3).
After 3 games, these Dawgs are averaging 43.3 and that’s without needing a first down, much less a touchdown, after intermission.
I mean, this is ridiculous.
Stetson Bennett is taking selfies in the stands with over 8 minutes remaining in the game in case you were wondering how competitive Georgia vs South Carolina has been
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 17, 2022
We are watching the greatest Georgia football team in program history.
Last year, the Dawgs outscored their opponents by 426 points. That’s the 2nd-largest point differential by any SEC team this century. The 2008 national champion Florida Gators outscored their opponents by 430.
Could the Gators’ record fall?
At this point, I’d be shocked if it didn’t.
8. “It’s a Big Ten replay booth … facts are facts …”
Gary Danielson made an excellent point. No, that’s not the overreaction.
Auburn QB TJ Finley threw an interception on the final play of the first quarter against Penn State.
Danielson wondered why the play was allowed to stand. The game clock indisputably reached 0:00 before the ball was snapped. The quarter should have ended.
An interception that looks like it shouldn’t have been an interception on Auburn-Penn State game#PSUvsAUB pic.twitter.com/XifDml8cp2
— Mark Heim (@Mark_Heim) September 17, 2022
The play was reviewable. At this point, Auburn fans watching from home and listening to Daniels no doubt were ready to blast Bryan Harsin’s latest gaffe. “How could he not challenge that, Paaaawwllll!”
That’s when Danielson also pointed out that the replay booth blew it, too.
The replay booth should have noticed it, reviewed it and corrected it, Danielson said. In that situation, the replay booth doesn’t need a coach to challenge in order to initiate a review.
As Danielson continued to admonish the replay crew, Brad Nessler provided some unintentional comic relief.
“Well, it’s a Big Ten replay booth.”
Danielson laughed and Nessler finished the point … “facts are facts.”
7. Special teams, man …
So you want to coach, huh? Your livelihood depends on decisions like this.
Young man, what are you doing pic.twitter.com/LUoQxV4KFJ
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 17, 2022
Two extremely silver-ling thoughts:
1. Maybe the kid typically is on the punt coverage team?
2. At least he caught it.
That wasn’t even the most brutal special teams miscue of the day, either.
USF earned that honor when its holder dropped a perfect snap as the Bulls were trying to kick a tying field goal in the final seconds at Florida. (More on why, exactly, the Gators were in that position in a moment …)
6. 6 notable numbers
- Is FSU back? The Noles are on their way. They’re 3-0 for the first time since 2015. That’s a lot of years. Consider this: Wake Forest has had 5 3-0 starts in that span.
- Georgia entered Saturday’s game with just 6 rushes gaining 10 or more yards. Their longest gain was 19. Against South Carolina, the Gamecocks ripped off 7 explosive runs (10+ yards). They’re doing whatever they want on offense, whenever they want.
- Bryce Young threw 2 interceptions against Louisiana-Monroe. That’s the 2nd time in 4 games that Young has thrown multiple picks, starting with the 2 he tossed against Georgia in the national title game. Tua Tagovailoa only threw 2 picks in a game twice in his 32-game Bama career. Jalen Hurts only threw 2 picks in a game twice in his 42-game Bama career.
- Congratulations to Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman, who became the Demon Deacon’s all-time leading passer Saturday in a gutsy win over Hugh Freeze and Liberty. Hartman has 9,891 career yards. He’ll become the 9th QB in ACC to reach 10,000 yards and has a good chance of becoming the 3rd ACC QB to reach 12,000. Can he catch Philip Rivers (13,484)? It’s unlikely. Hartman still needs 3,600 more yards, but if Wake can get back to the ACC title game, he would have 11 more games. He can make it interesting.
- Mississippi State entered Saturday with 2 rushes of 30+ yards in the Mike Leach era. In the opening quarter against LSU, the Bulldogs ripped off the 2 longest runs of the Leach era — highlighted by Jo’quavious Marks’ 37-yard scamper for a touchdown. That’s obviously the longest TD run under Leach.
- Last week, Oregon QB Bo Nix threw a career-high 5 TDs in a big win over Eastern Washington. Saturday, Nix totaled 5 TDs again (2 passing, career-high 3 rushing) in a huge upset of No. 12 BYU. Auburn fans had a love-hate relationship with Nix, but goodness, it’s easy to see now why was a 3-year starter for the Tigers.
