Two SEC teams remain undefeated.
It’s no surprise Alabama, which is ranked No. 1 and going for its third consecutive national title, has started 5-0.
The SEC’s other 5-0 team?
Missouri, as crazy as that sounds.
Granted, the Tigers haven’t played the toughest schedule, but they have lopsided road victories at Indiana (45-28) and Vanderbilt (51-28).
Missouri is No. 25 in this week’s Associated Press poll, the first national ranking for the Tigers since early in the 2011 season.
The Tigers already have equaled their victory total from last season, when they went 5-7 in their SEC debut.
“There is chemistry and determination on this team - a combination of both of those - and high leadership skills,” Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel said.
“This team wants to win. We are willing to pay the price to do that, and I felt that these guys had it in them.
“They have taken that goal really personal, especially the seniors. Most of the seniors have been here for five years and they went to bowls every year except last year, and they want to get back.”
Senior quarterback James Franklin, who was injured much of last season, has passed for 1,407 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“All of a sudden everybody loves James Franklin,” Pinkel said.
“I loved him last year and his sophomore year. I’m very proud of him and how he’s playing, how he’s competing, how he’s seeing things.”
For Missouri to stay in the top 25, the Tigers may need to win at No. 7 Georgia on Saturday.
“Missouri is a very, very hot team,” Georgia Coach Mark Richt said. “They were very dominating against Vanderbilt. It was kind of scary actually to watch the tape of it. They were so proficient on offense.”
Missouri is averaging 46.6 points and 543.8 yards per game.
Dye not a Rice fan
Pat Dye, the former Auburn coach, didn’t display much diplomacy when talking about the possibility of Condoleezza Rice, the former Secretary of State, being on the college football playoff selection committee.
“All she knows about football is what somebody told her,” Dye said this week on radio station WJOX.
“Or what she read in a book, or what she saw on television.
“To understand football, you’ve got to play with your hand in the dirt.”
Dye added that he respects Rice’s career accomplishments.
“I love Condoleezza Rice, and she’s probably a good statesman and all of that,” Dye said. “But how in the hell does she know what it’s like out there when you can’t get your breath and it’s 110 degrees and the coach asks you to go some more?”
South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier was more receptive to Rice being on the selection committee when asked about it during his weekly news conference
“She’s an honest, fair person, I think,” Spurrier said. “Stanford graduate. She plays a little golf.
She’s a member at Augusta National. I think she’s probably as good as anybody.”
Georgia is hurting
Georgia has won four consecutive games - including victories over South Carolina and LSU - but the Bulldogs are limping into Saturday’s game against Missouri after being hit hard by injuries.
The Bulldogs lost tailback Keith Marshall and wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley to season-ending knee injuries in last week’s 34-31 overtime victory at Tennessee.
Wide receiver Michael Bennett is expected to miss a few weeks with a knee injury, and tailback Todd Gurley remains sidelined by an ankle injury.
Safeties Trey Matthews(hamstring) and Connor Norman (concussion) and punter Collin Barber (concussion) also are questionable for this week’s game against Missouri.
The Bulldogs lost their wide receiver to season-ending knee injury in the opener at Clemson.
“It’s sad for our players,” Bulldogs Coach Mark Richt said.
“You see them work so hard and get into position to play for Georgia and realize their dreams of wanting to play in big games like that and try to win championships and all that.
“There is so much work put in and they play so hard for you and work and practice and all that.
When you want to play like that and it’s taken away from you, it’s just very heartbreaking. I don’t know what hurts more, the pain of the injury or knowing you’re not going to get to play anymore for a while. I just feel bad for them.”
Just win, baby
Florida leads the SEC in scoring defense at 12.2 points per game, but Gators Coach Will Muschamp said it won’t matter if his team has to win a shootout at LSU on Saturday.
“As long as we win, I don’t care,” Muschamp said. “Honestly, I got real caught up in all that stuff when I was a coordinator.
“When I’m a head coach, I want to win. If it takes 51-50, let’s go. … I used to grab those stat sheets when I was a coordinator. Not anymore. There’s one stat that matters and that’s winning.”
Fast start for Gus
Auburn (4-1) surpassed last season’s victory total when the Tigers beat Ole Miss 30-22 last Saturday.
“It feels like a whole new team, a whole new Auburn team,” junior defensive back Robenson Therezie said. “We just keep going up, just like Coach [Gus] Malzahn talks about.”
