This month separated good teams from bad. Below, we give our season-to-date grades for each school. In addition to offensive and defensive grades, we compare each team’s performance to our preseason expectations, which heavily influences their overall grades. The October Report Cards are presented to you by Coble Law Group, LLC.  

Alabama 

Offense: B | Defense: B | Meeting Expectations: B | Overall: B

Brendan Paschal: Alabama dominated all of its games in October…except one. If it weren’t for one small blemish in College Station, the Crimson Tide would have A’s across the board. Earlier this month, I mentioned in our newsletter (which you should definitely subscribe to), that Alabama can’t seem to put it all together at the same time. When the offense is firing on all cylinders, the defense can’t make a stop, and vice versa. That said, Texas A&M was the only game all year where both sides simultaneously struggled. Alabama certainly has the talent to push for an SEC title(and even a national championship). But before they can make a legitimate push, they need to play a full 60 minutes of dominant and disciplined football in all three aspects of the game. 

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Arkansas

Offense: B | Defense: C | Meeting Expectations: C | Overall: C

Max McDougald: The month of October was a major step backwards for the Razorbacks . They won one of four games, with the lone win coming against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. They were dominated by Georgia and lost tough ones against Ole Miss and Auburn. That said, they were one two-point conversion away from beating the Rebels, which is equivalent to solving a math equation correctly, then forgetting a decimal. And after going through one of the toughest stretches of any team in the SEC, vs. Texas A&M in Arlington, at Georgia, and at Ole Miss, the Razorbacks were physically, emotionally, and mentally drained by the time they hosted the Tigers. There were a lot of highs and lows for the offense, and we saw flashes of greatness by quarterback KJ Jefferson and wide receiver Treylon Burks. However, their inconsistency at times handicapped the entire offense. It didn’t help that the defense’s inability to get off the field on third down wore them down and put a lot of pressure on the offense. The Razorbacks hope to turn a new page as in November, but they face a stern test as they host a surging Mississippi State. 

Auburn

Offense: A | Defense: A | Meeting Expectations: A | Overall: A

John Lamm: Auburn was 3-1 in October, and aside from a loss to Georgia, they were outstanding. Going into this month, I thought Bo Nix should be benched, but he was terrific in October, including leading the Tigers to big wins over LSU, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. A month ago, I did not expect Auburn  to win more than six or seven games, but now at 6-2, they are playing as well as any team in the SEC not named Alabama or Georgia. The Tigers’ defense played better than I anticipated and is a big reason they are now 3-1 in conference play. If they continue to play at the same level, Auburn could finish the year at 9-3 (possibly at 10-2 if they can upset Alabama). I am very impressed with the product that head coach Bryan Harsin has put on the field in his first season. This is a really good team.

Florida

Offense: B | Defense: B | Meeting Expectations: F | Overall: D

Chris Paschal:  At times, the offense has played well while the defense has failed (see the LSU game), while at other times the defense played well while the offense sputtered (see the Georgia and Kentucky games). But Florida’s poor report card (after an exceptional September report card) primarily reflects the expectations of Gator fans. While this season has gone about how I forecasted in my preseason preview, for Florida fans, the 2021 season has turned into a dumpster fire. For decades, Florida had not lost to Kentucky. Now, head coach Dan Mullen has lost to the Wildcats twice in the past four years. LSU is in the midst of a two-year downward spiral and recently fired Coach Orgeron mid-season, just two years removed from a national title. Amidst all that, Florida has lost to the Tigers in back-to-back seasons. And then there is this past weekend’s Georgia game. Florida had a shot to go into the half trailing by a mere field goal, when the Gators gave up 21 points in 2:09 of game time. It was one of the quickest and more shocking turnarounds in the history of the rivalry. After the 34-7 beatdown to the Dawgs, Mullen was asked by a reporter about the talent gap between Florida and Georgia (which is significant). Mullen dismissed the question and asked the reporter what he thought. Things got ugly fast in Gainesville. They might get uglier in November.

Georgia

Offense: A | Defense: A | Meeting Expectations A | Overall: A

John: Georgia had an incredible September, but to me they were even more impressive in October. With Stetson Bennett at quarterback, the offense is not very flashy compared to other top teams in the conference, but they limit mistakes and are very efficient, especially on the ground. I still personally believe this offense would be better with JT Daniels at quarterback, but Kirby Smart has stuck with Bennett, and I can’t blame him for doing so. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, and until Bennett demonstrates why he shouldn’t be the starter, expect him to stay at the helm. I thought the defense was great in September and said it was one of the best in SEC history, but I thought that they would slow down some as their schedule got harder. I was wrong. Jordan Davis is probably the single-best player in college football this year and one of the best nose guards in the history of college football. This was the hardest stretch of Georgia’s schedule, and they were barely tested at all. I fully expect this team to go 12-0 without having a close game all regular season. This is the best team in the country and is still my pick to win the national championship. I doubt any team, even Alabama, will have much success against this defense. 

