Random Thoughts from Week 1 Games

LSU: Dominant defense. Dorsey maybe the best player in the country. Offense sputtered at times, but overall efficient. Have to wonder if combination of Les Miles coaching and starting RB Hester will be enough for them to have the type of season they should with the other talent on that team, particularly defensive. Hester is a solid back, but he's doesn't give you the gamebreaking ability that so many other SEC backs do.

Mississippi State: Very good defense. They bottled up LSU for the entire first half, but were eventually done in by the offense's propensity for turnovers. LSU's 45 points is not an accurate reflection on MSU's defense. And speaking of their offense, is Henig really the best option for MSU? He consistently threw the ball into double and triple teams against LSU. Maybe Croom's West Coast offense is too complicated for him. MSU's defense is good enough to at least keep them in the majority of their games, but unless the offense dramatically improves, another 3 win season is in line.

Florida: Obviously passed their first test with flying colors. Tebow was outstanding throwing the ball, hitting 13/17 passes for 300 yds and 3 TDs. He ran one in for good measure. UF's biggest questions this year will have to be answered on the defensive side of the ball though. Against an overmatched WKU team, the Gators D was impressive, surrendering only a single FG. They didn't force any turnovers though. It will be interesting to see how that inexperienced defense progresses during the season.

Ole Miss: Two different Ole Miss teams showed up yesterday. A dominant defensive one in the first half and a not-so-good defensive one in the second half. The first half highlights included a blocked punt for a touchdown and a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Rebels scored the first 23 points of the game before hanging on for dear life as Memphis scored the last 21. Only a failed 2 point conversion with 31 seconds left prevented OT. Walk-on QB Seth Adams was steady in his debut, and RB Benjarvaus Green-Ellis picked up 83 yards as well. Will learn much more about them this week against Mizzou.

Kentucky: Explosive offense. It took the Wildcats all of one snap to get rolling this season, as QB Andre Woodson threw a 51-yard TD pass on UK's first play from scrimmage. UK rolled up 569 yards of offense in an almost perfectly balanced way - 289 passing, 280 rushing. Hard to tell a lot about a team when they play a 1AA opponent, unless you're Michigan...

Georgia: Georgia may have had the most impressive Week 1 of any team. Sure LSU's score is gaudier, but if you watched that game, you know they were a little sloppy. UGA came out and whipped a solid Cowboys team that averaged 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing per game last year. Early on, it looked like this would be a 45-42 game, as both teams were really locked in offensively. Once the UGA defense got going though, the obviously more talented Bulldogs ran away with it in the second half.

Arkansas: The Dynamic Duo of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were too much for Troy. This game was close throughout the first half, but Arkansas was too strong on offense for Troy to hold on. Casey Dick was solid and didn't commit any turnovers, which is all they need from him. McFadden tossed a 42-yard TD pass and Jones ran a kickoff back 90 yards for a score as well.

Vanderbilt: The Chris Nickson/Earl Bennett connection was alive and well in Nashville last night, as the two hooked up 13 times for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns. Vandy struggled early on with the spiders, but too much firepower down the stretch. The Commodores rolled up nearly 450 yds of offense, including Nickson's 281 yds passing.

South Carolina: RS Fr QB Chris Smelley got his first career start in the place of suspended Sr Blake Mitchell. Spurrier also played So QB Tommy Beecher. Each tossed a TD pass. Only a late 2Q TD gave the Gamecocks a halftime lead. Spurrier may have been playing coy with his offense with a huge divisional game @UGA this weekend, but he couldn't have been too pleased with this effort.

Alabama: The Nicktatorship is off to a running start in Tuscaloosa, as the Tide blitzed the 1AA Catamounts of Western Carolina 52-6. Bama rolled up 6 rushing TDs and veteran QB John Parker Wilson was steady, but didn't throw for a TD.

Auburn: Unless things get much better on the Plains, the Tigers may be in for a longer season than anticipated. The offensive line was manhandled last night by KSU's D, and QB Brandon Cox was a human pinball more times than he'd care to remember. The 10-point margin hardly represents the flow of this game, as the Tigers scored a defensive TD late in the 4th to ice the game. If they can't protect Cox better than they did last night, he'll be lucky to survive the season in one piece.

Tennessee: A year after the Vols thoroughly dominated Cal, the Bears returned the favor last night. UT's offense again looked impressive under David Cutcliffe in his 2nd stint back in Knoxville, but the D looked slow, especially in comparison to the skill guys Cal had. And did you see the step back move DeSean Jackson used on that punt return TD? That's just not fair.