SEC Football: Best Performances from Week 7
The SEC's Week 7 results contained no gray area, as each game either came down to the wire or was a complete blowout.
Alabama marched into Neyland Stadium and wiped the floor against a depleted and emotionally spent Tennessee side, walking out with 49-10 win in the conference's marquee matchup on Saturday. As a result, Florida took control of the SEC East with a big win of its own, taking down Missouri 40-14. LSU was the other comfortable victor, as the Tigers dominated Southern Mississippi 45-10.
On the other hand, three SEC matchups were decided in the final minutes.
Mississippi State almost notched a solid road win Thursday night but blew a fourth-quarter lead at BYU before falling 28-21 in double overtime. Georgia's SEC title dreams all but ended Saturday, as the Bulldogs dropped their third straight in a shocking 17-16 loss to Vanderbilt. Lastly, the Mississippi Rebels may be the best 3-3 team in college football, as they lost to another strong opponent in its 34-30 defeat at Arkansas.
Numerous players across the conference balled out, some in losing efforts. The balance in top performers was relatively even, as guys on both sides of the ball turned in monster performances.
With that in mind, let us take a look which SEC players stood out in Week 7. As always, this list is compiled based on statistical output and the impact of that player's performance on his team moving forward.
Honorable Mentions
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- RB Damarea Crockett, Missouri
- WR Malachi Dupre, LSU
- QB Jacob Eason, Georgia
- TE Evan Engram, Mississippi
- DE Marquis Haynes, Mississippi
- S Ryan White, Vanderbilt
The players above were great this weekend but just missed the cut for various reasons.
Florida dominated Missouri in pretty much every facet, but Damarea Crockett was a bright spot for the Tigers. He rushed for 145 yards on 14 carries, but the majority of his yards came in the second half when the game was out of hand. Still, the running back put up some solid production during an ugly loss.
Malachi Dupre is arguably the most talented receiver in the SEC, as his blend of size and speed has NFL scouts drooling. However, ineffective quarterback play has limited his production. Dupre was able to show his stuff a bit Saturday, catching three passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. While his big-play ability deserves a mention, his low volume meant he missed the list.
Georgia suffered the worst loss of the week, dropping a home contest against a shaky Vanderbilt team. However, freshman quarterback Jacob Eason responded well to his dreadful 29-yard performance from Week 6, leading the conference with 346 yards and a touchdown. Vanderbilt sold out to stop the run, and Eason's performance, while strong, was not enough to muster more than 16 points, which lands him only a mention.
Alabama's O.J. Howard receives a lot attention because of his physical attributes, but Evan Engram's production indicates he is the top tight end in the SEC. He is the undisputed top weapon for quarterback Chad Kelly, and Engram put together another nice game against significant defensive attention, reeling in seven catches for 111 yards and a score. This was not enough to earn a spot on this list, but it was good day nonetheless.
His teammate also turned in an honorable outing, as Marquis Haynes flustered Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen all night. The dynamic defensive end totaled five tackles to go with a sack and an interception. These are impressive numbers, but others slightly outshone Haynes in Week 7.
Lastly, Vanderbilt safety Ryan White was instrumental in stifling Georgia's rushing attack. The junior finished with 12 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, yet he was also outdone, specifically by a teammate on his defense.
Mississippi and Vanderbilt defensive statistics are courtesy of their athletics departments.
S Jamal Adams, LSU
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Jamal Adams is one of the nation's top NFL prospects at safety, and Southern Mississippi found out why Saturday.
The junior made plays all night with his physicality and speed in coverage. He finished with 11 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also locked down the Tigers secondary, holding the Golden Eagles to 161 passing yards. This unit was no slouch either, as Southern Mississippi raided another SEC foe in Kentucky for 258 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 1 win.
Adams' production was similar to White's, but the forced turnovers separated the elite safety and landed him on this list, even if it was against an inferior opponent compared to Georgia.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of LSU athletics.
DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee
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Derek Barnett continues to make a habit of being on this list, as he once again did his part to lead an injury-plagued Tennessee defense against the Crimson Tide.
The sensational junior was a bright spot for the Volunteers, as he forced several turnovers on the afternoon in an attempt to lift his team. Barnett totaled three tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception. His forced fumble came at a critical time in the game, as he sacked the quarterback deep in Alabama territory, which led to a touchdown to make it 14-7.
Although the outcome was brutal for Tennessee, Barnett reinforced his case for SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of Tennessee athletics.
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LB Kendell Beckwith, LSU
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Adams may get more attention from NFL scouts, but linebacker Kendell Beckwith is the leader of LSU's talented defense.
He showed why Saturday, as he led a solid effort against an underrated offensive opponent. Beckwith led the team with 15 tackles to go with a pair of stops in the backfield. He was always around the ball, and the Golden Eagles sputtered on offense as a result.
Beckwith's production would lead the conference in tackles on most other weeks, and although it did not in Week 7, the senior was still excellent for the Bayou Bengals.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of LSU athletics.
LB Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
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In what was likely the conference's best performance this week, and possibly this season on defense, Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham owned the Georgia Bulldogs from his linebacker spot in an upset win.
The junior was everywhere for the Commodores, racking up a whopping 19 total tackles, which easily led the SEC in Week 7, to go with 2.5 stops for loss. As a result, Georgia's vaunted rushing tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel combined for only 68 yards on 29 carries.
