The Week 10 slate gives each a glimpse of this season’s true powers and quite a lot of reminders of simply how fallacious we would have been in predicting who these powers can be approach again in August.
Begin with the Cocktail Get together, the place Georgia appears like a real playoff contender, however some luster is off this rivalry sport, as Florida has struggled by means of a troublesome first half and now will play its first sport after firing head coach Billy Napier.
Transfer to the Huge Ten, and what regarded like maybe the sport of the yr earlier than the season kicked off now seems to be one more velocity bump on Ohio State’s street to the convention title sport. Penn State fired James Franklin after a dismal three-game shedding streak, and quarterback Drew Allar is out for the season. A lot for a playoff-caliber showdown. The Buckeyes are favored by three touchdowns.
Bear in mind when SMU, Texas and South Carolina have been all ranked inside the highest 16 groups within the preseason? That seems like a distinct period now. The Mustangs are contemporary off a devastating last-second loss to Wake Forest and now discover their ACC title hopes on life help. Texas has gone to extra time in back-to-back weeks towards groups that mixed have gained just one SEC sport up to now two years. One other loss for the Longhorns towards Vanderbilt most likely can be the tip of playoff hopes. And South Carolina, getting ready to the playoff a yr in the past after a magical second-half run, is not prone to rekindle that very same pleasure this November. Final week’s blown result in Alabama was simply the most recent in a string of disappointments, and a loss Saturday to Ole Miss nearly seems like a foregone conclusion.
But when Week 10 supplies a troublesome look again in any respect the methods these preseason prognostications went fallacious, it additionally serves as a reminder of how a lot pleasure could be discovered within the season’s surprises, from Vandy getting its shot at one other top-25 win to Virginia attempting to maintain its playoff hopes alive at Cal to Cincinnati aiming to cement its spot atop the Huge 12 standings with an enormous journey to Utah. — David Hale
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Gunner Stockton | Oklahoma-Tennessee
ACC title race | Quotes of the week
Georgia’s Gunner Stockton enjoying for greater than a win vs. Florida
Even with a possible SEC title and Faculty Soccer Playoff look on the road, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton might need extra motivation to beat rival Florida at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday.
Gunner’s grandfather, Lawrence Stockton, died of a coronary heart assault in a car parking zone exterior of the stadium following the Bulldogs’ 34-31 loss to the Gators on Oct. 30, 2010. It was the one sport to enter extra time within the 103-year historical past of the border rivalry.
“He had a coronary heart assault there on the stadium,” Gunner Stockton instructed ESPN. “Each time we go to Florida, I actually wish to beat them unhealthy in Jacksonville.”
Fifteen years in the past, the Bulldogs trailed 21-7 on the half, however rallied and tied the rating at 31 on Aaron Murray’s 15-yard landing to A.J. Inexperienced with about 4½ minutes to go in regulation.
Murray’s go was intercepted in extra time, and the Gators gained on a 37-yard subject objective by Chas Henry to beat the Bulldogs for the 18th time within the earlier 21 conferences.
Lawrence Stockton, who graduated from the UGA College of Pharmacy, was speaking to a buddy in regards to the sport when he died. He was 63.
“He stated one thing about [then-Bulldogs defensive coordinator] Todd Grantham and collapsed,” stated Suzanne Frederickson, Lawrence Stockton’s widow.
Lawrence Stockton spent a lot of his free time searching and fishing with Gunner within the north Georgia mountains.
“He lived on the lake, and he at all times handled us so good and spoiled the grandkids,” Gunner stated. “He was only a nice granddad.”
Gunner as soon as trapped and launched gators with then-Bulldogs security Dan Jackson and a licensed nuisance hunter in Macon, Georgia, in addition to along with his uncle, Allyn, in Florida.
On Saturday, he’ll attempt to bag the Gators for the primary time as Georgia’s beginning quarterback.
Georgia has defeated Florida in seven of the previous eight video games, profitable by two touchdowns or extra in its present four-game profitable streak towards the Gators.
