It was a fail-filled week in the SEC and we received several nominees. Vanderbilt’s 1-point home win over Charleston Southern was full of fails, but going with Vanderbilt for the second week in a row seemed a bit like kicking someone when they’re down and that’s definitely uncool.
Florida was also in the running after allowing LSU to convert a 3rd and 25 late in the game AND tacking a personal foul onto it. And for not scoring a touchdown after a first-and-goal on the three. And for throwing a key interception at midfield which setup LSU’s game-winning field goal. Like Vandy, picking on Florida at this point seems a bit too easy.
So we went with this play from the Georgia-Missouri game. We probably could have given the award to Missouri as a whole. They let a Georgia team without Gurley run all over them and tallied less than 150 yards of offense against one of the SEC’s worst secondaries. Here at RTI, we try to narrow this down to just one play, and I think you’ll find this one is worthy.
The half is winding down and Georgia has dominated on the way to a 20-0 lead. Missouri needs to make something happen in the final 8 seconds to steal some momentum and it looks like they will. Mauk scrambles and finds a receiver behind the coverage. He’s been abysmal the last two weeks and is completing just 38% of his passes in SEC games. But on this play he was on target.
Let’s analyze the multiple layers of fail.
Georgia gets a fail for letting a receiver get behind the coverage in this situation. There’s no other way to put it, that’s some Sunseri-like stuff.
Wesley Leftwich, the open Missouri receiver, gets a fail for dropping a ball that hit him right in the hands and costing his team 7 points in the process. Of course, he was probably just surprised Mauk (who finished 9/21 for 97 yards and FOUR interceptions) got the ball anywhere close to his hands – but he still gets a fail.
Perhaps most impressive, a holding call on Missouri’s offensive line would have nullified the play had Leftwich actually caught the ball.
Three giant fails on one play will get you SEC Fail of the Week honors 90% of the time. Thanks for viewing and check back next week for more fail.