5. Auburn fans, you miss Nix now …
Let’s compare Nix’s big day to Auburn’s, shall we?
TJ Finley was 11-of-19 with 2 turnovers before turning the gig over (maybe permanently) to backup Robby Ashford. The Oregon transfer wasn’t great, but he provided a spark and found the end zone. Earlier in the week, our Matt Hayes wrote about Auburn’s QB issues and how they were so glaring, they ultimately would lead to Bryan Harsin’s firing. Saturday merely reinforced that notion for all the world to see.
Auburn has thrown 2 TD passes in 3 games.
Finley has been given enough opportunities to keep the job. Give him credit for his relief effort to avoid an embarrassing loss to Georgia State last season, but let’s also recognize that if he’s the best option, Auburn will be lucky to make a bowl.
At this point, Harsin has to turn it over to Ashford and go all-in on the RPO game. Ashford is a far superior running threat and a much better complement to the Tigers’ best offensive player — Tank Bigsby. Sure, he’s erratic as a passer, but he also offers splash-play potential.
Dare I say, he’s the closest thing Auburn has to … Bo Nix?
4. The 4 Playoff teams are …
No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 USC.
No real changes, other than to begin to wonder whether the Big Ten could actually put 2 teams in the Playoff — including the loser of The Game to close out the regular season.
Brace yourself, SEC fans. Joel Klatt’s dream is playing out. Penn State’s crushing victory at Auburn gives the B1G East a legitimate argument as the best division in college football.
3. Jordan Rodgers for Florida OC!
I wrote earlier in the week about Florida’s complete misuse of Anthony Richardson in the Gators’ Week 2 loss. That wasn’t an overreaction, either.
Richardson threw it 29 more times than he ran it. I noted that Cam Newton never had a game like that. Tim Tebow didn’t during his Heisman year, either. Neither did other notable dual-threat quarterbacks.
There’s no way this baffling play-calling would continue, right? Not against a USF team that Richardson ran by last year, right?
Wrong.
Jordan Rodgers was on the call for the SEC Network Saturday night and he admitted he sounded like a broken record criticizing Florida’s offensive strategy. Rodgers consistently called for Richardson to run the football and routinely questioned the routes the Gators were running.
And on the most obvious running play of the game — a 1st-and-goal from the 5 — Richardson threw a back-shoulder fade into press coverage. Justin Shorter couldn’t wrestle free and Aamaris Brown intercepted the pass in the end zone.
Once again, just like last week, timing was everything. Florida had just run the football 4 consecutive times for 35 yards to get to USF’s 5.
Rodgers immediately blasted the play-call. “How did they get down there?”
The Gators promptly intercepted USF to get the ball back at USF’s 28.
Trevor Etienne ran 5 consecutive times: 3 yards, 3 yards, 7 yards, 15 yards, 3 yards for a TD and a Gators lead.
Calling plays is not as difficult as Florida has made it look this season.
Chris Doering said it after the Gators escaped. At some point, you have to understand who you are, who you are not and play to your strength. Florida’s strength — certainly Richardson’s strength — is running the football.
The Gators got lucky Saturday, but I’m not sure how much confidence fans should have in that offensive staff right now.
2. Hog wild
Handling success is the most difficult thing to do in sports.
Especially for newbies.
Arkansas entered the top 10 this week and Sam Pittman took a moment to celebrate the accomplishment. Plenty of analysts praised the Hogs and anointed them as Bama’s biggest threat in the West, if not the new favorite to win the division.
Heady stuff for a program that hasn’t been to the SEC title game since 2006.
A comfortable win in a tune-up game Saturday over Bobby Petrino’s Missouri State squad seemed imminent.
Not so fast.
Missouri State jumped to a 17-0 lead before the Hogs found their footing.
KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders took over in a gutty, humbling reality check.
The way Arkansas won will serve them well moving forward.
1. This is the overreaction of the year …
"We want Urban!" ? pic.twitter.com/g0pLheTfOL
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 17, 2022
We all understand Nebraska’s frustration and sense of desperation — and that was before Oklahoma handed them one of the biggest beatdowns in series history.
But let’s balance that with a few wise words from those who know: No, no you don’t.
Nebraska fans, you want somebody who wins like he does, but that’s the only part of the Urban Meyer experience you want.