A win over LSU for Alabama will help in title hunt

To be taken seriously in any title talk, the Crimson Tide (7-1) needs to beat some serious competition, starting with BCS No. 10 LSU (7-1) on Saturday in Baton Rouge. If Alabama deserves to be in the title conversation, its running game has to look more like the 2009 edition, and its defense can't look as lost as it did against South Carolina.
LSU gave up a school-record 440 yards rushing to Heisman Trophy front-runner Cam Newton and Auburn. The good news for LSU is the Tide's Greg McElroy is no Newton, and Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson are more conventional runners for LSU to defend. This will keep the game close. What hurts the Tigers are quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson and the fact that they haven't been able to take advantage of NFL-caliber receivers Terrence Toliver and Rueben Randle. With an open date, the Tide is going to have a plan to shut down LSU's running attack led by Stevan Ridley, forcing Jefferson and Lee to the air. That has contributed to a whopping 18 turnovers this year, and the Tide rarely is as generous.

Alabama 23, LSU 17

NCAA reportedly investigating the recruitment of Auburn's Cam Newton

According to initial reports from Bryan Fischer of Yahoo! and Pete Thamel of the New York Times, and with much greater detail provided by ESPN.com, the NCAA is currently investigating the recruitment of Newton, specifically whether a person associated with Newton or his family solicited money from schools in order to obtain the services of the quarterback following his JUCO stint.

From ESPN.com:

During the height of star quarterback Cameron Newton‘s recruitment out of junior college last year, a man saying he represented Newton allegedly was soliciting a six-figure payment to secure his signature on a national letter-of-intent, ESPN.com has learned. Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond told ESPN.com that a teammate of Bond’s at Mississippi State in the early 1980s contacted him soon after Newton’s official visit to Mississippi State during the Ole Miss game in December, and said he was representing Newton. “He said it would take some cash to get Cam,” Bond said. “I called our athletic director, Greg Byrne, and he took it from there. That was pretty much it.” Multiple sources told ESPN.com that Mississippi State called the SEC office with Bond’s information shortly after he brought it to the attention of the school.

Sources told ESPN.com that the former teammate is Kenny Rogers, who played at Mississippi State from 1982-85. Rogers operates a Chicago-based company called Elite Football Preparation, which holds camps in Chicago, Alabama and Mississippi. A Lexis search for that business lists Kenneth Rogers as the contact and his title as “agent.” A Birmingham News story from 2008 said Elite Football Preparation “matches high school athletes with college programs.”

Newton’s father, the pastor of a Newnan, Ga., church, denied any knowledge of the situation, telling ESPN.com that "if Rogers tried to solicit money from Mississippi State, he did it on his own."

The NCAA requested financial records from the Newtons "about a month ago". The SEC was informed of the specific allegations in late July.

Kentucky RB Locke to miss fourth straight start

Kentucky running back Derrick Locke will be out of the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive game this week. He is, however, closer to seeing the playing field than he has in the past month. The stinger issues that have kept the senior back out of the past three games will not prevent Locke from suiting up as they have in the past. He has been medically cleared by school doctors, although his official status for the game is uncertain according to a release issued by the school. "Donald Russell will be the starter," head coach Joker Phillips said. "That is how this thing works. You just have to be patient and it will always come back to you. If you just continue to work it will always come back to you." This will be Russell’s third start of the season, and his 182 yards are fourth on the team. The Wildcats will host Charleston Southern Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.

Gamblers really like Oregon, Alabama in latest odds for BCS

Bodog.com has released their latest odds on the favorites to win the 2011 BcS championship, and there’s little surprise that Oregon, No. 1 in the latest BcS rankings, is the current front-runner. What may be a little surprising is the fact that one-loss Alabama is a slightly higher favorite than unbeaten in-state rival Auburn, as is Boise State. The complete list, thanks, Jimmy Shapiro, appears below, so feel free to discuss the list.

