SEC Football: Latest Social Buzz Ahead of Week 6 Showdowns
In a Week 6 featuring four all-SEC matchups, each between a ranked and unranked team, fans and analysts took to Twitter to discuss the marquee men that will be taking part in them.
Whether he be a more legitimate claim, like Leonard Fournette or Nick Chubb, or a less-likely shout-out, such as Will Grier or Alex Collins, at least one perennial Heisman Trophy contender will be featured in all of these contests.
Add to that the heat of the interconference competition, and it's no wonder that the buzz was abound.
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Check out the breakdowns, interesting statistics and discussion surrounding Saturday's best SEC games and the players who will make them must-watch worthy.
No. 11 Florida Gators (5-0) at Missouri Tigers (4-1)
Is Will Grier the real deal?
Fans certainly seem to think so!
"Will Grier III for heisman
— ⌨ (@_trapdave) October 9, 2015"
A week after the Gators quarterback threw for an impressive 271 yards on 24 completions (for an 83 percent accuracy rate) against Ole Miss, the Mizzou defense will challenge him early and seek to find that out, per ESPN.com.
In fact, both Florida and Missouri's defenses, ranked No. 36 and 14 respectively, should prove to be a challenge that likely will keep this one a fairly low-scoring matchup.
As ESPN college football analyst Joey Galloway pointed out on Mike & Mike, the Gators' defense in particular makes them troubling foes.
If the Mizzou offense, currently sitting at lowly 107th place, per ESPN.com, can't get something going, it's hard to believe that, even with its stout front, it will find success against a Florida team that is trending up.
That momentum will be key to the Gators' success, but should they get caught dreaming and looking ahead to their big showdown in Baton Rouge against the LSU Tigers, they might be in for a rude awakening.
Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3) at No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1)
After finally putting an end to their three-game losing streak via a 24-20 close victory against the ailing Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas will look to do the same against Alabama on the road.
Will their newfound confidence carry over into this Saturday? Will it be enough?
The Alabama defense, currently ranked No. 10 overall, has carried the team thus far, but the assignment of slowing down Arkansas' Alex Collins, currently sitting with 656 yards and six touchdowns on 113 carries and possibly the best running back not being talked about, will not be so simple.
Fans certainly aren't underestimating his talents, and there's a very good reason for that, considering the company that some of his statistics are keeping.
In order for Alabama to close this one out in the fashion it is favored to, it will have to make Collins work and make the Razorbacks offense one-dimensional.
Arkansas would be wise to follow the advice of Sports Talk's Bo Mattingly and get some disruption going early.
After all, if a team can't beat 'em through conventional formats, it should at least fight tooth and nail.
No. 19 Georgia Bulldogs (4-1) at Tennessee Volunteers (2-3)
The greatest question surrounding this game is: Will Tennessee play a full 60 minutes of football?
The Vols have lost three of their last four contests by a combined measly 12 points—including losing big leads to both the Oklahoma Sooners and Florida. As all are aware, there are no such things as moral victories in sports, however. Close is not a tally in the left-hand column.
In order to ensure that they won't be having deja vu on Saturday, they'll need to account for the efficient Georgia offense, which, with quarterback Greyson Lambert and running back Nick Chubb leading the way, is churning out around 453 yards a game, per ESPN.com.
Slowing Chubb will be a little like trying to slow down a freight train. His resume of dominance is so lengthy that even Vols fans are predicting that he'll have his way.
"Also UT is gonna get obliterated by Nick Chubb. The End.
— Zack Hillis (@Zack_Hillis82) October 9, 2015"
On paper, the Vols defense, which, thus far in the season has surrendered 414 yards a game, doesn't seem up to the task.
Still, home-field advantage and frustration have produced far crazier outcomes. The Bulldogs are favored, but Tennessee's 37 points per game average should have them on high alert.
South Carolina Gamecocks (2-3) at No. 7 LSU Tigers (4-0)
Can anyone stop LSU running back Leonard Fournette?
The Tigers' Heisman contender is roaring to a 864-yard, 11-touchdown start to the season, per ESPN.com.
To say that he's been dominant is an understatement of the highest degree.
In order to get the W, the Gamecocks will have no choice but to force mediocre quarterback Brandon Harris to beat them, and that will mean trying to slow Fournette down. With a mid-pack rushing defense, however, currently ranked No. 76 with 170 yards on the ground allowed a game, that will be easier said than done.
Fournette isn't the only concern for South Carolina. The team will be without starting signal-caller Lorenzo Nunez, according to the Post and Courier's Gamecocks reporter David Caravielo.
Given that the Gamecocks will undoubtedly struggle to keep LSU out of the end zone, backup Perry Orth's ability to drive the Gamecocks offense down the field will be crucial.
But LSU by no means has this one in the bag. Looking solely at records, it appears that the Tigers have a monstrous advantage, but in reality, they may be facing their best quality competition this week. A victory would go a long way to proving that they are officially battle tested.
Regardless of the outcome of this game, however, the sportsmanlike hospitality of LSU in hosting and providing for South Carolina and its fans during the tumultuous times the recent floods have caused is worthy of a hat tip.
Glenn Guilbeau, New Orleans Saints and LSU reporter, quoted Tigers head coach Les Miles in a great summary of their efforts to step up to the plate.
When sports so often seem embroiled in negativity, it's always a delight to see respectful competition shine through.
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