By Chris Marler
Numbers never lie. And that’s why this is the most important thing you will read before the Week 9 SEC slate kicks off. Here are numbers every fan needs to know:
7: Auburn is one of seven teams in the country that’s averaging over 6.5 yards per play on offense and allowing less than 5.0 yards per play on defense. The other six teams are a combined 36-4. Auburn is somehow 2-5.
3: Auburn has just three wins in road games since the start of the 2022 season. The Tigers are 3-9 with seven of those nine games decided by double digits. However, all three wins were against teams with losing records which Kentucky currently has.
10-2: Since 2012 Alabama is 12-0 overall and 10-2 against the spread in games following playing Tennessee.
11: Missouri’s defense has allowed only 11 total passes of 20 yards or more this season. That is the best in the SEC and third overall in the country.
133rd: Oklahoma ranks 133rd in the country in sacks allowed this season with 29 total allowed. They’ve allowed 15 in the last two games alone, and 20 total against SEC opponents in just four games. To put that in perspective, they allowed 20 total all season a year ago in 13 games playing in the Big 12.
7th: Ole Miss ranks top seven nationally in sacks (7th), tackles for loss (2nd), and total quarterback pressures (2nd).
96th: If it feels like there have been more penalties in SEC games than usual, you’d be right. Eight total teams rank 96th or worse in FBS in total penalties this season.
2: Texas ranks in the top two nationally in pass defense for passing yards allowed, opponent passer rating, passing touchdowns allowed, yards per attempt allowed, and total passing yards allowed.
2: Total Turnovers from Vanderbilt all season which leads the SEC and is second in the country.
52.04: Arkansas’ third down conversion percentage which ranks second in the SEC and ninth nationally.
49.5: Mississippi State’s defense is allowing opponents to convert on 49.5 percent of third downs this season which is last in the SEC and 130th nationally. If the season ended today, it would be the third highest in the SEC over the last nine years.
77.8: Brian Kelly in his college career is 14-3-1 ATS, for a winning percentage of 77.8 percent, on a road trip (2nd consecutive games or more on road), where his team is on normal rest or less (7 days). His last loss came back in 2006 with Central Michigan (via Action Network).
