 Another SEC Classic OK, no, I didn't pass out. My heart, however, felt about 87 years old and very fat during the 4th quarter of the LSU v. Florida contest. I liked Tim Tebow before the game started, yet put him on my list of nominees for Jim Derwin's “Feminine Deodorant Product of the YEAR,” after he taunted the LSU crowd in the 2nd quarter. I knew the guy couldn't pass when he had to, but seriously, taunting almost 94,000 Tiger fans in Death Valley? One might say it's gutsy, but that would mean that Tebow thought about the action before executing it – this was just stupid. Save it for the NFL, Timmy, where you'll undoubtedly be moved to tight end if you don't develop a “pass first” mentality. (And yes, for the record, I'm sure he'd be a great tight end.) If you look at the finer details of the game, Florida was fortunate that LSU made one huge mistake in the second half that allowed the only Gator score. An obvious blown coverage left Cornelius Ingram wide open, and Tebow had no issues in putting the ball right between the numbers. Beyond the mix up in defensive communication on the single play, it seemed that the LSU defense made the necessary adjustments at half; Florida's offense was simply ineffective. And then... There is a football term that generally leads one to a thought of concession: 4th down. Nope, not in this SEC battle - not for LSU and head coach Les Miles. 5 for 5. LSU was 5 for 5 on 4th down conversions. It was obvious in the 2nd quarter that coach Miles set the tone for the game when he clearly shouted, “Let's go for it,” from the LSU sideline. The first attempt was worth 7. As the second half progressed, it was obvious that Miles trusted that the defense was up to the challenge – the offense just never gave them the opportunity. I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this, but the LSU offense was 5 for 5 on 4th down conversions. I'm still not certain I believe it. Some credit has to go to the 12th man, who was clearly pushing from behind and pulling from the front. With just over a minute left in the game, the Tigers punched the ball in the hole, taking a 4 point lead and putting the pressure on young Tim Tebow. And when Tebow has to pass, he's yet to prove that he is a great, dynamic QB. It is the one thing he has left to refine. The SEC West is starting to shape up as was anticipated - a one team race: LSU. Yes, they still have Kentucky on the road, and Auburn at home, but they'll match up against Auburn in a way the War Eagle won't appreciate. The SEC East? This sucker is wide open! Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida all have great opportunity to take the division – it will come down to head to head match-ups. Check back in about 4 weeks for the science of determining the SEC East champion. Who do I like? I like them all. Who am I picking? I said it pre-season, and I'm standing by it – Kentucky.
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