AL.com’s Best of the SEC list

Al.com’s 74th annual survey of SEC SIDs has some interesting results with regard to players’ 2020 seasons.

Best offensive lineman

Alex Leatherwood, Alabama

Runner-up: Trey Hill, Georgia

 

Best Passer

Kyle Trask, Florida

Runner-up: Jamie Newman, Georgia

 

Newcomer to watch

Jamie Newman, Georgia

Runner-up: Bryce Young, Alabama

If you have “Trey Hill, second best offensive lineman in the conference” in the pool, please collect your winnings.

Also, if you’re going to include Newman on your newcomer to watch list, how do you leave Costello off?

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How the East was won

From a David Paschall piece ranking of how SEC programs have fared in cross-divisional regular-season games since their inception come three tidbits, in order of enjoyment.

Good:

… Georgia’s lofty ranking here is largely due to having just three losses to permanent cross-divisional foe Auburn in the last 15 seasons and for having the ability to typically thrash West teams that are struggling.

Better:

Spurrier was 23-7 in cross-divisional games during the regular season, so the Gators actually have a losing record against the West since his magnificent era that yielded six SEC titles in 12 seasons.

Best:

Tennessee’s tremendous run during the back half of the 1990s included 14 consecutive wins over West squads, but it was just the opposite during the 2010s, when instability in Knoxville yielded 15 straight cross-divisional losses.

Explains a lot about the last decade.

TFW death comes at you fast

Shot.

After several months of mixed messages on the coronavirus pandemic, the White House is settling on a new one: Learn to live with it.

Administration officials are planning to intensify what they hope is a sharper, and less conflicting, message of the pandemic next week, according to senior administration officials, after struggling to offer clear directives amid a crippling surge in cases across the country. On Thursday, the United States reported more than 55,000 new cases of coronavirus and infection rates were hitting new records in multiple states.

At the crux of the message, officials said, is a recognition by the White House that the virus is not going away any time soon — and will be around through the November election.

Chaser.

During a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Henry McMaster delivered a stern warning about football this fall in South Carolina as COVID-19 cases in the state continue to rise.

McMaster said that if the number of cases doesn’t start declining, he will have no choice but to not allow Clemson, South Carolina or high schools to play.

The statement came after state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell confirmed 24 deaths caused by COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest daily total since the pandemic began. On Thursday, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control confirmed 1,629 new cases and 19 more deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 39,587, probable cases to 114, and confirmed deaths to 777, and 7 probable deaths.

“If these numbers continue to rise and the danger persists, I can’t do it,” McMaster said during the news conference about allowing football to be played this fall. “I won’t do it.”

Sounds like herd immunity better get its ass here, pronto.