Week 9 review: Auburn edition (with others!)

Week 9 has ended, and Auburn started Week 10 with a bang by firing much-hated head coach Bryan Harsin. So that’s the state of that program.

So here’s our rankings.

  1. Tennessee: Kentucky was meant to be problematic, but the country’s worst passing defense seemed to find some sort of passing defense, limiting Kentucky to just 98 yards passing, and grabbing 3 picks. The return of starting safety Jaylen McCullough means that the Vols are giving QBs something else to think about. The Nov.5 showdown with Georgia the next Game Of The Century. Unlike Auburn, who’s ‘Game Of The Century’ this season will be a prayer to get them bowl-eligible.
  2. Georgia: Roasted Florida at the start of the game, stumbled badly, and then got its game back on against the Gators to win comfortably. Georgia fans aren’t happy with the lack of complete performances in the last few weeks. Something tells me that they are going to be hella nervous on Saturday, about 2.30pm God’s time. Unlike Auburn, who just want to season to end.
  3.  Alabama: Gets the free pass because it didn’t play and no-one else was good enough to overtake them. The last time we saw them they obliterated Mississippi State. They continue to be favourites for the SEC West. Unlike Auburn, who are not.
  4. LSU: A bye week before the monster game at home to Alabama bodes for an awesome time in Death Valley on Saturday night. Jaylen Daniels is looking more and more like the one we expected when he came to Arizona State, and he gives defenses a lot to think about with his legs. Should be fun against Alabama, anyway. Unlike Auburn, who are going to get creamed.
  5.  Ole Miss: The Rebels weren’t great against Texas A&M, but they go by. The duo of Evans and Quinshon Judkins are one of the best RB duos in the SEC. And that’s saying something. It allows Jaxson Dart a good outlet. The problem for Ole Miss is that they still have major holes in their secondary. Had A&M got off to a quicker start, the Rebels would have almost certainly lost this one. Unlike Auburn, who WOULD have lost this one.
  6. Mississippi State: We continue to love Will Rogers, but the rest of the Mississippi State team is really rather medicore. And you get the impression that they are fine with that. Unlike Auburn, who expect the world from every season.
  7. Arkansas: Now that KJ Jefferson’s back and in full health, the Razorbacks are a much better team. Their secondary is still appalling, which slightly offsets ban offense that features Fayetteville’s best running back since Darren McFadden in Raheim Sanders (Unlike Auburn, who’s best running back can’t run behind an awful offensive line). Still, they’ll be fine.
  8.  Kentucky: Will Levis might well be a great ‘project quarterback’, which ‘great upside’, but for God’s sake, NFL scouts, he really sucks right now. He threw 3 picks against the country’s most brutal passing defense. Tennessee hasn’t played Auburn yet, but we think that even them would put up better yardage and less INTs.
  9.  Texas A&M: Connor Weigman, Evan Stewart and Devon Achane showed me that the future is bright in College Station. But haven’t we be saying this since 1940? Unlike Auburn under Gus Malzahn, who weren’t that awful, beat Alabama and Georgia and got to a National Championship Game, but they fired his ass a couple of years ago. As the Jimbo Fisher payout starts falling and A&M doesn’t win the SEC West year after year, the rage will start increasing.
  10. Florida: We expected the Gators to get absolutely obliterated by Georgia, but they showed enough game in the second half that made me think that things under Billy Napier aren’t as bad as we think. Anthony Richardson’s still a disappointment, but a loss against Georgia won’t get you fired. Unless you’re Bryan Harsin, where going 0-2 against them really helped.
  11.  Missouri: Brady Cook had his best game of the year, the ball actually went to Luther Burden, and the Tigers defense was red-hot. If only they had done this at the start of the season…. Regardless, this was a great win against a ranked opponent. The last time Missouri beat a ranked opponent was 17th-ranked LSU in 2020. Unlike Auburn, who haven’t put in a good performance all year, which is why they fired Bryan Harsin.
  12.  South Carolina: They should have lost to Texas A&M, and they lost to Missouri looking dreadful in the process. Spencer Rattler isn’t The One in Columbia despite all the transfer delight of his arrival. This team ain’t great, folks.
  13.  Vanderbilt: There is hope for the Commodores going into the rest of this season and beyond, with Clark Lea putting together more and more competitive teams, despite the lack of facilities and backing from the rich boys. Unlike at Auburn, when the rich boys fight amongst themselves and give their new coach no backing whatsover and start a witchhunt against his family.
  14. Auburn: Beautiful campus, beautiful people, ugly, ugly football team.