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We’ve gotten to the midway point in November, which means we have figured out quite a bit about who is the real deal and who are the pretenders. As teams reach the final weeks of their schedule, we’ve got a much better idea where everyone stands than we did a few weeks ago. Still, at this point of the year, we have to adjust our expectations from time to time. Here’s a look at what teams, players and things are overrated and underrated around the SEC.
OVERRATED
THE SEC WEST — Don’t get us wrong. This is still as strong a division as there is in college football, but what we thought was a group of really good teams top to bottom turned out to be a great Alabama squad and a bunch of OK teams. LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss have all had their flaws exposed.
EARLY PLAYOFF RANKINGS — People fret about where their favorite and least favorite teams are ranked from week to week. But as Alabama and LSU have shown the past two weeks, everything sorts itself out eventually. The rankings are fun, but at this point there’s no sense in getting worked up one way or another.
SEPTEMBER RECORDS — Which team looked like a better bet to make some noise after the first few weeks, Kentucky or Arkansas? Remember when Missouri was in the top 25 and nobody thought much of Mississippi State? How about when Alabama’s loss to Ole Miss looked like a dream killer? It turns out the last few months of the season are even more important. What do you know?
UNDERRATED
ARROWHEAD STADIUM — In general, college football games are less fun in NFL stadiums, but the home of the Kansas City Chiefs has hosted quite a few memorable college games, including some Big 12 title tilts and classic Missouri-Kansas rivalry matchups. On Saturday, it was the perfect home away from home for Mizzou, which beat BYU in front of friendly fans but also got an escape from the turmoil in Columbia.
MARK RICHT — Maybe it is simply time for the coach and Georgia to part ways, but this disappointing season — plus a lack of a national title — threaten to overshadow all the good Richt did in Athens. The consistency of the Bulldogs during his time has been remarkable. Nearly every other SEC program has experienced a down period, but Georgia just kept chugging along.
CHRISTIAN KIRK — He was the talk of the SEC early in the season, but the praise for Texas A&M’s freshman wide receiver has faded a bit. He’s experienced a bit of a mid-season lull, and the Aggies didn’t turn out to be the prolific national championship contender we once imagined. However, Kirk had his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season on Saturday against Western Carolina. He’s also had two other games with 75 or more receiving yards and has a pretty good shot at breaking 1,000 yards for the season. That’s worthy of high praise, no matter how you look at it.
Shane Mettlen is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Texas A&M, Missouri and Alabama.
