Urban Meyer fined $30,000.

Read the MrSEC.com take here.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays —
12:20pm CT on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence, Alabama.

Thursdays —
1:20pm CT on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee… 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama… and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays —
3:30pm ET on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3FM and 990AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fridays —
5:05pm CT on “SportsTalk” with Dave Barr on KREB 1190 AM in Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas … KTTG ESPN 96.3 FM in Fort Smith, Arkansas … and KABZ 103.7 FM “The Buzz” in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Saturdays —
9:40am ET on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

Just wanted to do a little pimping for Josh Ward and the great work he does over on our Recruiting page.

For those of you who like to keep track of what’s being written about each SEC school’s recruiting, our Recruiting page is the perfect place hang out.

Josh has a number of new stories, bits, blurbs and links up today as a matter of fact.

Check it our right here.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

FAYETTEVILLE (AP) – Ryan Mallett went 14 of 16 for 248 yards and three touchdowns, and Broderick Green added a 99-yard touchdown run to lead Arkansas to a 63-27 rout of Eastern Michigan on Saturday night.
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Slive’s reprimand to Kiffin now public

Read the entire story here.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays —
12:20pm CT on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence, Alabama.

Thursdays —
1:20pm CT on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee… 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama… and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays —
3:30pm ET on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3FM and 990AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fridays —
5:05pm CT on “SportsTalk” with Dave Barr on KREB 1190 AM in Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas … KTTG ESPN 96.3 FM in Fort Smith, Arkansas … and KABZ 103.7 FM “The Buzz” in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Saturdays —
9:40am ET on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

SEC Stats: Efficiency Ratings… In-Conference Games.

Prepare to be surprised.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays —
12:20pm CT on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence, Alabama.

Thursdays —
1:20pm CT on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee… 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama… and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays —
3:30pm ET on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3FM and 990AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fridays —
5:05pm CT on “SportsTalk” with Dave Barr on KREB 1190 AM in Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas … KTTG ESPN 96.3 FM in Fort Smith, Arkansas … and KABZ 103.7 FM “The Buzz” in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Saturdays —
9:40am ET on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

Which defenses are the best at forcing turnovers?

Which SEC offenses best take care of the football?

Do good teams get the good calls?  Not necessarily.

How the league has caught up to Gus Malzahn’s offense.

Lane Kiffin’s brash talk has actually landed him a mention in a Lil Wayne rap.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio! John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays —
12:20pm CT on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence, Alabama.

Thursdays —
1:20pm CT on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee… 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama… and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays —
3:30pm ET on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3FM and 990AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fridays —
5:05pm CT on “SportsTalk” with Dave Barr on KREB 1190 AM in Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas … KTTG ESPN 96.3 FM in Fort Smith, Arkansas … and KABZ 103.7 FM “The Buzz” in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Saturdays —
9:40am ET on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

SEC Officials Do NOT Try To Influence Games

Read the entire story here.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays at 12:20pm CST on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence/Huntsville, Alabama.

Thursdays at 2:20pm CST on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee, 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays at 3:30pm EST on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3 FM, 990 AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Most Saturdays at 9:40am EST on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 and 1370 AM.

1.  As you know by now, Dan Mullen is a reprimanded man.

2.  The SEC has told Kyle Veazey of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger that the controversial touchdown/no touchdown call against the Bulldogs on Saturday was not overturned due to insufficient evidence.

“The instant replay process operates under the fundamental assumption that the ruling on the field is correct.  The replay official may reverse a ruling if and only if the video evidence convinces him beyond all doubt that the ruling was incorrect.  Without such indisputable video evidence, the replay official must allow the ruling to stand.”

3.  State defensive back Jonathan Banks is quickly making a name for himself.

4.  In basketball news, forward Elgin Bailey might miss the entire season due to an ankle injury.

1.  As you know by now, Dan Mullen is a reprimanded man.

2.  The SEC has told Kyle Veazey of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger that the controversial touchdown/no touchdown call against the Bulldogs on Saturday was not overturned due to insufficient evidence.

“The instant replay process operates under the fundamental assumption that the ruling on the field is correct.  The replay official may reverse a ruling if and only if the video evidence convinces him beyond all doubt that the ruling was incorrect.  Without such indisputable video evidence, the replay official must allow the ruling to stand.”

