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Here’s our weekly look at the coaches with the most riding on this weekend’s games.
MOST TO GAIN
Hugh Freeze: Through two games, Ole Miss is leading the country in scoring, yards per play, and is third in yards per game. And yet, there remains a sense that the conference — if not the entire country — is waiting on the Rebels to prove themselves. This week provides the perfect opportunity for that. Alabama has one of nation’s best front sevens and is giving up just 2.4 yards per rush this season. The Tide also gets the benefit of playing at home with a chip on its shoulder after last year’s loss to Ole Miss. If the Rebels are able to overcome that and walk away with consecutive victories over Alabama for the first time in series history, they’ll ascend quickly into the national championship discussion.
Mark Stoops: The Wildcats are improving under Stoops. They won two games in 2013, went 5-7 last year, and have their sights set on the program’s first bowl appearance since 2010 this year. With a win over Florida this week, they’ll be halfway there — not to mention 2-0 against division foes on the season. Last week’s Kentucky win at South Carolina was a step forward in the Wildcats’ process. Winning this week might be an even bigger one. The last time Kentucky won its first two conference games was 1977.
Gus Malzahn: The optimism of Tigers fans is sinking faster than Auburn’s standing in the national polls after a near disaster against FCS team Jacksonville State last week, but a win over LSU in Death Valley would wipe out any consternation brought on by an uneven start to the season — at least for a week or so.
MOST TO LOSE
Bret Bielema: You might think it can’t get worse than a loss to Toledo, but you’d be wrong. Angst is running high in Arkansas after the Hogs’ surprising loss last weekend and it could reach fever pitch if they don’t re-establish some positive momentum before going into conference play next week. Last year Arkansas ran at will on Texas Tech, gaining 438 yards on a whopping 68 carries in a 49-28 win. That would seem to be optimal plan for attacking the Red Raiders this week, but Arkansas’ running game — it’s supposed forte — was just shut down by a MAC team. If the Hogs can’t get back on track quickly, trouble looms. After Texas Tech, Arkansas faces Texas A&M, Tennessee and Alabama in consecutive weeks.
Mark Richt: The Gamecocks are coming into Athens as a 17-point underdog (as of Tuesday), fresh off a loss to Kentucky and with its starting quarterback likely lost for the year. Georgia fans know all too well to take the Gamecocks lightly, though. Steve Spurrier’s made a sport of sticking to the Bulldogs since his days at Florida, and the Gamecocks have won four of the last five in the series. They need a win against Georgia to get their season back on track, and expect Spurrier to empty the playbook in an attempt to pull off the upset.
Les Miles: The Tigers got off to a strong start last week, but were left hoping for a missed field goal in order to escape Mississippi State with a win. Luckily, they got it, but many LSU fans were displeased with the Tigers’ conservative approach in the middle of the game as the Bulldogs climbed within striking distance. This week they get an Auburn team perceived as vulnerable after it barely held off Jacksonville State last week. But Auburn remains dangerous if the quarterback play improves. LSU doesn’t need to be the team that allows that to happen.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
