Sports Editor

What a year.

This season college football has had to put somebody in a neck brace somewhere, what with all of the upsets that seem to take place each and every week. I, myself, have had to double-take at least two or three times a Saturday when a score flashes up on the little black bar that runs across the bottom of ESPN.

Last Saturday left my neck sore as a woodpecker pecking on a steel beam.

With the exception of Georgia’s 38-7 blasting of Arkansas, all of the SEC west teams won over their eastern division rivals.

Auburn proved Vanderbilt was just Vanderbilt after all, despite all the preseason hype.

The suits up at Tuscaloosa sent word to DuBose that under no circumstances was South Carolina to win against Alabama on Saturday. Not because it would have made Bama 1-4, but because as crazy as these Gamecock fans have gotten lately, they might’ve tried to take down the goal posts at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

LSU made UAB look like a top ten team by beating Tennessee. I must admit that even I was rooting for the Bayou Bengals during that one. Mississippi State did their best Nebraska circa 1996 impersonation by running over, around and through Florida. Ole Miss validated that Kentucky can lead the nation in passing year-in and year- out and still can’t win a football game.

Midterms are here. Here’s the grades on the SEC East so far.

Look for the Western division on Friday.

Tennessee – It seems the Vols were so busy crying over the Florida loss that they forgot about LSU. Like Spurrier in 1997, Phillip Fulmer found out that yes, there is indeed magic in Death Valley. Right now, Rocky Top is mediocre at best. Grade: C

Florida – Steve Spurrier knows offense. Steve Spurrier knows passing. Steve Spurrier used to have a running game. How can anyone explain -78 yards on the ground against the Bulldogs? Granted, there were a lot of sacks, but come on. Grade: C+ ( I give them the plus sign because they did at least rob, excuse me, beat Tennessee.)

South Carolina – Clemson’s ugly little brother found out how to lose again last Saturday against Bama. But still, you’ve got to give Lou Holtz and the Gamecocks credit. 4-1 is not a bad start after 0-11 in 1999. Grade: B+

Kentucky – This is the only school in Division 1-A with an offensive lineman impersonating as quarterback. If passing yards equalled wins, the Wildcats faithful might wait at least until December before thinking about basketball. Grade: C-

Georgia – Could this be the year? Could Georgia finally win the SEC East? Will they be in Atlanta for the championship game? Will they beat Tennessee this week? Will they lay off of the pre-game booze and knock-off Florida at the Worlds Largest Cocktail Party?

Even if they do get by the Vols and Gators, I say they’ll still choke somewhere down the line. Grade: B

Vanderbilt – Woody said there will be a bowl game at the end of this season for his Commodores.

Only if he plans on playing NCAA 2001 on his Playstation. Grade: D