SEC Football: Best Performances from Week 2
Following an abysmal opening weekend, the SEC turned in a stout effort in Week 2 as the conference won all of its nonconference games thanks in large part to some explosive offensive performances.
Arkansas and Tennessee were the big winners on Saturday with two impressive nonconference wins. The Hogs went into Fort Worth, Texas, and came out with a wild 41-38 win over TCU in double overtime, while the Volunteers drubbed Virginia Tech 45-24 in front of the biggest crowd in college football history at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Quarterback play was the story, with several teams across the league receiving encouraging performances after a rough first weekend. Auburn's offense woke up to 51-14 over Arkansas State, Florida exploded for a 45-7 win over Kentucky, Mississippi State found its signal-caller against South Carolina and Missouri looked unstoppable in a 61-21 thrashing of Eastern Michigan.
It was not totally pretty for the conference, as Georgia struggled to get past Nicholls State, and Kentucky and South Carolina looked dreadful offensively. Still, the league has to feel much better about itself this weekend.
Let us take a look at the individual performances that stood out on Saturday. Like every week, this list is based on the quality and statistical impact of each performance, as well as its significance for the team moving forward.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 14
- S Micah Abernathy, Tennessee
- K Daniel Carlson, Auburn
- DB Nick Harvey, Texas A&M
- S Eddie Jackson, Alabama
- WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama
- CB Tre'Davious White, LSU
The players listed above turned in solid performances, but they fell just short of being included on the docket for this weekend for several reasons.
Tennessee's defense looked like a different unit than the one that nearly lost to Appalachian State thanks to three forced fumbles, and Micah Abernathy recovered them all. He did a fantastic job of being in the right place Saturday as he set a school record for fumble recoveries, per Grant Ramey of the Knoxville News Sentinel. Yet, Abernathy did not contribute much else statistically to deserve more than a mention.
Daniel Carlson is already known as arguably the best kicker in the SEC, but he showed a different dynamic to his game with a 20-yard touchdown run on a perfectly executed fake field goal. He also did his actual job, hitting all three of his field-goal attempts. Had this game not already been out of hand when Carlson scored, he would be on this list.
Nick Harvey and Tre'Davious White put together a pair of excellent punt returns as Harvey scampered 73 yards to the house late in a 67-0 blowout over Prairie View A&M. White also ran back and forth and even backward to evade the entire Jacksonville State team on his way to a 60-yard score. Yet, both of these players did not add much else statistically to make the list.
Alabama continued to cruise with a 38-10 win over Western Kentucky with steady performances from two of its top stars. Eddie Jackson's 55-yard pick-six in the second quarter put the game away for the Crimson Tide, while Calvin Ridley tied a career high with nine catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. Still, it was an Alabama freshman who once again stole the headlines in this one.
QB Austin Allen, Arkansas
2 of 14
Going into a road environment against an explosive TCU offense, Arkansas needed to sustain long scoring drives while getting quality game management from quarterback Austin Allen. Well, the Hogs got that and much more Saturday.
Arkansas put up 41 points and managed to outscore the Horned Frogs thanks to a breakout performance from its new quarterback. Allen finished 17-of-29 for 223 yards and three passing touchdowns to go with the game-winning score on the ground.
After not doing a whole lot through two-and-a-half quarters, Allen came through in a huge way. He started to pick apart TCU's secondary with quick reads and perfectly timing routes to his receivers on the outside. He completed the game-tying drive with just over one minute left in regulation by hitting Keon Hatcher for a touchdown before catching the two-point conversion attempt on a trick play.
Allen was flawless in overtime as he led two scoring drives to stun the TCU faithful. He should only get better with each week, and his performance has Arkansas looking like a potential sleeper in SEC West.
QB Luke Del Rio, Florida
3 of 14
When Will Grier was suspended halfway through last season, Florida totally tanked on offense. The Gators reached 20 points only one time and lost their last three games, but those troubles have alleviated now.
In his first SEC start, Luke Del Rio shredded Kentucky's defense to the tune of 320 yards and four scores through the air. His highlight pass came on an absolute dime to Antonio Callaway for 78 yards in the first quarter, as he hit the speedy receiver in stride deep down the middle over a defender. Del Rio's 320 passing yards were the most by a Florida quarterback in an SEC game since 2004, per SEC Country's Ryan Young.