3.  State defensive back Jonathan Banks is quickly making a name for himself.

4.  In basketball news, forward Elgin Bailey might miss the entire season due to an ankle injury.

Kentucky proved Saturday night that a fast start can be enough to beat a slow finish.

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UK’S WALL NOT ELIGIBLE YET?!?!

Read the entire story here.

The SEC Should Lead The Way On Dark Jersey Issue

Read the entire story here.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays at 12:20pm CST on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence/Huntsville, Alabama.

Thursdays at 2:20pm CST on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee, 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays at 3:30pm EST on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3 FM, 990 AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Most Saturdays at 9:40am EST on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM.

No one has done a better job of coaching through the season’s first five weeks than Gene Chizik at Auburn.

And much — if not most — of his success can be traced back to one decision: hiring Gus Malzahn.

Auburn’s new offensive coordinator has done it again.  His fast-break, wild formation offense is mowing through the SEC. 

This past weekend, though he was slowed in the red zone, Malzahn rolled up more than 450 yards against Monte Kiffin’s Tennessee defense.  Just as everyone learned that Urban Meyer’s spread was no gimmick, Saturday performance went a long way toward validating Malzahn’s attack.

Why if Malzahn keeps this up…

Ah.  And that brings us to the fear.

If Malzahn keeps this up, the man who was the head coach of a high school team in the fall of 2005 might just wind up being the head coach of a college team by the fall of 2010.

There will certainly be a number of jobs that open up after this season.  Programs like Colorado, Virginia and Indiana might be open.  Louisville and Texas A&M — with some extreme circumstances — might be vacant as well.

And there will be some surprise firings, too.  There always are.

Well if you’re an athletic director of a school that’s losing games wouldn’t you want to know more about the man who had a hand in Arkansas’ wildcat formation?  The man who took Tulsa to the top of the nation’s offensive rankings?  The man who’s turning Auburn around?

You’re darn right you would.

Not only would Malzahn provide the buzz that comes with any fresh hire, but his offense would help sell tickets.  And in this economy, that’s a big-time plus for Gus.

Right now, Malzahn is making $350,000 on The Plains.  If his offense continues to produce, you can expect the Tiger athletic department to raise his pay moving forward.

But if Malzahn gets the right head coaching offer, it would be awfully hard for Auburn to hang onto him.  Chizik is a young man.  There will be no “head coach in waiting” deals at AU.

And if I were an athletic director putting together a list of potential coaching candidates, you can bet Malzahn’s name would be right near the top.

ARLINGTON — With the roof closed, Cowboys Stadium can house the Statue of Liberty. But it might have to open up to the sky to contain Arkansas sophomore quarterback Ryan Mallett if he continues to mature as he seemed to Saturday.

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MrSEC.com makes Maxim’s list of “100 Twitter Accounts Every Guy Should Follow.”

“For college football fans, especially SEC devotees, it’s a must,” wrote Maxim.  We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.  Check out the story here.   Thanks to Maxim for the mention and thanks to you for making MrSEC.com the number one destination for news and information about America’s premier conference.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays at 12:20pm CST on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence/Huntsville, Alabama.

Thursdays at 2:20pm CST on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee, 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays at 3:30pm EST on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3 FM, 990 AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Most Saturdays at 9:40am EST on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

HOUSTON — Everything is bigger in Texas, including the plays that Vanderbilt’s offense produced Saturday night.

Kentucky is more than a three-touchdown underdog against top-ranked and defending national champion Florida on Saturday night. But nobody around the Nutter Training Facility has forgotten what happened the last time a No. 1 team visited Commonwealth Stadium.

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To heck with the flu, Florida’s main concern is their wide receiving corps.

More specifically, the big vacant slot left wide open by Percy Harvin’s departure to the NFL.

“Right now,” said Urban Meyer, “our receiving corps is not up to Florida standards.”

Receivers coach Billy Gonzales admits that his unit is hurt by depth issues, but he won’t say anything bad about the group’s talent.

“I’ve got some young guy and they are talented.  I’ve just got to keep on them and make sure they develop.  And that’s my responsibility.  That’s why I’m coaching here, and I would never put anything on a player.”

Couple the Gators’ woes at receiver with the fact that they don’t intend to use Emmanuel Moody as a pure tailback and it looks like Tim Tebow might have to run the ball more than Meyer and the Gators had originally planned.

