Another crazy weekend of college football is behind us. The College Football Playoff committee has a fun job ahead of them trying to untangle the top 12. The SEC game-changers for week 13 have multiple performances from ALL the major upsets that flipped the entire conference on its head.
SEC Game Changers Week 13
Offensive Game Changers
Jarquez Hunter RB, Auburn
Auburn pulled off a huge upset last weekend in a 43-41 quadruple overtime victory over the 15th-ranked Aggies. Hunter was a major factor in this massive win for a Tigers’ team that was having a down year. He ran the ball 28 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns. One of those came when they trailed by a touchdown in the first overtime. Hunter took a pitch and forced his way into the end zone. Auburn eventually won it on a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime.
Run Game, Oklahoma
Oklahoma had a clear plan going in as big underdogs in their matchup against Alabama. They were going to run the ball like they saw Vanderbilt succeed against the Crimson Tide early in the season. They executed that plan to perfection in the first half. With 205 yards rushing, and 183 of that coming from quarterback Jackson Arnold and running back Xavier Robinson. Arnold finished with 131 rushing yards and Robinson with 107 plus two touchdowns in their 24-3 thumping of Alabama.
Carson Beck QB, Georgia / Nico Iamaleava QB, Tennessee
Both of these quarterbacks had very similar days. They played far inferior teams. Georgia destroyed Massachusetts and Tennessee ripped UTEP. It’s not a surprise these two talented quarterbacks put up big numbers against those kinds of teams. But they each threw four touchdowns and no interceptions. Beck’s day might have been a little more impressive than Iamaleava’s given that he threw all four of his in the first half. They did what they were supposed to do to those types of opponents and they deserve credit.
Defensive Game Changers
Bryce Thornton DB, Florida
The Gators pulled off the upset with a 24-17 victory over ninth-ranked Ole Miss. The defense was a major reason for the win, sacking Jaxon Dart four times and holding the Rebels to three for 14 on third downs. But Thornton made the big plays in the big moments. Ole Miss trailed by seven in the fourth quarter. With a chance to tie it on each of the final two drives of the game, Dart threw costly interceptions, both to Thornton. He also led the team with 14 tackles. It doesn’t get more game-changing than that.
Anthony Hill Jr. LB, Texas
Texas is one win away from playing in the SEC championship and that’s because of the 31-14 win over Kentucky. The offense played well but the defense stymied the Wildcats holding them to two for 12 on third downs and only 21 total rushing yards. The leader of that defense was Hill who led the team with 11 tackles, seven of them solo. He also added two sacks and two additional tackles for loss.
Negative Game Changers
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Alabama’s offense simply didn’t show up in a game where they desperately needed it. Milore has been one of the best players in the conference, but he’s one of the SEC game-changers this week for the wrong reasons. Milroe looked lost. He made poor decisions in the run game mustering only seven yards on 15 carries. They only trailed by seven at the half, but then he threw interceptions on the first two drives. The first one was poor blocking on a screen. But the second was a terrible decision and throw by Milroe. And as the last line of defense, he gave very little effort to make a tackle on the return leading to a defensive touchdown that was the nail in the coffin.
