SEC Football

1. Kentucky defensive back Ashely Lowery, injured in a car wreck over the weekend, is out of ICU and in a regular hospital room. Could be leaving soon. “We’re hoping by the end of the week.”

2. Seth Emerson imagines a nine-game SEC schedule for Georgia where the Bulldogs have only five games in Athens.  ”That would be hard for UGA to stomach.”

3. Mike Bianchi on Florida coach Will Muschamp: “Does Gator Nation realize how much in demand Muschamp is – and will be?”

4. Muschamp on Twitter – why do they call it a hashtag?

5. Kevin Sumlin on expectations for his A&M team.  ”This is a team that didn’t play in a BCS game. It’s a good place to start, but it’s not a good place to end.”

6. Dan Mullen on expectations at Mississippi State. “Eight wins is kind of a baseline for us…”

7. No tight end or primary H-back has caught more than 24 passes with Gus Malzahn as coach.

8. Ole Miss depth chart released – only members of top-10 recruiting class to show up are those already enrolled.

9. Former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Mitchell reportedly considering five schools -   South Florida, NC State, UAB, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State. Some other schools being mentioned.

10. Tennessee defensive back Daniel Gray is transferring.

11. Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham on Vanderbilt: “They compete and they’re very competitive.”

12. With the North Carolina game set for 2015 in Charlotte – here’s a look at South Carolina’s non-conference schedule for the next three seasons.

13. Opening weekend of the 2013 college football season features both South Carolina/North Carolina and Ole Miss/Vanderbilt on ESPN Thursday night.

14. ESPN’s Chris Low ranks the top 20 SEC prospects for the 2014 NFL draft.

SEC Athletic Department Revenues – (our breakdown from yesterday)

15. Alabama’s athletic department has now generated $100 million + in revenue for five straight years.

16. Auburn cracked the top 10 nationally – school record $105.9 million in 2012.

17. Not included in the numbers for Ole Miss - $11 million in contributions held at the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation.  School will change the way it reports next year.

SEC Basketball

18. Father of Trae Golden disputes notion of academic problems at Tennessee for his son – calls reports “totally inaccurate.”

19. Incoming freshman Darius Thompson expected to get first crack at replacing Golden.  Coach Cuonzo Martin:  ”We feel great about him.” Jordan McRae invited to Kevin Durant Skills Academy.

20. Making the case for a practice facility at Arkansas.

21. Georgia assistant coach Kwanza Johnson still weighing possible move to TCU.

22. Missouri will play in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational in November.

Extras

23. NCAA Study: Gambling among men who play Division I sports fell from 58 percent to 50 percent from 2008 to 2012.

24. Claim: The players in those college football video games?  Oh, they’re real (and spectacular).

25. Does Tim Tebow have a future as a baseball player?

SEC In The NCAA Tournament
Ole Miss will play LaSalle Sunday….Florida plays Minnesota
Alabama 66, Stanford 54 in Saturday NIT Action
Three Alabama reserves are no longer on the Crimson Tide football team as Nick Saban whittles his roster down to the 85-man scholarship limit
LSU held its first spring scrimmage Saturday
Georgia QB Aaron Murray reported for spring practice eight pounds lighter than he weighed last season
Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork has been given a raise and a contract extension after his first year on the job
Ole Miss will spend $6 million on architects to design a new 10,000-seat basketball arena to replace the Tad Smith Coliseum

Colorado State 84 — Missouri 72

1.  The Rams manhandled the Tigers, never allowing Mizzou to get within three points in the last 36 minutes of basketball.

2.  “The reality is that (Frank) Haith did a nice job of acquiring players to fill a depleted roster, but he did a poor job of turning that talent into a team that played with intelligence and toughness.”

