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Matt Hayes analyzes four hot topics from Saturday’s games.
First down: Chaos in the SEC
All of those one-possession games, all of those one-possession losses. Had to even out at some point, right?
Welcome back to the sunny side of the street, Sam Pittman.
Arkansas’ snakebitten coach of the last two seasons – with double-digit losses in one-possession games (two this season) – finally got a breakthrough win Saturday night in a 19-14 victory over No. 4 Tennessee.
It took a late defensive stop after Tennessee let Arkansas backup quarterback Malachi Singleton score to set up the final drive, but the Hogs won a game of significance under Pittman for the first time since the 2021 season.
Arkansas did it by overcoming a dropped touchdown pass, a missed field goal, two failed fourth-down conversions and only 13 points in four trips to the red zone.
It was the first time in SEC history that two top-five teams were upset on the same day. Vanderbilt stunned No. 1 Alabama on Saturday afternoon.
The upsets of Alabama, Tennessee and No. 9 Missouri mean every league team except Texas has at least one loss. It also means the weekly winnowing of elite teams vying for College Football Playoff spots has begun.
Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Oklahoma all have one loss, and all play multiple games against each other over (and unbeaten Texas) the next two months.
The overriding question after early upsets have left eight teams with one loss only one week into October: Is it possible for the SEC to get a three-loss team into the CFP?
Second down: Texas A&M and motivation
Let me reintroduce you to an age-old motivator, and how it has Texas A&M right back in the SEC race.
The bench.
Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman spent the last three weeks on the sidelines recovering from a shoulder injury, watching backup…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/four-downs-saturday-chaos-leaves-044738166.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-10-06 04:47:38
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