September Report Cards: SEC West

Introduction

Before entering October and more conference play, let’s take a look at how each team performed in September. Unlike the ACC, the SEC has exceeded expectations (for the most part). Top tier teams have taken care of business, the new coaches are making a name for themselves, and schools like Arkansas and Kentucky are pushing for supremacy in their division. But, how is each school really doing after a first month populated mostly with FCS opponents and ACC cupcakes? Below, we give our grade for each school in the SEC, including offensive and defensive grades. But their overall grades are heavily influenced by how each team has lived up to our expectations so far. 

You can find the SEC East (and Clemson & North Carolina) Report Cards Here

Alabama (4-0, 1-0)

Offense: A- | Defense: C+ | Meeting Expectations B+ | Overall: B+

Brendan Paschal: We knew quarterback Bryce Young was going to be a special player, but we thought it would take at least a few games for him to get comfortable as the head of the offense. That has not been the case. Young has made a seamless transition. going 88-for-122 for 1,124 yards 15 touchdowns and just one interception so far this season. If you haven’t watched any Alabama games, the biggest takeaway from the first four games is that Young creates big-time plays while limiting mistakes. The only critique I have for the offense is its inability to step on Florida’s throat after going up 21-3 in the first quarter. But even then, that had more to do with the Bama defense than its offense. 

Speaking of which, the defense has been disappointing so far. For a unit that returned a bunch of starters and future NFL talent, they haven’t been as dominant as expected. Florida was the only true measuring stick for Alabama in the month of September, and the defense did not play up to expectations. They were physically dominated up front and couldn’t find a way to get off the field. It appeared they came in overconfident after holding Miami and Mercer to two touchdowns each, did not anticipate Florida’s physicality, and tried to go on autopilot after the first quarter. This is equivalent to crushing the first two quizzes, not preparing for the first test, then getting a dose of reality when the teacher hands back your test facedown. Alabama seemed to bounce back against Southern Mississippi with a renewed focus and intensity, so this grade should rise in October.  

Arkansas (4-0, 1-0)

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

Max McDougald: This Razorback team has been outstanding through four games. They have greatly improved under second-year head coach Sam Pittman and have found playmakers on each side of the ball. Quarterback KJ Jefferson has been a star for offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, making plays with his arm and his legs – he leads all SEC quarterbacks in both yards per passing attempt (10.8) and rushing yards per carry (7.2). The Razorbacks have been dominant running the football, as they have rushed for 1,044 yds and 11 touchdowns as a team. In the air, the Razorbacks also have 876 yards passing, adding another six touchdowns. Their balance and consistency, along with how much they have exceeded expectations, is why this offense receives an A+.

Defensively, the Razorbacks are ranked No. 12 in the country in total defense through four games. They have allowed 1,061 yards on the season, which averages out to a little over four yds per play. They have only given up seven touchdowns all year and average 14.5 points allowed per game, which is the third-best in the SEC behind Texas A&M (9.3) and Georgia (5.8). Cornerbacks Montaric Brown and Jalen Catalon lead the team with two interceptions each, but this whole Razorback secondary has been ballhawks in the month of September, with a total of 12 broken-up passes. Linebacker Bumper Pool leads the team in total tackles (38), while defensive end Tre Williams already has four sacks. The ability to get to the quarterback is why the defense is performing so well. Take away some small defensive breakdowns here and there, the Razorbacks could easily improve on their A- grade on defense. 

This team is fast, physical, and electric. I said in my season preview that while I expected them to improve, I didn’t expect them to be contenders. But now, if a couple things go their way they could certainly be in the contender category by season’s end. On top of the Razorbacks overall performance, their ability to win the big games by dominating Texas and Texas A&M has earned them an overall A grade. 

Auburn (3-1, 0-0)

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

John Lamm: Auburn is a tough team to grade, and I may be a little generous after their almost complete meltdown against Georgia State.  But since TJ Finley was able to save the day and help improve the Tigers’ record to 3-1, they are getting an overall B.  First and foremost, Auburn’s running backs have been outstanding.  Running back Tank Bigsby looks like the First-Team All-American I predicted before the season, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and being on pace for over 1,300 yards rushing.  Freshman running back Jarquez Hunter has been a surprise as a phenomenal number-two back, rushing for 382 yards and leading the league with a crazy 10.6 yards per carry.  The wide receivers have been led by Kobe Hudson and Shedrick Jackson, both with 13 catches and a touchdown this season.  While receiver play has been okay, they have shown their inexperience early in this season; the Tigers had six dropped passes against Alabama State but have appeared to improve since.  

Defensively, Auburn played nearly perfectly early in the season against easy opponents Akron and Alabama State, while giving up ten total points and less than 200 yards in each game.  The Tigers played a solid game when holding Penn State to 28 points and shutting down the Nittany Lion rushing attack.  Senior linebacker Chance Wooten has been a very pleasant surprise.  He is currently leading the team with 32 tackles, which is already a career high in a season for him.  

