GAME OF THE DAY | NO. 21 SOUTH CAROLINA (5-2, 3-2) AT NO. 5 MISSOURI (7-0, 3-0), 7 P.M., ESPN2
Continuity on offensive line spurs Mizzou
Finally, the secret is out. Junior running back Henry Josey spilled the beans about the stellar play of Missouri’s offensive line this season.
“I feed them ice cream every Thursday,” said Josey, who leads the Tigers with 83 carries for 494 yards and eight rushing touchdowns this season.
Every week at film study, Josey or another running back stocks up on treats for the hefty fellas who pave the way for the nation’s 15th-best run game, which averages 234.4 yards.
“When I do it, I bring them Snickers ice cream. I bring them sandwiches. I bring them Oreos,” Josey said. “I just go in there and grab a whole bunch of different things. When I come in, they’re excited.”
Opposing defenses don’t feel the same excitement lining up against fifth-ranked Missouri’s offense, which ranks 11th in the nation in total offense, racking up 513.4 yards per game, and eighth in scoring, averaging 44.3 points per game.
Of course, health and not midweek treats — sorry, Henry — is the true secret to the Tigers offensive line’s revival.
Scarred by injuries to more than half its two-deep roster last season, Missouri was forced to mix and match offensive-line personnel, and the results reflected a team struggling to put the pieces together up front.
That hasn’t been the case this season with left tackle Justin Britt, center Evan Boehm, right guard Connor McGovern and right tackle Mitch Morse making every start (and logging nearly every minute).
Left guard Max Copeland sat out the Indiana game and was limited against Arkansas State, but otherwise the Tigers have been healthy.
“The continuity of playing together, there’s nothing like it,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “That doesn’t mean you’re not going to have any mistakes, but certainly the consistency at that position helps a lot.”
Upon returning from a win at then-No. 7 Georgia, rather than go their separate ways, the starting offensive line gathered at McGovern’s house for a bonfire and “just sat around the fire talking about life, talking about football, talking about everything,” Boehm said. “That’s how close-knit we are. We never get tired of each other.”
— Tod Palmer, The Kansas City Star
Vonashek leaves S.C.
Reserve offensive lineman J.P. Vonashek, who chose South Carolina after fielding offers from Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State, is no longer with the Gamecocks. The 6-foot-6, 283-pound Vonashek, 19, of Camden County High, had been listed as a backup to tackle Brandon Shell when the year began, but had not played this season.
Tennessee (4-3, 1-2) at No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS
Vols have renewed vigor, even against Crimson Tide
The Tennessee Volunteers don’t think facing “the red team” sounds particularly scary.
That’s what some Vols players have taken to calling the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in an effort to negate the intimidation factor at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“When teams hear that name or when they come to play against them, they’re mentally beat already when they step on the field due to the fact they’re the No. 1 team,” Tennessee wide receiver Alton “Pig” Howard said. “I’ll give them credit, but we’ve got warriors on our team as well.”
Tennessee center James Stone said an upset “would be incredible for this team.” It wouldn’t be as big of a stunner as it seemed before the South Carolina game, though.
One tradition in this game is the winners get victory cigars. It still caught Alabama safety Landon Collins by surprise when he was handed a stogy as a freshman last season.
“I’m like, ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’” Collins said. “They said, ‘You’re supposed to smoke it.’ I was like, I’ll just keep it as a souvenir as my first win. That’s what I did.”
Three things to watch for in the matchup:
- Alabama's T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake, of Hillgrove High, have been rolling lately, combining for 648 yards in the past three SEC games. Tennessee counters with Rajion Neal and a formidable offensive line. Neal, of Sandy Creek High, has run for 100-plus yards in two of the past three games.
- The Vols have lost nine consecutive SEC road games. "I feel like there's just a whole new confidence level on this football team as opposed to previous years," Stone said.
- This game will provide a just-for-fun barometer of how Alabama stacks up with Oregon, in case those teams play for a national title. There's really no comparison in styles, and perhaps in how Tennessee's defense is playing since that 59-14 loss. "We've improved, there's no question about that," Vols defensive coordinator John Jancek said. "In comparing us to the Oregon game, Oregon gives you a lot of problems. Their tempo and the things that they do, we didn't handle very well. We've grown. We've moved on."
“I always say the fans are apart of the team. Everybody else should have the same sort of commitment. You don’t have to do the work all week, you don’t have to practice, you don’t have to come in at 7 in the morning and leave at 11 at night, you don’t have to do any of that stuff. All you have to do is come to the game, drink beer, do whatever you want, party in the parking lot. I’ve never been at a tailgate in my life. All I’m asking is that you just come and have fun and stay for the whole game.” — Alabama coach Nick Saban, admitting his unhappiness with fans who leave early.
