THE COACHES Sylvester Croom is in his fourth season at Mississippi State and overall with a record of 14-28 (.333). The Bulldogs' offensive coordinator is Woody McCorvey and the defensvie coordinator is Ellis Johnson.
Nick Saban is in his first season at Alabama and in his 14th season overall with a record of 112-62-1 (.643). The Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator is Major Applewhite and the defensvie coordinator is Kevin Steele.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ALABAMA HAS THE BALL In nine games this season, John Parker Wilson has completed 187 of 339 passes (.552) for 2,110 yards, with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He is 12-10 (.545) as Alabama's starting quarterback over the last two seasons. D.J. Hall leads Alabama with 52 catches for 840 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. He is averaging a team-leading 16.2 yards per catch and 93.3 yards per game.
Titus Brown, who has recorded at least one tackle for loss in eight of the season's first nine games, is sixth in the league with 1.22 TFL per game. His 0.78 sack-per-game average is third best in the SEC. Jamon Hughes led the Bulldogs with nine tackles at Kentucky, his second consecutive game as the team's top stopper. Hughes has now made 29 tackles during the past three weeks.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN MISSISSIPPI STATE HAS THE BALL Wallace Gilberry leads the Crimson Tide with seven sacks this season and 15 total tackles for loss after nine games. All seven of his sacks have come in the Tide's last four games, including a careerbest three sacks (-19 yards) against LSU. Ezekial Knight has played in all nine games and has 43 tackles. In addition, he has added 6 1/2 TFLs, two sacks, three pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Anthony Dixon has now rushed 378 times in his career for 1,498 yards and 21 touchdowns. He needs 39 carries to reach the school's all-time top 10 in that category. Wesley Carroll is two passes away from the NCAA record for most consecutive passes attempted without an interception at the start of a career. Christian Ducre' rushed a career-high 19 times for 119 yards and one touchdown at Kentucky.
SPECIAL TEAMS In nine games this season, Javier Arenas has 42 total kick returns for 873 yards and one touchdown. He is averaging 20.79 yards per return this season. The speedster has 19 punt returns for 326 yards and one touchdown. Arenas averages 17.2 yards per punt return this season, which is the second-highest average (minimum 15 returns) in school history.
Derek Pegues ranks second on the school's all-time kick return (70) and yardage (1,548) lists, trailing only Tony James (1989-92; 78-1,862) in both categories. He also ranks fourth on the all-time punt returns list (55), tied with Tom "Shorty" McWilliams (55, 1944, 46-48), and sixth on the all-time yardage ranking (528). Pegues trails Billy Stacy (580) on that chart.
SERIES/GAME NOTES Record: UA, 71-17-3 • Last: MSU, 24-16 (2006 at Tuscaloosa) The game is the first sellout of Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field since the expansion to its current capacity in 2001...This is a series that dates back to the 1896 season...The MSU series is the longest running series in the Alabama record book...The two border rivals will be meeting for the 92nd time this weekend...State's last win over Alabama in Starkville game during the 2000 season...MSU head coach Sylvester Croom is both a former Alabama player and coach...Croom will coach against his alma mater for the fourth time this Saturday...Alabama's last win in the month of November came at Mississippi State, a 17-0 victory, in 2005.
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THE COACHES Houston Nutt is in his10th season at Arkansas with a record of 73-47 (.608) and in his15th season overall with a record of 109-69 (.612). The Razorbacks' offensive coordinator is David Lee and the defensvie coordinator is Reggie Herring.
Phillip Fulmer is in his 16th season at Tennessee and overall with a record of 143-44 (.765). The Volunteers' offensive coordinator is David Cutcliffe and the defensvie coordinator is John Chavis.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ARKANSAS HAS THE BALL Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Felix Jones set a NCAA record for most combined rushing yards by teammates in a single game after combining for 487 rushing yards against No. 23 South Carolina last Saturday night. McFadden tied an SEC record with 321 yards on 34 carries, matching Vanderbilt's Frank Mordica who rushed for the same total in 1978 against Air Force. Jones turned in a career-high 166 yards. Both have rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season.
