The Gators and just about every other top 15 team that played an unranked team yesterday - lost. They lost at home and it wasn't a fluke. They were whipped at the line of scrimmage most of the game.

Florida's Tebow nearly pulled them into position to win with his single-wing running.  But Auburn, the twice-beaten and recently maligned visitors, came to win and won.  Now here's the situation.  Kentucky leads the SEC East and may be the top ranked team in the SEC East.  It depends upon how much the 5-0 Wildcats gain from their #15 ranking and how far the #4 Gators fall.  Enough teams ahead of Kentucky lost for them to gain 4-5 spots and Florida will surely lose several.

This is unbelievable.  But now, the SEC East is wide open to everyone.  Especially since Florida goes on the road to LSU next week and is likely to lose for a second week in a row.

Wow.  You gotta love SEC football.

kurt

Well the Vols have now lost 15 of their last 27 games including the weak sisters that we all schedule a few of each year. Adding in bad losses in 3 of the last 4 games and a losing season in 2005, it looks like Fulmer has lost his magic.

Can he bring this team back? I hope so. But back to what? Perhaps an 8-4 record will be considered successful (I think I would consider it that) but it would still include some very bad and embarrassing losses.

I expect that UT fans, still upset from a 5-6 campaign which included a loss to Vanderbilt, are ready for a search committee. I guess I'd have to say that I'm ready, too. Not that I don't appreciate all that coach Fulmer has done for UT, but he doesn't seem capable of turning the ship anymore - even with some highly rated talent.

Congratulatios to the Gators, who seem to be even better than last year's NC team. Carry the banner for the SEC. By the way, Kentucky and South Carolina are looking very, very good, too.

The view from the bottom is ugly, but still proud.

Go Vols, Go SEC.

kurt

Either the SEC or the Big 10 will make a statement today.

The SEC can say that they are dominant if they win both head-to-head matchups (particularly if Auburn also knocks off Nebraska). The SEC would be 5-1 (or 6-1 with Auburn) and the Big 10 would drop to 0-5 in bowls.

On the other hand, now that we're into the more meaningful bowl games - with the better teams from each conference - the Big 10 can prove that they deserve the respect they've been given all year long with OSU and Michigan at the top of the polls.

An LSU thumping of Notre Dame would be another shot to the gut of the Big 10 from the SEC, since they play such a heavy Big 10/Service academy schedule.

Kurt

Congratulations to the Hogs for a thorough whippin'. Going into the game, I thought they'd run for 400 yards. They didn't. But they threw for a lot more than I thought and just ran when they felt like it.

McFaddon is a stud. An NFL type stud. Surely he won't be at Arkansas next year. Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Kurt

It looks like the Vols will go into the critical LSU game without one of the top quarterbacks in 1-A. With Ainge hobbled, the Vols will likely turn to Jonathon Crompton, a redshirt freshman and the #2 Pro-style QB in his class (best I can remember).

Crompton is talented but it's like pitching your first game in the majors against the Yankees - right after they picked up Ron Howard and Albert Pujols.

Florida was very good, but this is the best defense in the league.

Here's the good news. There are very few decent football games this weekend. The Vols will have center stage - and a big win could position UT nicely for the post-season. It's unlikely that Florida will fall to South Carolina (though not impossible). But the Vols can edge towards the top 3 or 4 without the benefit of a conference championship. We just need a little help.

And a great game from Crompton.

Kurt