By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Well, I’m pretty sure that isn’t how the SEC was hoping the first weekend would go.

It wasn’t horrible or anything, but it couldn’t have gone as scripted. In their defense, one of the major reasons everyone was so excited about the match ups to start the college season was that most SEC teams scheduled legit opponents, not schools from the Underwater Basket Weaving conference.

Considering all the hoopla and questions coming into this weekend the one thing I basically learned is that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

For instance, if I had told you before Saturday to pick one SEC team that had a defense and running game good enough to compete for the conference title, but their quarterback play was the equivalent of Kenny Mayne’s one episode on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ does any team other than LSU come to mind?

Tennessee and Florida both showed that the talent is there to make some noise, but so is the inconsistency that hindered them last year. I could almost give Tennessee a little bit a pass just because App. State is not a pushover (don’t be surprised if they are victorious over Richt’s Hurricanes in a few weeks), but still that’s a game the Vols should’ve won without having to rely on lady luck along with some clock management issues from the Mountaineers.

Arkansas had to make a comeback, while Mississippi State blew a lead, against two schools that most people probably have no idea whether they are FBS or FCS schools. Yet, nobody batted an eye at either outcome.

Even the three teams that didn’t disappoint weren’t all that surprising. You pretty much know what you’re going to get from Alabama- top 5 defense, strong running game, and a quarterback who won’t make many mistakes.

The only real question about the Tide is can their QB make the necessary plays when called upon. Texas A&M looked strong against UCLA, but I’m not sure anyone paid attention.

Even Georgia, who I was actually pretty impressed with in their win over UNC, was what I expected. I will say this, they have got one hell of a quarterback in Eason. Hopefully Smart will give him the reins and allow him to play through his mistakes. The future is now in Athens.

As the rest for the league it was pretty much business as usual. Vanderbilt and South Carolina played each other, but does it really count if nobody cares, watches, or even notices that a game is being played?

Missouri and Kentucky both lost their respective games and not even their fans were all that surprised.

Auburn actually played a much more tightly contested game against Clemson, but it said more about Clemson than it did Auburn. My favorite thing from the Auburn/Clemson game was John Franklin III.

Nothing against the kid, but I love the fact Auburn’s quarterback situation is in such bad shape that Malzahn voluntarily played Franklin in a close game. In case you haven’t seen ‘Last Chance U’, Franklin is the same guy who only a year ago was riding the bench at a junior college behind a quarterback who had to walk on at Mississippi State.

Look, I know it was only the first week and things are going to ebb and flow throughout the season. If this season does happen to be more of the same old song and dance for SEC, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, it’s worked out pretty well for you in 8 of the past 10 seasons, don’t you think?