They did it: South Carolina goes to their first ever SEC Championship game behind the legs of freshman running back Marcus Lattimore, 36-14

Steve Spurrier is on his way to the SEC Championship game

It wasn’t exciting but no one expected it; no one thought the inconsistent and often manic Gamecocks could knock off the Florida Gators in the swamp but they did. Steve Spurrier got his signature win as head coach --going to their first ever SEC title game and downing the Gators at home (for the first time)--which they never done.

South Carolina was intent on running the ball down Florida’s throat, and they did so with freshman running back Marcus Lattimore, a home-grown talent, to the tune of 40 carries, 212 yards with 3 TDs. Mistake-free football was on the agenda last Saturday night in the Swamp.

QB Stephen Garcia was a modest, albeit unimpressive 15-26, 156 yards, O TDS, O INTs.  All the staff has asked of Garcia is that he does not turn the ball over and that is what he did; his partner in crime, wideout Alshon Jeffrey had no TDs on the night and only had 53 yards receiving, something you would not expect from the best wide receiver in the SEC or the nation, for that matter.

Spurrier could not ask for a better performance from the offense and defense, and especially from Lattimore that has exceeded expectations since his first snap. Who would have thought that Spurrier would have a freshman standout at running back?!  He is known for having and grooming superb quarterbacks, but Lattimore has fallen into his lap and he is willing to ride this kid to a victory in the SEC Championship game.

But I’m here to caution that they cannot beat Auburn in the title game with just running the ball and not passing for more than Garcia did. It will not happen. The Tigers will put up a bunch of points on the scoreboard and will continue until the final whistle. We all know that special player, Cam Newton; he is on a tear this season and he has one victory over South Carolina and he is looking for another one that will bring his team closer to Glendale.

Will Marcus Lattimore be healthy when they face Auburn?

It’s scary to think that Lattimore had 40 carries in the last game. This kid has been nicked up and I can already tell that he will continue to play his career at not a hundred percent. He runs hard and he is a north-south runner and that is fine. However, his style of running and the number of carries will cause him to wear down when they need him. Watching him in high school, ball security was a problem whenever he was over-utilized in a game and so far it has not been an issue, but it might if they continue to run him into the ground.

The Gamecocks have two more games left, Troy at home and @Clemson (their rival). It will be interesting to see how Lattimore is used in those games. You do not want him limping into the SEC title game because that will be a big problem. For South Carolina to flourish they need to open up all facets of their offense, this will make this team unstoppable like they were against then No. 1 Alabama.

Going forward to next season, it will be trying times (for South Carolina) where the departure of Garcia, at quarterback, and the insertion of Connor Shaw, will challenge the staff to not overuse Lattimore with a young quarterback. They will need to find ways to keep him fresh since they will have to rely heavily on the run game with a green quarterback behind center. I’m curious to see if Lattimore will be healthy come his junior year and if the wheels will fall off this wagon.

For now the future is bright for Spurrier and he has a huge game with Clemson and the title game to prepare for. He wanted to play close to the vest against Florida (and it worked) but how will this offense look against Clemson and Auburn? Will being conservative get this program a much needed win over Clemson and a much bigger win against Auburn?

My Two Cents-The impact of Oklahoma losing and Missouri's win

Can Blaine Gabbert continue the impressive performance against Nebraska?

With Oklahoma’s loss to Missouri, they can kiss goodbye their chances to play in the national title game, even if they go on to win the Big 12 Championship game. Their resume does not stack up with Alabama, LSU, Wisconsin, Stanford, Nebraska (who are all one loss teams), or if Michigan State were to lose a game. For them to get a strong consideration for the national title game; there will have to be two loss teams from the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and the SEC, and still then people will be up in arms over Boise State and TCU not getting the nod.

The Sooners were set up perfectly to fly by Missouri and look forward to the season-ending game against Oklahoma State, which I considered their only threat. But boy was I wrong. Now, it’s a strong possibility that if this defense does not tackle better, The Cowboys will beat them and by a lot. But credit must be given to the athleticism and precision of Missouri’s offense and defense.

QB Blaine Gabbert stood tall in the pocket and picked apart this the Sooners’ secondary. And I must mention the excellent play by the Tigers offensive line that was really dominant this year than they have been in the past. We can agree that the Sooners’ defense is young and not dominant like years past when they owned Missouri during the season and in the championship game.

There is much to say about home field advantage. People can down play it but there is this energy that the players feed off playing in front of their fans, family, and friends; and once momentum swings to the home team, it is nearly impossible for the away team to recover. Missouri’s kick return (for a touchdown) to open the game made the players believe they could beat the Sooners, and they fed off this for the rest of the game.

I’m not buying Missouri is good as their 7-0 record shows but their first true test against a top 10 team was proof that they are a decent team, but not good or great. I will give them all the credit in the world if they shutdown QB Taylor Martinez, of Nebraska, who they will face this upcoming Saturday. And the Cornhusker’s defense is the fastest I have seen this year and they will create a lot of pressure on Gabbert with their speed and athleticism, which Oklahoma was unable to do.

If the Tigers get past them then that will be another highlight to this team’s season. Martinez showed that he could pass, last Saturday, as he carved up the Oklahoma State defense for over 300 yards and added over a 100 yards rushing. This matchup will determine who will represent the North in the Big 12 Championship game. This will be must-see TV.

You never know-- if Oklahoma wins out-- there will be a rematch between Missouri and the Sooners. However, it means nothing because the loser will not go to the title game; they will need some help to reach Glendale.  Bob Stoops does at least have a chance for redemption and maybe at that point Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables will have that defense more adept at the fundamentals of tackling and figuring out ways to pressure the quarterback.

Alabama sleepwalks for the win over Florida, 31-6

The good old days, a distant memory now.

My Thoughts and going forward:

• Alabama did not look impressive; as a matter of fact, they were uninspired in their efforts. 

• For all the flak over ‘Bama’s defense they have stepped up when needed. Why doubt them? They are coached by Nick Saban and have defensive coordinator Kirby Smart whipping them into shape mentally. 

• Florida needs to find an identity on offense, spread attack or pro-style offense? Pick one. 

• I have been singing the praises of John Brantley to everyone; it was premature of me to think they would not have a hiccup with Tebow gone. 

• Brantley probably would be best served at the next level, where they do not run spread-option attack plays. 

• Did Florida actually think ATH Trey Burton was going to make a fool of Nick Saban and his defense?? Not a chance. Florida needs to stop channeling Tebow and let Burton be Burton, you are not Tebow. 

• This game was really flat, nothing like the last two meetings in the SEC Championship games. 

• I do not know if emotionally and physically the Crimson Tide was beat up after their game with Arkansas. 

• Where does Florida go from here? Who knows? Maybe the Gators should play Texas and we can see which team has the better offense. 

• The Gators have a date with LSU in the Swamp, can Les Miles AKA The Mad Hatter pull off the upset. I wonder how much offense will be generated in this game. Both teams are atrocious on the offensive side of the ball. Get ready folks, this might be 19-16 score when it’s all said and done. Lots of field goals and maybe a safety or two thrown in for good measure. 

• I know it sucks for Brantley but Florida needs to go back to 2006 ala Leak and Tebow. Let Burton try to do his best impression of Tebow and Brantley can be Chris Leak. This is the only way they can get this offense moving. They can’t just go to a pro style offense with their skill players that are speedy and small; they are more suited for the spread attack and can make mismatches in space. 

• When have you seen an Urban Meyer team look so undisciplined? Can’t be good for his health condition? 

• Florida needs to draft a big back that can push the pile. They really need to establish run and punish defenses but they cannot with a scat back like Demps.