A sampling of what writers around the nation and are saying about SEC football:

REID RARRINEAU The Daily Mississippian Unlike O. J. Simpson, the jury is still out on the 2008 Ole Miss Rebels. New Coach Houston Nutt has definitely taken the Rebels places former Coach Ed Orgeron couldn’t. Ole Miss is competitive each and every week and registered a victory over a top-five opponent for the first time in more than 30 years. Furthermore, the victory over the Gators got Rebels football on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time in nearly 40 years. But as promising as the Rebels look at times, they also give the Ole Miss faithful reason for concern. The Rebels, 3-3 (1-2 SEC ) could realistically be 6-0 (3-0 SEC ) halfway through the season.

It could be argued that the Rebels are their own worst enemy because of their losses thus far.

While the past leaves fans wanting more, they may just get it in the near future, and while the Rebels have tough road dates with opponents they won’t sneak up on like Alabama and LSU, Nutt’s team has a solid chance to score victories against Arkansas (2-3 ), Louisiana-Monroe (1-4 ) and against in-state rival Mississippi State (1-4 ) in the annual Egg Bowl. That leaves Auburn. The verdict likely hinges on the next Rebels home game, which could ultimately be for a winning record. It would be their first since 2003 when David Cutcliffe and Eli Manning still graced the sidelines. Everything will work out just fine, which is more than I can say for Juice.

RON HIGGINS Commercial Appeal

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(Memphis ) It looks like South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier ran the old okey-doke on the Ole Miss coaching staff, hinting heavily this week that Gamecocks backup quarterback Stephen Garcia would play Saturday. But it didn’t happen for two reasons. The Rebels’ defense made Carolina starting QB Chris Smelley look like Tony Romo, as Smelley threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-24 victory. Also, Garcia, despite playing well a week ago in a victory over Alabama-Birmingham, still hasn’t learned to pick up his secondary receivers. Garcia has the habit of bailing out of the pocket and running when his primary receiver is covered. As far the Rebels, it was a tough lesson to learn against the Gamecocks. Ole Miss apparently isn’t used yet to handling the success that comes with scoring a shocking victory as it did in its previous game at Florida. ERIC LINDSEY The Kentucky Kernel They were that close. Three points separated the No. 2 team in the nation and Kentucky. But the Wildcats weren’t close enough — and good enough — to actually pull it off. Ultimately, that’s what separates the elite teams from the rest of the country. The winners will find ways to win. The losers will find ways to lose. At 4-1, the Cats aren’t losers, but they aren’t ready to take that next step. Not yet. And that’s the difference between UK and Alabama right now. Alabama knows how to win. UK is still learning. “We’re not good enough to beat them yet,” wide receiver Dicky Lyons Jr. said. Not yet.

PAT DOOLEY The Gainesville (Fla. ) Sun

The Heisman Trophy winner had just thrown his best pass of the day, a laser to Percy Harvin for a touchdown. It was Tim Tebow’s best pass of the day. Urban Meyer would later say it was his best of the season.

So how did he celebrate ?

He didn’t.

Tebow walked off the field towards the Florida bench. He didn’t jump into a lineman’s arm. He didn’t pump his fists or wave his hands in the air. He didn’t act like he was very happy. Urban Meyer saw this. He didn’t like it either.

“I saw the same thing you saw,” he said. “He’s one of those guys who wants perfection. But you have to have energy to play. I wanted him to enjoy it.”

The body language Tebow was using after a huge score in a must-win game kind of summed it up for the Gator Nation, where negativity lived all week.

Yeah, we’re winning but we should be winning by more. Doesn’t 38-7 on the road feel a lot better than 31-30 at home ? You win by 31 and beat the point spread and it’s a good day no matter where you live.

Negative Nabobs may see a defense that could never figure out how to cover a crossing route and was gutted by a 5-7 running back who ran for 133 yards. They see 20 first downs and 361 yards.

Mr. Positive sees seven points on the scoreboard and a first-half shutout.

So lighten up and enjoy it. That includes you, Timmy. Forget everything that’s happened anyway.

The season starts this week.