SEC: Asked and answered

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog
photo SEC Southeastern Conference

• 1. Ole Miss (7-0, 6-0; at LSU, 7:15 p.m.): Is this the toughest remaining test for Ole Miss to run the table? We say yes, because going to Death Valley at night -- especially this close to Halloween -- is begging for some Les Miles voodoo. And how bad is this current run for CBS. Speaking of that ...

• 2. Mississippi State (6-0, 3-0; at Kentucky, 3:30 p.m.): How big a statement is it for the ascension of the Bulldogs that they are playing Kentucky and CBS picked up the game? The fact that it's less than a good week and CBS is starving to get the nation's top-ranked team -- your MSU Bulldogs (admit it, even for Johnny Cowbell Ringer, the phrase "top-ranked Mississippi State" feels a touch strange) -- that it has MSU-UK this weekend. That means CBS had the ratings-killing blowout that was Alabama-A&M followed by MSU-UK and UGA-Florida. Ouch-standing.

• 3. Auburn (5-1, 2-1; vs. South Carolina, 7:30 p.m.): What should Auburn fans hope the Tigers did during the off week? Gus Malzahn has said the timing in the passing game needs work. And we trust in Gus, so yes, it needs work. Here's hoping, too, that AU offensively watched some video from last year's run-and-run-and-then-gun approach and gets back to being a power running team.

• 4. Alabama (6-1, 3-1; at Tennessee, 7:30 p.m.): Was that more Alabama or Texas A&M in that 59-0 destruction? A lot of both to be sure, but here's saying it was the Aggies defensive nightmares and the fact that Alabama is infinitely more comfortable at home. And yes, every team is, but the difference between the offense that scored 14 points at Arkansas and scored at will against the Aggies -- and those teams were evenly matched when Arkansas and Texas A&M played -- was staggering.

• 5. Georgia (6-1, 4-1; off): At this point in the season, who's your SEC coach of the year? Great question, right?, because the two Mississippi schools are doing historic things. But you'd have to give hard consideration to the job Mark Richt has done. New quarterback, new defensive coordinator, all-but-new secondary, lose the nation's best player five games into the season. Now that's a laundry list of issues. Still, if Richt's got 99 problems, the itch ain't one. Dude stays calm and collected, and that demeanor -- while it has bothered some fans longing for more sideline emotions -- has served him and his program and its fans exceedingly well.

• 6. LSU (6-2, 2-2; vs. Ole Miss, 7:15 p.m.): Could you pick a Mark Twain quote for these Tigers? Let's go with, "The reports have been greatly exaggerated" of their demise. LSU has offensive issues -- hey, playing in the SEC with quarterback questions makes it a week-to-week roller coaster -- but we sometimes can forget the army of athletes assembled in Baton Rouge. These Tigers are going to be salty -- two seniors on the two-deep defensively and just three senior starters on offense -- sooner rather than later, and when you are 6-2 and ranked in a rebuilding year, well, kudos to your program, Mad Hatter.

• 7. Missouri (5-2, 2-2; vs. Vanderbilt, 4 p.m.): Are these Tigers good, bad or lucky? Don't know, possibly, and certainly yes. Missouri has run the gamut. The good was a fourth quarter in South Carolina and a schedule that has allowed them some opportunities. The bad was the entire home debacle against Georgia. The lucky -- well, scoring 42 points on less than 120 yards of offense like it did against Florida certainly is making the most of its chances. Now comes five SEC games against unranked teams, including three of them at home.

• 8. Texas A&M (5-3, 2-3; off): What was that? It's impossible to know after a complete and total pantsing at Tuscaloosa. OK, do you think Texas A&M even practices defense or just lets those guys run around while the offense does some things? Because how you let Blake Sims make short throws to Amari Cooper screams of ill-preparedness.

• 9. Arkansas (3-4, 0-4; vs. UAB, noon): Should we feel sorry for the Blazers? Arkansas is starving for a win, and while beating UAB will not fill the SEC void for Bret Bielema and Co., it will be a win. Arkansas is 3-0 outside the league and has won those games on average 58-16.3. Man, Arkansas would own Conference USA.

• 10. South Carolina (4-3, 2-3; at Auburn, 7:30 p.m.): How much a difference could a healthy Mike Davis make for these Gamecocks? In short, a world of difference. Yes, it was against an overmatched Furman bunch last week, but the Gamecocks looked more like what we expected to begin the season. Not sure if it will be enough against an Auburn bunch that is coming off a bye after losing at Starkville, but it's certainly a start.

• 11. Florida (3-3, 2-3; off): Was there anything good out of Saturday's 42-13 loss to Missouri? Well, actually, as a Gators fan, you get the silent affirmation that the Will Muschamp experiment is finished. And while athletic director Jeremy Foley has said there will not be any action until after the season, he did not say if he was being literal or figurative, because the season is over for these Gators.

• 12. Kentucky (5-2, 2-2; vs. Mississippi State, 3:30 p.m.): What do you take from the 41-3 beatdown at LSU the rebuilding Wildcats suffered? Not much, because this was the first time this season the Wildcats were overmatched, and the Kentucky receivers' inability to create separation was clear. UK has added pieces and is still recruiting at a lofty level. Now Cool Mark Stoops and the Gang need to add playmakers.

• 13. Tennessee (3-4, 0-3; vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m.): What do you take from the 34-3 beatdown at Ole Miss the rebuilding Vols suffered? Not much, but we have to say this: Everyone in the Volunteer State -- even our 4-year-old daughter -- is well aware of the lack of bricks Butch Jones had up front on offense. Did you know they had to replace all five starters? Well, we're now picking out Halloween costumes and none of those five new starters has shown even the smallest strides of improvement.

• 14. Vanderbilt (2-5, 0-4; at Missouri, 4 p.m.): Can the Commodores play Charleston Southern again? Here's saying that CSU, which lost 21-20 to the 'Dores, is up for it.

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