3.  Last night’s lackluster curtain-dropper was a fitting finish to the Tigers’ season.

SEC Hoops today/NCAA Tournament

Ole Miss vs Wisconsin (12:40pm ET) and Florida vs Northwestern State (7:27pm ET)

Missouri fell 84-72 to Colorado State in its opening game of the NCAA Tournament
In postseason play the SEC is now 1-3 in NCAA and NIT action this year
Three Alabama reserves are no longer on the Crimson Tide football team as Nick Saban whittles his roster down to the 85-man scholarship limit
LSU will hold its first spring scrimmage tomorrow
Georgia QB Aaron Murray reported for spring practice eight pounds lighter than he weighed last season
Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork has been given a raise and a contract extension after his first year on the job
Ole Miss will spend $6 million on architects to design a new 10,000-seat basketball arena to replace the Tad Smith Coliseum
Today’s SEC action in the NCAA Tournament: Ole Miss vs Wisconsin at 12:40pm ET and Florida vs Northwestern State at 7:27pm ET

1. Louisville 80 – Kentucky 77. Down by as many as 17 in second half, UK rallies but falls short.  John Calipari post-game video.  ”Hats off to them – what a good team they are.”

2. Tennessee 51 – Xavier 47. Recovering from shoulder surgery, freshman Derek Reese makes his debut and sparks a comeback. Video Highlights.

3. Illinois 81 – Auburn 79. Tigers upset bid in Chicago falls short.  Forward Allen Payne: ”These are the ones that hurt the worst.” Freshman Jordan Price out 4-5 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot.

4. South Carolina 76 – Presbyterian 60. Shorthanded Gamecocks win without three of their top four scorers.

5. Georgia 82 – Florida A&M 73. Career-high 21 points for Nemanja Djurisic, Bulldogs win third straight.

6. Florida 78 – Air Force 61. Up by just two points at the break, Gators dominate second half.

7. Texas A&M 61 – Army 55. Aggies come from behind at home to beat the Black Knights.

8. Butler 68 – Vanderbilt 49. Former Arkansas guard Rotnei Clarke torches Commodores for 22 points – goes 6-for-9 behind three-point arc. Video Highlights.

9. Arkansas 79 – Northwestern State 61. With 26 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists, BJ Young leads the Razorbacks to their fourth straight win.

Saturday SEC Basketball
Louisville 80 – Kentucky 77
Tennessee 51 – Xavier 47
South Carolina 76 – Presbyterian 60
Illinois 81 – Auburn 79
Georgia 82 – Florida A&M 73
Florida 78 – Air Force 61
Texas A&M 61 – Army 55
Butler 68 – Vanderbilt 49
Arkansas 79 – Northwestern State 61

There’s one SEC game on the Thursday night schedule and it figures to be a dandy.  LSU will enter Scott Field owning an 11-game win streak against Mississippi State.  In fact, LSU has won 18 of its last 19 against MSU.  But in their last trip to Starkville, the Tigers needed a last-minute goal line stop to secure a victory over Dan Mullen’s first Bulldog squad, 30-26.  This one should a barnburner, too.


LSU at Mississippi State
8:00pm ET on ESPN

Why It Matters:  An MSU win would put the Bulldogs right back into the thick of the SEC West race and put a dent in LSU’s BCS title hopes.  An LSU win would further help solidify Jarrett Lee as a bankable starter and it would throw some more cold water on Mullen’s rebuilding project.

What Vegas Says:  LSU by 3.5

What We Say:  Starkville will be a madhouse.  Knowing that LSU is one of the SEC’s most vocal anti-cowbell schools, Dog fans will be sure to do a whole lotta ringing tonight.  LSU’s Lee-led offense put 40 points on Oregon two weeks ago, but that was with the benefit of four Duck turnovers.  If MSU doesn’t wet the bed early — as it did against Auburn last week — and it can get off to a hot start, Lee might have a hard time leading the Tigers back in a hostile environment.  But remember… while MSU was battling to the final second with Auburn last week, LSU was resting its starters against pushover Northwestern State.  LSU is more likely to have leg strength late than MSU.

Prediction:  MSU 24, LSU 23


Can Bulldogs end Tigers’ jinx?

Dogs hope to take bite out of LSU, Miles

MSU no longer happy with being competitive

Bring it On: LSU’s stingy run defense ready to face Bulldogs power attack

No. 3 LSU’s keys to victory against No. 25 Mississippi State

Short week, Miss. St. test LSU tonight

1.  Alabama’s defensive coaches wanted more forced fumbles this year… they’re getting more forced fumbles this year.

2.  AJ McCarron has become Bama’s de facto starting quarterback, but Nick Saban still wants to get some playing time for Phillip Sims.

3.  Gene Chizik says Auburn took some “baby steps” against Mississippi State, but the Tigers still “have so many strides to go” to become a good football team.

