CJ Vogel

A look throughout the SEC conference at the contenders and the pretenders. Who has shined through two weeks and who has disappointed. I am buying or selling the hype on each team. #4 Alabama (2-0) – Buy Kalen DeBoer and Jalen Milroe are off to a hot start to the season. There remains plenty of talent on the roster for Alabama. The Tide had a close one entering the 4th quarter against USF and will go on the road to Wisconsin ahead of the Georgia game on week four, still I like the Tide’s chances to make the Playoff. Arkansas (1-1) – Buy Barry Odom and Taylen Green appear to be a match made in Hog Heaven. Arkansas showed signs of being the same old Arkansas against Oklahoma State with the way they lost that game with more than 200 yards of total offense. However, the offense looks dangerous and Arkansas as a whole is more threatening than I believed they would be coming into the year. Auburn (1-1) – Sell Losing to Cal, a university who abysmally cares for its football program, is a joke. Tying your ship to Payton Thorne is going to be the downfall of Hugh Freeze at Auburn and it was once again evident week two. Auburn looks toast. Florida (1-1) – Sell Billy Napier’s squad looked incredibly uncompetitive week one against Miami (FL) and have already made the switch to true freshman QB DJ Lagway. I don’t buy the switch long term, but Lagway was a five-star for a reason, so maybe there is hope. #1 Georgia (2-0) – Buy There has been no reason for me to believe that Georgia has fallen off from the preseason expectations. Kirby Smart’s squad embarrassed Clemson week one and has yet to allow a touchdown this season. Carson Beck is in the running for the 1.1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and the Dawgs have a chip on their shoulder from missing the Playoff in 2023. Kentucky (1-1) – Sell I had originally gone on record saying Kentucky was going to be the biggest trap game of the year for the Longhorns in 2024. I can confidently say that take can be thrown out based off of what was put on tape against South Carolina. Kentucky has a QB problem. Through two weeks, the Wildcats have the fewest points scored in all of the SEC and the schedule does not ease up over the next two weeks. #16 LSU (1-1) – Sell LSU was a school I was not high on coming into the season and remain skeptical about now. Allowing 21 points to Nicholls State does not provide any confidence for me either. Now, the Tigers will go to South Carolina for what is a much tougher week three matchup than most are giving credit. #6 Missouri (2-0) – Buy The only team in the SEC who has yet to allow a point. Missouri is not skipping a beat defensively from their run to a NY6 bowl last year. Veteran quarterback, cohesive wide receiver group and a defense that is starting the year off with confidence, I like Mizzou. Mississippi State (1-1) – Sell Jeff Lebby’s squad looked like what they were expected to look like against Arizona State last Saturday in what ended up being a 30–23 loss. It is a tough thing to return just two starters and see an entire change in the coaching department. Lebby could turn Miss State into a fine program, it just won't be this year. #15 Oklahoma (2-0) – Sell I should not have to go too far in depth with this one. Scoring just 14 points against Houston and winning by four points at home is incredibly worrisome. The wide receiving corps is not uplifting Jackson Arnold and Arnold himself is not doing himself any favors. Injuries have already bit the OL and the Sooners season outlook is much more bleak than their 2–0 start would suggest. #5 Ole Miss (2-0) – Buy Lane Kiffin went all in on the portal this offseason and so far it is paying off. Ole Miss has a tremendous QB, WR room and offense in general. Jaxson Dart statistically is the best QB in the country, though let us see how the Rebels’ offense pans out against a defense with a pulse. Regardless, I love this roster construction. South Carolina (2-0) – Buy A big time road win to start off conference play for the Gamecocks, and it was not very competitive. LaNorris Sellers has looked solid thus far and Rocket Sanders has been impressive as expected.The Gamecocks could be a tough out at home this year. #7 Tennessee (2-0) – Buy I am all the way bought in on Nico Iamaleava this year. The young QB has been tremendous this season and the offensive line has been great as well. This Tennessee team opens its SEC play in Norman, a game I expect the Vols to roll big in. #2 Texas (2-0) – Buy A massive road win over the defending national champions has the Longhorns sitting at No. 2 in the polls, the highest Texas has been ranked in 15 years. The offense has tremendous weapons and the defense has only allowed one touchdown all year. Texas will be 5–0 going into Dallas where anything can happen. Texas A&M (1-1) – Sell I suppose you could say the Aggies bounced back vs. McNeese State, but at the end of the day, it is McNeese State. I am not as low on Conner Weigman as most are, but I do have more questions about his big game ability following that Notre Dame game. Still, A&M does not have the playmakers at WR to be a potent offense vertically, and the OL remains a question. Vanderbilt (2–0) – Buy I love Diego Pavia and the ‘Dores look like they could be a frisky team. I also believe that Vanderbilt has more talent than you would expect given their recent win-loss history, however, it won’t be enough to scratch the upper echelon of the SEC. Vandy is rising and the program is on the ups, but still a bit a way.

Hicks has been to campus three different times since the beginning of 2024. The January 20 junior day, a trip with his 7v7 team in the spring and back again for the June 1 Elite Camp.

I tell ya what, no freshman has had a more impressive start to 2024 than Dylan Stewart, the SCAR EDGE.

Open the playbook and let’s those youngsters cook!

It makes sense to hear about the Micah Parsons comps this early because of it. Now Simmons will need to add to his bag of tricks, but a heck of a start thus far.

Also a 0.0 pass block grade per PFF. Never seen that before.

I mentioned Michigan RT Evan Link was the guy Texas could have success against. Link allowed a sack to Simmons and 10 total pressures on the afternoon. Five of which to Simmons alone.

Go back and watch some more of Colin Simmons off of the edge against Michigan from this past week. He was tremendous in just 21 snaps and 16 pass rush attempts.

He was tremendous for the Cowboys on Sunday.

Sandlot Legend

Oklahoma had 12 drives vs. Houston. Only one gained more than 35 yards of offense. OU’s final eight offensive possessions of the game: • punt • punt • punt • INT • punt • missed FG • punt • punt

Funny seeing Sooner fans missing Lincoln Riley on the timeline.

Hook Em brother! Was a blast up in Ann Arbor this weekend. Texas was tremendous and the community here has been even better. Let's keep the momentum going!

If the upcoming visit goes well, Texas will be the team to beat – they might already be.

I'll get boots on the ground and the green screen up and running for my weather breakdown!

I agree, the staff is asking a lot right now. But the team has been tremendous in accepting the high bar. Everyone we spoke to today echoed the same sentiment.

Sarkisian goes on about football IQ. He shows blunders from players across the country as examples of what is not acceptable. Wants to show live proof of how it affects teams due to individual actions.

Sark says Moore is not very emotional, but he has a very even keeled head on his shoulders that focuses mostly on the task at hand.

Sarkisian says he felt good about his playcalling but more so the offense executed the game plan very well against Michigan.

Sarkisian says on the red zone efficiency in 2024, the offense has minimized the self-inflicted wounds. Sark penalties and execution were the two biggest hindrances from a year ago. This year, the offense is executing better and not shooting themselves in the foot near the goal line. The one drive Texas had vs. Michigan that did not score was the result of a penalty on first down and a missed assignment soon thereafter.