The Tigers take a break from SEC play with Saturday’s game against Western Carolina. They also play Florida Atlantic, so becoming bowl eligible appears all but certain.
Malzahn sounded a cautious tone after the Tigers beat Ole Miss, which was ranked No. 24.
“This was a huge win for us against a top 25 team at home, and we’re not looking ahead,” he said.
“We talked about getting better each week, and I think we still have a chance to continue that and we’ll see what happens.”
Another tough road
Arkansas isn’t the only SEC team playing four consecutive ranked teams, capped by a match up against No. 1 Alabama.
Kentucky takes on the Crimson Tide on Saturday in Lexington, Ky., after losing to No. 7 Louisville, No. 19 Florida and No. 13 South Carolina in their previous three games.
It’s the first time Kentucky has played four consecutive games against ranked opponents.
Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops, who was Florida State’s defensive coordinator last season, said he didn’t look at the Wildcats’ schedule before taking the job.
“I really didn’t because we were in season there at Florida State so I was pretty consumed with what I was doing,” Stoops said.
“It wouldn’t have deterred me, though.”
Positive vibes
Tennessee sophomore receiver Alton “Pig” Howard said he hasn’t gotten a negative reaction from anyone after he lost a fumble in overtime in the Vols’ 34-31 loss to Georgia while trying to stretch the football across the goal line for a touchdown.
“I’ve been getting all positive talk,” Howard said Tuesday when he spoke with the media for the first time since the game. “I respect everyone for it.”
Tennessee had a second-and goal play from the 7 in overtime when Howard ran a sweep. He dove for the front right corner of the end zone with his arms outstretched and lost the ball before crossing the goal. The play was ruled a touchdown for Georgia, which then kicked the game-winning field goal.
“I don’t think I’d do anything differently,” Howard said. “If I was to, I’d probably lower my shoulder on the guy. … I wasn’t settling for no field goal. I was trying to win it for my team.”
LSU QB rolling
LSU senior Zach Mettenberger passed for a career-high 372 yards at Georgia and 340 at Mississippi State, becoming the fourth Tigers quarterback with 300 or more yards in back-to-back games.
Other LSU quarterbacks with consecutive 300-yard games are Tommy Hodson in 1989, Rohan Davey in 2001 and Matt Flynn in 2007.
Aggies lose Ennis
Texas A&M starting senior defensive tackle Kirby Ennis will miss the rest of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Arkansas.
True freshman Isaiah Golden will replace Ennis in the lineup.
SEC top to bottom
RK (PREV.) TEAM RECORD COMMENT
- (1) Alabama 5-0 Road trip to Kentucky
- (2) Georgia 4-1 Hit hard by injuries going into Mizzou game
- (3) Texas A&M 4-1 Should have high-scoring game with Ole Miss
- (4) LSU 5-1 Muschamp back at LSU with Gators
- (5) South Carolina 4-1 Spurrier has lost three in a row at Arkansas
- (6) Florida 4-1 Murphy looking comfortable at quarterback
- (8) Missouri 5-0 Big road test at Georgia
- (11) Auburn 4-1 Gus beats Freeze in Ex-ASU Coaches Bowl
- (7) Ole Miss 3-2 Ready to start homestand against Aggies
- (10) Arkansas 3-3 Hopes to stop losing streak
- (9) Vanderbilt 3-3 Mizzou’s James Franklin beats Vandy’s James Franklin
- (12) Tennessee 3-3 Open date to recover from OT loss to Georgia
- (13) Mississippi State 2-3 Facing 5-1 Bowling Green
- (14) Kentucky 1-4 Hosting No. 1 Alabama
Game of the week
No. 17 Florida at No. 10 LSU 2:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS
For the 10th consecutive season, LSU and Florida will meet with both teams nationally ranked. LSU is averaging 45.5 points per game and has scored at least 30 in every game this season, but the Tigers’ offense figures to find the going tougher against Florida. The Gators are holding opponents to an average of 12.2 points. Miami scored the most points against Florida when the Hurricanes beat the Gators 21-16.
By the numbers
24.2◊Average margin of victory for Missouri in its 5-0 start
11,625◊SEC career record passing yards for Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray
“Overheard”
“It’s just very heartbreaking.”
- Georgia Coach Mark Richt on his team’s mounting injuries
“They look a lot better than 17.”
- LSU Coach Les Miles on Florida, which is ranked No. 17 in this week’s Associated Press poll
Sports, Pages 22 on 10/10/2013