Texas made history Saturday. Georgia continued to overwhelm overmatched opponents. Oklahoma and quarterback John Mateer squandered a solid defensive performance. Tennessee ran the rock, and Texas A&M shouldn’t be let off the hook because it won by 28.
Before flipping over to Week 3, let’s break down the standout stats and performances from the Week 2 SEC slate.
Texas is the first team in college football history to beat an AP No. 1 team after trailing by 20+ points in the fourth quarter
For three quarters against Texas, Ohio State appeared to cement itself as the team everyone would be chasing until January. The Buckeyes outgained the Longhorns 240-97 in the first half and took a 23-3 lead into the fourth quarter. Steve Sarkisian, once again, looked like the coach who couldn’t win the big one.
Then, like a blockbuster thriller, the script completely flipped in the final 15 minutes. Texas erupted for three fourth-quarter touchdowns while holding Ohio State scoreless to complete a historic 24-23 comeback win at home.
The Longhorns outgained the Buckeyes 150-52 in the quarter, forced a turnover, and survived a missed field goal with 4:16 remaining that would have stretched the lead to two scores. Arch Manning was average for most of the night but played his best in the final quarter, completing 8-of-11 passes with a touchdown.
The win vaulted the Longhorns past Ohio State as the new No. 1 team in the AP poll. Will Texas establish itself as the season’s undisputed No. 1, or eventually suffer the same fate it just handed Ohio State? Texas has six currently ranked teams left on the schedule.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton’s five touchdown passes against Western Kentucky went to five different receivers
If you removed the names of Georgia’s first two opponents, the Bulldogs would have a strong case for being the best team in the country. But UGA has opened the season against an FCS and CUSA opponent, making it difficult to know how this level of dominance will translate against SEC competition.
Even so, Georgia’s passing game has been remarkably balanced through the first two weeks. Eighteen different players have caught a pass from Gunner Stockton, and all five of his touchdown passes against Western Kentucky went to different receivers.
Stockton has barely needed a full game’s worth of work. He has played only a half or less in each of Georgia’s first two games yet has already thrown eight touchdown passes. That’s more touchdowns than incompletions, and he has thrown a touchdown on 25% of his pass attempts.
The Bulldogs have outscored Tennessee State and Western Kentucky 133-23, scoring at least 60 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1915. Stockton threw 24 touchdown passes last season, meaning he is already one-third of the way to matching that total.
The obvious question is how much of this is Stockton taking another step and how much is the product of the competition. Georgia hasn’t been tested yet, but the efficiency and distribution of the passing game are positive signs as SEC play begins at Arkansas this Saturday.
Oklahoma’s offense was 3-for-13 on third down, turned the ball over twice, and was shut out in the first half of its 17-10 loss at Michigan
It was only Week 2 of the season, but we are once again at the point where it is fair to question whether John Mateer can lead Oklahoma on a deep playoff run.
Mateer injured his throwing hand in late September last season. He returned a couple of weeks later, and the Sooners finished 10-2 and earned a playoff berth before losing a first-round home rematch to Alabama. In the eight games Mateer played after returning, he completed 59% of his passes and averaged one touchdown and one interception per game.
In the Big House on Saturday, Mateer completed just 52% of his passes with one touchdown and one interception. That interception set up Michigan’s game-winning touchdown. Mateer doesn’t look much improved from last season, and neither does Oklahoma’s ineffective running game.
Excluding Mateer’s 45 rushing yards, the Sooners managed just 55 yards on the ground at 3.4 yards per carry. Oklahoma won’t compete with Georgia in its SEC opener in two weeks if Mateer and the rushing attack can’t improve.
Tennessee finished one yard shy of rushing for 300+ yards for the second straight week
After a shaky first quarter that saw Georgia Tech take a 10-7 lead following a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, Tennessee ran its way to a commanding 45-24 road win.
The Vols rolled up 304 rushing yards last week against FCS Furman and followed it with 299 yards against the Yellow Jackets. Falling one yard short of 300 doesn’t diminish the Vols’ ground performance. Tennessee averaged 6.6 yards per carry, scored three rushing touchdowns and picked up 15 first downs on the ground against a Power conference opponent.
The Vols showed explosiveness, scoring touchdowns on 47- and 29-yard runs. Through two games, Tennessee has rushed for 603 yards.
That running game will be worth watching as the Vols advance to SEC play in two weeks, when they host No. 1 Texas.
Texas A&M’s two fourth-quarter pick-sixes and 24-0 closing run overshadowed offensive struggles in a 48-20 win over Arizona State
Winning by 28 points should never be disappointing, especially against a well-coached Arizona State team expected to contend in the Big 12. But for a Texas A&M team hoping to make back-to-back playoff appearances and advance beyond the first round, there are legitimate concerns about the offense.
The Sun Devils outgained the Aggies and held them to just 255 yards total. Texas A&M averaged only 2.6 yards per rush and were 3-for-12 on third downs. The final score became lopsided largely because the Aggies closed the game on a 24-0 run.
Texas A&M begins SEC play this Saturday at home against Kentucky and then travels to LSU for a night game in Baton Rouge. Kentucky showed last week, when it led Alabama at halftime, that it can compete before eventually falling 45-17. The Aggies’ offense needs to improve, or the Wildcats might stick around longer than the first half.
By Jake Thigpen (@Jake_Thigpen)