Cunningham made the game's winning play as well, tracking down electrifying receiver Isaiah McKenzie on fourth down to seal the Vanderbilt win late. He credited his entire defense for its effort throughout the game, per the Tennessean's Adam Sparks.
“In this game as a defense, we continued to fight throughout the whole game," Cunningham said. "It wasn’t just the first half or the second half. It was full-game fight.”
It was a battle indeed, and Cunningham led the charge. He leads the conference in tackles and will surely land an All-SEC honor at season's end.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of Vanderbilt athletics.
QB Danny Etling, LSU
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LSU may not have fully solved its quarterback issues, but it has found the best option on the roster.
Danny Etling put together the best performance of his career Saturday, going for 276 yards and three touchdowns through the air to give the Tigers their most explosive offensive outing of the season. He finally made quality use of his treasure trove of weapons, finding Dupre and D.J. Chark for big plays while also getting Travin Dural involved a bit.
Etling's numbers may not stand out compared to other SEC signal-callers this week such as Allen, Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald and Kelly, but his play was pivotal to LSU's fortunes this season. Etling looked comfortable and established himself as a vertical threat with accurate bombs downfield.
LSU needs to make opposing defenses respect its passing game to take pressure off its rushing attack, and Saturday's performance was a big step toward that goal. Look for Etling to build on this outing moving forward.
Florida's Secondary
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Florida is already known for its fearsome defense, and its defensive backs backed up that notion in full force against Missouri.
Drew Lock came into the game as one of the SEC's top passers, but the secondary tormented him. Lock finished a dreadful 4-of-18 with 39 yards and two picks. Making matters worse was that the interceptions instantly turned into Florida points.
Jalen "Teez" Tabor returned a pick 39 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and then fellow lockdown corner Quincy Wilson matched Tabor's feat with his own 78-yard scoring return on the ensuing possession.
Florida head coach Jim McElwain noted that his dynamic cornerback duo presents an enormous challenge for its opponents, per FloridaGators.com's Scott Carter.
"When you got two great corners like that, they've got to pick one side of the field,'' McElwain said. "Pick your poison."
The Gators secondary essentially outscored Missouri's first-team offense and staked its claim as arguably the best unit in the conference.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of Florida athletics.
RB Derrius Guice, LSU
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With Leonard Fournette still nursing an injury, running back Derrius Guice made another appearance on this list with a dynamite outing.
Guice shredded Southern Mississippi for 162 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries while also adding a catch for seven yards. As a backup rusher, Guice is proving to be one of the conference's best. He sits sixth in the SEC with 564 running yards.
When Fournette is completely healthy, LSU will have quite the argument against Georgia for the top running back tandem in the SEC.
S Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
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Alabama continues to have one of the better scoring units in the country with its defense, and sophomore Ronnie Harrison did his part Saturday.
The safety was the Crimson Tide's top defender, containing versatile Tennessee rusher Alvin Kamara and leading Alabama with seven total tackles. He also broke the game open early with an impressive 58-yard interception return off Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
Harrison made plays all afternoon against a tough Tennessee offense and looks like the future at safety for Alabama.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of Alabama athletics.
QB Jalen Hurts, Alabama
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Every week, it appears Jalen Hurts could struggle against a quality opponent, yet every week he elevates his game.
In rowdy Neyland Stadium, Hurts displayed tremendous poise and ability. He led Alabama's 438-yard rushing output with 132 yards and three scores on 12 carries. Hurts also made plenty of accurate throws downfield, finishing with 143 yards through the air.
What was he even more impressive was the way Hurts responded to adversity. He fumbled after failing to identify a rushing Barnett, which led to a Tennessee score. However, he came back on the next drive and led his team down the field with a 45-yard rushing score.
Hurts also threw an interception in the second quarter, but he marched the offense down the field again for a 37-yard missed-goal try on the next possession to end the half.
There should be no more questions about this freshman. He is a legitimate starter on what is now the favorite team to win the national title.
S Eddie Jackson, Alabama
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Alabama scored its 11th non-offensive touchdown of the year Saturday, and Eddie Jackson was a big reason why.
The senior returned his second punt for a score this season, taking one back 79 yards in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on a resounding win. Jackson was also instrumental in stifling Tennessee's offense, totaling three tackles and a tackle for loss while patrolling the secondary to the tune of 131 passing yards allowed.
Harrison may be the future at safety, but Jackson is the present. He is athletic and instinctive and looks like Alabama's best player at the position since Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
Defensive statistics are courtesy of Alabama athletics.
RB Rawleigh Williams III, Arkansas
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How many teams could lose two stud running backs to the NFL and still have the conference's leading rusher midway through October?
Arkansas is doing just that sans Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams. Rawleigh Williams III is the SEC's top back at the moment with 785 rushing yards, and Saturday's monster performance against Mississippi certainly helped.
Williams toted the rock 27 times for 180 yards while also catching two passes for 18 yards and a touchdown. After starting the season as an unknown, Williams is now a strong possibility for All-SEC honors, and head coach Bret Bielema is appreciative, per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Bob Holt.
"Rawleigh's an exceptional football player," Bielema said. "I'm glad he's playing for us."
The sophomore led the conference in rushing in Week 7, and his emergence, along with Allen, gives the Razorbacks a terrific offensive attack moving forward.
All offensive statistics are courtesy of NCAA.com. SEC statistics are courtesy of SECSports.com.
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