He was not perfect, as an interception and a 59 percent completion rate could use some improvement. Still, Florida finally looked dangerous offensively, which is huge for its conference title hopes this season. A major contingency around the program was that if it received quality quarterback play, then it could compete for the SEC East. At least for now, consider the Gators a legitimate threat.
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QB Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee
4 of 14
The quarterback trend continues here with a big bounce-back effort from Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs.
Dobbs, along with the rest of the team, was terrible in Week 1. Yet, the senior led a resurgent Tennessee attack to stomp Virginia Tech and put the confidence and swagger back into the Volunteers program. He finished with only 91 yard passing, but he notched three touchdowns to go with 106 yards and two scores on the ground.
The important takeaway here is that Dobbs played within himself, and Tennessee ended up with 45 points. Low passing numbers are OK for Dobbs, as he is not going to air it out and beat defenses that way. His dual-threat ability is his strength, which he utilized on Saturday.
Last week, Dobbs tried to force things passing, which resulted in sloppy plays and turnovers. Against Virginia Tech, he stayed within the offense and made smart decisions with the football. This is the Dobbs who is going to lead Tennessee to an SEC East title, which is why this performance is so significant. The Volunteers have plenty of weapons offensively, so if Dobbs can take care of the football and keep defenses off balance, Tennessee will do big things this season.
LB Brooks Ellis, Arkansas
5 of 14
If Arkansas was going to slow down TCU, its linebackers would have to consistently make tackles in space and keep the Horned Frogs from thriving on underneath routes with their speedy receivers. On Saturday, Brooks Ellis did just that with a gem of a performance.
The senior was all over the field, leading the Razorbacks in total tackles with 13 while also disrupting TCU in the backfield with three tackles for loss, per Arkansas' official website. His biggest play came on a 47-yard pick-six in the first half to help put Arkansas up 13-0. Ellis baited TCU quarterback Kenny Hill into throwing a checkdown pass in the flats, and he stepped right in front of Kyle Hicks to take the ball to the house.
This play turned out to be a huge difference-maker in the game, as Ellis spearheaded a stout effort from Arkansas' defense.
QB Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State
6 of 14
After Mississippi State's embarrassing opening loss to South Alabama, its season looked to be heading down a negative path fast. Then, Nick Fitzgerald turned the Bulldogs' fortunes around on Saturday.
Fitzgerald was unstoppable against South Carolina. In his first extended action of the season, he threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 195 yards. Fitzgerald displayed dual-threat ability reminiscent of Dak Prescott as Mississippi State handily beat the Gamecocks.
Head coach Dan Mullen tempered expectations for Fitzgerald following the game, but he still commended his tremendous effort, per Ben Wait of the Commercial Dispatch.
"I thought he came out and he played fairly well," Mullen said. "He's got a couple of things here and there in the throw game just managing and learning from reps and some different throws, but a lot of that comes from experience.
"Nick did a good job of preparing for the game."
The Bulldogs now have plenty of optimism that they can compete in the SEC West this season, and Fitzgerald should only improve with more reps.
RB Derrius Guice, LSU
7 of 14
With LSU once again struggling offensively and Leonard Fournette out with an ankle injury, the Tigers looked to one man to deliver: dynamic backup running back Derrius Guice.
Guice came through with 155 yards rushing and a score on 19 carries. He also added a catch for 18 yards. He displayed a lot of shiftiness and power for a small back, which allowed LSU to stay afloat until Danny Etling replaced Brandon Harris at quarterback to help out in the passing game.
Head coach Les Miles had high praise for Guice after the game, per Sheldon Mickles of the Advocate.
"I like Guice," Miles said. "He came in and showed that he's a pretty special back."
It is unclear how long Fournette will be sidelined, but Guice proved that the Bayou Bengals should still be able to rush the ball in his absence.
QB Jalen Hurts, Alabama
8 of 14
If there were any lingering questions about Alabama's quarterback competition, they seem to be nonexistent now.
True freshman Jalen Hurts followed up an impressive debut with a record-setting performance against Western Kentucky. Becoming the first true freshman quarterback to start at Alabama since 1984, Hurts threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns while showing tremendous poise and control leading the first-team offense. He finished with the most passing yards ever in a starting debut for Alabama, per its athletic department.
There should be little doubt that Hurts is the man to lead Alabama moving forward. He is smart and dynamic as a dual-threat quarterback. He is similar to former signal-caller Blake Sims but has a stronger arm and a more powerful running style. Expect Alabama to give him the exclusive reins to the offense in the near future.