Oregon — 17/10
Alabama — 3/1
Boise State — 4/1
Auburn — 9/2
TCU — 15/2
Nebraska — 25/1
Utah — 25/1
Ohio State — 30/1
Oklahoma — 50/1
Wisconsin — 55/1
LSU — 100/1
Missouri — 125/1
Michigan State — 150/1

Dooley preaches patience as Tennessee rebuilds

"The challenge is having that patience and resolve to stay true to your organization and stay true to the values and not get frustrated when you’re not having immediate success," Dooley told The Associated Press. The struggles "are new to Tennessee. It’s new to the fans. The players didn’t come here thinking it would be like this." Tennessee has had only two losing seasons in the past two decades with a 5-6 finish in 2005 and a 5-7 record in 2008. With the firing of Phillip Fulmer after 16 seasons and Lane Kiffin’s abrupt departure after one year, Tennessee was more like a program on probation than one that would compete regularly for a Southeastern Conference title. Because of that, Dooley was tasked with changing the culture of a program with a roster thinned by attrition, low morale and players who were leery of trusting anyone back into a confident, disciplined team like the one Tennessee fans are accustomed to. He learned a bit about the rebuilding process while watching his former boss Nick Saban do it at LSU and through his own efforts to turn around a struggling Louisiana Tech program. It worked at LSU, where the Tigers won a national championship four seasons after Saban took over, and Dooley lead Louisiana Tech to only its third bowl appearance. "You’re having to reshape the whole culture of how the players think. It’s not just running some plays," he said. "It’s developing a team, developing a family of a lot of trust, a lot of belief in what we’re doing and how it’s going to help them. It’s learning to manage the emotions when things don’t go well and how do we deal with each other and how do we work as people together."

To do that, Dooley has asked his team to focus on the small progress they’re making from week to week rather than the final outcomes of the game.

Malzahn focused on Auburn’s present, not his coaching future

Malzahn admitted the obvious, he’d like to be a head coach "somewhere down the line." But he also stated that, in the here and now, his focus is on the 2010 Auburn Tigers and he’s "in no hurry" to consider any future opportunities. "To be honest, I’m in my own little world," Malzahn said. "My entire focus is on this team and making it the best it can be. I’m extremely happy. I’ve said that time and time again. I love Coach Chizik and I love coaching these kids. And my only focus is trying to win games and trying to win a championship." Although, Malzahn and fellow OC Jim McElwain of Alabama will become two of the hotter coordinator commodities in the coming weeks as schools invariably re-access their football programs by canning their current coach.

Grantham wishes choking gesture ‘hadn’t happened’

Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said he regrets his sideline actions that have since caused another stir in one of the south’s most heated rivalries. During overtime of Saturday's Georgia loss, television cameras caught Grantham yelling and making a “choke” signal toward Florida place-kicker Chas Henry by placing his hand on his throat. Neither Grantham nor UGA coach Mark Richt apologized publicly for the incident. Yet neither denied that Grantham’s intent was to send that message to Henry, who subsequently booted a 37-yard field goal in overtime to win the game. "As a competitor, sometimes you get caught up in the heat of the moment," Grantham said. "I wish the situation hadn’t happened. It was a tough, hard-fought game. They won it, and I’m ready to move forward and finish out the year strong."

UGA athletics director Greg McGarity has spoken SEC commissioner Mike Slive about Grantham’s actions. As far as the school knows, the league is not pursuing anything farther on the matter, according to UGA.

Kentucky RB Locke’s availability up to him

Kentucky running back Derrick Locke has been cleared by doctors. And Wednesday, he made it through an entire practice. Now the decision on whether he returns for Saturday’s game with Charleston Southern is up to Locke. "It’s up to him whether he feel like he can protect himself," Phillips said. "He’s been cleared by the doctors. He just doesn’t have the strength. If he feels like he has the strength to protect himself, he’ll go." Locke has missed UK’s past three games with a shoulder injury, but Phillips said he started to looked like the old Locke during non-contact drills on Wednesday. "He looked really good in the drills I saw him," Phillips said. "He caught the ball well out of the backfield. Now he didn’t get hit; he had a red jersey on. But he looked fast. His legs are not hurting. We know that." Phillips said he’s given no thought to holding Locke out this week and saving him for the Vanderbilt game on Nov. 13.