Ryan Karl and Rico McCoy led the team with eight stops each vs. Louisiana -Lafayette. Jerod Mayo had seven tackles. Three linebackers made at least 10 tackles vs. South Carolina, led by McCoy with 14. Eric Berry has two interceptions and 109 INT return yards this season. Jonathan Hefney is fourth on the team with 53 tackles.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN TENNESSEE HAS THE BALL Michael Grant is tied for fourth in the NCAA with 1.67 passes defended per game. The mark also leads the SEC outright. has five inter-ceptions and nine pass breakups this season and he isn't even listed as a starter. Jerell Norton has five inter-ceptions and nine pass breakups this season and he isn't even listed as a starter. The sophomore ranks tied for seventh nationally in interceptions and is tied for 10th in passes defended (1.44).
Erik Ainge is 23-9 as a starter in his career. He has an efficiency rating of 133.2, which is the third-best mark in the SEC this season. Ainge is third in Tennessee history in career passing yards with 7,316 and third in total offense with 7,102 yards. Arian Foster has 503 yards rushing and eight touchdowns in his last five games after gaining 100 yards and scoring twice vs. Louisiana-Lafayette. Lucas Taylor leads the team with 52 catches for 741 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS Jones has two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season on 90-yard and 82-yard bursts. He ranks seventh nationally in kickoff return average at 31.64 ypr. He currently leads the SEC in career kickoff return average at 28.5 yards per on 54 career returns. Alex Tejada is 14 for 18 on field goal attempts and 44 of 46 on PATs. Tejada is tied for 22nd nationally in field goal made (1.56) and 21st in scoring 9.56 points per game.
Daniel Lincoln is 16-of-18 on field goal attempts and 37-of-37 on PATs through nine games. Lincoln kicked his career-long 48-yard field goal vs. South Carolina. Dennis Rogan replaced Jonathan Hefney as the punt returner before the Louisiana-Lafayette game.
SERIES/GAME NOTES Record: UT, 12-3 • Last: ARK, 31-14 (2006 at Fayetteville) Tennessee leads the all-time series with Arkansas 12-3, dating to 1907... The Volunteers hold a 5-1 edge in games played in Knoxville... The last time these teams met in Neyland Stadium, Tennessee triumphed 41-38 in a six-overtime thriller... Arkansas defeated the Vols 31-14 last season in Fayetteville, with highly touted running back Darren McFadden rushing for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns... Jonathan Crompton played the entire game at quarterback for UT, as Erik Ainge sat out the contest with an ankle injury suffered two weeks before at South Carolina... Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer boasts a 9-2 record against Arkansas, including six straight wins to start his career against the Razorbacks... Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt is 2-4 against the Vols.
THE COACHES Rich Brooks is in his fifth season at Kentucky with a record of 22-33 (.400) and in his 23rd season overall with a record of 113-142-4 (.440). The Wildcats' offensive coordinator is Joker Phillips and the defensvie coordinator is Steve Brown.
Bobby Johnson is in his sixth season at Vanderbilt with a record of 20-47 (.299) and in his 14th season overall with a record of 80-83 (.491). The Commodores' offensive coordinator is Ted Cain and the defensive coordinator is Bruce Fowler.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN KENTUCKY HAS THE BALL Quarterback André Woodson leads the SEC in passing yards per game, averaging 270.1 ypg and has thrown for at least 200 yards in 15 straight games. Woodson also has thrown at least two touchdown passes in 10 straight games. He ranks second in the SEC and 18th nationally in passing efficiency (147.7). Dicky Lyons Jr. ranks second on the team in receiving yards with 43 catches for 509 yards and six touchdowns.
Jonathan Goff leads the team in total tackles and QB hurries and is tied for the lead with three sacks. D.J. Moore posted nine total tackles and a defensed pass in the loss at Florida. He has at least six tackles in each of his last five games. Moore shares the SEC lead with five interceptions, and is one of the league's top tacklers. Reshard Langford set a career high with 10 tackles at Florida, and contributed his second INT this season. Langford has a team-high eight career interceptions.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN VANDERBILT HAS THE BALL Linebacker Wesley Woodyard leads the SEC and currently ranks 26th nationally in tackles, averaging 10.2 per game. He is the only SEC player to average double-figure tackles this season. He has recorded at least four tackles in 33 consecutive games, every game since the start of the 2005 season. Defensive end Jeremy Jarmon is tied for fourth in the SEC and tied for 28th nationally in sacks with 6.5 on the year.
