SEC Round-Up: A&M, Auburn, LSU battling to round out league's top tier

No college football team ever boasts “We’re No. 3!”

Yet, in the SEC, being third might be reason to brag. Currently, Alabama is ranked No. 1 in the nation in both major polls. Georgia is ranked third.

From all indication, they’re the SEC’s two best teams and appear set on a collision course to the conference championship game in Atlanta. Heck, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to suggest they could meet in the College Football Playoff, too.

That raises another question: Which is the next best team in the SEC? Who’s No. 3?

Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M are all 5-2 and can make a legitimate case for the bronze. This year, that could earn a trip to the Cotton Bowl or a New Year’s Day bowl game in Florida.

No. 21 Auburn is the highest ranked of the trio, but the Tigers also blew a big lead and lost to LSU last week. That suggests No. 24 LSU should be considered third. Except, that LSU still carries the stigma of a 37-7 blowout loss to Mississippi State and a 24-21 loss to Troy.

Yes. Troy.

Could a team that lost a mid-season home game to Troy really be third-best in the SEC? The Tigers’ 27-23 victory over Auburn indicates that may be the case.

Then, there’s Texas A&M. The Aggies may have an advantage in that they’ve played Alabama. A&M was competitive in a 27-19 loss to the Tide. LSU faces Alabama on Nov. 4. Auburn will take on the Crimson Tide on Nov. 25.

A&M also is the youngest of the trio with as many as a half-dozen freshman starters, including quarterback Kellen Mond.

The Ags figure to get better as freshmen — and other younger players — get more experience.

“I think Kellen Mond understands more of the system now than he did when we started the system,” A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “You don't run the same things every week. Adding things is part of football. He can discuss it and work at it. He gets comfortable with it. He's grown. It's a combination of things. You learn about each other. It's a relationship like any other. You get a feel for each other.”

A&M seems to be getting the feel as a perhaps the next-best SEC team.

But the Aggies have to overcome their recent trend of November fades. Auburn and LSU are both on the November schedule.

Around the SEC...

Who’s hot: LSU linebacker Devin White is certainly on a hot streak. He’s earned consecutive Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. No question, White had a strong showing in last week’s upset over Auburn. He posted a career-high 15 tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss in that game. The previous week, White had 13 tackles, including a sack, in a 17-16 win over Florida.

Who’s not: The SEC office needs to improve its game. While honoring White both weeks, the SEC overlooked Texas A&M linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who arguably had better performances than White both weeks. In a loss to Alabama two weeks ago, Dodson posted a career-high 16 tackles. That included 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Dodson followed that showing up by posting 11 tackles, a half sack and a win-clinching interception in a 19-17 victory over Florida. To summarize, in the past two games, Dodson had 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception but was ignored by the SEC.

Keep an eye on: Alabama running back Damien Harris has rushed for 249 yards and three touchdowns in the last two games. Two of those touchdowns have come on 75-yard runs — one vs. Texas A&M and the other on the first play vs. Arkansas. He could go for the hat trick on Saturday against Tennessee. The Volunteers have the SEC’s worst run defense and have already allowed six rushing plays over 30 yards and one over 70.

The pressure is on: Seemingly the only chance Ole Miss has to upset LSU depends on the passing of quarterback Shea Patterson. He could cause problems for the Tigers if he’s not under constant pressure. However, LSU is second in the SEC with 23 sacks. Meanwhile, Ole Miss’ pass protection has been spotty with 16 sacks allowed. The onus is on the Rebel offensive line to protect Patterson from LSU’s rush.

Best matchup: For all its issues, Ole Miss has gotten exceptional production from receiver A.J. Brown. Thus far, Brown is averaging a whopping 19.4 yards on 35 catches and has six touchdowns. That sets up a heck of a duel with LSU cornerbacks Donte Jackson and/or Greedy Williams. Both have broken up six passes and have been significant figures on an LSU pass defense that allows just 170.6 passing yards per game and has given up only five touchdowns.

This week’s games: Auburn at Arkansas; LSU at Ole Miss; Kentucky at Mississippi State; Tennessee at Alabama; Idaho at Missouri