Kentucky

Offense: B | Defense: A | Meeting Expectations: B| Overall: B

Max: This month brought the Kentucky Wildcats their first loss of the 2021 season, in a road battle against the Georgia Bulldogs. This Kentucky team was expected to be competitive, and they have shown that for the most part. On offense, quarterback Will Levis has been the leader. If he plays clean football and gets the ball to the Wildcat playmakers, this offense is formidable. But that’s a big “if.” Levis has struggled with turnovers at times, throwing interceptions in six out of eight games this season (including three against Mississippi State this past Saturday night). Meanwhile, Kentucky’s defense spent October building on its September success, at least until the loss to Mississippi State. In that game, the Wildcats’ four turnovers definitely did not help, putting the defense on its heels for much of the game.  

LSU

Offense: D | Defense: D | Meeting Expectations: F | Overall: D

Brendan: This month, LSU took a “withdraw-fail” for 2021. Tough losses to Auburn and Kentucky, along with several off-the-field issues, were enough to set an expiration date on Ed Orgeron’s tenure as head coach. Not even two full seasons removed from a national championship, Orgeron agreed to depart at the end of the season. Although numerous rumors circulated about why Orgeron was not going to return next year, the ultimate reason is wins and losses. It’s a sad fact that if the Tigers were winning, many LSU boosters and officials would have been willing to look past the flaws that ultimately ended the Ed Orgeron era. Their win against Florida kept the Tigers barely above an F for the month. But with a tough November schedule ahead, things don’t look promising in Baton Rouge.  

Mississippi State

Offense: B | Defense: B | Meeting Expectations: B | Overall: B

Chris: The Alabama game is the sole reason the Bulldogs did not receive higher marks on this report card. Losing 49-9, even if it is to the reigning champions, is an ugly loss, especially considering the fact that the Bulldogs were coming off a bye week. That being said, Mississippi State found a way in October to score points on offense against two good defensive football teams: Texas A&M and Kentucky. Quarterback Will Rogers has been putting up great numbers, including a record-setting effort against Kentucky, where he completed 36-of-39 passes (92%). Defensively, the Bulldogs are starting to play like I thought they would in the preseason (again, notwithstanding the Alabama game). Mississippi State is flying around, forcing turnovers, and efficiently tackling ball carriers, holding one of the SEC’s best rushing attacks (Kentucky) to a mere 66 yards rushing. In my preseason preview, I predicted Mississippi State would win seven games. Right now, the Bulldogs still have a legitimate shot at winning seven games and staying ahead of schedule in the Mike Leach rebuild. 

Missouri

Offense: C | Defense: F | Meeting Expectations: D | Overall: D

John: Missouri went 2-2 in the month of October. But those who follow this program closely were not fooled; they were absolutely awful. Offensively, running back Tyler Badie was outstanding this month, with 572 rushing yards. He played as well as any running back in the SEC, but he was the lone bright spot on this team. Quarterback Connor Bazelak had a great month of September, but he failed to play up to the level expected in the month of October. Statistically, he had only three touchdowns, versus five interceptions. The offense did well against North Texas and Vanderbilt, but those are two horrific teams, so little to no credit can be extended to Missouri for those performances. This Missouri defense is one of the worst defenses in the SEC. Simply put, the Tigers cannot stop anyone, especially on the ground. I thought they were bad in September and did not expect them to get much better, but they have gotten significantly worse, giving up 62 points to Tennessee. I thought going into the season this team had a chance to be third in the SEC East, but I would be shocked if they win another game this season.  This has been a disappointing team so far.

Ole Miss

Offense: B | Defense: C | Meeting Expectations: B | Overall: B 

Brendan: The Rebels are a good team, but they aren’t a well-balanced one. (When you think about it, though, you could say the same thing about their head coach.) Quarterback Matt Corral is one of the toughest players in college football and has led his team to an impressive 6-2 start. Some fans might not be impressed given those two losses, especially the one to Auburn, but with a depleted wide receiver corps and banged-up offensive line, head coach Lane Kiffin and Corral still found ways to move the ball. While the defense isn’t winning Ole Miss any games, they also aren’t losing them. I said it in my season preview – this defense doesn’t need to be good, just good enough. Most of the time, they are good enough (like when they prevented Arkansas from converting a game-winning two-point conversion after allowing the Razorbacks to score 51 points). Corral continues to take heavy shots every game. His ability, or inability, to keep withstanding that punishment may be the difference in whether Ole Miss can hang on to a strong B in November.   

South Carolina

Offense: D | Defense: B | Meeting Expectations: B | Overall: C

Max: The Gamecocks  have struggled offensively all season, but October has been especially bad. In fact, fans are currently speculating about whether first-year offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will return next season. To be fair, South Carolina’s quarterback situation has been far from stable. But as anyone who follows the Gamecocks knows, that has not been the main issue – it’s been the offensive line. South Carolina continues to struggle mightily in the run game, which is extremely disappointing considering the Gamecocks feature a backfield of Kevin Harris, Marshawn Lloyd, Zaquandre White, and Juju McDowell. On defense, Clayton White’s group has been solid in pass defense and forcing turnovers, but not against the run. The defensive line continues to be a strength of this team, but the lack of quality play at linebacker has made the middle of the defense rather weak. In the secondary, things have been inconsistent, although safety Jaylan Foster has been a breakout star, leading the nation in interceptions.