"If he can play, we’ve got to play Derrick Locke. What are we going to save him for? There’s no need to save him. This is a game we’ve got to win. You heard what Coach Turner said the other day. This is a game we’ve got to win. We’ve got to play everybody we have available to win this game."

Arkansas' Childs out for season

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said leading receiver Greg Childs will miss the rest of the season after injuring a knee during a win against Vanderbilt. Petrino said Childs, who leads the No.17 Razorbacks (6-2, 3-2 SEC) with 46 catches for 659 yards and six touchdowns, injured a patella tendon but not any knee ligaments. A 6-foot-3, 217-pound junior. Childs will have surgery this week.

Arkansas will play Saturday at No.18 South Carolina.

Georgia coach to Chas Henry: ‘You’re going to choke...Mark Richt's take on it’

Georgia coach Mark Richt, at his weekly news conference Tuesday, briefly addressed the choke sign that defensive coordinator Todd Grantham directed toward Florida’s field-goal kicker near the end of last Saturday’s game. "I’m aware of it, and I would just say that emotions run high," Richt said. "People do things they probably wish they didn’t do. I think that was what was being communicated. I don’t think he’s necessarily proud of it. We’re just going to learn from it and move on." A screen shot and video from Florida sports cable network Sun Sports showed Grantham grabbing his neck with his right hand several times before Gators kicker Chas Henry attempted a 37-yard field goal in overtime. In an interview on CBS after the game, Henry said: "Some of Georgia's coaches on the sideline were over there giving me a little grief, saying I was going to choke." Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, asked about the controversy Tuesday, said he hadn’t seen the video but had heard about the matter. "Grantham was probably just like the rest of us, just hoping Henry missed the kick," Murray said. "I don’t think it’s anything too much to get worked up about. It’s not like he charged the field at the kicker and tried to do something to him. I think people are trying to make too big a deal about it."

Henry, then gave the ultimate middle finger to Todd, by kicking the game-winning field goal as Florida beat Georgia 34-31 in overtime.

Alabama's Mark Barron named semi-finalist for Jim Thorpe Award

Alabama junior Mark Barron has been named as one of 10 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, a trophy presented to the nation's top defensive back.
Barron leads the Crimson Tide with 52 tackles in eight games, and is tied for the team lead with six pass breakups along with freshman C.J. Mosley. Barron also has three tackles for loss, two interceptions, two sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
A committee will narrow the field to three finalists, whose names will then be submitted to a national panel. The announcement will take place Dec. 6 on ESPN.

LSU's Peterson Among Thorpe Award Semifinalists

LSU's Patrick Peterson has been named as one of 10 semifinalists for the Thorpe Award, which goes to the top defensive back in college football, the screening committee for the award announced on Tuesday. Peterson, a junior cornerback from Pompano Beach, Fla., is one of two players from the Southeastern Conference who made the list, joining Alabama's Mark Barron. Peterson, who also leads the SEC in punt returns and ranks second in the league in kickoff returns, has started all eight games at cornerback for the Tigers with 20 tackles, two interceptions, one quarterback hurry and a blocked field goal.

The 2010 award marks the 25th presentation of the trophy, first won in 1986 by Baylor's Thomas Everett. Last year's winner was the University of Tennessee's Eric Berry, now playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mississippi State’s Nick Bell loses fight with cancer

Just a little over a month ago, Nick Bell was a starting defensive end for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Now, this has to be the utmost saddening story, via a press release, the school has confirmed that Bell passed away earlier this afternoon. He was just 20 years old.
"This is a tragedy for Nick’s family, our football program, our community and everyone who had the privilege to meet and be around Nick Bell," head coach Dan Mullen said in a statement. "Nick was a son and a brother to our football family and I know he will continue to look over us from heaven. Nick lived his life like a champion and will always be remembered in our hearts that way. During this impossible time, we pray for Nick’s family and all those he has touched." "There are few people in the world who have the unique ability to light up a room, Nick was one of those extraordinary individuals," Mullen’s wife Megan said. "Every single one of us in the Bulldog football family is a better person for having Nick in our lives."

