Big Play Index: Which SEC teams made, stopped big yardage plays in Week 1

There are a ton of stats that are considered critical indicators of football success — total yardage, third down conversions, time of possession. But other than points itself, one of the best indicators of success is which teams make big plays, and which teams shut them down.

We looked at each team’s Week 1 slate of big plays made or allowed — those covering 25+ yards — to see how the big plays factored in the team’s ultimate success or failure.

The individual plays are listed, with a “T” indicating that a play was a touchdown.

Big Play Makers

Kentucky: +5 big plays

Big plays made: 7

Run: 1 (36, Williams)

Pass: 6 (33, Barker-Richardson), (41, Barker-Richardson), (32, Barker-Johnson), (43T, Barker-Johnson), (72T, Barker-Badet), (53T, Barker-Johnson)

Allowed: 2

Pass: (71T, 28)

Kentucky is proof positive that not everybody who excels in big plays wins games. But this one does feel  like a bit of an outlier. Kentucky averaged over 8 yards per play, but ran 50 plays to 96 for Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles ran 68 times for 262 yards, which is how you beat a team that puts up seven big plays … well, that and Kentucky’s three second-half turnovers.

Alabama: +4 big plays

Big plays made:  6

Run: 2 (46, Harris) (73, Harris)

Pass: 4 (39T, Hurts-Stewart) (71T, Hurts-Stewart), (40, Barnett-Howard), (45T, Barnett-Dieter)

Allowed: 2

Run: 1 (46)

Pass: 1 (36)

As Alabama made six plays of 39+ yards and allowed only one, it’s hardly surprising that they thumped Southern California. Between running back Damien Harris, and the Jalen Hurts to ArDarius Stewart connection, the Tide had the big play on their side, and thus, had a great first week.

South Carolina: +2 big plays

Big plays made: 2

Pass: (30, Orth-Samuel) (33, Orth-Edwards)

Allowed: 0

This is probably the blueprint for Carolina. Let your defense keep you in the game, and hope the offense can hit a couple of big plays to swing momentum.

Middle of the Pack

Georgia: +1 big plays

Big plays made: 3

Run: 1 (55T, Chubb)

Pass: 2 (25, Lambert-McKenzie) (51, Eason-McKenzie)

Allowed: 2

Run: 2 (35, 32)

The Bulldogs’ big play line suggests a successful day. Two 50+ yarders, and a relatively tight day defensively helped doom the Tar Heels and make UGA one of the better opening week SEC squads.

LSU: +1 big plays

Big plays made: 2

Run: 1 (30, Fournette)

Pass: 1 (31, Harris-Fournette)

Allowed: 1

Pass: 1 (27)

The Tigers had the best player on the planet and got him into two big plays, allowing just one. But they lost. Brandon Harris at QB right now is worth about -2 big plays on his own. Fournette will be on this list several more times as the season goes.

Florida: Even

Big plays made: 1

Pass: (26T, DelRio-Powell)

Allowed: 1

Pass: 1 (53)

Looks like a snoozer, which it was. If the Gators don’t convert more big plays offensively, it’ll be a long year for the Gator defense.

Tennessee: Even

Big plays made: 1

Pass: (67T, -Malone)

Allowed: 1

Pass: 1 (33T)

The Vols were lucky to escape with a win, and if Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara don’t make the big play list many  more times, UT won’t win the East.

Texas A&M: Even

Big plays made: 3

Run: 1 (42, Williams)

Pass: 2 (33, Knight- Seals-Jones), (40T, Knight-Reynolds)

Allowed: 3

Run: 1 (32)

Pass: 2 (25, 62T)

UCLA will be one of few teams that have the offensive firepower to stay even with the Aggies on big plays. A&M is likely to go toe-to-toe with Bama for the overall big play lead … and perhaps, for the SEC West.

Coming Up Short

Auburn: -1 big plays

Big plays made: 1

Pass: (43, White-K. Davis)

Allowed: 2

Pass: 2 (26, 34)

In light of everything else, if the Tigers could have come up with one more big offensive plays, they might well have defeated Clemson. A moral victory, if nothing else.

Ole Miss: -1 big plays

Big plays made: 5

Pass: 5 (26, Kelly-Engram), (42, Kelly-Engram), (37, Kelly-Zettergren), (30, Kelly-Adeboyejo), (36, Kelly-Brown)

Allowed: 6

Run: 2 (31, 31)

Pass: 4 (25, 29, 31, 27)

Chad Kelly’s five big-play passes trailed only Kentucky’s Drew Barker for Week 1 honors. But like Barker, Kelly took a loss, in large part because the Rebels gave up six big plays. Interestingly, of 11 “big plays,” none was a touchdown.

Missouri: -1 big plays

Big plays made: 2

Pass: 2 (42, Lock-Moore), (26, Lock-Black)

Allowed: 3

Run: 1 (29)

Pass: 2 (29, 25)

The Tigers’ offense was better than expected, but they ended up on the short end of the scoreboard and the big play list on Saturday against West Virginia.

Arkansas: -2 big plays

Big plays made: 0

Allowed: 2

Run: 1 (31)

Pass: 1 (26)

The Razorbacks were lucky to pull out a 21-20 win, as they didn’t have a single offensive play over 18 yards, and were dinged a bit defensively. Only Vandy matched the Razorbacks in going without a week one big play.

Vanderbilt: -2 big plays

Big plays made: 0

Allowed: 2

Pass: 2 (30,33)

Vandy’s longest offensive play was a 24-yard pass from Kyle Shurmur to Ralph Webb. No big plays equals no victory.

Mississippi State: -3 big plays

Big plays made: 1

Run: 1 (46, Ross)

Allowed: 4

Run: 1 (37)

Pass: 3 (29, 25, 25)

Welcome to life without Dak Prescott. Only an end-around turned into an offensive big play for the Bulldogs, and in the second half, their defense softened enough to let South Alabama come away with a win. Both things have to change for the Bulldogs to improve their bowl chances.

Joe Cox

Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.