The SEC Is Never Boring

With the halfway point of the season getting closer, the SEC has yet again proved to be a prognosticator’s nightmare.  Each Saturday always has some surprises and drama, but few other conferences see it happen so often and so shockingly.

This Tide is refusing to go out

Of course, the biggest story so far is that the great media masses with their crystal balls forgot to tell Alabama they weren’t supposed to be this good this fast.  The great majority thought it might be possible for Bama to do slightly better than last year’s 7-6 mark.

Instead, with less than half the season down, ALL are talking about Alabama being in the hunt for the national championship.

The Commodores sailing into bowl season?

Only five weeks into the season, people are talking about Vanderbilt and bowling in the same sentence.  Bobby Johnson looks poised to return the 'Dores to postseason play.  Close to halfway through, Vandy sits atop the SEC Eastern Division.  Were it not for Alabama sucking all the headlines, this would be the conference’s biggest story this year.

The resurgent Commodores are looking good, and with the remaining schedule, they seem like a lock to finally play among the postseason partiers.

Tebow’s “sophomore” slump

As old as time, this jinx has caught more good players than any.  In Tebow’s second year as starter, he actually appears human.  In last week's loss to Old Miss, he missed a wide-open receiver for what would have been the winning score, and the unthinkable happened on a fourth and less than one—he ran and didn’t make it.

Superman may have finally been hit by too much SEC kryptonite.  Florida now suddenly seems beatable to many others down the schedule.

Georgia dominated at home in black jerseys?

The Georgia fans were simply going to go through the motions of the SEC season before playing for the national championship.  This was THEIR year.

After a near-fatal misstep against the Old Ball Coach and South Carolina, the Dogs were sure they had their one bad game out of the way, and with a win from it too.

They had one of the best QBs in the SEC, what they thought was the best running back in the SEC, and the soundest defense.  Surely no one could hope to outscore them with this combination.

But by the end of the first half against Alabama, the Dogs not only lost their national championship dreams, but also their confidence and swagger by getting dominated in front of the entire nation 31-0 at halftime.

Though they should still finish atop the SEC Eastern Division, they only have another meeting with Alabama to look forward to at this point.

Rocky Flip Flop

After playing in the SEC championship game last year, Phillip Fulmer goes from hero to hobo.  Hundreds of thousands of Vol voices are not just murmuring, but yelling for his head (and his job).  With the remaining schedule (and the play of the Vols of late), it may be impossible to reach that eighth win that would automatically assure him a job next year.

Auburn’s stretch offense

So far the only two stretches have been from the constant yawning and the stretch of imagination that Tuberville actually thought this would be a good idea.

What makes a stretch offense work is a QB that defenses fear so they won’t load up against the run.  With the laughable situation going on in the plains at the QB slot, teams simply stack the line and HOPE the Tigers will try to beat them passing.

Tuberville’s dream was a high-scoring output with their solid defense.  Winning 3-2 against Mississippi State and 14-12 against a down Vol team hardly inspires fear in ANY of the SEC defensive coaches.

What can be learned so far through the SEC season is that big changes can happen fast.  While some coaches are hoping things stay the way they are, others are praying for a turnaround that can salvage a season.

Hang on to your hats: This season is far from over—and so are the surprises.