Injury KOs Arkansas’ leading receiver for rest of 2010

Petrino announced Monday afternoon that Childs suffered a patellar tendon injury and will be lost for the remainder of the season. Childs, who leads the Razorbacks in every major receiving category, is tentatively scheduled to undergo surgery Friday, and rehab is expected to take 4-6 months.

"We’ll definitely miss him," Petrino said. "You’re not going to replace his productivity, competitiveness, toughness with just one person. We feel we do have good depth and different guys we can get the ball."

Even before the seriousness of the injury was confirmed, there were some who were already questioning the wisdom of having Childs, who was somewhat questionable in the week leading up to the Vandy game with an ankle injury, still in the game early in the fourth quarter with the Razorbacks holding a 35-14 lead on the overmatched Commodores.

"That was the second play of fourth quarter," Petrino said. "Every starter on both sides were in the game."

So, the question is not that every starter from both teams were playing, but why was he in, in the first place, in a 21-point game, especially a player who was nicked coming in.

Auburn's Demond Washington, Mike Dyer claim SEC player of week honors

Auburn added two more SEC players of the week awards to its undefeated season Monday.

Demond Washington was named the co-special teams player of the week and Mike Dyer shared the freshman of the week honors with two others following Auburn's 51-31 win over Ole Miss on Saturday.

Auburn players have won at least one SEC award every week this season. The Tigers have won 13 weekly awards.

Washington returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and had 176 yards in returns overall. When he wasn't doing that, the defensive back had an interception that killed an Ole Miss drive at the 2. He also had six tackles.

Washington shared the award with Florida's Chas Henry, who kicked a field goal in overtime to beat Georgia.

Dyer had the best game of his career with 180 yards and a touchdown.

CBS picks Georgia-Auburn for 2:30 p.m. kickoff

CBS is returning to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the third time this season to telecast next week's Georgia-Auburn game.

The network announced Monday it will televise the game , Saturday, Nov. 13 on your calendar, at 2:30 p.m.

Auburn beat Arkansas and LSU in back-to-back CBS performances last month.

Auburn has work to do before the Georgia game. The Tigers will entertain Chattanooga at noon Saturday for homecoming. That game is being televised as a pay-for-view event by the university.

Vandy’s running game takes a sizable hit

According to head coach Robbie Caldwell, running back Warren Norman will miss the remainder of the 2010 season due to a dislocated wrist suffered in the loss to Arkansas. Norman will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair the damage in his right wrist. "It will be a loss," Caldwell said. "His presence is pretty special." The sophomore will also undergo surgery on his knee at some point after the wrist is repaired. He has been dealing with the knee issue for the entire season but had been able to play through an injury that left him questionable for games as far back as the season opener. Norman, the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2009, leads the Commodores in rushing (449 yards) and rushing touchdowns (4), as well as kickoff returns (25.4 ypr). He’s also the team’s fourth-leading receiver with 11 catches.

Jonathan Dowling no longer with the Gators

Freshman safety Jonathan Dowling has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules, Florida coach Urban Meyer said Monday. He gave no further explanation. for Dowling's dismissal. Dowling was a four-star prospect out of Bradenton Southeast. He chose the Gators over FSU, Alabama, Georgia, Miami and South Florida. He's the second heralded freshman safety the Gators have lost this season. Jordan Haden, brother of former Gator Joe Haden, left the team prior to the season for personal reasons. A search of court records in Alachua and Manatee counties shows Dowling does not have a case more serious than a traffic violation. Dowling appeared in two games this season, playing in the secondary vs. Kentucky and on special teams vs. Miami (Ohio) in the opener. Dowling was part of a 2010 recruiting class ranked No. 1 by Scout.com and No. 2 by Rivals.com. He was the fifth-ranked safety in the country, according to Scout.com