Tebow might be able to beat Tennessee, Kentucky and a few others single-handedly, but a trip to LSU or an SEC Championship Game rematch with Alabama could be a lot more difficult.

In other words, some receiver had better step up as a playmaker.  Soon.

The battle is over, but the spin has just begun from Urban Meyer and Lane Kiffin. Read the MrSEC.com take here.

MrSEC’s Week Three Power Ratings are out

Here’s what we learned from last weekend’s games

And our latest recruiting comparison has been posted

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays at 12:20pm CST on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence/Huntsville, Alabama.

Thursdays at 2:20pm CST on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee, 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays at 3:30pm EST on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3 FM, 990 AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Most Saturdays at 9:40am EST on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

1.  Randy Rosetta of The Baton Rouge Advocate writes up the fact that LSU is averaging “a respectable 325.7 total yards per game.”

2.  He then writes that LSU might become a bit more focused when the competition steps up in October.

3.  Here are “the bests and worsts” from Saturday’s win… which pushed the Tigers to 3-0 for the third consecutive year.

4.  Receiver Brandon LaFell says the Tigers “have to do a better job of getting in a rhythm and moving the chains.”

5.  The defensive worries of Week One have faded into a distant memory now that LSU is dominating teams on defense.  (Yes, but those offenses being dominated belong to Vanderbilt and La-Lafayette.  Check back next month.)

What are fans around the SEC talking about?  Here’s a sample of the most popular stories posted at MrSEC.com in the past 48 hours.

Questions

Why No Love For Georgia-Arkansas?

Kiffin Compares Crompton to Palmer… Is He Right?

Florida Fans Planning To Sing “Rocky Top?”

SEC Stats: Yards Per Pass, Week Two

SEC Stats: Ball Security, Week Two

Opinion

UK’s Violations Are Small, But The Circumstantial Evidence Against Calipari Is Not

Plus, live blogging every Wednesday from the conference calls with every coach in the SEC.

Listen to MrSEC.com on the radio!  John Pennington can be heard:

Tuesdays at 12:20pm CST on “The Boomo Bugg Show” with Harold Bugg and Brett Beaird on 93.9 FM The Score in Florence/Huntsville, Alabama.

Thursdays at 2:20pm CST on “The Thom Abraham Show” with Thom Abraham and Brad Hopkins on Sportsradio 560 AM in Nashville, Tennessee, 730 AM The Ump in Huntsville, Alabama and 103.9 FM in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Fridays at 3:30pm EST on “SportsTalk” with Jimmy Hyams and John Wilkerson on The Sports Animal 99.1 FM, 99.3 FM, 990 AM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Most Saturdays at 9:40am EST on “Fox Football Saturday” with Chris Goforth and David Jenkins on Fox Sports Chattanooga 1310 AM and 1370 AM in Chattanooga.

Caesar’s Palace (which is part of the Harrah’s family of casinos) has posted their lines for Saturday’s action.

Yesterday, we had to bring you online odds.  I hate doing that.  So here are the lines straight from the heart of The Strip.

Mississippi State at
Vanderbilt -8.5

West Virginia at
Auburn -7

Tennessee at
Florida -28.5  

Louisville at
Kentucky -13.5

Georgia at
Arkansas  (PICK)

North Texas at
Alabama   (NO LINE)

Florida Atlantic at
South Carolina -21

Louisiana-Lafayette at
LSU -26.5

1.  You can add Jevan Snead’s name to the list of Ole Miss players who are battling fever, nausea and other flu-like symptoms this week.  But as we suggested earlier today, Houston Nutt believes it’s “good timing really” since the Rebels’ open date falls on Saturday.

2.  A review of the Sunday’s game tape left Nutt lukewarm on the play of left tackle Bradley Sowell.  “He did some good things, but he’s got to be much, much better.”  (Also in this notes column — Nutt admitted to suspending offensive lineman Rishaw Johnson for a violation of team rules.)

3.  Rebel defenders refer to themselves as “Landsharks” and make a fin symbol after a big play. 

Quarterbacks

The Kentucky coaches have talked up the improvement of junior Mike Hartline in fall camp. Now we’ll get to see if it carries over into games. Miami senior Daniel Raudabaugh has nice size at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. He will make his 18th career start and needs 318 passing yards to reach the 5,000-yard mark.

Advantage: Even
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