Around The SEC; New Baseketball Commitment

AROUND THE SEC

ALABAMA:  Alabama had a frustrating first half against Florida International before finally rolling to a 40-14 victory. The Tide led just 20-14 at halftime. At the end of the day, Bama out gained FIU by a 516 - 214 margin. The big news is that freshman superstar running back Trent Richardson ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He is going to be a star very soon. In a bit of a surprise, star receiver Julio Jones had just one reception for nine yards. He has just five receptions on the season thus far.

ARKANSAS:  The Hogs were off in Week 2 and they are preparing for a big showdown with Georgia on Saturday. Arkansas is primed to pull off the upset, and they may just beat Georgia soundly.

AUBURN:  Auburn's offense rolled for the second straight week in a 49 - 24 victory over Mississippi State.  Also for the second straight week, the War Eagles had a pair of 100 yard rushers.  So in just two games, they've had four 100 yard rushing performances.  Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb are the top two rushers in the SEC after 2 weeks with both averaging over 130 yards per game.  But while Auburn's rushing attack flourished on Saturday, their passing game struggled a bit.  Quarterback Chris Todd completed just 10 of 23 passes on the day.   Their defense played fairly well, frustrating Mississippi State quarterbacks while doing just OK against the run. 

MISSISSIPPI STATE:  The Bulldogs were able to hang with Auburn for one half on Saturday but couldn't match them in the second half.  Both of their quarterbacks, Chris Relf and Tyson Lee, played but neither were terribly effective throwing the ball.  For the second straight game, Relf showed he is a threat to run the ball, gaining 52 yards on seven carries.  Running back Anthony Dixon was also able to run the ball, finishing with 92 yards on 20 carries.  State also ran the ball very well in Week 1. 

OLE MISS:  Ole Miss was off in Week 2.  They play Southeastern Louisiana this week before hitting a tough three game stretch of @ South Carolina, @ Vanderbilt, and then back home vs. Alabama. 

FLORIDA:  The #1 team in the nation had no trouble dealing with Troy, winning the game 56 - 6.  The Gators host Tennessee this week, and I fully Florida to win by a large margin.  In the off season, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin accused Florida of cheating while recruiting, and his comments have not been forgotten at the Swamp.  Don't be surprised to see Urban Meyer keep his foot on the gas late in this game to make a statement. 

GEORGIA:  In a surprising offensive battle, Georgia held off a late rally from South Carolina to hold onto a 41 - 37 victory.  The Bulldogs really struggled to run the ball, gaining just 107 yards with a 3.7 average against a tough Carolina defense.   Quarterback Joe Cox looked a bit better this week going 17 of 24 for 201 yards.  Georgia's defense gave up 427 yards to South Carolina.   Georgia has a tough game at Arkansas this week. 

KENTUCKY:   The Wildcats were off in Week 2 and face Louisville this weekend before hosting Florida in Week 4. 

SOUTH CAROLINA:  South Carolina showed significant improvement on offense from Week 1 to Week 2.  After showing no ability to move the ball in their opener, they managed 427 yards on the road against Georgia.  Quarterback Stephen Garcia threw for 313 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  He also led the team in rushing with 42 yards.  The Gamecocks were unable to run the ball effectively with any of their running backs.   The Cocks host Florida Atlantic before having a short week and hosting Ole Miss on a Thursday night in Week 4. 

TENNESSEE:  Tennessee suffered a humiliating loss to UCLA by a score of 19 - 15.   The Vols' offense was putrid, gaining just 208 total yards.  Quarterback Jonathon Crompton was 13 of 26 and threw three interceptions and no TDs.  On the ground, they averaged just 2.6 yards per carry.   Their defense did play fairly well, holding UCLA to under 200 yards for the game. 

It's important to note that both Ole Miss and Arkansas had the week off in Week 2, which means that they'll each have to play 11 games in a row to finish the season.  Considering that LSU plays these teams in Week 12 and Week 13, it's reasonable to think that Ole Miss and Arkansas will be banged up and tired for their game against the Tigers.  LSU is off for Week 7, right in the middle of the season.

BASKETBALL

Alabama shooting guard / small forward Ralston Turner committed to LSU and will be part of the Class of 2010.  Turner is 6'5" and reportedly had offers from Alabama, Auburn, and Ole Miss.  Turner has drawn rave reviews at every camp he has attended for being an outstanding outside shooter.