SEC report

Georgia castoffs excelling

LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger (8) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Kent State in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The Auburn-LSU game Saturday night will have a Georgia subplot.

Both starting quarterbacks, Auburn’s Nick Marshall and LSU’s Zach Mettenberger, began their college careers at Georgia.

It may be the first time an SEC game ever involved opposing quarterbacks who once played for another conference school - the same school at that - although there is no such category in the SEC record book.

“That is pretty unique,” Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn said.

“It goes to show you the power Georgia has in recruiting,” South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier said. “Georgia always signs a whole bunch of good players.”

Mark Richt, in his 13th season as Georgia’s coach, signed Marshall, Mettenberger and Aaron Murray - the Bulldogs’ senior starting quarterback.

Georgia plays North Texas at 11:20 a.m. Saturday, so Richt will be able to watch the Auburn-LSU game, which starts at 6:45 p.m.

“It will be very interesting to watch because I know both those guys,” Richt said of Marshall and Mettenberger. “I like both of them very much. I want the very best for them. I’m glad they landed in a good spot and they’re having an opportunity to continue their careers.”

Marshall - a star high school quarterback at Wilcox, Ga., who played cornerback at Georgia as a freshman in 2011 - and Mettenberger - who redshirted at Georgia in 2009 - were dismissed by Richt for breaking team rules.

Marshall and Mettenberger then starred at Kansas junior colleges - Marshall at Garden City and Mettenberger at Butler - before returning to the SEC.

Mettenberger is in his second season as LSU’s starter after being a backup in 2011. Marshall, who returned to playing quarterback at Garden City, won Auburn’s starting job in fall camp.

Each has helped his team to a 3-0 start, with Mettenberger passing for 777 yards and 9 touchdowns and Marshall passing for 585 yards and 4 touchdowns.

“I believe in stories of redemption and guys coming back from making mistakes,” Richt said. “Sometimes it happens at another school, and that’s fine with me.”

Richt will get to see Marshall and Mettenberger play in person, too. LSU plays at Georgia on Sept. 28 and Georgia plays at Auburn on Nov. 16.

Not a good trend

Tennessee will try to end its losing streak against ranked teams when the Volunteers play at No. 19 Florida on Saturday.

The Vols have lost 17 consecutive games to ranked opponents, including a 59-14 loss at No. 2 Oregon last Saturday.

The 45-point loss was the most lopsided for Tennessee since 1910, when the Vols lost 48-0 at Mississippi State.

Since 2008, Tennessee is 1-23 against ranked teams. The Vols’ lone victory over a ranked opponent in the past six years came Oct. 31, 2009, when Lane Kiffin was their coach and they beat No. 21 South Carolina 17-14 at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee hasn’t won a road game against a ranked team since 2000, when the Vols beat No. 10 Georgia 51-33 at Sanford Stadium.

If the Vols lose to Florida for the ninth consecutive year, they’ll have other chances to break the losing streak to ranked teams.

Later this season they play No. 9 Georgia, No. 12 South Carolina and No. 1 Alabama.

30th time no charm

Mississippi State had been 29-0 under Coach Dan Mullen when leading after three quarters. Now the Bulldogs are 29-1 after Auburn rallied for a 24-20 victory last Saturday.

The Tigers scored the game winning touchdown on a pass from Nick Marshall to tight end C.J. Uzomah with 10 seconds left to cap an 88-yard drive.

“We didn’t finish,” Mullen said after the game. “It was a pretty simple deal. We had an opportunity to finish the game on offense and didn’t do it. We had an opportunity to finish the game on defense and didn’t do it.”

Nick & Jim

Oddsmakers don’t expect Alabama Coach Nick Saban to take it easy on Jim McElwain, the former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator in his second season as Colorado State’s coach.

The No. 1-ranked Tide are 40-point favorites against the Rams, who play at Alabama on Saturday night.

“I told our guys, ‘It’s not about[Alabama’s] mystique or tradition.

It’s about measuring yourself against the best,’ ” McElwain said Monday during his weekly news conference. “I don’t think our guys will be intimidated. If anybody is scared - and I’ll see that in their eyes this week - I’ll leave them home.”

McElwain called the offensive plays for Alabama’s 2009 and 2011 national championship teams. He has a 5-10 record at Colorado State, including 1-2 this season.

Computer glitch?

The Colley’s Bias Free Matrix Ratings, one of six computer ratings used to determine the Bowl Championship Series rankings, has Auburn ranked No. 1, according to a report by AL.com.

The computer ranking surprised Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn, whose Tigers are off to a 3-0 start - with victories over Washington State, Arkansas State and Mississippi State - after going 3-9 last season,

“Well, the computers can’t come watch practice,” Malzahn said. “We’re not there yet. We’re a work in progress.”

Auburn isn’t ranked in The Associated Press or USA Today polls in which media members and coaches vote, but that figures to change if the Tigers win Saturday night at No. 6 LSU.

The first BCS poll will be released Oct. 13.

Big step in Texas

Ole Miss is off to its first 3-0 start since 1989 after rallying to win 44-23 at Texas last Saturday night before an announced crowd of 101,474. The Rebels outscored the Longhorns 27-0 in the second half.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s just one step,” Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze said.

Ole Miss, ranked No. 21, has an open date Saturday before going back on the road for its next two games at No. 1 Alabama and Auburn. The Rebels then start a stretch of seven consecutive home games with No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 6 LSU.

SEC top to bottom

RK (PREV.) TEAM RECORD COMMENT

1 (1) Alabama 2-0 Offense shows up in Aggieland

2 (2) LSU 3-0 Defense gearing up for Gus

3 (3) Texas A&M 2-1 Aggies hang 42 on Nick

4 (4) Georgia 1-1 Should roll over North Texas

5 (5) South Carolina 2-1 Jumped on Vandy early

6 (6) Florida 1-1 Looking for 9 in a row over Vols

7 (7) Ole Miss 3-0 Rebels messed with Texas

8 (11) Auburn 3-0 Gus’ first road test at LSU

9 (9) Arkansas 3-0 Defense solid so far

10 (12) Missouri 2-0 Road trip to Indiana

11 (8) Tennessee 2-1 Ducks show Vols have long way to go

12 (10) Vanderbilt 1-2 No match for South Carolina

13 (13) Mississippi State 1-2 Can’t hold on at Auburn

14 (14) Kentucky 1-2 Played Louisville tough

Game of the week

Auburn at No. 6 LSU 6:45 p.m. Saturday, ESPN

Gus Malzahn faces his first road game as an SEC head coach when he leads Auburn into Death Valley to take on LSU. It will be a play-calling match up of Broyles Award winners with Malzahn’s offense going against the schemes of LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis. LSU has a lot of young players on defense, but plenty of talent, as Malzahn noted. The Tigers also are rolling on offense with quarterback Zach Mettenberger throwing nine touchdown passes without an interception and tailback Jeremy Hill back in the lineup after a disciplinary suspension.

By the numbers

392◊LSU’s record in Saturday night games at Tiger Stadium under Coach Les Miles.

2004◊Last time Tennessee beat Florida, where the Volunteers play Saturday.

34◊Questions Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn answered in a 16-minute news conference this week.

“Overheard”

“He’s one of the best in the business. His defenses are always prepared. You may get him once, but he’s going to adjust and not give it to you again. He gets after you.”

  • Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn on facing LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis

Sports, Pages 20 on 09/19/2013