Western Division
No. 2 Auburn Tigers (5-0, 3-0) Next game: vs. Arkansas, 11 a.m. on CBS Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville said someone stole a laptop containing the team’s offensive game plan against South Carolina the night before Auburn defeated the Gamecocks 24-17 in Columbia. “It didn’t have anything to do with the outcome of the game,” Tuberville said Sunday in a news release. “It was not a conspiracy. Somebody needed some bucks, and I hope they got more than $100 because it’s worth a lot more than that.” Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1, 2-0)Next game: at Auburn Fullback Peyton Hillis, linebackers Sam Olajubutu and Weston Dacus and running back Darren McFadden all practiced Sunday after missing practice time during the Razorbacks’ open date week. “This was a good time for them,” Razorbacks coach Houston Nutt said in a news release. “But now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and play football. We have a real football team we are playing [on Saturday].” Saturday’s game against Auburn will decide sole possession atop the SEC West.
No. 9 LSU Tigers (4-1, 1-1)Next game: at Florida, 2:30 p.m. on CBS The Tigers travel Saturday to “The Swamp” with the No. 2-ranked scoring defense and No. 1-ranked total defense in the nation. Throughout five games this season, LSU’s starting defense has outscored its opponents by yielding just 13 points and scoring 14 points itself. “They are as good of a defense as I have ever been around,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “They have a great scheme. They understand their responsibilities.”
Alabama Crimson Tide (3-2,1-2)Next game: vs. Duke (0-4), 6 p.m. The Alabama Crimson Tide have not had the same success the team achieved in 2005. The Tide already has lost two games, its loss total from 2005, and is not ranked in either the Associated Press or coaches’ polls. Alabama’s sole SEC victory was against Vanderbilt, and its two losses were to Florida and Arkansas in two overtime periods.
Ole Miss Rebels (1-4, 0-2)Next game: vs. Vanderbilt, 1 p.m. Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron said starting quarterback Brent Schaeffer is a step behind where he would like him to be playing. On the year Schaeffer is completing less than 50 percent of his passes and has thrown six interceptions compared to four touchdowns. “I thought he’d be playing better in a lot of situations,” Orgeron said in a news release. “Against Kentucky we had a chance to win the game, and there was a fumble. Against Georgia there is no doubt in my mind that my team thought we were going to win the game, and there was an interception.”
Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-4, 0-3)Next game: vs. No. 4 West Virginia (4-0), 1:30 p.m. The Bulldogs and Mountaineers meet for the first time in history Saturday. Mississippi State limps into the game with the 114th ranked total offense in the nation out of 119 teams. The Bulldogs average 236 yards of offense per game. West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez has high praise for MSU’s defense, saying it will be the stiffest test his offense will have faced so far this season. “They will have more guys drafted into the NFL than we will this year,” Rodriguez said in a news release. “They are the most talented team we’ve played so far compared to our first four opponents.”
Eastern Division
No. 5 Florida Gators (5-0, 3-0)Next game: vs. LSU Florida running back DeShawn Wynn is questionable to play Saturday against LSU. Wynn, the Gators’ leading rusher, twisted his right knee this past Saturday against Alabama. The senior leads the team with 354 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Florida coach Urban Meyer praised the job LSU coach Les Miles has done recruiting while at LSU. “It’s going to be hard to beat this talent, and they lost a lot of guys a year ago,” Meyer said in a news release. “So that kind of tells you how well they’ve done.”
No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0) Next game: vs. Tennessee, 6:45 p.m. on ESPN The Bulldogs’ quarterback carousel may end Saturday against Tennessee. Quarterback Joe Tereshinski has missed the past four games with an ankle injury but said he will play this weekend. “I felt really good,” Tereshinski said in a news release. “I was able to do really anything that we did without it bothering me. [My ankle] is going to be 100 percent by Saturday.”
Kentucky Wildcats (3-2, 1-1)Next game: vs. South Carolina, 6 p.m. on ESPN2 The Wildcats could be without two starters Saturday at home against South Carolina. Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said defensive tackle Corey Peters and center Matt McCutchan will undergo MRIs this week. “I would say [Peters] will not play this week,” Brooks said. “Matt McCutchan is still very doubtful.” South Carolina Gamecocks(3-2, 1-2)Next game: at Kentucky South Carolina quarterback Syvelle Newton had a sort of coming-out party on national television this past Thursday in a loss against No. 2 Auburn. Newton passed for 240 yards, two touchdowns and ran for 44 yards. “[I am] just a little bit surprised in his passing ability,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said in a new release. “I didn’t realize that when the game is on the line he has a knack of throwing it where our guys can catch it.”
No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers(4-1, 0-1)Next game: at Georgia What a difference a year and an offensive coordinator make for Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge. First year offensive coordinator and former Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe has Ainge’s quarterback rating up to 181.27 compared to 89.94 in 2005. “Erik is doing a tremendous job of managing our offense,” Vols coach Phillip Fulmer said. “He is obviously a work in progress, but he is making strides with every game. We are very excited about the way he’s handling the quarterback duties.”
Vanderbilt Commodores (2-3, 0-2)Next game: at Ole Miss The Commodores will be looking for just their fifth three-game winning streak in the past 20 years Saturday against Ole Miss. “There is nothing like winning; I can guarantee you that,” Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said in a news release. “It makes everything a lot easier to go through the next day – class for them, work for us, press conferences, radio shows — everything.”
—–Contact Kyle Whitfield at [email protected]