SEC takeaways: Week 2
A top-10 matchup ends in a blowout and an upset happens in the SEC West. Here is the SEC recap of week two.
Itâs barely the first quarter of the 2020 season but some of the occurrences in week two across the SEC slowly started to separate the elite teams from the ones that still have a little ways to go. A storied rivalry took place this past weekend that ended in lopsided fashion as well as a quarterback-tight end tandem showcasing their ability and why they are SEC title contenders in 2020. Here are a few key takeaways from this past week in the SEC.
Statement made by Georgia between the hedges
The âDeep Southâs Oldest Rivalryâ has itâs own historic prestige thanks to the birth of the rivalry so long ago. However, in recent seasons, #3 Georgia has been victorious over #13 Auburn in dominating fashion. Over the last 20 meetings between the two schools, Georgia is 15-5 over Auburn.
Saturday nightâs contest was dictated by Georgia from the opening kickoff to end. When the game concluded, Georgiaâs defense limited Auburn to just 217 total yards and junior quarterback Stetson Bennett IV was efficient as he passed for 240 yards and a touchdown. There is plenty of talent at wide receiver for Georgia but their run game can be absolutely powerful and they were against Auburn by rushing for 202 yards. At some point, Georgia will have to settle the quarterback position but once they do, Georgia can be an absolute force.
Gator chomp in Gainesville
Winning the SEC East title will in all likelihood come down to Georgia and #4 Florida. It appears that the Gatorsâ success will be guided by their offense. Which has been the complete opposite over the last several seasons for the Gators. Powering a 38-24 win over South Carolina was the play by quarterback Kyle Trask and his 268 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Two of those touchdowns went to elite tight end Kyle Pitts as he hauled in four receptions in total. It was the fifth win by Florida over the last six meetings and 29th win in 41 overall meetings. Very few should question how legitimate the Gators are as a SEC title contender and College Football Playoff participate.
First win in the Lane Kiffin era
Upon the hire of Lane Kiffin in Oxford, Mississippi, the expectations from the fan base and analysts everywhere heightened immediately. It may take a couple of recruiting seasons but winning days may be on the horizon for the Rebels.
His first win as Ole Miss head coach needed an overtime period but the extra point after an overtime touchdown sealed the deal for Ole Miss as they defeated Kentucky, 42-41. The Rebels offense did some of the heavy lifting as they racked up 459 total yards. Their defense however did not have many bright spots as they allowed a discouraging 408 rushing yards, including three 100-yard rushers by Kentucky.
A lot of the games for Ole Miss will likely play out in this fashion as high scoring contests that may come down to one or two mistakes from a defense to determine the outcome. They will however be fun to watch with Kiffinâs play calling and production from quarterback Matt Corral, running back Jerrion Ealy, and wide receiver Elijah Moore.
Pittman and the Razorbacks announce their arrival
In week one, the Arkansas Razorbacks put a little heat on Georgia in which they took a 7-5 halftime lead. Ultimately, they didnât have enough as Georgia prevailed but on Saturday night, the Razorbacks went on the road and told the SEC that theyâre on the up-and-up.
Very opportunistic defensive play led the Razorbacks to a 21-14 upset over Mississippi State. Remember, the Bulldogs were riding a high after beating #17 LSU on the road last week. In their home opener, Mississippi State had trouble getting their offense to find a grove and the Razorbacks forced four turnovers, one of them being a 69-yard interception return for touchdown just three minutes into the game.
First year head coach Sam Pittman is attempting to install an aggressive culture into the Razorbacks football program. Pittman comes over from Georgia as their offensive line coach for four seasons. Their win over Mississippi State snapped a 20-game conference losing streak which dates back to 2017. They may still have some considerable growing pains this season but this latest victory is massive for the program going forward.