Ole Miss was reportedly treating this as a bowl game since their self-imposed sanctions were going to keep them out of the postseason regardless of whether or not they won this year’s Egg Bowl. Matt Luke might want to rethink his bowl preparations if they reach one next season. His team was thoroughly drilled by Mississippi State at home.
Jordan Ta’Amu’s injury certainly didn’t help the Rebels. He finished the game just 8 of 17 for 87 yards and a touchdown before exiting. In truth, Ole Miss was just no match for their in-state rivals at the point of attack on either side of the football. They need to find some help in the trenches this offseason to close the gap on the Bulldogs.
Kyle Shurmur may never have to buy a drink in Nashville again. Leading Vanderbilt to three straight wins over Tennessee can have that effect on a player. He absolutely shredded the Volunteers defense to give his team a surprisingly comfortable victory at home.
The win also makes sure Vanderbilt will head to another bowl game this year. That’s huge for a program that needs to maximize all the practice time it can get. Expect the Commodores’ coaching staff to talk a lot about their domination of Tennessee as they hit the recruiting trail.
The Gamecocks gave the Tigers a real battle for a half, but predictably, they faded away as the game wore on. Clemson’s talent was just too much for Will Muschamp and company to handle.
Jake Bentley did have a game to remember though. Some of his production came after the game’s result was already decided, but throwing for 510 yards and five touchdowns against this defense is still a big-time accomplishment. At the very least, South Carolina has put some tape on film that Clemson’s future opponents will try to use against them in the postseason.
This wasn’t a win over Florida State that’s going to go down for the ages in Gainesville, but it did achieve some historical significance. Dan Mullen’s team was able to prevent their in-state rivals from going to a bowl game for the first time since 1981.
Florida fans should be really encouraged about the balance they’ve seen on offense down the stretch. Feleipe Franks threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns, but his offense also managed to run the ball 52 times for 282 yards. That sort of dual-threat attack is a hallmark of really good teams under Mullen. He may have something special brewing down in The Swamp.