In his first season because the Bulldogs’ full-time starter, Stockton has accomplished 70.5% of his passes for 1,553 yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception, whereas operating for 279 yards with seven scores.
Bulldogs coach Kirby Good has been impressed by his quarterback’s decision-making as a lot as something.
“I wish to see him proceed to develop, take what the protection provides him, perceive what we’re attempting to do,” Good stated. “We give Gunner a number of latitude and choices, by way of the playcall. It is extra about placing us in the suitable play to achieve success primarily based on what they’re in defensively. I do not assume he will get sufficient credit score for that decision-making course of.”
Gators interim coach Billy Gonzales, who was promoted after Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19, stated his crew’s protection must stress Stockton.
“The principle factor for us is to hopefully have the ability to trigger some stress to him, and to trigger stress means having the ability to cowl within the again finish, as effectively,” Gonzales stated. — Mark Schlabach
What do Oklahoma and Tennessee have to capitalize on to win?
Oklahoma: October losses to Texas and Ole Miss imply No. 18 Oklahoma should win at the least certainly one of its subsequent two video games — at Tennessee on Saturday and a Nov. 15 journey to Alabama — to take care of even a semblance of a spot within the playoff hunt.
The central story of the Sooners’ stumble over the previous month has been quarterback John Mateer, an early-season Heisman Trophy hopeful who has struggled since getting back from surgical procedure on his proper (throwing) hand towards Texas on Oct. 11. Mateer threw a career-high three interceptions and accomplished a season-low 52.6% of his passes in a Week 7 loss to the Longhorns, and his accuracy dipped once more in Oklahoma’s 34-26 loss to Ole Miss final weekend.
“It is positively not my thumb, I will let you know that. I will stand by that. My thumb is completely positive,” Mateer stated Monday. “… I am nonetheless assured in what I am taking a look at. It is only a couple [throws] that I missed and that occurs. It simply occurred to be a foul time.”
The excellent news for Mateer and the Sooners in Week 10? A crucial rebound sport at Neyland Stadium comes towards a Tennessee secondary that ranks 124th nationally in go protection and allowed Kentucky redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley to set profession highs in passing yards (330) and touchdowns (5) every week in the past. If Oklahoma’s teetering offensive line can defend the pocket towards the SEC’s fourth-best go rush (27 sacks), Mateer & Co. ought to have the platform to bounce again in an enormous approach this weekend. Even slightly little bit of juice from the nation’s 99th-ranked speeding assault (130.1 yards per sport) would not damage the Sooners, both. — Eli Lederman
Tennessee: After falling to Georgia and Alabama, the No. 14 Volunteers most likely don’t have any margin for error if they will return to the CFP for the second straight season.
To knock off the No. 18 Sooners, Tennessee’s protection goes to must carry out higher than it did in final week’s 56-34 victory at Kentucky.
The Wildcats piled up 476 yards of offense and managed the ball for greater than 36 minutes. Quarterback Cutter Boley threw for 330 yards with 5 touchdowns and one interception.
Tennessee ought to have probability to get stress on Sooners quarterback John Mateer, who hasn’t performed as effectively since getting back from a damaged bone in his throwing hand on Oct. 11. Up to now three video games, Mateer has accomplished 57.9% of his passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Sooners have given up 9 sacks up to now three video games. The Volunteers rank seventh within the FBS with 3.4 sacks per sport.
“The quarterback is a playmaker,” Vols coach Josh Heupel stated. “He extends performs when the preliminary reads aren’t there and does a fantastic job on scrambles, protecting the play alive, throwing it down the sphere and utilizing his toes when it is not. Every little thing’s matched up, so you bought to use stress to him, however you bought to attempt to discover a option to maintain him bottled up, too.” — Schlabach
How might Miami-SMU have an effect on the ACC title race?
