Notes from around the Southeastern Conference - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

Here are the latest notes from the SEC Office, including facts and figures for each of the 14 teams:

The SEC has five of the top 10 teams in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.  Alabama moved up to the top spot in both polls as a result of its 41-14 win against Michigan.  An SEC team has been in the top spot in 45 of the last 58 AP polls.  Alabama currently holds the longest active streak of consecutive AP poll appearances at 67. 

The SEC was 9-2 against non-conference teams during the first week of play.  During the last six seasons, the SEC has won nine-or-more non-conference games during the opening weekend of the season.  Here is a recap of the last 11 seasons of opening week non-conference records for the SEC:

                2012:  9-2                                             2006:  7-3

                2011:  10-2                                           2005:  8-3

                2010:  10-2                                           2004:  7-2

                2009:  11-1                                           2003:  6-3

                2008:  10-2                                           2002:  7-4

                2007:  9-1                                            

Texas A&M University senior tight end Michael Lamothe is the Southeastern Conference Football Community Service Team Player of the Week for Week 2 of the SEC football season. 

He participates in Breakaway Ministries and directs group Bible study for the Aggie football team.  He has volunteered to assist Twin City Ministries, which helps homeless individuals and families in the seven county Brazos Valley.

He participated in TAMU's "The Big Event," which is the nation's largest student-run community service project.

Lamothe is a two-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 Team, majoring in industrial distribution, and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2010 and 2011.

He  has five career TD catches on 19 receptions.

ATTENDANCE UPDATE:  In eight home conference games, SEC total attendance in Week 1 was 546,463, an average of 68,308 fans per game.  SEC stadiums were filled to 95.49 percent capacity for the first week of games. 

SCORING:  SEC teams scored first in 8 of 11 non-conference games in Week 1 … Five SEC teams scored on their first offensive drive of the 2012 season … SEC teams scored 60 touchdowns in Week 1, giving up 30 … SEC teams scored 9 non-offensive TDs (5 defense, 1 KOR, 3 PR) and did not give up any in Week 1 … SEC offenses had 30 scoring drives of less than two minutes and 9 of more than five minutes in Week 1 … SEC offenses scored on 41.4% of its offensive drives in Week 1 (FG+TD). They scored TDs on 31 percent of their drives … SEC teams scored 92 points off of opponents turnovers in Week 1.

Team Notes

ALABAMA:  Eight true freshmen made their debuts against Michigan, including defensive back Landon Collins, wide receiver Amari Cooper, running back Kenyan Drake, linebacker Denzel Devall, linebacker Dillon Lee, linebacker Reggie Ragland, defensive back Geno Smith and running back T.J. Yeldon.  The Tide also had six redshirt freshmen play in the game – quarterback Phillip Ely, running back Dee Hart, center Ryan Kelly, defensive end D.J. Pettway and wide receivers Marvin Shinn and Danny Woodson, Jr.  Junior college transfer Deion Belue also started and played his first game with the Crimson Tide.

ARKANSAS:  The Razorbacks host Louisiana-Monroe this weekend in Little Rock.  The Hogs have won 20 straight non-conference games in Little Rock, the longest streak in school history (previous high:  15 from 1974-83).  Arkansas has won 10 straight games in Little Rock, tied for the fourth-longest winning streak in Little Rock in UA history.  The Razorbacks are 166-65-4 (.715) all time in Little Rock and boast a 148-52-2 record inside War Memorial Stadium.  The Razorbacks are 14-1 in Fayetteville and Little Rock since 2010.  The Hogs have won 12 home games in a row, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.

AUBURN:  The Tigers senior trio of WR Emory Blake, TE Philip Lutzenkirchen and TB Onterio McCalebb continues to make its mark on the AU record book.  Blake and Lutzenkirchen are now 7^th in career TD catches with 14 and Blake is 13^th in receiving yards with 1,342.  McCalebb is 13^th in rushing yards with 2,098 and his 47 catches is the fourth highest among Tiger running backs in school history.  His 494 receiving yards is fifth all-time among Tiger running backs.  Lutzenkirchen is fourth in career receiving yards by an AU tight end at 560. 

FLORIDA:  Senior running back Mike Gillislee rushed for 148 yards last week against Bowling Green, for his first career 100+ yard rushing performance.  Gillislee and junior Trey Burton are the only two active Gators to have 100-yard rushing games in their Gator careers.  The last Gator to rush for more than 100 yards was Chris Rainey on Nov. 12, 2011 vs. South Carolina (17-132).  Gillislee's 148 yards marked the most yards for a Gator since Jeff Demps' 158 against Vanderbilt (Nov. 5, 2011).  A total of eight true freshmen made their debut for UF against Bowling Green (Antonio Morrison, Dante Fowler, Latroy Pittman, Kent Taylor, Matt Jones, Mark Herndon, D.J. Humphries and Jonathan Bullard).

GEORGIA:  The Bulldogs had five first-time starters against Buffalo last week.  Sophomore C David Andrews, true freshman RT John Theus and redshirt freshman FB Merritt Hall all lined up on Georgia's first play from the line of scrimmage.  On defense, redshirt freshman CB Devin Bowman and redshirt sophomore FS Connor Norman both started.  On special teams, true freshmen PK Marshall Morgan and P Collin Barber saw action.  True freshman Todd Gurley was the SEC Co-Freshman of the Week after his 100-yard rushing, 100-yard kickoff return and three touchdown performances against the Bulls.

