1. Ole Miss shouldn’t worry about the pass versus Arkansas
Former Texas coach Darrell Royal, who passed away in 2012, once said, “Three things can happen when you pass and two of ‘em are bad.”
I’m sure Royal and Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema would’ve gotten along swimmingly. Bielema’s Razorbacks currently rank last in the league in pass offense with just 144.1 yards through the air per game. Against South Carolina on Oct. 12, Arkansas’s passing attack was especially anemic, as the team totaled only 30 yards in that category.
So, Ole Miss defensive coordinator Dave Wommack probably won’t go to sleep Friday night worrying about how his secondary will hold up against the Razorbacks’ aerial assault. On the flip side, Arkansas ranks third in the Southeastern Conference in rushing (211.2 yard per game), so expect the Rebels to commit an uncanny number of defenders to the box on Saturday morning in an attempt to quell the Razorbacks’ success on the ground.
2. SEC Heisman Watch
Here’s a look at the guys from the SEC who I think should be under consideration for the Heisman Trophy:
Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M): Manziel is having an even better season than last year, but the Aggies’ loss to Auburn in October did major damage to his chances of a Heisman repeat.
Mike Evans (Texas A&M): Evans had 279 yards receiving against the vaunted ‘Bama D in September and hasn’t stopped producing since then.
A.J. McCarron (Alabama): McCarron’s not just a game manager, he’s a playmaker for the top-ranked Crimson Tide.
Mike Davis (South Carolina): Davis, the engine that makes the Gamecocks’ offense go, quietly leads the SEC with 1,058 rushing yards.
3. Mettenberger’s struggles a concern as Tigers take on Crimson Tide
Before the Ole Miss game, it looked like LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger had turned the corner in terms of becoming an elite college passer after a less-than-stellar couple of years on the Tigers’ roster.
But Mettenberger threw three interceptions against the Rebels and then followed that up with a pair of picks against lowly Furman. Before those five picks, Mettenberger had thrown only two interceptions through the first five games of the year. It appears he’s regressed to the mean, and that’s not good with the Tigers headed to Tuscaloosa this weekend.
4. Prayers for Dak and family
This column is routinely filled with stupid jokes, off-the-mark prognostications and downright immaturity, but for once, I’ll get a little bit serious. Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott lost his mother, Peggy, on Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer. It’s important that Ole Miss fans forget about the whole rivalry thing for a little while and throw their support behind Mr. Prescott, who’s dealing with something he shouldn’t have to at such a young age. Dak, prayers go out to you, sir.
5. Paul’s Week 10 SEC Picks
Alabama vs. LSU: The Crimson Tide claim a closer-than-expected 24-21 victory over the Tigers, setting the stage for the most relevant Iron Bowl in years.
Arkansas vs. Ole Miss: Arkansas and #BERT Bielema haven’t won a game since mid-September, and that won’t be changing this weekend as the Rebels get bowl-eligible with a 35-17 win over the Razorbacks.
Auburn vs. Tennessee: Vols freshman quarterback Josh Dobbs is studying to become a rocket scientist. Really. Unfortunately, that won’t help him on Saturday as the Tigers run past the Vols by a score of 38-14.
Florida vs. Vanderbilt: Florida’s offense is about as effective as taking a knife to a gun fight — actually it’s about as effective as taking a super soaker to a gun fight. I’ll take the ‘Dores 24-20 in a slight upset over Florida.
Georgia vs. Appalachian State: Hey! It’s that team that upset Michigan that one time. Sorry App State, there won’t be any déjà vu this weekend because you’re terrible — Georgia 56-7 over the Mountaineers.
Kentucky vs. Missouri: This game is tailor-made for those who like seeing super good teams beat up on super bad teams. The Tigers tear apart the Wildcats by a score of 48-14.
Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M: Johnny Manziel and a potent Aggies offensive attack cash out early and often against the Bulldogs’ D en route to a 51-24 victory over their foe.
-Paul Katool
pgkatool@gmail.com
