Biscuits & SEC Week 5 game-by-game recaps 2024
An instant classic in Tuscaloosa headlined Week 5, but multiple other games went down to the wire.
By: Bossman, Hammer, Waco Kid
What a weekend! Week 5 delivered several really close games and an instant classic in Tuscaloosa. The Georgia vs. Alabama game is the kind of contest that would get replayed on ESPN Classic constantly if that channel still existed. RIP ESPN Classic. Elsewhere, Ole Miss got stunned by Kentucky, A&M escaped Arkansas yet again and Texas didn’t pull away from Mississippi State until the fourth quarter.
On a wild weekend, the boys actually did pretty well picking these games. The Waco Kid had a big week, only missing the Ole Miss game straight up and going perfect against the spread. He needed every single one of those games as he claws back and takes the lead against the spread while closing the gap straight up. The Hammer continues to lag behind everyone against the spread, while Bossman stays consistent and tries to get back above .500.
Let’s dive into the recaps.
Bossman: This one is exactly why you play the games. Kentucky was supposed to go to Vaught-Hemingway and get their doors blown off according to Vegas and the experts (including me - hand up). While the Wildcats played Georgia close, that was an aberration and Kentucky would fall back to earth. The Ole Miss offense is just too potent, they have too many weapons…Think again! Brock Vandagriff went shot for shot with Jaxson Dart and the Kentucky defense got stops when they needed to, frustrating Ole Miss all day. They also had to have a few plays break their way to get their first win in Oxford since 1978, like the two-yard TD “rush” by TE Josh Kattus, where he caught a Gavin Wimsatt fumble and took it in for the deciding score. Shoutout to JQ Hardaway, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and Octavius Oxendine who played out of their minds on Saturday. Hardaway racked up 11 tackles and Dumas-Johnson and Oxendine combined for 2.5 sacks and 3.5 TFLs. The ineptness on offense was stunning for Ole Miss, going just 1-10 on third down. The Rebels defense was pretty much lights out, but Kentucky did just enough to win. Great win for the Wildcats and Ole Miss needs to turn things around quickly or the expected playoff run will end abruptly.
Hammer: Well, well, well. Coming into this game, the only possible critique of Ole Miss was the classic line, “They ain’t played nobody.” The Rebels looked phenomenal to start the year, but they hadn’t played anyone with a pulse. I mistakenly thought that didn't matter, and that they would handle business against Kentucky. Part of that was overestimating Ole Miss, and the other was definitely underestimating Kentucky. The further we get away from the week 2 disaster against South Carolina, the more that game seems like a total fluke. I’m not saying Kentucky is a great team. They aren’t. But they took Georgia to wire and just went into Vaught-Hemingway and beat #6 Ole Miss so it’s time to start respecting the Wildcats. Kentucky played this game perfectly, so credit to Mark Stoops and his staff for that game plan. They dominated time of possession for nearly 40 minutes to just 20 minutes for the Rebs. The Wildcat defense mauled the Ole Miss offensive line en route to four sacks and seven tackles for loss. Jaxson Dart was never comfortable in the pocket. On offense, Kentucky did just enough. They stuck to the run game to burn the clock, despite only managing 93 yards on 47 carries. They just kept chugging along, stuck with their game plan and then with the game on the line on 4th and 7 from their own 20-yard line, Brock Vandagriff threw a perfect pass over the top to Barion Brown for 63 yards. Two plays later, the Wildcats punched it in (thanks to a fortuitous fumble recovery) and kicked the extra point to take a 20-17 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Ole Miss got into field goal range before their drive stalled, but Caden Davis missed the would-be game-tying field goal. Hats off to Kentucky for a massive win.
The Waco Kid: Ole Miss should have won this one. Kentucky does not have the firepower or offensive proficiency to have been in this game and yet they were. I think Stoops has a long way to go with this program but this was a good win against a ranked team. Does Kiffin get pushed out of Oxford? I doubt it but it’s a bad look on the program.
Bossman: 13:49 to go in the first quarter. It’s 3rd & 10 for Arkansas. Taylen Green drops back, avoids pressure at the last second, then uncorks a perfect ball on a seam to Isaac TeSlaa for a 75-yard TD to start the game. BOOM. Looks like Bossman’s prediction about Arkansas winning on explosive plays is going to come true. NOT. For the second time this season, the Hogs won the explosive play battle (Arkansas 9, A&M 7), but were unable to win the game. Granted, after that 75-yard TD to open the game, the Aggie defense clamped down on the Hogs, keeping them well under their average of 17 explosive plays per game. However, while the Aggies did just enough to win, this one was the same old song and dance for Arkansas. They were better on third down. They outgained A&M by almost 100 yards. They had more completions than A&M. But they lost? Yes, they did. 10 penalties for 75 yards and three turnovers at key junctures will do that to you. Yet another Southwest Classic where Arkansas should have won but couldn’t get out of their own way.