WR Johnathon Johnson, Missouri
9 of 14
Missouri finally showed some life on offense, and Johnathon Johnson was a key reason why.
He chipped in with five catches for 115 yards and an 87-yard bomb of a touchdown. His explosive playmaking did not stop there, as he added a 54-yard punt return score in the first quarter.
Missouri needs these types of home run threats to keep defenses honest this season, and Johnson looks like that guy. He can stretch defenses while also making an impact on special teams, so look for him to continue to make plays as the season moves on.
QB Trevor Knight, Texas A&M
10 of 14
Texas A&M is once again off to a fast start as it moved to 2-0 with a 67-0 romp over Prairie View A&M, and the quarterback is still getting better in College Station.
Trevor Knight totaled 344 yards and three touchdowns passing with 78 rushing yards and a touchdown to display the type of dual-threat ability that makes this offense thrive. He is making great use of his elite receiving group, finding Christian Kirk, Speedy Noil, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones multiple times on the afternoon.
Building off a great debut win over UCLA, Knight needed this type of performance to gain more confidence in this offense before the SEC schedule begins next week at Auburn. His completion percentage once again hovered around 50 percent, but Knight still looks strong for the Aggies.
QB Drew Lock, Missouri
11 of 14
Could this be the coming-out party for Drew Lock and the Missouri offense? It was certainly a positive sign as the Tigers were excellent on Saturday.
The sophomore looked confident with his reads, which allowed to him find his receivers in space. He finished with 450 yards and five touchdowns through the air on 24-of-37 passing.
Lock tied a school record with his five touchdowns, and head coach Barry Odom was thrilled to see his quarterback turn in such an encouraging performance, per Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star.
"He has the skill set to be a really great player," Odom said. "I think Drew's going to continue to get better. He's still got a lot of room to grow, but it was exciting offensively to see those guys have success."
Lock showed flashes of great arm talent last season, and he seems to have improved already in 2016. If Missouri is going to have success under Odom, Lock will need to replicate nights like Saturday.
DL Trenton Thompson, Georgia
12 of 14
Trenton Thompson entered Georgia a year ago as one of the top recruits in the country, but he failed to become more than just a rotation guy. That was until his breakout effort on Saturday.
The Bulldogs struggled immensely with Nicholls State, but Thompson was unblockable. He led the team with 11 total tackles to go with three tackles for loss and a sack, per Georgia's official website. Thompson clogged up the middle all afternoon, and his inside pressure was key as the rest of Georgia's defense did not tackle or cover well at all.
This could be the start of great things for the young defensive lineman, as he could use this performance to spark an All-SEC career in Athens.
RB Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt
13 of 14
Ralph Webb is undoubtedly the focal point of a Vanderbilt offense lacking much punch, and he showed why on Saturday.
Webb gashed Middle Tennessee State for 211 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries, averaging 7.3 yards a rush as the workhorse back in a 47-24 win.
This performance does not reveal anything new about Vanderbilt's fortunes this season, but it does affirm that Webb is rolling on all cylinders as SEC play draws near. If the Commodores reach a bowl game this season, it will be because Webb turned in a first-team All-SEC campaign. Look for him to establish himself as one of the conference's premier backs moving forward.
QB Sean White, Auburn
14 of 14
After an ineffective carousel of three quarterbacks arguably doomed Auburn in its opener against Clemson, the Tigers stuck with one primary signal-caller Saturday with great success.
Sean White operated the Auburn attack about as well as he could, going 17-of-23 for 244 yards and three touchdowns passing and 60 yards rushing. He played extremely efficient, getting the ball out quickly and presenting dual-threat skills while working at a fast pace. White also avoided turnovers, which have plagued the Tigers in recent years.
Head coach Guz Malzahn noted these accomplishments when talking about White after the game, per AL.com's James Crepea.
"I thought he did very good," Malzahn said. "He was able to run the football. I think that's a big factor. He did a good job with some of our read zones and our gap zones. Did a good job when things broke down just taking off and making a play."
Ahead of a showdown next week with Texas A&M, this is about as good of a performance as Auburn could have hoped for at the quarterback position. The Tigers are going to need to score to keep up with the Aggies, and Saturday showed that the Tigers are up to the challenge.
All stats courtesy of NCAA.com unless otherwise noted.
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