Can Alabama Bounce Back from Loss to South Carolina?

Time Out
by Dan Rutledge

Wow! What a difference a week makes!

As we head into Week 7 of the 2010 Southeastern Conference football season, all bets are off on who will compete for the league title in December in the Georgia Dome. Before what has been called “the shocker in Columbia,” Alabama was riding high in the driver’s seat at No. 1, undefeated and, so it appeared, unstoppable.

In fact, the question posed in this very column was, “Can anybody stop the Crimson Tide offense?” The answer was, obviously, “Yes, South Carolina can.”

Not that the Gamecocks’ upset — and it was that — was a complete surprise. Some, including yours truly, said before the season began that the South Carolina might be the most dangerous on the schedule.

TV Schedule and Lines Below

The Ol’ Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, is now 3-1 head-to-head against Alabama head coach Nick Saban. In his sixth season at the Gamecoccks’ helm, Spurrier has the team he needs to win the Eastern Division and make it to the Georgia Dome … where it could come down to a rematch with Alabama for the league title and most likely a spot in the BCS national championship game.

The SEC still has half its membership, six teams, ranked in the national Top 25 polls … but the deck has been shuffled. With the loss to SC, Alabama dropped to No. 8, right behind the undefeated and Western Division co-leader Auburn, which is ranked No. 7; followed by also still unbeaten LSU at No. 9, South Carolina No. 10, Arkansas No. 12, and Florida No. 22.

This week’s schedule is somewhat sparse, with just six games on tap, but five of the six are conference matchups, making it an important week as far as league standings go.

The top game this week has to be at Fayatteville, Ark., where the Razorbacks (4-1,11-1) play host to the Auburn Tigers (6-0, 3-0) (Line: Auburn by 3½).

The Tigers are taking their undefeated act, led by quarterback Cam Newton, who each week looks more (Tim) Tebow-like, on the road. Newton has burst onto the Heisman scene as he leads the SEC in rushing, as well as in quarterback efficiently. A big guy that is also athletic, Newton will decide in an instant to run instead of pass, and like the ex-Florida great and Heisman winner Tebow, Newton like to lower his shoulder and run over would-be tacklers, taking them on with relish.

So far, Newton has been the wild card in the Auburn offense, the missing piece that was needed to overcome a sputtering offense. This one could turn out to be a barn burner, and a shootout at that! Not to say that both teams don’t have good defenses, it’s just that so far Newton has been able to drive his Tigers down the field when the need has arisen.

Arkansas, on the other hand, has what could be the best offensive team in the conference under quarterback Ryan Mallett. AU’s Newton leads the league in rushing yardage, but Arkansas’ Mallett leads the conference in passing yards. The Razorback signal caller has passed for over 300 yards in each of Arkansas’ first six games this season.

Next up … Ole Miss (3-2, 1-1) at Alabama (5-1, 2-1) (Line: Alabama by 21). The question has been asked all week: Can Bama bounce back? Saban-coached teams have a history of responding with intensity and purpose after a loss. As Mr. T would put it, “Pity the fool who plays Alabama the week after its first loss!”

Some have questioned how Tide quarterback Greg McElroy would fare, the loss at South Carolina being his first suffered since eighth grade. But McElroy is a tough Texas who knew it had to happen sooner or later. Some things have to improve for the Tide.

First off, pass protection — seven sacks is way too many. Second thing is that the Tide didn’t use its world-class running tandem of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson nearly enough in the loss to the Gamecocks. It is true that game situation sometimes dictates whether you will run or pass a lot — like early turnovers that led to SC getting off to a big lead. But this week, look for Bama to lean on that running game and look for a banner performance by Ingram or Anderson … or both.

The other three league games include Mississippi State at Florida (Line Florida by 7), Vanderbilt (2-3. 1-1) at Georgia (2-4, 1-3 (Line: Georgia by 7) and South Carolina (5-1, 2-1) at Kentucky (3-3. 0-3). Florida has won the past 16 meetings between itself and the Bulldogs. Even with inconsistency problems, the Gators should prove efficient enough to dispose of State.

The Vandy-Georgia matchup is one between teams that can’t afford another loss right now. Both will be desperate for a win. Playing at home between The Hedges could make the difference for the ‘Dawgs. South Carolina, especially under Spurrier, has shown a tendency in the past to have a bad letdown the week after a big win.

Kentucky almost came back all the way against Auburn last week and have the capacity to do it against the ‘Cocks. But not this time. Spurrier and company are on a road to the Georgia Dome.

The lone non-conference game is barely worth a mention as LSU (6-0) hosts tiny McNeese State (2-3) of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision . The Tigers are such favorites (No Line) that LSU Coach Les Miles won’t have to use up any of his supply of luck!

WEEKEND TV LINEUP

A seventh-week TV football schedule started with a Thursday night tripleheader – South Florida at West Virginia, Kansas State at Kansas and Valdosta State at North Alabama. The Friday night schedule was also light, with just one game being broadcast – Cincinnati at Louisville at 7 p.m.

The Saturday television football lineup is as follows:

11 a.m.
Boston College at FSU (ESPN), Minnesota at Purdue (EPN2), Arkansas State at Indiana (ESPNU), Maryland at Clemson (CW), Missouri at Texas A&M (FSNS), Southern Miss at Memphis (CSS), N. C. State at East Carolina (CBS Collegiate Sports), Illinois at Michigan St. (Big Ten Network)

11:21 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Georgia (SEC Network)

1 p.m.
Furman at Samford (SportSouth), UNLV at Colorado St. (Mountain)

2:30 p.m.
Arkansas at Auburn (CBS), Texas at Nebraska (ABC), Iowa at Michigan (ESPN), Wake Forest at Virginia Tech (ESPNU), California at USC (FSNS), Oklahoma St. at Texas Tech (Fox), SMU at Navy (CBS Collegiate Sports), Houston at Rice (CSS)

3:30 p.m.
BYU at TCU (Versus)

5 p.m.
South Carolina at Kentucky (ESPN2), Utah at Wyoming (Mountain)

6 p.m.
Mississippi St. at Florida (ESPNU), Ohio St. at Wisconsin (ESPN), McNeese St. at LSU (FSNS) , Iowa St. at Oklahoma (SportSouth)

6:30 p.m.
Arizona at Washington St. (Versus), Florida International at North Texas (CSS)

7 p.m.
Air Force at San Diego St. (CBS Collegiate Sports)

8 p.m.
Ole Miss at Alabama (ESPN2)

9:15 p.m.
Oregon St. at Washington (ESPN)

9:30 p.m.
New Mexico St. at Fresno St. (ESPNU)