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SEC This Week: First-place South Carolina looks to validate start against No. 16 LSU

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
The Associated Press
Sep 12, 2024 | 9:32 AM
SEC This Week: First-place South Carolina looks to validate start against No. 16 LSU


Things to watch this week in the Southeastern Conference:

Game of the week

No. 16 LSU (1-1) at South Carolina (2-0, 1-0), noon, Saturday, (ABC). The Gamecocks pulled away in the second half to win at Kentucky in the only league game played this past week. There are only three SEC league games this week so South Carolina has a chance to maintain its hold on first place. It won’t be easy against LSU and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who beat Nicholls State, 44-21, last week. The Gamecocks hope to continue the strong play of two first-time starters in quarterback LaNorris Sellers and defensive end Dylan Stewart. Sellers threw two TDs in the 31-6 win over the Wildcats. LSU has won the past seven meetings, but are just 7-point favorites, according to BetMGM.

Power 4 showdowns

It is another light SEC schedule with only two other league games: Texas A&M at Florida and No. 1 Georgia at Kentucky.

No. 24 Boston College (2-0) plays at No. 6 Missouri (2-0). The Eagles opened with two wins under first-year coach Bill O’Brien and made the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2018. Boston College should have one of its biggest challenges of the year against Mizzou, which has not given up a point in shutout victories over Murray State (51-0) and Buffalo (38-0). It is the first time since 1935 the Tigers held consecutive opponents to zero points.

No. 4 Alabama (2-0) goes to Wisconsin (2-0) for the first time since 1928. Quarterback Jalen Milroe has led the Crimson Tide with 394 yards passing and five touchdowns in wins over Western Kentucky and USF. Wisconsin allowed both Western Michigan and South Dakota to stay within two touchdowns in two home wins.

Impact player

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart set an SEC record by completing his first 24 passes in a wipeout of Middle Tennessee last week. Dart surpassed the league mark of 23 in a row set by Tennessee’s Tee Martin at South Carolina in 1998. The Rebels’ previous best was 19 in a row by Matt Corral against Vanderbilt in 2020. Dart and the Rebels play at Wake Forest this week.

Inside the numbers

There are three SEC teams among the top five in FBS total offense through two weeks. Ole Miss leads with way with 713 yards a game. Arkansas is No. 2 nationally at 667 yards per game. Tennessee ranks fifth with 589 yards. … South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori had seven tackles and a game-breaking pick six as the Gamecocks opened SEC play with a road win for first time since 2017. … Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton had a sack and a five-yard stop for safety as the Sooners held on to best Houston 16-12. The safety was Oklahoma’s only scoring play of the second half. … Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 246 yards and three TDs in a 31-12 win at defending champion Michigan.

Surprise starts

Nine of the 16 SEC teams opened 2-0 this season and most of them are the highly ranked teams like Georgia, Alabama and Texas. But the group also includes South Carolina and Vanderbilt, who were expected to finish 13th and 16th, respectively, in preseason predictions. The Gamecocks started with two wins for the first time since 2021 and only the third time in the past 11 seasons. It’s the third straight season the Commodores have started with two victories. However, the team finished 5-7 in 2022 and 2-10 a year ago.

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