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PAGE 14B
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - Wednesday, December 17,2003
By The
NUMBERS
FINAL STANDINGS
EASTERN DIVISION
SEC AU vs. Top 25 PF PA
Georgia 6-2 10-2 2-2 324. 142
Tennessee 6-2 10-2 2-1 351 212
Florida 6-2 8-4 3-3 373 234
S. Caro Una 2-6 5-7 1-5 268 314
Vanderbilt 1-7 2-10 0-3 235 358
Kentucky 1-7 4-8 0-3 328 321
WESTERN DIVISION
SEC All vs. Top 25 PF PA
LSU 7-1 11-1 4-0 420 127
Mississippi 7-1 9-3 1-1 411 257
Auburn 5-3 7-5 2-4 314 198
Arkansas 4-4 8-4 1-1 409 291
Mississippi St. 1-7 2-10 0-3 225 471
Alabama 2-6 4-9 0-4 331 333
TEAM LEADERS
Average per game
TOTAL OFFENSE
Arkansas 435.17
Mississippi 431.83
LSU 425.08
Florida 396.92
Georgia 386.25
RUSHING OFFENSE
Arkansas 237.08
Auburn 182.92
LSU 179.00
South Carolina 161.42
Alabama 158.92
PASSING OFFENSE
Mississippi 288.25
LSU . 246.08
Florida 243.50
Georgia 242.42
Tennessee 220.83
TURNOVER MARGIN
Georgia 1.17
Florida 0.67
Arkansas 0.67
Ole Miss 0.58
South Caro Una 0.58
TOTAL DEFENSE
LSU 260.42
Georgia 261.92
Aubum 283.33
Tennessee 318.17
Arkansas 338.75
RUSHING DEFENSE
LSU 69.67
Georgia 90.08
Aubum 95.50
Mississippi 101.83
Alabama 132.46
PASSING DEFENSE
Georgia 171.83
Tennessee 181.08
Auburn 187.83
Arkansas 189.67
LSU 190.75
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING YARDS
Shaud WilUams, Alabama 1,367
Camell WilUams, Aubum 1,239
Cedric Cobbs, Arkansas 1,1179
Cedric Houston, Tennessee 720
Nick Turner, Mississippi St 696
PASSING YARDS
EU Manning, Mississippi 3,341
David Greene, Georgia 2,781
Casey Clausen, Tennessee 2,584
Matt Mauck, LSU 2,550
Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt 2,347
PASS EFFICIENCY
Matt Mauck, LSU 153.9
Matt Jones, Arkansas 152.0
EU Manning, Mississippi 147.5
Jason Campbell, Aubum 136.1
Casey Clausen, Tennessee 135.4
RECEIVING YARDS
Michael Clayton, LSU 960
Justin Jenkins, Mississippi St 880
George Wilson, Arkansas 875
Chris Collins, Mississippi 874
Devery Henderson, LSU 790
TOTAL OFFENSE
EU Manning, Mississippi 3,312
David Greene, Georgia 2,649
Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt 2,646
Matt Mauck, LSU 2,550
Casey Clausen, Tennessee 2,537
SCORING
Jonathan Nichols, Mississippi 117
Billy Bennett, Georgia 114
Matt Leach, Florida 99
Shaud WilUams, Alabama 96
James Wilhoit, Tennessee 90
INTERCEPTIONS
Keiwan RatUff, Florida 9
Corey Webster, LSU 6
Sean Jones, Georgia 5
Muhammad Abdullah, Kentucky 4
CharUe Peprah, Alabama 4
PUNT RETURN AVG.
Skyler Green, LSU 19.8
Mark Jones, Tennessee 15.7
Marvin Jackson, Arkansas 12.6
Keiwan RatUff, Florida 11.2
Nick Turner, Mississippi St 11.1
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The SEC this week
PART TWO
Bowl Previews
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The SEC goes bowling
Sugar Bowl (Jan. 4)
Oklahoma vs. LSU (New Orleans)
he last and only time that LSU and Oklahoma met was.
coincidentally, in the Sugar Bowl back in 1950, when the
Sooners rolled over the Tigers 35-0 to cap a perfect season.
Oklahoma doesn’t have a perfect season to protect this time, but
both teams still hope for a share of the national championship.
Even with two of the top defenses in the country facing off,
another shutout like 1950’s would be shocking. But a low scoring
affair wouldn’t surprise anyone. The third-ranked Sooners have
allowed the fewest yards in the nation (255.6 per game), and LSU
is the toughest team to score against (10.8 points per game).
The No. 2 Tigers shut teams down with an aggressive style that
includes harassing the opposing quarterback with a bevy of blitz
packages, and they have a secondary tough and fast enough to
create coverage sacks, too.
All-American defensive tackle Chad Lavalais is a big reason
the Tigers allowed only three rushing touchdowns this season.