Two weeks in the past, Saturday’s showdown between Miami and SMU may’ve been one of many marquee occasions of the season, a matchup between arguably the ACC’s most gifted crew (the Hurricanes) and the one on the longest regular-season profitable streak (the Mustangs). As an alternative, after Louisville scored an upset win over Miami and SMU fell in dramatic vogue to Wake Forest, Saturday’s matchup has morphed into what could be an elimination sport for each groups.
Within the crowded ACC race, Georgia Tech and Virginia are nonetheless undefeated. Pitt, Duke and Louisville all have one loss in convention play, alongside Miami and SMU. Whichever faculty lands loss No. 2 can be relegated to the again of the pack and nearly definitely out of rivalry for the ACC title sport, barring the kind of chaos that was once reserved for the ACC’s Coastal Division.
The important thing for each groups Saturday can be establishing the bottom sport. In Saturday’s loss to Wake Forest, SMU mustered solely 75 yards speeding, led by Chris Johnson Jr.’s 29 yards. The Mustangs are nonetheless looking for an ample substitute for all of the manufacturing they acquired from Brashard Smith a yr in the past, and whereas it is unlikely anybody emerges as a real workhorse, Johnson has the potential to be a constant risk.
“He hasn’t performed a number of operating again, and he is most likely 10 kilos lighter than he must be to be an each down again,” head coach Rhett Lashlee stated. “However we have seen the explosiveness he can present, and hopefully he and [T.J. Harden] generally is a good 1-2 punch and we are able to get slightly extra consistency out of the run sport to take slightly little bit of stress off of us. That is what we have been missing.”
For Miami, final week’s win over Stanford was a revelation for the facility run sport. Mark Fletcher Jr. led the best way because the Canes rushed for 199 yards and 5 touchdowns. Far too usually this season, Miami has been operating right into a loaded field. The emergence of Tony Johnson as a deep risk (three catches, 69 yards vs. Stanford) may assist open up issues extra for Fletcher & Co. shifting ahead. — Hale
Quotes of the week
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Lane Kiffin trolls Brent Venables’ ‘scorching take’ after Ole Miss’ win over OU
Lane Kiffin snaps again at Brent Venables after the Oklahoma coach stated the Sooners have been the higher crew after Ole Miss’ win.
“I began off as a junior excessive coach at Edna Karr that grew to become a highschool assistant that grew to become a 26-year-old head coach … so I am part of the fiber of this state, of an earnest highschool soccer, youth soccer, that’s extraordinarily humbled, extraordinarily honored to be given this chance,” LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson stated. “It is one thing that you’d dream of. One thing that you do not know if it might ever come true. However one thing you put together your self for.”
“I do know [they have] excessive expectations. I coached at LSU,” Georgia coach Kirby Good stated on LSU’s resolution to fireside coach Brian Kelly. “A man as soon as instructed me, ‘That workplace you are in, that is not your workplace. You are borrowing it.’ I knew proper then that should you did not win, you would not be there lengthy.”
“I feel our crowd at house is a definite benefit,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule stated forward of Saturday’s prime-time go to from USC. “To not steal it from [Texas] A&M, but it surely’s a real twelfth man. We’re Nebraska good — I get all that. However let’s have an actual game-day setting.”
“That is an fascinating take,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin stated, responding to Oklahoma’s Brent Venables calling the Sooners “the higher crew” within the Rebels’ 34-26 win in Week 9. ” … I would not have thought that folks watching would say that.”
“My well being is just not going to extend sitting on the lake fishing. My well being is just not going to extend sitting at my property in Texas, having time or sitting again, consuming some candy iced teas and consuming some honey buns and watching tv,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders stated on his well being issues and questions on his future. “I am not damaging or placing my well being in danger by doing what I am doing. Matter of truth, it is enhancing my well being, doing the issues I do.”
Former LSU coach Ed Orgeron on his curiosity in LSU’s head coach opening: “Are you kidding me? Hey, I am one cellphone name away. I simply gotta get in my truck; I might be there right this moment.”