The biggest problem so far for Auburn this season has been the inconsistency of quarterback Bo Nix.  I said before the season that his play would make or break the season for the Tigers.  And I thought this team could get eight or nine wins if he played great, and five or six if he did not.  Sadly, he appears to be getting worse with each game.  He played well against Akron, but since then has not had a completion percentage greater than 56%.  Nix appeared to be an outright liability against Georgia State, eventually being benched in favor of TJ Finley, who led a fourth-quarter comeback and threw the game-winning touchdown.  I expected Bo Nix to have an outstanding  junior year, but so far it looks as if I may be proven wrong, and he may not be the starter for this team much longer. 

I have been impressed with this team’s overall performance at 3-1, which has earned them a ranking at #22 in both the AP and USA Today polls. And while I have been critical of head coach Bryan Harsin for his lack of leadership over vaccines, he appears to have done a solid job so far of not allowing COVID to be a factor for the team. The one thing, though, this team needs to figure out is who will be their starting quarterback going forward.  As SEC games roll in, Auburn cannot have Bo Nix playing as poorly as he did against a mediocre Georgia State team, or the Tigers will not be ranked much longer.

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LSU (3-1, 1-0)

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

Brendan: September was not kind to LSU. A hurricane, suspensions, and injuries almost threw more at the Tigers than they could handle. At one point, LSU had 22 rostered players ineligible due to injuries or for violating team rules. To understand the effects of this mayhem, look no further than the offensive line – Austin Deculus, Cam Wire, Chasen Hines, and Anthony Bradford all missed significant playing time in September, resulting in a hodgepodge front five that has struggled to mesh. And since we all know everything starts in the trenches, it is no surprise that when the line struggles, there’s a chain reaction throughout the entire offense. LSU’s running game has been almost nonexistent, with the Tigers 13th in the SEC in rushing yards and dead last in yards per carry (2.9, almost a half-yard less than next-to-last Mississippi State).  This has forced sophomore quarterback Max Johnson into difficult passing situations, and although he is a talented athlete with flashes of big-play potential, LSU’s lack of a credible run threat has put too much on his shoulders, resulting in inconsistent play and an inability to find a rhythm offensively.     

Defensively, the Tigers have improved dramatically from last year. Defensive ends BJ Ojulari and Andre Anthony have contributed eight of LSU’s 18 total sacks, best in the SEC. Linebacker Damone Clark also leads the SEC in total tackles with 41. While the front seven has been creating havoc in the backfield, though,  the Tigers have yet to figure things out in the secondary. LSU has produced some of the greatest cornerbacks and safeties over the past decade, such as Jamal Adams, Tre’Davious White, Tyrann Mathieu, and Donte Jackson. They pride themselves in being able to send seven or eight defenders on blitzes because the defensive backs can handle the one-on-one matchups. But last weekend against Mississippi State, Orgeron showed that he is not confident enough to do so against high-caliber offenses, often dropping eight in coverage against Mike Leach’s air raid attack. That makes sense when you realize that in the first three games of the season, UCLA, McNeese State, and Central Michigan all scored at least one touchdown off a missed assignment in the secondary. So give credit to the coaching staff for coming up with a successful scheme based on the players they had on the field, but don’t expect that approach to continue to work against more balanced offenses. Until they can return to the traditional LSU defense (which might not be this year), the defense won’t get an A. 

Head coach Ed Orgeron is all about the LSU standard of excellence and made zero excuses about missing some big names. Some coaches say, “Next man up” and then follow that with a bunch of excuses why they lost. Coach O took ownership of all their shortcomings and never once blamed his staff or players for their mistakes. That said, LSU made plenty of mistakes on both sides of the ball. 

Tiger fans, don’t take this grade personally. Just like Coach O, we hold LSU to a higher standard and expect them to compete with Alabama and Georgia. This might not be a national championship year, but it’s more apparent than last year that they’re getting back on the right track. The Tigers should come closer to living up to our expectations with players returning and adjustments made. 

Mississippi State (2-2, 1-1)

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

Chris: I’ll wager that Mississippi State is the toughest team to grade after the first quarter of the season. My expectations for Mississippi State were quite simple: get to a bowl game. Right now, Mississippi State, at least mathematically, is on pace to finish the season 6-6, which would most certainly qualify the Bulldogs for some sort of bowl game. But it’s how they have landed on this 2-2 record that is tough to comprehend. In their first game against Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State looked like an overrated, uninterested football team who had to rally in the second half to get past a Group of Five opponent. Heading into week two, I assumed the worst for this Mike Leach team, and what do they do? They go out and beat NC State. Yes, the same NC State team who just knocked off Clemson. But following a disappointing and (somewhat shocking) loss to Memphis, and a hard-fought but opportunity-wasted loss to LSU, I really have no idea what to think about this football team. 