He’s also been known to bother quarterbacks, as evidenced by his
team-leading seven sacks and 23 QB hurries.
But the Tigers will have their hands full against Oklahoma’s
potent offense. Senior signal-caller Jason White, who won the
Heisman Trophy and the O’Brien Award, had a phenomenal final
season, completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,744 yards, with
40 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
His counterpart, Matt Mauck, set a team single-season record
with 28 touchdown passes and moved into third place in LSU
history with 37 career TD passes. And if freshman RB Justin
Vincent looks anything like he did when he set an SEC
Championship record with 201 yards rushing against Georgia, the
Sooners might be having flashbacks of Kansas State sensation
Darren Sproles.
Records: Oklahoma 12-1 (8-1 Big 12); LSU 12-1 (8-1 SEC).
Series: Oklahoma leads 1-0. Coaches: Oklahoma’s Bob
Stoops (55-10); LSU’s Nick Saban (81-39-1). Kickoff: 8 p.m.
EST. TV: ABC.
Key for LSU: The Tigers need to establish the run the same
way they did against Georgia. Let Vincent plug away and
eventually he’ll pop one like he did with an 87-yard touchdown
scamper for the Tigers’ first score in the SEC Championship
victory. The Tigers’ offensive staff will find away to put Vincent
in a position to mirror the performance Sproles had, racking up
235 yards against this vaunted Oklahoma unit.
Key for Oklahoma: If Sooners CB Derrick Straight can lock
down the Tigers’ top option, WR Michael Clayton, it should take
the air right out of LSU’s passing attack: Straight is the best comer
in college football, and even though LSU has other options
available (including Devery Henderson), without his security
blanket, Mauck will feel exposed and start to force passes into
places he shouldn’t.
Cotton Bowl (Jan. 2)
Oklahoma State vs. Mississippi (Dallas)
he Cotton Bowl features an interesting matchup of teams that
have taken their sweet time returning to the bowl held in
Dallas.
Ole Miss will make a return trip to the “Big D” for the first time
in 42 years, and Oklahoma State is coming back after a 59-year
wait. In fact, the last January bowl game for the Cowboys was the
1949 Delta Bowl in Memphis, when they beat TCU, and the
Rebels haven’t played in January since the Gator Bowl in 1991.
The 16th-ranked Rebels couldn’t be much hotter. Senior QB Eli
Manning has led his team to seven victories in the last eight
games. The only blemish was a 17-14 loss to SEC champion LSU.
Manning has been on a roll all by himself, winning the
Maxwell Award and the Johnny Unitas Trophy and being named
the SEC Player of the Year.
The Cowboys are bringing a number of nationally recognized
players as well. Wide receiver Rashaun Woods had a third straight
1,000-yard season and shattered every OSU receiving record.
Meanwhile, Cowboys tailback Tatum Bell rolled to his second
straight 1,000-yard rushing season, with 1,240 yards on 199
carries and 15 touchdowns.
« Records: Oklahoma State 9-3 (5-3 Big 12); Mississippi 9-3
(7-1 SEC). Series: First meeting. I Coaches: Oklahoma State’s
Les Miles (21-15); Mississippi’s David Cutcliffe (39-21).
Kickoff: 2 p.m. EST. TV: FOX.
Key for Ole Miss: All eyes will be on Manning, but the
Rebels’ ability to win the game may balance more on the
shoulders of RB Tremaine Turner, who started every game and
finished with 676 yards but only three touchdowns on the ground.
If he can move the chains and pick up four yards on first down, it
will keep some pressure off Manning.
Key for Oklahoma State: The Cowboys should show 6-foot
-2,240-pound All-American defensive end Greg Richmond a
picture of Manning and tell him to attack. The Cowboys’ ability to
get in the face of Manning may dictate their success. They need to
make Manning feel pressure the same way LSU did.
Peach Bowl (Jan. 2)
Tennessee vs. Clemson (Atlanta)
y f Clemson doesn’t bust out the purple jerseys for the third time
this season, the Georgia Dome will be awash in orange as the
& Tigers take on Tennessee.
Besides proving who’s the best orange-clad team in the South,
conference bragging rights are also at stake with the ACC-SEC
season series tied at four.
Although the sixth-ranked Volunteers picked up big wins
against Florida and Miami, one play prevented them from playing
in the SEC Championship Game and getting a chance at a BCS
bid. With Georgia leading 13-7, quarterback Casey Clausen
fumbled and Georgia's Sean Jones went 92 yards for a touchdown
with no time left in the first half. Fueled by Jones’ touchdown,
Georgia proceeded to thump the Vols 41-14.
No one expected the Tigers to be playing past New Year’s Day
after a devastating 45-14 loss to Wake Forest in early November, but
Clemson rebounded and closed the season with three straight wins.