Tennessee

Offense: A | Defense: B | Meeting Expectations: A | Overall: A

Chris: The Volunteers continue to exceed my preseason expectations. The Vols exploded in the month of October offensively, putting up 62, 45, 26, and 24 points in four in-conference performances. Quarterback Hendon Hooker took the reins of the offense late in September and carried the Volunteer offense in October, when the rushing attack fluctuated in productivity due to injuries (although the rushing numbers following the Missouri and South Carolina games were staggering enough to keep this statistically one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC). The offensive line play for Tennessee has also been far more effective and consistent than I originally thought it would be. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s defense has played adequately, forcing turnovers if still giving up significant yardage and points. Overall, this Tennessee program is well ahead of schedule, and the only thing that might prevent the Vols from a seven-win season is if its roster continues to thin due to injuries. I did not think Tennessee would be able to match its grades from September, but October continued the season-long trend of the Vols performing at a high level. 

Texas A&M

Offense: A | Defense: B | Meeting Expectations: A | Overall: A

Chris: The month of October started off horrifically for the Aggies, with a stunning (at least to everyone not named Chris Paschal) loss to Mississippi State. It’s almost like that loss was the kick in the pants A&M needed. Quarterback Zach Calzada has played exceptionally, with the month of October being his coming out party. But what truly came alive for A&M in October was the rushing attack, moving up to 7th in the SEC, with 188 rushing yards per game. Simply put, A&M’s offense is starting to hum due to its ability to finally get the ball in its playmakers’ hands. Running back Isaiah Spiller leads the team in rushing and is on pace to rush for over 1,000 yards after a slow September. Tight end Jalen Wydermyer has been targeted more in October and now leads the team in receiving. And playmakers Ainias Smith (wide receiver) and Devon Achane (running back) have been heavily featured not only in the passing and rushing attacks, respectively, but on special teams (Achane returning a crucial second half kickoff for a touchdown against Alabama). As the weather has gotten colder, the Aggie defense is starting to get hotter, but the grade remains a B since two of its recent performances were against two of the weaker offenses in the SEC. Jimbo Fisher knew the pressure would be on the Aggies this season, and while they failed to meet those expectations in September, A&M is starting to turn things around as the regular season enters its final month. 

Vanderbilt

Offense: C | Defense: C | Meeting Expectations: B | Overall: C

Max: Vanderbilt almost picked up a win on the road against South Carolina but was beaten on a touchdown in the final seconds, showing that even when Vanderbilt plays relatively well, it is at a significant disadvantage against the rest of the SEC. Offensively, the Commodores have shown some life. One of the major positives that came from the month of October was the performance of quarterback Mike Wright. Wright, a sophomore, was tossed into action when Ken Seals was injured. Wright started on the road against South Carolina and had the Commodores ahead late. Wright has a talented arm but also adds a different dimension with his running ability. In his most recent performance (a loss against Missouri), he rushed for 152 yards. Defensively, the Commodores have continued to struggle to play consistently. To begin October, the defense made enough plays to pull out of a win against Connecticut, and later in October, the Vandy defense forced turnovers in a close road loss to South Carolina. However, as the month concluded, the Commodore defense gave up 45 points to Mississippi State and 37 points to Missouri. 

Clemson 

Offense: F | Defense: A | Meeting Expectations: D | Overall: D

Brendan: Clemson is the worst 5-3 team in college football. Although it was apparent that the defense would have to carry the offense every weekend, the offensive play has become so egregious that even one of the best defenses in the country isn’t always enough. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei has more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (5), and has a quarterback rating of 38.6, which is currently 108th nationally (out of 130). Running back Will Shipley is the only silver lining for this atrocious offense, but the true freshman can only do so much when defenses have zero respect for the passing attack. Clemson is one game away from bowl eligibility, but at this point, I doubt Tiger fans want to see much more. 

North Carolina

Offense: B | Defense: D | Meeting Expectations: C | Overall: C

John: I thought North Carolina had a better month of October than September, despite a terrible loss at home to Florida State. The offense had a good month, exceeding my expectations. Sam Howell got back on track after a tough September, with 1,000 yards passing and eight passing touchdowns to go with over 300 years rushing. The offense was able to get its running game going. After a tough September, running back Todd Chandler played exceptionally well, with over five yards per carry and six touchdowns in October. Unfortunately, the defense could not stop a nosebleed. I thought they would get better as the season went on. That has not been the case, with the Tar Heel defense playing as badly as anyone in the ACC right now. Because of their poor defensive performances, North Carolina lost to Notre Dame and Florida State by double digits. With tough teams ahead, the Tar Heels will have to play much better on defense in November if they expect to make a bowl game.