SEC East Battle: Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida All In the Race

The East division of the SEC got a major jolt this past weekend when the Kentucky Wildcats pulled off a substantial 31-28 upset of the South Carolina Gamecocks, a team who just a week ago looked like they were on the fast track to the SEC Championship.

The win alters the complexion of the division race which now looks like a four horse competition between South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Florida.

Each of the four teams have struggled through SEC play thus far and things are far from settled as we head into the second half of the regular season.

Crucial match ups in the next few weeks including Georgia-Kentucky, Florida-Georgia, and South Carolina-Florida should help to clear up the picture.

Let’s take a look at the four contenders that will be battling it out for the opportunity to make the trip to Atlanta at the end of the season.

Georgia Bulldogs (3-4, 2-3)

Just when we were all ready to count out the Gators and roast head coach Mark Richt on the barbecue, all of sudden star receiver A.J. Green shows up and stops us right in our tracks.

With a tough early season stretch that included a dismal 1-3 showing during Green’s four game suspension firmly behind them, it looks like the Bulldogs could be ready to right the ship.

Georgia is coming off consecutive blowout victories over conference basement dwellers Tennessee and Vanderbilt with this past weekend’s 43-0 shutout of the Commodores being the most decisive of the two.

Highly touted redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray looks like he’s finally reached his comfort level as a starter after a shaky beginning to the season. Murray has thrown four TDs to zero INTs in Georgia’s last two games and looks like he’s finally really starting to click with the offense.

Remaining Schedule

October 23rd: @ Kentucky

October 30th: Florida (Jacksonville)

November 6th: Idaho State

November 13th: @Auburn

November 27th: Georgia Tech

Kentucky Wildcats (4-3, 1-3)

Don’t look now, but here come the Kentucky Wildcats!

Behind the leadership of first year coach Joker Phillips, this Kentucky team is playing inspired football.

A week after nearly knocking off Auburn, the Wildcats bounced back to get the job done against South Carolina, taking down the Gamecocks 31-28. It’s the type of win that can really propel a team as a catalyst for the rest of the season.

Kentucky’s offense is littered with future NFL talent with the likes of running back Derrick Locke and receivers Chris Matthews and Randall Cobb. And quarterback Mike Hartline, whose made a huge improvement from last year, is playing efficient, smart football.

If their defense, led by impact linebacker Danny Trevathan, can tighten up a bit, the Wildcats have a real chance to make a serious second half run.

Remaining Schedule

October 23rd: Georgia

October 30th: @ Mississippi State

November 6th: Charleston Southern

November 13th: Vanderbilt

November 27th: @Tennessee

South Carolina Gamecocks (4-2, 2-2)

The euphoria of beating No. 1 Alabama certainly didn’t last long for Steve Spurrier’s bunch.

After losing to Kentucky this past weekend, the Gamecocks get a few weeks to regroup, playing Vanderbilt and Tennessee, before facing tough tests against Arkansas and Florida in consecutive weeks.

We know this team has two nice offensive weapons in freshman running back Marcus Lattimore and sophomore receiver Alshon Jeffery, but we also realize that the success of any Steve Spurrier team is based off quarterback play.

Spurrier was proud of the way junior quarterback Stephen Garcia competed in the win over the Tide but he must have been equally as frustrated on Saturday with Garcia’s mistakes and indecisions.

We’ll have to see how long Spurrier’s leash is as the season moves forward.

Remaining Schedule

October 23rd: @Vanderbilt

October 30th: Tennessee

November 6th: Arkansas

November 13th: @Florida

November 20th: Troy

November 27th: @Clemson

Florida Gators (4-3, 2-3)

The fire Urban Meyer talk following the Gators loss to Mississippi State, their third in a row, just exemplifies how impatient and short sighted college football fans can really be.

Yes, it’s just the hearsay of a few misguided “fans” but it does actually reveal a bit of the bigger picture and give us a glimpse into something deeper.

All is not well in Gainesville right now and the attitude of this team and this fan base could head south rather quickly if the Gators were to fall to Georgia in the Tailgate Party at the end of October.

No, nobody is firing Urban Meyer, a man whose won two of the last four college football national championships, but if Meyer doesn’t do something to correct the severe flaws and deficiencies that are plaguing this team, then things are only going to get worse before they get better.

Remaining Schedule

October 30th: Georgia (Jacksonville)

November 6th: @Vanderbilt

November 13th: South Carolina

November 20th: Appalachian State

November 27th: @Florida State