SEC Football: Best Performances from Week 3
It was a survive-and-advance weekend for several SEC teams on Saturday, as numerous ranked teams found themselves in early-season battles.
There were four conference matchups on the Week 3 slate, and each game was pretty tight. No. 1 Alabama pulled out a wild 48-43 win over over No. 19 Mississippi, while No. 16 Georgia won 28-27 at Missouri and No. 20 LSU held on for 23-20 win over Mississippi State. No. 17 Texas A&M had the easiest time with a 29-16 win at Auburn, but the Tigers defense kept the game close until late down on the Plains.
Save for an ugly 38-7 Vanderbilt loss at Georgia Tech, the conference won all of its nonconference affairs. This is a good sign for the SEC, as it went unbeaten last week to help put a rough Week 1 in the rearview.
Players on both sides of the ball turned in terrific performances, making it a pretty well-rounded Week 3 list. Let's take a look at who earned "top performer" accolades on Saturday. Note that this list is compiled based on overall statistical output, as well as the significance of the player's outing for his team moving forward.
Rankings courtesy of the Week 3 Associated Press poll.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 13
- DB Juwuan Briscoe, Georgia
- QB Jalen Hurts, Alabama
- DB Eddie Jackson, Alabama
- QB Stephen Johnson, Kentucky
- QB Chad Kelly, Mississippi
- K Daniel LaCamera, Texas A&M
The players above turned in solid performances, but they did not do enough to make this list for various reasons.
Juwuan Briscoe was a ball hawk for Georgia, which played a huge part in the Bulldogs pulling out a road win. The sophomore forced and recovered a fumble and picked off Missouri quarterback Drew Lock. But he was burned far too often by a player that made this week's list, which lands him just a mention.
The story of Alabama's season so far has been the play of true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, and he was stout again on Saturday.
He paced the Crimson Tide on the ground with 146 yards on 18 carries to go with 158 passing yards on 31 attempts. That's a lot to ask of a freshman making his first career road start. He did not record any touchdowns, and he rarely pushed the ball downfield through the air, which resulted in mediocre passing numbers and his exclusion from this list. Still, the sky seems to be the limit for this kid.
Alabama relied on opportunism from its defense and special teams to win the game. Eddie Jackson shifted the contest's momentum with an 85-yard punt return touchdown right before halftime, but he contributed little else to warrant a spot on this list. The defense also allowed 36 points to the Ole Miss offense, so it was not a sparkling day for the unit.
Quarterbacks Stephen Johnson and Chad Kelly did a lot of positive things to merit a place in the list, but that wasn't enough. Johnson finished 17-of-22 passing for 310 yards and three scores after replacing Drew Barker, but he was outshined by two teammates who put together explosive performances.
Kelly threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns against a vaunted Alabama defense, but he made two crucial errors that arguably cost Mississippi the game. His lone pick was a poor decision that was returned for a score, and he held onto the ball far too long before being stripped for a fumble that was also returned for a score.
Lastly, Texas A&M struggled to finish off drives against a tough Auburn defense, but kicker Daniel LaCamera gave the team enough of a cushion to eventually pull away for a comfortable win. He converted all five of his field-goal attempts and knocked in both of his extra points, an impressive performance on the road. But a star on defense made a slightly bigger difference in the game.
TE C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
2 of 13
When the top tight ends of the SEC are listed, C.J. Conrad is often overlooked. But the 6'5" sophomore broke out in a huge way on Saturday.
Conrad was practically unstoppable in Kentucky's 62-42 win over New Mexico State, hauling in five passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. He flashed big-play ability with a 72-yard scoring scamper while also looking steady in the red zone on his other two touchdowns.
Kentucky's defense is obviously dreadful, as it's given up over 40 points in each of its first three games. However, with Conrad, Garrett Johnson and Stanley "Boom" Williams, the Wildcats have enough weapons to stay in games with their offense.
TE Evan Engram, Mississippi
3 of 13
Conrad was not the only SEC tight end turning heads on Saturday, as Evan Engram once again showed why he is among the nation's best at his position.