4.  Senior tackle AJ Greene has worked himself all the way back from a serious injury to Auburn’s starting rotation.

5.  Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson says he learned a valuable lesson last week — “Probably try to get out of the way (of defenders) a little more.”

6.  There’s a chance running back Dennis Johnson will see his first action of the season on Saturday against Troy.

7.  LSU “didn’t have to take the punishment” from Northwestern State that Mississippi State had to take from Auburn… as both teams prepare their Thursday nighter.

8.  Les Miles wants his QBs to be able to sing the LSU alma mater.  Really. 

9.  Jordan Jefferson and Jimmy Johns got some of their shoes back yesterday, but police are still doing DNA testing on a few pairs.

10.  Juco transfer Zach Stoudt is comfortable in the starting quarterback’s role at Ole Miss.

11.  Defensive end Kentrell Lockett has been pretty quiet in the Rebels’ first two games.

12.  Dan Mullen says MSU fans are no longer happy with being competitive: “Our people expect us to win.”

13.  The Bulldogs’ coach is hoping his young linebackers are learning from their mistakes.

1.  The SEC has named its Players of the Week.

2.  No surprise… Alabama’s getting it done with defense.

3.  Nick Saban believes his O-line was “much better” this past weekend.

4.  Two games in and Auburn is still searching for a defensive identity.  (Better to be doing that at 2-0 than 0-2, however.)

5.  Heading to Clemson next, AU needs to start making some third-down stops.

6.  Arkansas’ offense made progress in a 52-3 win over New Mexico…

7.  But quarterback Tyler Wilson had to leave the game with concussion-like symptoms.

8.  There’s no time for rest in Baton Rouge as the Tigers must prepare for a Thursday night affair in Starkville.

9.  Sure they came against Northwestern State, but Jarrett Lee and Zach Mettenberger rolled up some pretty good passing numbers on Saturday.

10.  Houston Nutt says his team has shown flashes of being a good football team this season.

11.  Ole Miss hasn’t run the ball well and Vanderbilt — off to solid start defensively — is up next.

12.  Against Auburn, MSU lost a game it should have won.

13.  Dan Mullen now must quickly get his team to rebound from a tough loss in time for a Thursday game with a Top 5 team.

Kentucky 27 – Central Michigan 13

1, Fourth down stop turns the game around.

2. John Clay: “(M)aybe Morgan Newton can beat you with his legs.”

Tennessee 45 – Cincinnati 23

3. Tyler Bray joins Peyton Manning as the only Vol quarterbacks to  throw for more than 400 yards in a game.

4. Cincinnati gambles on fourth and short twice - and loses both times.

Alabama 27 – Penn State 11

5. Tide defense holds Penn State to 251 total yards on offense.

6. Kevin Scarbinsky: “If you were here in the stadium, one of the 107,846 patrons that made up the largest crowd ever to watch Alabama play football, you saw one team school the other over and over.”

7. Dennis Dodd:  (W)ith Alabama’s defense rising to 2009 — meaning, championship — levels, there really is no huge urgency for a developing quarterback.

Florida 39 – UAB 0

8. Gators open up the playbook a little wider.

9. Jeff Demps and Jordan Reed  ”suffering what seemed to be minor injuries.”

10. Florida moves on to SEC play. Pat Dooley: “Tennessee looks much scarier than it did at the start of the season, especially on offense.”

Arkansas 52 – New Mexico 3

11. Razorback running backs go for 252 yards. Receivers amass 475 all-purpose yards.

12. Tyler Wilson suffers concussion-like symptoms.

Ole Miss 42  Southern Illinois 24

13. Four touchdowns for Jeff Scott.

14. 11-point game with 6:39 to go.  QB Zack Stoudt replaced by Randall Mackey in second half.

Vanderbilt 24 Connecticut 21

15. Commodores rally late.

16. Quarterback Larry Smith sacked seven times. Vandy’s all-black unis.

LSU 49 Northwestern State 3

17. QB Zach Mettenberger sees action in the second half. 8  of 11 for 92 yards and a touchdown. 

18. Scott Rabalais: “It wasn’t so much a game for LSU as a checklist.”

Extra 

19. USC – Utah final score was 17-14.  Then it was 23-14.  Line was 8 1/2.  Vegas sportsbook takes a bath.