Hammer: Texas A&M has won 12 of their last 13 against Arkansas, and just about every game goes similarly to this one. It’s a close, back-and-forth game and eventually, the Aggies find a way to win. Usually, that coincides with Arkansas making mistakes, just like it did in this game. The Hogs out gained A&M 379 to 297 on the day, but they turned the ball over three times while the Aggies did not turn it over. Since taking over for the injured Conner Weigman, freshman QB Marcel Reed has done two things: win games and not turn the ball over. He hasn’t been spectacular, but the combination of his running ability and taking care of the football, Reed has done what is being asked of him. Le’Veon Moss led the way again for A&M on the ground, gaining 117 yards on 13 carries against a very good Arkansas front. On the other side of the ball, the Aggie defensive line wreaked havoc, forcing several of the Arkansas turnovers. Purdue transfer Nic Scourton dominated, tallying two sacks and four TFLs. As a team, A&M had 10 TFLs and four sacks. Good win for the Aggies who now sit at 4-1 with an undefeated top-10 Missouri team coming to Kyle Field next weekend.
The Waco Kid: Well this seemed to be par for the course. A&M left me crapping my pants in a game that they should have handily won. Arkansas was nice enough to turn over the ball enough times to give the Ags a fighting chance but going forward sheesh they’ve got to figure something out. The Razorbacks are already underwater and a lifeboat couldn’t save Sam Pittman but let’s say the maroon and white can finish the season with only one more loss to Texas. Are we looking at playoffs? Maybe, knock out a ranked Mizzou and LSU and it’s an incredible year.
Bossman: Roll Toomer’s Corner? More like roll Hugh Freeze’s house. Auburn fans are tired of seeing the same old same old from Freeze’s Tigers. I’ll give you some good news first, then the bad news. The good news is that Payton Thorne protected the ball much better than he has in recent games. The bad news is the lone interception he threw turned into a pick-six that helped Oklahoma take the lead for good and overcome an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. Cool! For every fanbase, you go through times when you feel like a masochist. “No, honey, I can’t mow the lawn, I have to sit down for my weekly three-hour Saturday torture session!” Yes, even Alabama has had those years. They Shula been winning in the early 2000s, but they were decidedly not doing that (see what I did there). Or how about Texas A&M fans and their number-one recruiting class with Jimbo Fisher? Or Texas fans with Charlie Strong and Tom Hermit – sorry – Herman? Yes, we’ve all been there, Aubie. Keep your chin up. Good win for the Sooners, who pull a rabbit out of a hat. We’ll see if they can keep it up with the gauntlet they have ahead.
Hammer: Another week, another Auburn loss. This might be the worst one of the year. Obviously, Cal and Arkansas were bad. But they played poorly in both of those games and deserved to lose. On Saturday, Auburn was playing at home against a true freshman QB making his first start. The Sooners also had their top five wide receivers out due to injury. Auburn couldn’t lose this one, and they played well enough to win. The Tigers outgained Oklahoma 482 to 291, and yet, they still lost. Payton Thorne was playing a good game until he made a fatal error, throwing a pick-six with four minutes remaining in the 4th when Auburn had a five-point lead! This is not news to Auburn fans, but that is who Thorne is. He makes too many mistakes and he has the entire time he’s been at Auburn. It was only a matter of time. The Sooner defense played well up front, finishing with eight TFLs and four sacks. But they did look vulnerable in the secondary as Thorne lit them up for 338 yards and three TDs before the pick-six. Good win for Oklahoma. It wasn’t pretty but it's their first SEC win and it was on the road up against tough circumstances. For Auburn, I hope you are happy with Hugh Freeze. That guy is coaching horribly right now and refused to get a QB. He also refuses to run Jarquez Hunter enough. Hunter is one of the better backs in the SEC and he is averaging 13 carries per game while their QBs can’t stop throwing to the other team.
The Waco Kid: Ohh big surprise here, Oklahoma sucks. This win is proof, how do you only beat one of the worst teams in the SEC by six? I was almost dead on in this one and don’t plan on picking OU in any games that matter. Good luck against Texas, Ole Miss, Mizzou, Bama, and LSU. I see them winning maybe the Texas game and Missouri.
Bossman: What? The final score does not show the issues that Texas had putting down the Bulldogs. It was 14-6 at halftime and Texas was not playing like the #1 team in the country, which is why the AP dropped them a spot in this week’s poll. Texas RB Jaydon Blue fumbled twice, once inside the red zone and another one deep inside Texas territory at the 25-yard line. Blue didn’t see another carry, but he wasn’t the only one playing sloppy. The Longhorns had 10 points taken off the board by penalties. Two players did carry their weight though: Arch Manning and WR Deandre Moore. Manning was solid, going 26/31 for 324 yards and two TDs while Moore caught both of those TDs and had four receptions for 103 yards. Mississippi State played better than expected but didn’t have even close to enough gas to keep up with the Longhorns even on their off day. One bright spot was that the State was able to put up 150 rushing yards, where they failed to put up even 100 against Arizona State and Toledo. Texas has a lot to clean up going forward, and it better happen quickly as they get OU in two weeks and Georgia the week after that.