As the most proven weapon on Mississippi's offense, Engram was definitely the focus for Alabama's covering linebackers and safeties. Still, he torched the Tide to the tune of nine catches for 138 yards and a touchdown, including a 63-yard bomb in the first half.
The senior was Kelly's most reliable target Saturday, and he showed he can even produce against arguably the nation's best defense. Engram put on a similar performance in Week 1 against Florida State. If he keeps this up, you can expect him to earn All-SEC honors by season's end.
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Florida's Running Backs
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Quarterback Luke Del Rio showed last week that he can provide Florida with an aerial threat, and the Gators running backs proved they make this offense complete on Saturday.
The team employed a fleet of four rushers, and they performed admirably. Jordan Cronkrite (nine carries, 46 yards and a touchdown), Lamical Perine (11 carries, 57 yards and a score), Jordan Scarlett (11 carries, 62 yards and a touchdown) and Mark Thompson (11 carries, 85 yards and score) were the driving force for a Gator team that struggled through the air with only 216 total yards.
The depth and versatility of this rushing attack was the main takeaway. Cronkrite, Perine and Scarlett can all contribute on zone reads and outside rushes, while Thompson possesses the pure strength to wear down defenses between the tackles.
Florida is going to need to establish a strong running game to take the pressure off Del Rio and have a shot at competing for the SEC East, and it showed it has a very capable group on Saturday.
RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
5 of 13
Another week, another phenomenal showing by Leonard Fournette.
The dynamic junior returned from a one-week hiatus and was back to his old self on Saturday, gashing Mississippi State for 147 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. He once again carried LSU's offense to a conference win, adding four catches for 27 yards.
Danny Etling (215 yards and a touchdown) provided LSU fans with some hope for future, giving the team some long-awaited answers at quarterback. But this game was about Fournette. Etling acknowledged the running back's tremendous impact after the game, per the Associated Press' Brett Martel (via the Charlotte Observer).
"The thing about Leonard is that he is a nice comfort for anyone running this offense, and it was great to be in the backfield with a back of his caliber," Etling said. "You know if you can get him the ball that he is going to make some plays for the offense and that in turn makes your job easier as the quarterback."
Every week, defenses seemingly build a wall at the line of scrimmage, and Fournette continues to break it down with his blend of power and speed. No other player in college football could produce like Fournette against this much attention.
DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
6 of 13
Texas A&M's nationally renowned defensive front dominated Auburn all night, leading the team to a solid road win. The unit's best player was the key reason why.
Myles Garrett was a menace off the edge, finishing with two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. While his numbers were nice, the junior's presence was the main reason the Aggies disrupted a Tigers offense that had erupted for 51 points the previous week.
Auburn was forced to help on Garrett with running back and tight end chips, which gave his teammates some space. Two other Aggies had a sack, while 10 others had at least half a tackle for loss. This was Garrett's best game of the season, and Texas A&M could be scary on defense if he continues to put in performances like this.
Statistics are courtesy of Texas A&M athletics.
DL Charles Harris, Missouri
7 of 13
In what was arguably the top SEC performance of the weekend, Charles Harris absolutely bullied Georgia's offensive line to bring Missouri within a point of upsetting the Bulldogs.
He showed why he is one of the conference's premier defenders, racking up seven total tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. Harris was tasked with shutting down Nick Chubb in the run game and quarterback Jacob Eason, and he excelled. The star running back only netted 63 yards, and Eason was flustered for much of the night.
This performance was huge for Harris, as he only had five total tackles coming in. He broke out with a monster game, and that is a great sign for Missouri's defense moving forward.
Statistics are courtesy of Missouri athletics.
RB Damien Harris, Alabama
8 of 13
Bo Scarbrough entered this season as the presumed successor to Derrick Henry, but so far, Damien Harris has taken the reins in the Alabama backfield. That was on full display Saturday.
Harris paced the Crimson Tide with 144 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, including a huge 67-yard run up the middle late to set up a critical touchdown.