Through nine games, Earl Bennett leads the SEC with 59 receptions and ranks fifth with 670 receiving yards. He is also among the SEC Top 10 with four touchdown catches. Bennett is trying to lead the SEC in receiving for the third consecutive year. He could become the only receiver in SEC history to post three consecutive seasons of at least 75 catches. Bennett already owns the SEC career receiving record.
SPECIAL TEAMS Junior punter/kicker Tim Masthay has significantly helped the Wildcats in the battle for field position this season. He is averaging a career-best 41.9 yards per punt and UK ranks sixth in the SEC in net punting, averaging 36.2 net yards per punt. Masthay leads the SEC with 19 touchbacks and top the league in net kickoff coverage (43.6 net yards per kickoff ).
Moore is third in the SEC – and 15th in the nation – as a kickoff returner, averaging a sensational 29.2 yards on 25 returns. Moore returned two Florida kicks for 73 yards, including a long of 46 yards. Moore is on pace to shatter the modern Vanderbilt record for kickoff return average, 25.7 yards set by Kwane Doster in 2005.
SERIES/GAME NOTES Record: UK, 38-37-4 • Last: UK, 38-26 (2006 at Lexington) Vanderbilt and Kentucky meet for the 80th time in school history … Kentucky leads the alltime series 38-37-4 … Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt in Commonwealth Stadium last season 38-26 to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 1999 … UK has won five of the last six meetings … Of the teams that Kentucky plays regularly, Vanderbilt is the longest-running rivalry, spanning 110 years since the initial meeting in 1896 … The teams have met annually since 1953 ... Vanderbilt has recorded 13 shutouts in the series history … Kentucky has shutout the Commodores six times …The series has had a remarkable number of close games, as 32 of the 79 games (41.0 percent) have been decided by seven points or less, with the series tied at 14-14-4 in those games.
THE COACHES Tommy Tuberville is in his ninth season at Auburn with a record of 78-32 (.709) and in his 13th season overall with a record of 103-52 (.665). The Tigers' offensive coordinator is Al Borges and the defensvie coordinator is Will Muschamp.
Mark Richt is in his seventh season at Georgia and overall with a record of 68-19 (.782). The Bulldogs' offensive coordinator is Mike Bobo and the defensvie coordinator is Willie Martinez.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN AUBURN HAS THE BALL In the last seven weeks, Brandon Cox has completed 100-of-150 (.667) passes for 1,183 yards, six scores and just one interception, for a quarterback rating of 144.78. Cox, who has thrown 89 consecutive passes without an interception, is now third on Auburn's all-time passing yardage list with 6,498 yards. Junior wide receiver Rodgeriqus Smith leads Auburn with 43 catches for 593 yards and five touchdowns.
Dannell Ellerbe leads the team with 65 tackles, which is 19 more than his next closest teammate. Reshad Jones set a career high against Tennessee with seven tackles and matched that total during the Bulldogs' 42-30 win over No. 9 Florida. Currently, he ranks second on the team with 46 tackles. In his second career start, Geno Atkins tallied a career-high and team-leading eight tackles in the road win over Vanderbilt.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN GEORGIA HAS THE BALL Antonio Coleman leads the team and is tied for 22nd nationally in tackles for loss with 12.5, and also leads the Tigers in sacks (six). His 12.5 tackles for loss are already more than anyone on the squad had last season. Coleman also returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against Kansas State. Quentin Groves ranks second among among active NCAA players in career sacks with 26.
Redshirt freshman Knowshown Moreno is the second freshman in Georgia history to surpass 1,000 yards rushing, joining Herschel Walker. Moreno has 541 yards and six touchdowns in his last three games. Matthew Stafford has thrown 15 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season. Stafford is 13-4 at the starter. He completed passes to 10 different receivers in wins over Troy and WCU.
