MISSISSIPPI STATE: Tailback Jerious Norwood was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after running for 112 yards on 20 carries in the win over Tulane. The Bulldogs open the season with three straight home games, the first time this has happened since 1999. Receiver Tee Milons has played little because Coach Sly Croom said he has not proven himself on the practice field. Croom said he is also expecting much more from safety Quinton Culberson and tight end Eric Butler, who caught two passes for 38 yards including a 27-yard score in the Tulane game. State’s defensive backs could struggle to cover the Auburn receivers. (BulldogBlitz.com)

GEORGIA: Free safety Thomas Davis had 11 tackles and an interception last week in the win over Georgia Southern. Bulldog quarterback David Greene is 12-1 on the road. He is 33-8 as the Bulldog starting quarterback. Georgia is 10-2 under Mark Richt in August/September. Defensive end David Pollack, who has 24.5 sacks in his career, is five sacks away from the Bulldog career record. Punter Gordon Ely-Kelso and cornerback Mike Gilliam are back from one game suspensions. Middle linebacker Derrick White, who replaced the suspended starter Odell Thurman, is questionable for the game. Sophomore Jarvis Jackson or junior Jamario Smith could replace him. In last year’s game, Georgia beat USC 31-7 in Athens. Receiver Reggie Brown had seven catches for 104 yards. (UGASports and SECSports.com)

SOUTH CAROLINA: USC has won four straight home openers. Georgia leads 16-7-2 in games played at Columbia. Georgia has won the past two games and five of the past seven. Josh Brown, who was 1of-3 in field goals last week, is now punting and Thomas Hooper will be kicking field goals. (SECSports.com and GamecockCentral.com)

EASTERN MICHIGAN AT FLORIDA: Eagles safety Jerry Gaines was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week last year against Akron. Tailback Anthony Sherrill (5-9, 193) rushed for 151 yards on 24 carries last week in a 37-34 win against Buffalo. Eastern Michigan has eight players from the state of Florida on its roster. EMU allowed 225 yards rushing to Buffalo last week. Florida is 8-1 against MAC teams. Game time has been moved from 6 p.m. to 1 p.m. Linebacker Channing Crowder and safety Jarvis Herring will play this Saturday, but they will be suspended for the Middle Tennessee State game. Crowder and Herring were suspended over the summer for their involvement in a downtown Gainesville dispute. Running back Skyler Thornton has also been suspended for the MTSU game because he was involved in the same incident. Junior Kenny Parker will start over sophomore Ray McDonald at defensive tackle. (GatorBait.net and SECSports.com)

ARKANSAS STATE AT LSU: The Indians lost 52-20 last week to Missouri, but they gained 425 yards of offense. However, they allowed the Tigers over 500 yards offense. Receiver Jerome Stegall has five catches for 60 yards against Missouri last week. Quarterback Nick Noce was 19-of-26 for 240 yards and two scores against the Tigers. Last week against Oregon State, defensive end Marcus Spear had five tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and a pass deflection. The Tigers want to improve on their third-down conversions (they were 4-of-17 against Oregon State) and rushing totals (sophomore Justin Vincent led the team with 48 yards on 15 carries). (TigerBait.com and SECSports.com)

TEXAS AT ARKANSAS: This is the ESPN primetime game Saturday night. Longhorn linebacker Derrick Johnson had nine tackles and three forced fumbles in the win over North Texas. Quarterback Vince Young threw for 153 yards and ran for 49 more in the opener. The Longhorsn rushed for 513 yards against North Texas, a bowl team last season. Texas had been ranked in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 for 88 straight weeks. In games played at Fayetteville, Texas leads 16-3, but they have not played there since 1989. Arkansas has won the past three meetings including last year’s 38-28 win in Austin and a 27-6 win the 2000 Cotton Bowl. The Hogs have worked hard on special teams this week because the Longhorn unit is so dangerous. Hog tight end Jared Hicks has a shoulder strain. (HawgSports.com and SECSports.com)

OLE MISS: The Rebels want to avoid their first 0-2 start since 1987. Ole Miss has won two of the last three meetings, while Alabama has won 11 of the past 13 games. The Rebel receivers could give the Tide defensive backs problems. Ole Miss wants to improve its rushing production. Against Memphis, the Rebels gained only 58 yards on 33 attempts. (RebelGrove.com)