Records: Tennessee 10-2 (6-2 SEC East); Clemson 8-4 (5-3
ACC), s Series: Tennessee leads 11-5-2. M Coaches:
Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer (113-27); Clemson’s Tommy Bowden
(55-28). a Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. EST. ■ TV: ESPN.
Keys for Tennessee: Consistency from quarterback Casey
Clausen, who’s been up and down all year.... Use punter Dustin
Colquitt and his 45.9 yards per kick average to win the field
position battle.... Continue to play well against the pass.
Keys for Clemson: Get off to a good start as it has done in the
past three games.... Stop the 1-2 punch of Tennessee running
backs Cedric Houston and Jabari Davis, who have combined for
1,279 yards.... Generate something off the return game. Clemson
finished second nationally in kickoff return average (27.7 yards a
return).
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DRILL
a RAMA Crimson Tide quarterback
fwADnJ In Brodie Croyle had
surgery on his non-throwing shoulder last
Thursday, but he should be back in time to
participate in non-contact drills during
spring practice, which starts on Feb. 23.
Croyle passed for 2,303 yards and 16
touchdowns despite missing two starts
with the injury to his left shoulder. The
junior-to-be also set the school record
with 341 attempts and tied coach Mike
Shula's single-season mark with 16
touchdowns.... Alabama defensive end
Antwan Odom, who had 40 tackles and
eight sacks this year, announced his
eligibility last week for the NFL draft,
according to the Mobile Register. Odom,
who had one year of eligibility remaining,
said his decision was influenced by a
positive review from the NFL's draft
advisory board. NFL Report.com lists Odom
as the llth-best underclassman available
and projects him as the No. 21 pick.
ARKA NC A C Sophomore Zac Tubbs is
nflnrli'i DnD the starter at
right offensive tackle for the
Independence Bowl. He was moved up
from his backup role after All-American
offensive tackle Shawn Andrews
announced last week that he has a sinus
condition and may miss the game against
Missouri at Shreveport, La. Head coach
Houston Nutt also said the 6-foot-5, 353-
pound Andrews may need a procedure to
correct the sinus problem.... Meanwhile,
Andrews won the Jacobs Award for the
second consecutive year. The award is
given annually to the Southeastern
Conference's top offensive lineman by the
league's coaches. Andrews became the first
Razorback to win the award in 2002
following his sophomore season, and he
becomes only the 11th player in league
history to win the award in back-to-back
seasons.
AIJRI[RM On l y a few weeks a^er
nu DUnn school officials were trying
to replace coach Tommy Tuberville, he
agreed to a one-year contract extension
through the 2008 season. Tuberville earns
$1.5 million annually, and his contract
includes a $3 million buyout if he decides
to leave or the school fires him.
IBLORIDA Sen * or comer back Keiwan
n Ratliff was named to the
2003 Walter Camp Football Foundation All-
America team, becoming the 20th
different Gator to be named to the team.
He joined Jarvis Williams (DB, 1987),
Louis Oliver (FS) and Fred Weary (1997)
as the fourth UF defensive secondary
player to be listed on the squad. This
season, Ratliff surpassed UFs single season
interception record with nine, while also
recording 48 tackles, along with six pass
breakups, two fumble recoveries and a
blocked kick.
rgy Nick Saban was named The
Associated Press Coach of the
Year last week after he received 22 votes
in balloting by the panel of sportswriters
and broadcasters on the AP college
football poll, beating out Southern
California's Pete Carroll by five. "Even
though I'm accepting the honor, it's for all
of the players and coaches and support
staff also," Saban said. "They all had as big
a part in it as I did. I'm very flattered and
honored."
MISSISSIPPI KSXSb.
Maxwell Award as the nation's best all
around player last week. He joined his
older brother, Peyton, as the winner of an
award that used to be a solid indicator of
who would win the Heisman Trophy. From
1981-99,14 of the 19 Maxwell winners
also won the Heisman. Manning beat out
AP Player of the Year Jason White, who
won the Heisman this year, and Pittsburgh
receiver Larry Fitzgerald for the award.
... Rebels kicker Jonathan Nichols won
the Lou Groza Award last week. He beat
out last year's winner, Nate Kaeding of
lowa, and finalist Trey DiCarlo of
Oklahoma for the award, given to the
nation's top college place-kicker.
MICC CTATC The Bulldogs have
niDD DIAID hired J.B. Grimes of
East Carolina to be their offensive line
coach. Grimes has been coaching at the
college level for 25 years, and he was
offensive line coach and assistant head
coach for John Thompson at East Carolina
this season. He was the fifth assistant
coach hired by new coach Sylvester
Croom, including Tennessee running
backs coach Willie McCorvey, who was
hired as offensive coordinator.