SPECIAL TEAMS True freshman Wes Byrum has made 13 field goals in 17 attempts, including game winners from 43 yards on the final play at No. 4 Florida Sept. 29 and 20 yards with 21 seconds at Arkansas Oct. 13. Ryan Shoemaker leads the SEC and ranks 10th nationally in punting, averaging 44.6 yards per punt, while true freshman Patrick Tatum has averaged 43.4 yards per punt with nine of his 16 punts downed inside the 20-yard line
For his career, Brandon Coutu is 48-for-61 in FGs including 5-for-11 from 50+ yards. Also, he is a perfect 99-for-99 in PATs (third in the nation for active kickers). This season, Coutu is 13-18 in FG attempts (two of those attempts were from more than 50 yards). Mikey Henderson ranks 15th nationally in punt returns (13.5).
SERIES/GAME NOTES Record: AU, 53-49-8 • Last: UG, 37-15 (2006 at Auburn) The Auburn-Georgia series is tied with Oregon-Oregon State as the seventh-most played series in the nation (Football Bowl Subdivision)... It is the lone Southern series and one of just 23 in the nation to have reached the century mark in games played...Auburn owns a winning record in Athens (18-9) while Georgia has a winning mark on the Plains (13-9-2). The Tigers have won 10 of their last 12 games at Sanford Stadium...Through 110 meetings, Georgia has outscored Auburn by just 20 points (1,685-1,665) ... In games decided by three points or less, Auburn leads, 8-5-8 ... In games decided by seven points or less, Georgia leads, 21-19-8...Auburn has won nine of its last 11 games against teams ranked in the Top 10.
THE COACHES Derek Dooley is in his first season at Louisiana Tech and overall with a record of 4-5 (.444). The Bulldogs' offensive coordinator is Frank Scelfoe and the defensvie coordinator is Tommy Spangler.
Les Miles is in his third season at LSU with a record of 30-5 (.857) and in his 7th season overall with a record of 58-26 (.690). The Tigers' offensive coordinator is Gary Crowton and the defensive coordinator is Bo Pelini.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN LOUISIANA TECH HAS THE BALL At Idaho, running back Patrick Jackson provided the final nail in the coffin for Idaho with a touchdown run to build the lead to 28-16 with 1:48 remaining in the game. Jackson had 150 yards rushing in the game for a career-high. Zac Champion set a career-high in completions, yards and touchdowns against North Texas. Champion completed 23 passes for 306 yards and 4 TDs.
Glenn Dorsey recorded a team-best 7 tackles to lead a Tiger defense that limited Alabama to 254 total yards and just 20 rushing yards in 41-34 victory over the Crimson Tide. He had one sack for a 6-yard loss and added another tackle for a loss in the win. Ali Highsmith ranks as the Tigers second-leading tackler with 57 stops this season, a total that includes six TFL and1.5 sacks.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN LSU HAS THE BALL Antonio Baker was named Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Idaho in a 28-16 win this weekend. The sophomore had a team-high eight tackles in the game to receive his first conference player of the week honor. Baker not only led the team in tackles, but he also had an interception and recovered a fumble in the winning effort. It was the third consecutive game Baker has intercepted a pass in.
Despite seeing significant action in just four games this season, Early Doucet still ranks as the Tigers' second-leading reciever having caught 27 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns. He pulled in a career-high tying two TDs in the win over Alabama. In eight games this season, Matt Flynn has connected on 130-of-234 passes (55.6 percent) for 1,619 yards and 11 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Jacob Hester leads the Tigers in both rushing (591) and all-purpose yards (678).
SPECIAL TEAMS Louisiana Tech true freshman Dominique Faust showed he had a knack for special teams early upon his arrival on campus. Faust showed a special talent for slipping through the line on fi eld goal attempts, and it has resulted in three blocked fi eld goals. One more block and Faust will be tied for the school record blocked kicks in a season.
Colt David has had one of the most successful seasons in school history for a kicker He leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the country in scoring, averaging 10.6 points a game. He has connected on 16 of 22 field goals and all 41 of his PATs. His 16 field goals made ranks third on LSU's single season list, while his 22 attempts rank fourth and his PATs are fifth.
