SEC Extra Points with Barrett Sallee: Bret Bielema Calls out Ohio State
We're Talking About Scheduling
Did you notice the schedule graphic that ESPN put up during Monday's Ohio State-Virginia Tech game that details the remaining games on the Buckeyes' schedule?
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema did, and he noticed something much different on their schedule than what's on his.
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"I'm sitting there watching the other day—the Monday night game—and I spent a lot of time in that other conference," Bielema said. "Ohio State's ranked No. 1 and they have one game remaining on their schedule against anybody ranked right now—Michigan State. I look at it, and we're going to play eight opponents that are ranked."
Is he right?
Yes.
But what did we learn about snap judgments in Week 2 a year ago when the Big Ten had its worst week ever and the conference's College Football Playoff hopes were as likely as pigs flying?
That there's plenty of football left to be played.
The ebbs and flows of the college football season are what makes it the greatest sport in the world, and rankings in Week 2 don't matter.
With that said, though, LSU head coach Les Miles thinks that 10 teams in this week's Associated Press Top 25 isn't good enough.
"I feel like we should have 25 teams ranked in the Top 25, to be honest," he said. "They didn't use the opportunity to rank the second teams."
Never change, Mad Hatter. Never change.
Blame It On The Rain
A lot has been made of LSU's game against McNeese State being rained out last weekend, and what it means to a Tiger team that is loaded with questions and has a tough September schedule. We've wrote about it here on Bleacher Report, it's been discussed all week on radio and will surely be a talking point during Saturday night's game at Mississippi State.
But what about Mississippi State?
Head coach Dan Mullen is entering this weekend's matchup against the Tigers with very little game tape on new starting quarterback Brandon Harris, whose lone start came last year on the road against Auburn.
"He's going to be a much different quarterback this year than we saw in that game," Mullen said. "He came in the fourth quarter against us, and I know he didn't start, but he was lighting it up and making throws all over the field. We know he's a very talented player. Obviously, a whole year under his belt in development, but I imagine he'll be much improved from where he was last year."
For the Bulldogs, this game is almost like the sequel to the season opener in the sense that there's not much to work off of during game prep.
"They're a new team," Mullen said. "Even though there are some players who are carryovers, every year, each team is unique. So you have to know the personality of this team, not just with Brandon Harris and their offense, but how they're going to utilize him and what changes they'll make. It's not just him, but a whole new defense and defensive staff."
"In some ways, in preparation, you're preparing like it's the opening game of the season where you just have to focus on yourself and execute at a high rate because you don't know what the other team is going to do," Mullen continued.
The rainout has upped the ante for Saturday night's game in Starkville. The element of the unknown, coupled with the importance of getting out to a good start within SEC West play makes it one of the most intriguing matchups of the season.
They're Supposed To Be SEC
It's Week 2 and the SEC talk has already reached a fever pitch with those 10 SEC teams in this week's AP Top 25.
Oklahoma doesn't care about the SEC.
"I don't know why people blow gas up their [expletive deleted]," linebacker Eric Striker said on Tuesday, according to SoonerScoop.com.
This comes on the heels of head coach Bob Stoops taking a little offense to being asked about hostile environments in the SEC, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN.com:
Why are Oklahoma players and coaches being asked about this? The Sooners have beaten SEC teams in each of the last two seasons (Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl and Tennessee during the 2014 regular season), have played in many big games on the road and are loaded with experience.
It may come as a shock to those who trumpet the SEC nonstop, but there is good football played elsewhere and there are hostile environments outside of the SEC footprint.
I get it. "Checkering Neyland" is a big deal and it's been a long time since Tennessee has had a game of this magnitude. Oklahoma has them every year, and isn't going to be intimidated by anything it sees on Saturday night on Rocky Top.
Welcome Back
You got a small glimpse of what the new-look Alabama offense is going to look like in their season-opening win over Wisconsin on Saturday, and that offense is going to include a heavy dose of running back Kenyan Drake.
The senior suffered a brutal leg injury against Ole Miss last year that ended his season, but he looked as good as ever against the Badgers with 77 rushing yards and a touchdown—and two catches for 48 yards.
"Kenyan has been a really good player for us, and you hate to see a guy get injured," head coach Nick Saban said. "Sometimes it's part of the game. You always like to see guys have the right attitude about rehabbing and coming back and being positive and confident when they come back. Kenyan is certainly that. It's good for us and good for him, and we're just hopeful that he can have a great year for us."
He's going to be huge piece of the puzzle in 2015.
It wasn't the time or place in AT&T Stadium to let quarterback Jake Coker loose and see if he could stretch the field consistently, and mixing Drake in as the "Reggie Bush" for offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is a great way to provide insurance for Coker in case he can't do that consistently.
We saw how good fellow running back Derrick Henry is, but Drake will provide the lightning to Henry's thunder and needs to keep it up moving forward for the Crimson Tide.
No News Isn't Good News
Ole Miss star offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was held out of action last week amid an NCAA investigation related to his contact with agents.
Will he suit up this week for the Rebels when they play host to Fresno State? That's the biggest mystery in Oxford (and perhaps at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis) at the moment.
"There's no update," head coach Hugh Freeze said on Wednesday. "It's just the ongoing process. I'm hopeful that it will wind up soon. I try to condition my mind. I don't even think about the possibility of this week or next week, but just trust the people involved and hope they get it right for the young man and our program."
Has Freeze spoken with the NCAA?
"Not in regards to Laremy, no," he said.
Next week is key. Ole Miss will travel to Alabama in Week 3, and if you watched the Crimson Tide's opener against Wisconsin, you saw one of the most fearsome front sevens in college football.
That's probably a big reason why he's still getting reps.
"He's still practicing," Freeze said. "Sometimes he's in with the twos, sometimes he gets a break."
If it's not resolved by next week, Ole Miss' hopes of a dream season could be dashed in T-Town.
Rotation Domination
For the first time in a long time, Florida's quarterback position looked like a position of strength in the season opener versus New Mexico State. Will Grier threw for 164 yards and two touchdowns, Treon Harris threw for 215 yards and two more and the downfield passing attack looked functional.
"It's something that we expect," head coach Jim McElwain said. "I was very pleased with the way they distributed the ball and how they took what the defense gave them and weren't just looking for one target to bail them out and throw it to. That's what we try to do in coaching that position."
So what happens moving forward?
Grier will get this start this week according to Scott Carter of GatorZone.com.
I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that it's going to be more of the same with a quarterback rotation in Week 2 and beyond.
The offensive line looked good against the overmatched Aggies, but that might not be the case for a full season against good defenses. McElwain is best served to go with the hot hand—whoever it is—and keep a rotation in the cards based on need, scheme and situation.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially since both seem capable of operating within the whole playbook while excelling in different areas.
Congratulations, Gators. You finally have a quarterback.
In fact, you have two.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Statistics are courtesy of CFBStats.com.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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