November 19, 2009

Mike Huguenin
Rivals.com College Football

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It remains important, but not to the extent it could've been.

Instead of playing a role in the SEC West title race - and perhaps the national title race - it now has a big bearing on which SEC team ends up in the Capital One Bowl.

Alabama already has clinched the SEC West title, thanks to wins over the Rebels (22-3) and Tigers (24-15). That leaves LSU and Ole Miss playing for second place in the SEC West and a possible invitation to the New Year's Day game in Orlando, Fla.

It's unlikely that an SEC East team would nab a Cap One bid, though if Georgia wins out over Kentucky and Georgia Tech, it would have a shot. That means Saturday's game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium could decide who gets to spend the holidays in the sun.

"We told [the players] Saturday night, 'The more you win, the better it gets. The more you win, the warmer it gets,' " Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said.

Beating LSU for a second consecutive season is a big carrot for Ole Miss, which was winless in SEC play in 2007. But the bowl destination is a big deal as well.

"It's a big motivation," Ole Miss free safety Kendrick Lewis said. "We know we're bowl eligible, but it's a matter of how big of a bowl we want to go to."

While Ole Miss is coming off an impressive 42-17 romp over Tennessee, LSU is coming off a desultory 24-16 victory over Louisiana Tech - which led 13-10 at halftime.

"In the first half, the defense played with a somebody-else-make-the-play mentality," LSU coach Les Miles said. "Then they came to life. It was a tale of two halves for our defense. When they turned it on, they played like the defense is supposed to."

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson missed last week's win with a sprained right ankle, but he is expected to play Saturday against Ole Miss.

"I definitely think the coaches feel a little more comfortable ... and the play-calling is a little different when Jordan is out there," running back Keiland Williams told The Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate.

LSU, which was 8-5 last season, finishes the regular season with games against Ole Miss and Arkansas.

"The finish that we'd all like is to be a team ranked five and above and to be an elite team in this conference," Miles said. "That's how we see ourselves. ... If you look at the opportunity to finish four of the last five years in the top five, it would be a great goal for any program."

KEY MATCHUP: Ole Miss RB Dexter McCluster vs. LSU rush defense. McCluster and Ole Miss are coming off a dominating 42-17 victory over Tennessee. McCluster rambled for 282 yards and four TDs, and he will need another productive day if the Rebels are to beat the Tigers. In his past three SEC games, McCluster has 787 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns on 84 touches; he had 177 yards and no TDs on 33 touches in his first three SEC games. LSU has been spotty against the run at times this season, including each of the past two weeks. The Tigers allowed 176 rushing yards to Alabama on Nov. 7, then surrendered 178 to Louisiana Tech last weekend. If Ole Miss rushes for 178 yards, it is going to beat LSU.

PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Mississippi State RB Anthony Dixon. Any hope Mississippi State has of upsetting Arkansas in Little Rock depends on Dixon. He is second in the league in rushing at 120.2 yards per game, and he'll be going against a Hogs defense that allows 132.7 rushing yards per game. Mississippi State's pass offense can kindly be called a "work in progress," and the Bulldogs' defense is going to have trouble slowing Hogs QB Ryan Mallett. That means Dixon needs to be extremely productive.

NUMBERS GAME: With Saturday's victory over Mississippi State, Alabama coach Nick Saban has posted back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in his career. It also marks Alabama's 30th 10-win season, which ranks second in college football behind Oklahoma's 31.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:

"We go to a movie on Friday night if we have a night game. That's been pretty consistent. I usually consult with the players as to what movie they want to see, and sometimes we go to see current movies and sometimes we go see old favorites, inspirational-type movies that in some cases the players haven't had the opportunity to see in the past. We didn't have a lot of choices in Starkville, so we did the best we could." - Alabama coach Nick Saban, on his team's Friday night activities for a road game

"It was hilarious. Sandra Bullock called him good-looking ... and that gave us even more reason to give him a hard time." - Alabama QB Greg McElroy, about seeing "The Blind Side" last Friday. Saban plays himself - as LSU's coach - in the film

"I think the thing that he's first learned to do is calm down and play one play at a time, not get all caught up in the emotions. He's such a great competitor that there were times early in the year when he got all fiery and maybe lost his concentration a little bit." - Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, on QB Ryan Mallett

"I think the guys would take great pride in this point finishing second in the Eastern Division. It's certainly something we can obtain and something we can control. I think that is meaningful." - Georgia coach Mark Richt

"The season definitely wears on you. It's been 11 weeks of playing ball now, or preparing to play ball, and then you add in two-a-days. You haven't had a break in what, 14, 15 weeks? People's legs are tired." - Auburn TE Tommy Trott, to AuburnSports.com, about finally getting an off week

"Our fan base should want to support all our guys. Booing doesn't affect anything positively. I've never seen a game where booing helped. If you can point to one, I'm for it. What possesses people to do that? I don't know why they root negatively." - LSU coach Les Miles, on the booing that occurred at Tiger Stadium last week

ETC.: Though Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin has said he expects junior SS Eric Berry to declare for the 2010 NFL draft, Berry isn't among the 20 Vols players scheduled to be honored before Saturday's "Senior Day" activities in Knoxville. ... Alabama plays host to FCS member Chattanooga on Saturday. The Mocs' quarterback is Tennessee transfer B.J. Coleman, who left UT after spring practice. ... Since 1992's SEC expansion, Tennessee is 58-11 (an .840 winning percentage) in regular-season games on or after Nov. 1, including 44-6 (.880) against SEC opponents. ... Florida's senior class is 45-6 in four seasons, tying for the winningest class in SEC history. The group almost assuredly will break that record Saturday against Florida International. ... Kentucky WR Randall Cobb's play in the "Wildcat" formation provides a huge boost for the Wildcats' offense. But he has a sore shoulder and is questionable for Saturday's game against Georgia. He is UK's second-leading rusher and the leading receiver. ... After playing 11 consecutive weeks, South Carolina has this weekend off. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said the outcome of next week's game against Clemson will determine what kind of season this has been. "If we're fortunate to win the last one, we'll have a very good year," Spurrier said. "If we don't, we'll have a very average year. Simple as that." ... Florida has finished conference play at 8-0. The Gators are the ninth team since expansion to finish the conference season unbeaten, joining Alabama (1992, '94, 2008), Florida (1995, '96), Tennessee (1998) and Auburn (1993, 2004). Alabama has a chance to join the list this season, as well. ... Georgia K Blair Walsh is 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts of more than 40 yards this season. ... SEC teams have allowed 125 TD passes but come up with 129 interceptions. The SEC is the only FBS league where opponents have thrown more picks than TDs.

Mike Huguenin is the college sports editor for Rivals.com. He can be reached at mhuguenin@rivals.com.