SERIES/GAME NOTES Record: LSU, 16-1 • Last: LSU, 49-10 (2003 at Baton Rouge) LSU and Louisiana Tech meet for the first time since the 2003 season on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium …LSU holds a 16-1 lead in the series against the Bulldogs … LSU beat Louisiana Tech, 49-10, in 2003 in what was the first meeting between the teams since 1941 … In 17 games against the Bulldogs, LSU has allowed Tech to score just 32 points, while posting 12 shutouts … LSU is 22-1 all-time against current members of the WAC (16-1 vs. Louisiana Tech, 2-0 vs. Utah State, and 1-0 vs. Fresno State, San Jose State, Idaho and New Mexico State) … Tech is coached by former LSU assistant coach Derek Dooley … LSU coach Les Miles has a 1-1 mark against Tech, with both of those games coming as head coach at Oklahoma State.
THE COACHES Urban Meyer is in his third season at Florida with a record of 28-7 (.800) and in hisseventh season overall with a record of 67-15 (.817). The Gators' offensive coordinator is Dan Mullen and the defensive co-coordinators are Greg Mattison and Charlie Strong.
Steve Spurrier is in his third season at South Carolina with a record of 21-14 (.600) and in his 18th season overall with a record of 163-54-2 (.749). Spurrier serves as the offensive coordinatorand the defensvie coordinator is Tyrone Nix.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN FLORIDA HAS THE BALL Tim Tebow's passer rating of 179.13 is the highest in the nation. He has completed 67.7 percent of his passes, which is the 12th-highest mark in the country and is the best in the SEC. Tebow has thrown 12 passes for 40-or-more yards this season. Percy Harvin became the first player in school history to rush for more than 100 yards and have more than 100 yards receiving in the same game against Vanderbilt, totaling 223 yards on 20 touches (11.2 avg.).
A Freshman All-American last season, Eric Norwood is second on the squad with 56tackles this season, including 16.0 tackles for loss, third in the SEC. He has 5.0 sacks this season, which places him ninth in the league, and 12.0 sacks in his career in the Garnet & Black. He also has been credited with a team-high six quarterback hurries and three pass break ups.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SOUTH CAROLINA HAS THE BALL This season, Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe rank as Florida's leading tacklers with 88 and 64, respectively. Derrick Harvey has had a tackle for a loss in eight of the last nine games (each game except Troy) and a sack in three of the last six outings. Jermaine Cunningham ranks third on the team this year with 53 total tackles, 27 solo and 26 assisted.
Senior quarterback Blake Mitchell made his first start since the Sept. 22nd SEC contest at LSU. The start against Arkansas marked his fourth of the season and 21st of his career. With his 31-yard reception in the first quarter, Kenny McKinley extended his streak to 31 consecutive games with at least one reception, matching the third-longest streak in Gamecock history. With his 94 rushing yards last week, senior tailback Cory Boyd ranks 11th on the South Carolina career rushing chart with 2,149 yards. He needs just 85 yards to reach the tenth spot.
SPECIAL TEAMS Brandon James had his seventh return of 50-plus yards on the year with a 52-yard kick return against Vanderbilt (his fourth return of 50-yards-or-more in the last three games). Last season, James had just one kick return over 50 yards (77-yard punt return for a touchdown against Western Carolina). James' seven kick returns this season lead all players nationally.
Carolina kicker Ryan Succop recorded two field goals against the Razorback from distances of 37 and 30 yards. He is now 12-for-16 for the season and 28-for-38 in field goal attempts for his career.
SERIES/GAME NOTES Record: UF, 20-4-3 • Last: UF, 17-16 (2006 at Gainesville) UF meets South Carolina for the 28th time in series history, including the 16th time in SEC play since USC joined the league in 1992.. Florida leads the series 20-4-3 and has claimed 14 of the last 15 meetings with both schools members of the SEC...Urban Meyer is 18-5 all-time and 7-1 at UF in the month of November and has won 13 of the last 14 outings in the month... Over the past four years, Urban Meyer-led teams have gone 13-1 in the month with the one loss coming on Nov. 12, 2005 at South Carolina (30-22)...The Florida-South Carolina game features two of the top-10 active coaches in the nation in terms of winning percentage (min. 5 years as a head coach). Urban Meyer is currently third (.815), while Steve Spurrier ranks eighth (.752).