Quarterback Will Rogers has had a solid season so far, throwing for over 1,450 yards and 11 touchdowns, which was a key I highlighted in my season preview. The run defense has been steller, coming in ninth nationally in rushing yards allowed per game. That being said, the Bulldog pass defense, while forcing five interceptions in four games, has fallen short of my lofty preseason expectations, especially after its performance in the LSU game. A swarming, relentless defensive backfield not only forces turnovers, it suffocates offenses. But LSU quarterback Max Johnson was comfortable all night passing against Mississippi State, throwing for four touchdowns. That does not meet the preseason expectations I put on them, and it certainly does not meet the standard Mississippi State fans expect. Overall, the grade for Mississippi State hovers right at a B- due to their lackluster .500 start. Again, it’s the way the Bulldogs have performed in their first four games, not necessarily their record, which has disappointed me. Mississippi State seems to be falling short of expectations, despite a 2-2 record against a tough opening four-game schedule. 

Ole Miss (3-0, 0-0)

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

Brendan: Leading up to the season, we thought the defense would be just good enough to allow the offense to win them games. Instead, Ole Miss has dominated all three of their opponents in every aspect of the game. They started unranked going into the season, but have already moved up to No. 12 and are sitting at the top nationally in several offensive categories: 

• Average Points Per Game – 52.7 – 1st 
• Rushing Yards Per Game – 298.7 – 4th
• Passing Yards Per Game – 336.7 – 11th 
• Total Offense Per Game – 635.3 – 1st  

Although we knew Ole Miss had a stellar running back room, it has been surprising to see quarterback Matt Corral so involved in the rushing attack. He leads the team with rushing attempts (33) and rushing touchdowns (5). The Rebels have evenly distributed the ball among running backs Jerrion Ealy, Henry Parrish Jr., and Snoop Conner. Furthermore, they are also heavily involved in the passing attack, along with deep-threat wide receivers Dontario Drummond and Jonathan Mingo.  

The biggest surprise so far has been the defense, which looks drastically improved from last season. Transfer linebacker Chance Campbell and defensive back Otis Reese have made immediate impacts, and Sam Williams is thriving in his new role after moving from outside linebacker to defensive end. The Rebs are forcing turnovers and making stops, as opposed to last year, where they resembled a matador stepping to the side and allowing their opponents to run right past them. 

Overall, Ole Miss has looked dominant in all three phases of the game, but their toughest competition came in a week 1 beatdown of Louisville. All that changes this weekend, when the Rebels get their first true test on the road against Alabama. In other words, they’ve participated in class, done their homework, and crushed the daily quizzes. But the first heavily graded assignment is right around the corner, and it could make or break their season.

Texas A&M (3-1, 1-1)

Offense: C+ | Defense: A- |  Meeting Expectations: D+ | Overall: B-

Chris: I said in our preseason expectations article that Texas A&M would be graded harsher than most, if not all, programs in the SEC. That has come to fruition. On the one hand, A&M is 3-1, and its lone loss came at the hands of the #8 team in the country. On the other hand, even in the three wins, A&M has looked underwhelming and not like a squad most Aggie fans expected to finish with 10+ wins and a shot at knocking off Alabama. While that may not be fair (or even realistic), that’s how high the bar was set this offseason by not only the Aggie Faithful, but A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher. 

Where have things gone poorly? Mostly on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Haynes King was struck down with a leg injury halfway through the second game of the season. Backup quarterback Zach Calzada has been thrust into the starting role, and his performance has reflected it. The Georgia native played adequately against New Mexico in a comfortable 34-0 win. The following week, against SEC West rival Arkansas, Calzada threw for only 151 yards and no touchdowns. To add insult to injury, Calzada was sacked three times and he threw a second half interception. If you are subscribed to our daily newsletter — if not, I assume you are a card-carrying member of the Communist Party do not like free, hard-hitting SEC football analysis — you know by now that A&M’s offensive line has struggled not only in pass protection, but in run blocking, as well. A&M was supposed to have one of the better rushing attacks in the SEC, spearheaded by former All-SEC running back Isaiah Spiller, but thus far it has been far from steller. 

A&M’s defense, on the other hand, has played well. It won the Aggies the Colorado game and it kept A&M in the Arkansas game, especially in the second half. The run defense has not been as shutdown as I thought it would be, and the tackling efforts of the defensive backfield, especially in the first half of the Arkansas game, have been suspect, but overall, most programs in the SEC would kill to have given up 10, 7, 0, and 20 points, respectively, in their first four games. It’s the subpar passing offense, mediocre run game, and lack of a dominant rushing defense that have been so disappointing for A&M. 

If this team is going to compete for a SEC West title, like most Aggie fans expected this summer, A&M must correct a lot of deficiencies quickly. Not all B- grades are created equal – a B- in middle school science meant a lot to Chris Paschal. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a B- is a horrifying start for A&M. Right now, A&M is the most underperforming and disappointing team in the SEC.