KENTUCKY:  Senior WR La'Rod King has 1,295 career receiving yards and needs 29 more to tie Rafael Little and James Whalen for 13^th place on the UK career list.  King also has 14 career touchdowns and needs one more to move into a tie for sixth place on UK's career TD list with Quentin McCord (15, 1996-2000).  Last season, he caught 40 passes for 598 yards and seven touchdowns.

LSU:  The Tigers stand one victory she of the FBS all-time record for consecutive victories over non-conference opponents in the regular season.  Kansas State owns the record of 39 wins from 1993-2003.  LSU has won 38 consecutive regular season non-conference contests.  The Tiger streak began on Sept. 7, 2002 in a 35-10 win against The Citadel.  The last 28 games of the streak has been while Les Miles has been the coach at LSU.

OLE MISS:  After the Rebels' 49-27 season opening win against Central Arkansas, Hugh Freeze became the fourth straight Ole Miss head coach to be victorious in his first game on the Rebel sideline.  Of those that have coached since joining the SEC I n1933, the Rebels are now 10-4 in their debut.  Six Rebels made their first career start against UCA:  OT Emmanuel McCray, OT Pierce Burton, QB Bo Wallace, NT Isaac Gross, STINGER Denzel Nkemdiche and HUSKIE Dehendret Collins.  A total of 24 Rebels made their debut against UCA.

 MISSISSIPPI STATE:  In recent seasons, no stat has been a better gauge of success for the Bulldogs that turnover margin.  Over the last three+ seasons, State has won 17 of 18 games when victorious in the turnover column.  Conversely, the Bulldogs have won just four times out of 12 when losing the turnover battle.  Last week, against Jackson State, the Bulldogs forced three turnovers while not turning over the pigskin.  Against JSU, 21 first-time players including five true freshmen made their debut.

MISSOURI:  The Tigers open their SEC era on Saturday at home against Georgia.  The Bulldogs visit Columbia for the first time.  The two teams have played just one time previous – the 1960 Orange Bowl, with Georgia claiming a 14-0 win.  Missouri is 24-15-1 in its history against current SEC members, including 8-6-1 in Columbia.  As head coach at Missouri, Gary Pinkel is 9-2 against current SEC schools, including 5-1 against Texas A&M as members of the Big 12 and 4-1 against other SEC foes.  The UGA game marks the first game for Missouri against an SEC Eastern Division foe since defeating South Carolina, 38-31, in the 2005 Independence Bowl. 

SOUTH CAROLINA:  The Gamecocks have won five straight games, dating back to last season.  It ties for the seventh longest streak in school history.  It is the longest win streak since putting together a six-game streak at the end of the 2006 season and the start of the 2007 season.  The school record for consecutive wins is nine, set during the 1984 season.  The Gamecocks had four players make their collegiate start against Vanderbilt – CB Victor Hampton, DT Byron Jerideau, OG Ronald Patrick and OT Brandon Shell.  Four true freshmen played against the Commodores – TE Jerell Adams, TB Mike Davis, SPR Jordan Diggs and CB T.J. Gurley.

TENNESSEE:  The Vols posted 333 passing yards against N.C. State last week, snapping an eight-game streak in which their passing total was less than 300 yards.  UT had a TD pass of 72 yards and a TD run of 67 yards, marking the first time it has had two 60+ yard plays in one game since Oct. 30, 2010 at South Carolina.  UT is 7-2 under Derek Dooley when passing for 300 yards, including four consecutive wins.  UT is 9-1 under Dooley when scoring 25 or more points and 12-3 when scoring 20 or more points.  The Vols played only two true freshmen in the win over N.C. State – WR Cody Blanc and DB Deion Bonner. 

TEXAS A&M:  The Aggies open their SEC era on Saturday at home against Florida.  The two teams have played twice previously with the Gators winning, 42-6 in Gainesville in 1962 and the Aggies taking a 37-14 Sun Bowl win on Jan. 2, 1977.  The Aggies have opened their season five previous times against SEC foes (all LSU), winning all five times.  The most recent game was in 1995, with A&M winning, 33-17.  Kevin Sumlin will also be making his A&M coaching debut against the Gators.  A&M head coaches have compiled a 17-9-1 record in their debut games with the Aggies.

VANDERBILT:  Senior RB Zac Stacy moved into seventh place on the Vanderbilt career rushing chart.  Stacy has 2,050 career yards, which is 46 yards shy of sixth place Lonnie Sadler (2,096 yards, 1972-75) and 101 yards shy of fifth place Jared McGrath (2,151 yards, 1997-2000).  Stacy is tied for fourth in career rushing touchdowns at Vandy with 20.  The school record is 26, set by Dean Davidson (1947-50).  Junior WR Jordan Matthews had 147 receiving yards on eight catches against South Carolina.  Matthews has 1,114 career receiving yards on 64 catches.  He has had more than 100 receiving yards in four games – all against SEC foes.

Source: Southeastern Conference Office