ALABAMA: The Tide has beaten Ole Miss six straight times in Bryant-Denny. In last year’s game, Ole Miss scored 24 points in the first quarter and led 31-10 at half. Rebel quarterback Eli Manning threw for 230 yards and three scores. Alabama has never lost to Ole Miss twice in a row. The Tide has not seen many 4-2-5 defenses like the Rebels utilize. Freshman receiver Keith Brown led the Tide against Utah State with four catches for 91 yards. He is a tall, deep threat that Alabama has not had in years. It is hard for the Alabama scout team to simulate Rebel quarterback Micheal Spurlock. Tide linebacker Juwan Garth might shadow him Freshman Marcel Stamps has been a pleasant surprise on special teams. Freshmen offensive linemen B. J. Stabler (torn ligament in his right hand) and center Antoine Caldwell (foot surgery) are close to returning. The LSU game (Nov. 13) and Auburn (Nov. 20) are possibilities for ESPN to televise. Alabama’s game at Arkansas on Sept. 25 could possibility end up on CBS at 3:30 P.M. (Mobile Register and BamaOnline.com)

KENTUCKY: The Wildcats are off this week after looking dismal against Louisville last week. Kentucky managed only 238 total yards and crossed midfield only twice. It was the first time that the Wildcats have been shutout by a non-conference opponent since 1978. Freshman offensive lineman Micah Jones was working with the first team unit Tuesday. (Kentucky Sports Report)

TENNESSEE: Jason Allen, who has played at cornerback most of the season, is probably moving to safety this week replacing Corey Campbell. Jonathan Hefney and Jonathan Wade are manning the corners. Brandon Johnson is working at strong safety. The Vols allowed UNLV to rush for 164 yards because the secondary did not give much run support. Tailback Cedric Houston is rehabbing his sprained ankle. Hefney appears to have won the punt returner job because he consistently catches the ball. C. J. Leak was back to working at safety this week after moving from tight end. ESPN GameDay will either be at Florida at Tennessee or Auburn at LSU next week. (Volquest.com)

FLORIDA STATE: Seminole Coach Bobby Bowden is starting John Frady at center in place of David Castillo and Ron Lunford at guard for Bobby Meeks. Behind Lunford is freshman Jacky Claude. Chris Hall has been selected as the staring punter over Brett Cimorelli. Last year, Hall punted three times and averaged 49 yards per kick. Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle has tried to stir things up with his comments about FSU receiver Dominic Robinson not “matching up with him”. The rumor that USC star Whitney Lewis might transfer to FSU in not true according to his friend and FSU tailback Lorenzo Booker. Cro Thorpe is the starting flanker and Chauncey Stovall the starting split end. (Warchant.com)

MIAMI: Coach Larry Coker said Tony Tella will start on the offensive line, but Andrew Bain and Derrick Morse will play. Coker also said playing the game on a Friday night hurts because any prospects that would have normally come in the for game are unable to attend the game. (CaneSport.com)

GEORGIA TECH AT CLEMSON: The Tigers must control Yellow Jacket receivers Calvin Johnson, Nate Curry and Levon Thomas. Wake did not test the Tiger secondary last week. Clemson cornerbacks Tye Hill and Justin Miller were thought to be too far off the line of scrimmage in the win over Wake. Clemson must stop P. J. Daniels, the ACC’s leading rusher last year, who gained 169 yards and three scores last week against Samford. Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is expected to improve after completing only 20-of-41 passes for 288 yards and two picks against Wake. The two best units on the field are Clemson’s offense and the Tech defense. (Rivals.com)

NORTH CAROLINA AT VIRGINIA: UNC has to stop tailback Wali Lundy of Virginia, who ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns against Temple last week. Conversely, UNC will counter with sophomore tailback Ronnie McGill, who gained 133 yards on 13 carries last week in the William & Mary game. UNC allowed William & Mary to gain 38 points and 450 yards last week. (Rivals.com)

BRENT BEAIRD IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE CLAY COUNTY LINE IN ORANGE PARK, FL.
HE ALSO WRITES FOR RIVALS.COM AND SAMSPORTSLINE.COM.