Vanderbilt (4-3, 1-3) at No. 16 Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2), 12:21 p.m., WPCH
Statistics, injuries, unknowns dominate pregame chatter
The news of the day will be how much Johnny Manziel plays after sustained a shoulder injury last week.
Meanwhile, the Commodores likely will be without Austyn Carta-Samuels (left leg) at quarterback, and freshman Patton Robinette, who was a hugely successful high school quarterback, will get the start.
And the oddsmakers favor the Aggies at home by 18.
Three things to watch in the matchup:
- Manziel needs 5 yards to reach 6,000 for his career. He's a sophomore.
- Vanderbilt has an unusually good 17-11-2 record against Texas teams, but they face an Aggies offense that has scored 40 or more points in 10 consecutive games.
- Commodores receiver Jordan Matthews needs 14 yards to break the SEC career receiving mark. He stands at 3,080 entering the game.
Furman (3-4) at No. 13 LSU (6-2), 7 p.m., No TV
Tigers ease into bye
with with FCS foe
LSU, coming off a loss, gets a gimme on its ninth consecutive week without a break. The Tigers get a bye before the Alabama game.
“We need to bounce back. We just want to get a ‘W’ this week and go uphill from here,” LSU receiver Jarvis Landry said.
Furman poses little threat. The Paladins have lost 20 of their past 21 against FBS teams.
Three things to know about the matchup:
- Before LSU moves back into a tougher part of its schedule, Miles aims to provide more playing time for younger players who've shown potential to help the Tigers sooner than later. The coach has named dual-threat backup quarterback Anthony Jennings of Marietta; linebackers Kendell Beckwith and Lamar Louis; defensive back Rashard Robinson; and offensive lineman Josh Boutte as examples of players who could play more.
- Injuries aren't the only reason five players have taken snaps for Furman. Sometimes the Paladins have just looked to mix up their attack. Freshman Richard Hayes III, a former defensive back, has been inserted behind center during the past couple of games to provide more of a running threat.
- LSU has been almost unbeatable coming off of a loss since Miles took over as head coach in 2005. The Tigers are 21-1 following defeats.
Florida Atlantic (2-5) at No. 11 Auburn (6-1), 7:30 p.m., SPSO
Heavily favored Tigers
are happy, happy, happy
The Auburn Tigers are feeling awfully good about themselves after a season when the opposite was often true.
Now, the Tigers hope to keep the good times rolling when the 24-point underdog Owls visit.
Auburn is riding high from a 45-41 upset of then-No. 7 Texas A&M that thrust Gus Malzahn’s team into SEC title contention.
“We’re just trying to keep our composure and keep our focus and just keep moving forward,” Auburn defensive end Dee Ford said. “But it’s definitely a great feeling moving forward. Definitely a big difference between this year and last year.”
Three things to watch in the matchup:
- Tre Mason has helped power an Auburn running game that leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally. Auburn's starting offensive line has a 60-plus pound weight advantage per player over the Owls' defensive front.
- Florida Atlantic ranks 99th in the country in turnover margin, having lost eight interceptions and seven fumbles. The Tigers have been effective at capitalizing on opponents' miscues despite a minus-1 turnover margin on the season. Auburn has produced 45 points off turnovers.
- The latest season-ending injury to strike the defense leaves Ryan White replacing Josh Holsey at safety. White didn't even get time to practice at the new position before starting the Texas A&M game, but has a chance to build more experience.
Idaho (1-6) at Ole Miss (4-3), 7:30 p.m., CSS
The early-season challenges are starting to be overcome by Ole Miss. And the Rebels hope to pile up some wins down the stretch starting with the Vandals, coached by Paul Petrino, the brother of Western Kentucky coach Bobby Petrino.
Ole Miss steps out of the SEC for the first time since mid-September.
“That gauntlet that we’ve gone through has taken a toll on us physically and mentally,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. “We certainly need to continue moving in the right direction in all areas.”
Despite the upset of LSU on Saturday, the Rebels are beat up; a half dozen players are recovering from injuries, including defensive end Robert Nkemdiche (hamstring) of Grayson High.
Three things to watch in the matchup:
- If Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace can match last week, it'll be a miracle. Ole Miss is favored by 41, and Wallace is likely to have a short day.
- The Rebels are trying to find a full-time option to replace tight end Evan Engram, who was lost for the season because of an ankle injury sustained against LSU.
- The Vandals are unlikely to be competitive in this game: They defeated Temple, but have lost all the other games by at least 10 points and could be playing third-teamer Taylor Davis behind center.
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