Best and Worst SEC Football Performances: Week 8

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Oct 24, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) pressures Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee’s late game strategy

– Strategy might not be the term I’m looking for but the play of Tennessee in the fourth quarter of close games this season hasn’t been good. Besides the Volunteers comeback win against Georgia, the Vols haven’t been able to be the victors in any of their tight match ups and that continued in week 8 against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In Saturday’s game Tennessee kept it a lot closer than some fans believed it would be and were in the lead with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Naturally, the Tide rolled down the field and scored on a Derrick Henry touchdown run but failed a 2-pt conversion, opening the door for the Vols.

Quarterback Josh Dobbs got the ball around his own 20-yard line and set up to try and effectively run a 2-minute drill. Instead he was sacked and fumbled at his own 11-yard line and Alabama scooped it up and went into victory formation to claim the win, 19-14.

This isn’t the first time the Volunteers haven’t been able to capitalize on close games as they now lost four games this year, all games that could have ended differently if the Vols played better in the fourth quarter. Along with this late fumble, Tennessee put up a goose egg in the fourth quarter against Arkansas and lost by four points, missed a 55-yard field goal as time expired — losing by one point against Florida and couldn’t outlast Oklahoma in a double overtime battle in week 2.

If Tennessee doesn’t learn how to finish close games and capitalize on prime possessions, they won’t have any success moving forward.

Patrick Towles, QB, Kentucky

– While Patrick Towles didn’t play absolutely horrible in week 8, his sub-par performance is good enough to land him on the worst-of the week ladder this week.

Oct 3, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Patrick Towles (14) passes the ball against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky 34-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Towles was able to help the Wildcats strike first on a two-yard touchdown scamper in the first quarter against Mississippi State in Starkville but couldn’t do what a quarterback is meant to do. Hr could not influence the game by passing the ball.

Towles got out shined and out performed by the opposing quarterback, Dak Prescott, and his team couldn’t keep the game close.

Towles threw for 218 yards and two interceptions against the Bulldogs and eventually was benched by the Kentucky coaching staff because the Wildcats thought it’d be a better idea to get their freshman quarterback Drew Barker some reps in a game where they knew they didn’t have a chance.

Compared to the dual-threat QB on the other sideline, Towles was like the last kid picked on the playground. Towles had 218 yards passing and 13 yards rushing while Prescott threw for 348 and ran for 117. A tale of two teams. Towles let his team and the Wildcat faithful down in week 8.

Missouri

– Missouri is back on the Worst of the Week list AGAIN. It is hard being a Tiger fan or even a fan who happens to watch a Missouri game this season, because they keep the game close but it is a boring pull-my-teeth-out-already type of game week-in and week-out.

Missouri this week lost 10-3 to Vanderbilt giving the Commodores their first SEC win since 2013. Ever since losing QB Maty Mauk, the Tigers have been absolutely horrendous offensively and it continued in week 8. Quarterback Drew Lock threw for a lousy 108 yards in the game on 14 completions and was the team’s most productive rusher with 39 yards.

I bet the Vanderbilt coach, Derek Mason, is definitely happy with the outcome, knowing that he has turned the program in the right direction with this SEC win. He also gets to keep his job and for that he owes Missouri. But for Missouri, they don’t owe anyone anything. Well, besides maybe the fans who have wasted their time watching any of their games this season. Because that’s exactly what it has been: a waste.

Next: Winners of the Rivalry Coaches Series Announced

More from Southbound and Down

The Tigers look nothing like the team that came over from the Big 12 in 2012 or the team that has gone to the SEC Championship game the last two years. Maybe the times are changing and the recruiting in the SEC is catching up with Mizzou. Or it is time for a coaching and/or personnel change because what they are doing certainly isn’t working.

More is surely to come in week 9, stay tuned to see who will be on the best and worst list next week after another great Saturday of SEC Football.

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