October 15, 2009

Mike Huguenin
Rivals.com College Football Editor

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Florida coach Urban Meyer, for one, isn't buying it - though he does think they exist.

"I believe in it," he said. "You can sit and watch film and think a team isn't very good. I do not think this game falls into that category."

The reason, Meyer said, is that Arkansas "is good enough to compete for the West championship."

That's a bit hyperbolic, but the Razorbacks' offense does give them a puncher's chance in every game. The Razorbacks are 10th nationally in passing offense, 15th in total offense and 11th in scoring offense. The flipside: Arkansas has been pitiful on the other side of the ball, ranking 95th in total defense and 86th in scoring defense.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino says his team will be ready to take on the top-ranked Gators, who have lost to an SEC West team each season since 1998.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said he won't let his team have a letdown.

"There is no rest for the weary around here," he said. "The key thing is the players have to realize there are a lot of good teams. We have to refocus, re-center our energy and go to the next game. The last game was a great win, but the next game is the only thing that really matters."

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier seems to be relishing the opportunity to play against the Tide; perhaps that is because he knows his offense has to produce.

"You coach a little differently [against an opponent such as Alabama]," he said. "You may play it a bit more wide open and hope everything hits. You certainly have no chance playing conservatively against a team like this unless you think your defense can play very well."

Spurrier did bemoan that his team still has "a lot of sorry plays here and there," but also that "we're looking forward to going over there and seeing what happens."

Key matchup: Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett vs. Florida's secondary. Florida leads the nation in pass efficiency defense; the Gators (5-0) have allowed just 576 passing yards and one passing touchdown, and have seven interceptions. But Arkansas will be the first true test for the Gators' pass defense. Mallett has thrown for 1,422 yards, with 13 touchdowns and three picks. Given how poor Arkansas' defense has played, Mallett likely will be throwing it all over the lot in an attempt to keep the Hogs in the game. A benchmark for Florida: Mallett threw for just 160 yards in a 28-point loss to Alabama, so those are numbers for the Gators to shoot for this week. Florida needs a strong pass rush to make Mallett uneasy in the pocket.

Coach on the spot: Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez. Georgia's defensive numbers this season are bad. The ineptitude was brought to light last week when Tennessee's Jonathan Crompton torched the Bulldogs for 310 yards and four TDs. Luckily for Martinez, the Bulldogs get offensively inept Vandy this week. If Vandy gains more than 300 yards on Georgia, all hope is lost. Martinez's unit has forced just five turnovers, and that number must climb.

Numbers game: Mississippi State has lost three in a row and committed 13 turnovers during those games.

What they're saying:

"I've known Steve for a long time. I was his assistant in the East-West [college all-star] game years ago. The year I went to LSU, Butch Davis and I were his two assistants. ... He actually rode back on the LSU plane with me when we came back from the East-West game, and they about blew the Gator plane up in Baton Rouge when it waiting there to pick him up and take him home." - Alabama coach Nick Saban, on his relationship with South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. The Tide play host to the Gamecocks on Saturday night

"The best way to beat a bully is to hit him in the mouth, so we're going to come out and play as hard as we can, find out where we're at." - Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, on playing at Florida this week

"I've heard a lot of crazy stuff this year, a lot of reasons why people think I'm not playing as well as I played last year. I've heard everything from I broke up with my girlfriend to I got knocked out at a bar. I mean, I've actually heard that I've been getting in bar fights. It's a little annoying, and it really shows the lengths some people will go to try to find a reason why we've lost a couple of games." - Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead, in his Sporting News Today "diary"

"It is influenced quite a bit 'cause our pass offense was pretty much non-existent when we did that." - Kentucky coach Rich Brooks, on whether leaving Randall Cobb at wide receiver is influenced by what happened when he played quarterback last season

"At this time last year, we really didn't know what we had. Especially after the Vanderbilt game [a loss], I didn't know what to expect. We were still trying to feel our way. I feel like we know them better and feel like there is still a lot there. I still feel like we can have a really good team this year." - Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt, on his team's slow start this season

"Obviously, a top priority for us is to find some sort of offensive production - especially getting the ball into the end zone." - Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson, on his team's offensive problems

Etc.: Arkansas WR Joe Adams is expected to miss his second consecutive game this weekend as he recovers from what coach Bobby Petrino called a mild stroke. Adams apparently had the stroke Oct. 5, but practiced Oct. 6 and Oct. 7. Adams has to pass a battery of tests before he is cleared to play again. ... Kentucky QB Mike Hartline has some ligament tears in his left knee, though not to the anterior cruciate ligament. Both Will Fiddler and freshman Morgan Newton should see action Saturday against Auburn, and Wildcats coach Rich Brooks said it's likely the staff will use more of the "Wildcat" package with WR Randall Cobb taking snaps. ... LSU was 1-for-9 on third-down conversions against Florida last week; the Tigers converted on their first opportunity but not again. ... Georgia held a "players only" meeting after practice Tuesday. Five players spoke during the meeting, including senior DT Jeff Owens and senior CB Prince Miller. ... Alabama LB Rolando McClain said he was warned by an official during Saturday's victory over Ole Miss about celebrating after making a tackle. "He just told me to get back to the huddle. I said, 'Yes, sir,' and I got back to the huddle," McClain told bamaonline.com. ... Georgia expects RB Caleb King to be able to play Saturday against Vanderbilt after he missed two games with a broken jaw. WR Tavarres King also is expected back after he missed one game with a concussion. ... Ole Miss will be without starting G Rishaw Johnson for the next two games as he serves a suspension stemming from an unspecified violation of team and/or university rules during fall camp. Brandon Green will take his place. CB Marshay Green is expected to miss Saturday's game with UAB because of a lacerated kidney suffered in the loss to Alabama. ... Alabama sophomore LB Jerrell Harris will play his first game of the season Saturday against South Carolina. He was suspended for the first six games because he received an impermissible benefit. He could start in the spot left "vacant" when Dont'a Hightower was lost for the season with a knee injury.

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