With Alabama not showing much of a threat with its deep passing game, Mississippi crowded the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Still, Harris was able to find creases to keep drives alive and kill the clock, particularly at the end of the game. Without him, Mississippi may have gotten another shot to win the game in the final seconds.
Harris established himself as Alabama's primary rusher moving forward, which is huge for the continuity of this offense. He and Hurts can continue to grow together as the season moves on, making the Crimson Tide even scarier for future opponents.
DE Arden Key, LSU
9 of 13
After receiving so much hype entering the season, LSU's defense has not been as good as advertised. This was due to a lack of substantial impact from role players to support Kendell Beckwith, Davon Godchaux and Tre'Davious White. But that changed on Saturday.
Arden Key was all over the Mississippi State backfield, racking up five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. His play contributed to the struggles of Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who was eventually replaced.
LSU needs players like Key to step up and have big nights against man-to-man blocking on the outside. Teams are going to double-team Godchaux inside, so if Key can replicate these types of nights, LSU will be unblockable up front.
Statistics are courtesy of LSU athletics.
DB Chris Lammons, South Carolina
10 of 13
South Carolina faced a tough test against a talented East Carolina offense that put up 33 points in a win at North Carolina State last week. Thanks to the play of their star defensive back, the Gamecocks were able to do just enough to win.
In a 20-15 defeat, East Carolina was able to outgain South Carolina in total yardage, 519-312, but turnovers were the difference. Lammons was a catalyst for those, racking up eight total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble that South Carolina was able to recover.
Lammons was simply a monster all afternoon, filling up the stat sheet and making plays all over the field. He lines up all over the secondary, and East Carolina was unable to overcome his versatility. Without Lammons, South Carolina would likely be 0-3 at the moment.
Statistics are courtesy of South Carolina athletics.
WR Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia
11 of 13
To be successful on offense this season, Georgia was going to need to find another playmaker to take some attention away from Chubb and Eason, and it certainly found one.
Isaiah McKenzie has proven himself to be much more than just a return specialist, as he outdid his Week 1 performance against North Carolina with a huge night against Missouri. He finished with 10 catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns to go with 19 yards rushing and a score on the ground. He came in clutch as well, taking an Eason pass 20 yards for the game-winning score with under 90 seconds remaining.
"I still can’t believe it happened," McKenzie said after the thrilling comeback victory, per Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star. "I still can’t believe that it’s over and we won."
The offensive line needs work, but Georgia has shown tremendous potential to become an explosive offense this season. Chubb is a stud, and now, McKenzie is a bona fide star on the outside. As Eason improves each week, Georgia will become even more dangerous.
WR J'Mon Moore, Missouri
12 of 13
While McKenzie was putting on a show on one end of the field, J'Mon Moore was dominating on the other.
Moore was nearly unstoppable Saturday, carrying Missouri's passing attack with eight catches for 196 yards and two touchdowns. He routinely got behind Georgia's secondary, hauling in a scoring reception of 79 yards to put the Tigers up in the second quarter.
He did fumble on Missouri's last drive of the night, but that situation would not have existed if not for Moore's dominance. Chris Black, with 44 yards on three catches, was the only other Tigers receiver to exceed 30 yards on the night, as Moore was a one-man wrecking crew.
RB Benjamin Snell, Jr., Kentucky
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The SEC knows about Williams, but Kentucky discovered another dynamic runner Saturday in true freshman Benjamin Snell Jr.
Snell broke out in a huge way, racking up 136 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries to form an impressive one-two punch with Williams in the Wildcats' backfield. Snell is more of a power back with the ability to wear down defenses, while Williams is a home run threat.
Head coach Mark Stoops was not surprised by his star freshman's production, per Kentucky athletics.
"He plays much more mature than a true freshman," Stoops said. "That's really good to see."
Since Snell is a freshman bursting onto the scene, and because of his four touchdowns, he gets a slight edge over Williams for top performer. Still, this is huge for the team moving forward, as it establishes another offensive weapon.
All offensive statistics are courtesy of NCAA.com.
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