Hammer: Texas had a lot more trouble in this game than I figured they would. I think two things are true. One, Quinn Ewers is unquestionably the better QB right now. Arch Manning didn't play poorly, but Ewers runs the offense better. Two, they were overlooking the Bulldogs. I’m not really sure why as the Horns have a bye week now before playing OU in the Red River Rivalry, but this was just not the best effort from Texas. This game was 14-6 with under a minute remaining in the third quarter. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, but not their best. Credit to Jeff Lebby and the Bulldogs for coming to play.
The Waco Kid: Mississippi State sucks, Texas got a free pass on their first year in the SEC. Horns down.
Bossman: Goodness gracious, how about that! This was one of the best games you will ever watch. In fact, I want to turn my TV on right now and watch the replay. I expected a rock fight in a phone booth with both of these defenses playing at a high level and one of the offenses doing just enough to get their team a W. Instead, this one became a shootout, easily topping the 50.5 over/under. Alabama stormed out to a 28-0 lead before Georgia began to claw their way back, ultimately taking the lead 34-33 late in the fourth quarter. But one play later, Jalen Milroe hit Ryan Williams, who made a circus catch and then a Houdini-like juke, for a 75-yard TD to retake the lead. Carson Beck drove the Dawgs down on their final drive but threw his third INT of the game in the endzone to seal the victory for the Tide. Jalen Milroe played lights out and it looks like Kalen DaBoer has unleashed him. He’s a bonafide Heisman contender. He racked up 491 total yards and four TDs - against a Georgia defense that gave up ZERO touchdowns through their first three games. Insanity. The Georgia rushing attack still is having trouble getting established, gaining just 80 yards on the night, though part of that is because the Dawgs were playing from behind for almost the entire game. Huge win for Alabama. Don’t sleep on Georgia though, this team is still dangerous and should be favored in almost every game the rest of the way.
Hammer: This game lived up to the hype and more. What a wild, roller coaster ride of a game. When Alabama jumped out to a 28-0 lead, I couldn't believe my eyes. The Tide beating Georgia was not far-fetched, in fact, they always beat Georgia and Kirby. But the idea of a blowout was never in my mind. The Dawgs do not get blown out. So 28-0 was stunning. Then, of course, Georgia came roaring back in the second half to take a 34-33 lead with 2:31 seconds remaining. After surrendering a 28-point lead, when most teams would crumble, Alabama calmly scored on their first play on the following drive. Jalen Milroe connected with freshman phenom Ryan Williams for a 75-yard TD in one of the prettiest plays you will ever see. Williams toyed with a pair of Georgia defensive backs and then burned them en route to the end zone and Crimson Tide lore. I have a few takeaways from this other than it was a wild, entertaining, and amazing game. First, Kalen DeBoer is working wonders with Jalen Milroe. Given DeBoer’s pedigree of not only winning but getting the most out of his QBs, this should not be a shock but that performance from Milroe was all-time. He threw for 374 yards and two touchdowns on 27/33 attempts and added 117 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Keep in mind, Georgia had not allowed a touchdown in their first three games of the year and Milroe put up that performance. My second takeaway is that something seems off with Carson Beck. He clearly misses Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey. By the end of the game, Beck had thrown for 439 yards and three TDs. But he also threw three interceptions and two of the three were just bad throws and decisions. He also fumbled. Just not good enough and he never had a game like that a year ago. Long term, I expect Beck and Georgia to be fine. The fact that they clawed back in this game speaks volumes about their toughness and resilience, but Beck and this offense need to figure some things out. This was a statement game for Alabama and Kalen DeBoer. They aren’t going anywhere.
The Waco Kid: Roll tide roll. Love this it seems like all is right in the college football world. The Dawgs aren’t on top, Bama is producing like they should. Geez I should play the lottery tonight and see how it works out. If I win, I’m running off to the Caribbean. Great overall team victory and honestly, I love to see it. The red and black lit it up but Carson Beck couldn’t keep the turnovers under control and Milroe took advantage by the tune of 374 through the air and about 120 on the ground. One guy close to 500 yards on the “best defense in college football”? Forget it. Vandy will be a closer game and will control Milroe ten times better than the Kirby Smart scheme. Get ready it’ll be a 10-point game in Nashville and with a dual-threat QB in Diego Pavia, anything can happen. Johnny Football-style, circa 2012.
Other games on the slate:
#14 LSU 42 - South Alabama 10
BYES: Florida, Mizzou, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
