(AP) – 37 minutes ago

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Urban Meyer has been fined $30,000 by the Southeastern Conference for criticizing officials.

Commissioner Mike Slive announced the fine Friday, two days after Meyer said referees missed a late hit against quarterback Tim Tebow in No. 1 Florida's 41-17 win against Georgia.

The fine is the first since the SEC changed its policy about coaches publicly criticizing officials. The conference has done away with reprimands and made the punishment either a fine or a suspension.

Meyer issued a statement of apology following the fine..........[more]

It's at that point in the college football season where only the strongest survive, and the weak are left out in the cold, wondering what could have been. Over the last two seasons, South Carolina faithful have watched their team struggle down the stretch - as the '07 and '08 campaigns have combined for eight consecutive losses to end the season.

Since 2005, USC coach Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks are just 4-12 in games played after Nov. 1. Each year has its own set of promising victories, creating a new, hopeful outlook for the remainder of the season. But following Carolina’s almost yearly slide, the same bitter feeling remains in the stomachs of the fans, players and coaches who thought each year might end up being different..........[more]

Arkansas Traveler's Matt Watson answers Carolina's burning questions

1. Is Ryan Mallett the best quarterback in the SEC?

When Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is at his best, he is the best quarterback in the league, no doubt about it. When he’s on he has great vision in the pocket and really stretches a defense with his power arm. No one throws the deep ball better than Mallett, and without significant pressure he can pick a defense apart.
By the numbers, the Michigan-transfer leads the conference in passing yards per game (268.5) and touchdowns through the air (18). Despite a completion percentage of just 54 percent, he limits his mistakes and has the fewest interceptions (3) of any quarterback averaging more than 200 yards per contest.
The problem is when Mallett’s not in rhythm, he has trouble hitting receivers and can fall in love with throwing deep and miss opportunities to move the ball down field. He has hardly utilized preseason All-SEC tight end D.J. Williams, and if the Razorback protection falls apart, he doesn’t move well on his feet.
While the rest of the Arkansas receiving corps has proven capable of making big plays, whether it’s Joe Adams taking short passes and turning up field for big gains or Greg Childs making diving catches in the end zone, the Hogs have also had weeks where Mallett hits targets in the hands only to see the ball dropped, and he tends to lose focus when the offense can’t get going. But with Mallett at the helm, Arkansas is always a threat to score quickly and often, because he has the best arm in the league and capable weapons to get the ball in the end zone..........[more]

Senior running back Michael Smith — and probably cornerback Andru Stewart, too — will be a part of Arkansas' game plan against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

But cornerback Ramon Broadway's status is more questionable.

Smith (hamstring), Broadway (hamstring) and Stewart (academic issues) did not play in last Saturday's 63-20 nonconference victory over Eastern Michigan.

So after Thursday's brief practice Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino was asked about their status for Saturday's 11:20 a.m., SEC-TV network televised conference game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

"I know Smith will," Petrino said. "He's been full speed. We need to evaluate how Ramon did tonight whether he can really get out there and go. He's practiced. He's done a nice job in short area and change of direction stuff but hasn't really opened it up full speed yet. I need to watch that video and see how he did."

Junior College transfer Stewart seems to be meeting whatever criteria Petrino put upon him.

"He's done a nice job so far," Petrino said. "He's got some strict requirements. So we'll see if he's ready to go Saturday or not. If he takes care of business (Friday), he should be ready to play and help us.".........[more]

Before every season, I look at a team’s schedule and find the slate’s most crucial contests.

When reviewing South Carolina’s, the two that stuck out the most were Kentucky at home and Arkansas on the road.

At the time, I thought winning those two games would give the Gamecocks the best chance at having a better season than last year’s 7-6 record.

I obviously didn’t know then that this week’s battle with the Razorbacks is not just important for success; it’s crucial for survival.

USC coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday he didn’t want the media to “make us feel bad,” about last week’s loss to Tennessee or the upcoming schedule against Arkansas, Florida and Clemson.

But there is a real reason for concern. I wrote last week about the daunting task the last four games bring, and how USC has handled it poorly before..........[more]

It looks like South Carolina will be without one of its best defensive players until the regular season finale against Clemson.

Defensive end Cliff Matthews, already ruled out for Saturday's game at Arkansas, will also miss the Florida game, coaches said Wednesday. The junior has a dislocated shoulder.

"I am not going to put him out there and jeopardize his career," defensive line coach Brad Lawing said. "I'm not going to do that. I don't believe in that. Cliff's a tough kid. And with him, we've got to make sure that he really is able to be out there."

Matthews ranks second on the team with five tackles, and has forced a team-leading three fumbles.

"That's tough to lose a guy like that," Lawing said. "He's probably our most high-energy guy on defense. He makes plays, disrupts a lot of stuff. So that's tough."

King out too. Left tackle Jarriel King will also miss the Arkansas game after suffering an apparent concussion at Tennessee. King had started all but one game this season, though he played left guard for several of them..........[more]

Several SEC coaches say they have no depth chart before the season starts. Eight games into the season, Arkansas' Bobby Petrino says he still doesn't have one set in stone.

After a 30-17 loss to Ole Miss two weeks ago, Petrino tossed the depth chart out the window and announced that the Razorbacks' lineup would be determined by the effort the players gave in practice. As a result, eight new starters took the field for the Hogs' 63-27 win over Eastern Michigan. "It actually was the players who made the decision on who was going to be in there first," Petrino said Wednesday. "We went back and graded every play at practice all week long, and the guys who had the best effort grade got to start the game.".........[more]

News: SEC commissioner Mike Slive issued a mem orandum stating that the league's coaches will receive fines and suspensions for criticizing league officials. He said he would determine the amount of fines and suspensions on a case-by-case basis.

# Views: As usual, Slive and the SEC are missing the real issue.

There's a reason the coaches are complaining.

The officiating has been horrible.

A crew was suspended after it called penalties the league itself said were not supported by video evidence in the LSU-Georgia game Oct. 3 and the Oct. 17 Florida-Arkansas game.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino was reprimanded for making critical statements about officiating in the Razorbacks' 23-20 loss at Florida Oct. 17..........[more]

Arkansas freshman Brandon Mitchell will attempt to play both football and basketball for the Razorbacks.

Beyond that, there doesn't appear to be much for sure about Mitchell's status.

Basketball coach John Pelphrey said Mitchell would be joining the team full-time on Thursday. Mitchell, a scholarship football player, seemed to indicate he would only be playing basketball if and when it didn't interfere with playing quarterback..........[more]

IN THE BOWELS OF Neyland Stadium late Saturday night, South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia and receiver Moe Brown huddled to discuss what they could do to make sure this season does not go the way of the previous two.

Their solution: Pick up the practice pace.

Coming off the practice field Wednesday evening, defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye volunteered that the Gamecocks had not had a great practice. Brown thought the execution was OK, but the tempo was lacking.

Did that lead to the sometimes lethargic effort in the 31-13 loss to Tennessee that dropped USC out of the rankings?

Well, the two fumbles in the first five offensive snaps probably took more air out of the balloon than anything that happened, or didn't happen, last week along Bluff Road..........[more]