Senior writer for The Athletic, covering college football with a focus on the SEC. Longtime Georgia beat writer, still based in Athens.https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwz3dova6s26You know I've got a feeling tongiht that Clemson will be able to keep this ... Ah, well, nevertheless.03 Oct 2026 23:51 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwz3dova6s26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyzg7xjgc2f“Our squad’s just so dominant. Keelon’s Keelon. We’ve got a good O-line, we’ve got receivers, we’ve got everything, every piece. So excited for what we have in store.” Alabama is back? It sure looks like it - but we’ll have to see next week. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7656519/2026/10/03/alabama-football-mississippi-state-kalen-deboer/?unlocked_article_code=1.F1E.kQnj.PxBsgfVPKb1T03 Oct 2026 23:16 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyzg7xjgc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyj7us6n226OK, we have arrived at an off-the-rails situation in this game.03 Oct 2026 18:27 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyj7us6n226https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyhoae54c26Kamario Taylor is not running the ball: He scrambled and threw the ball a few times, but otherwise was in the pocket. His only three runs were sacks. He came into the game with 37 runs for 185 yards.03 Oct 2026 17:59 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyhoae54c26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyhb75ckc26Mississippi State had first-and-goal from the 2 with 21 seconds left in the half, two timeouts ... then went backward. Got the field goal, but feels like this is a need-touchdown game.03 Oct 2026 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyhb75ckc26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwygn2tc6k26Looked almost like Mississippi State permitted the touchdown there, at least once it reached inside the 5.03 Oct 2026 17:40 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwygn2tc6k26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyfctynas26There have been five turnovers, four of them fumbles, and there is still 9:09 left in the second quarter.03 Oct 2026 17:17 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyfctynas26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyerpbzbk26Mississippi State BADLY needed a break like that.03 Oct 2026 17:07 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyerpbzbk26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwydlanz4k26The QB matchup deservedly has the hype, but Alabama is running the ball with impunity and unless that stops it's hard to see Mississippi State ending the drought in this rivalry.03 Oct 2026 16:46 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwydlanz4k26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwycseyfn226What an impressive drive for Kamario Taylor: The game looking like it was about to be a dumpster fire, he stands in the pocket and hits the long gain on third down, then more passes downfield for the eventual TD.03 Oct 2026 16:32 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwycseyfn226https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwycmz57ys26Through 10 minutes of game action, Anthony Evans on pace for 30 catches for 414 yards. We'll see if that holds up.03 Oct 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwycmz57ys26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwybuelpds26It's pretty humid here in Starkville - rain has held off - which may explain the ball slipping out of Kamario Taylor's hands there.03 Oct 2026 16:15 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwybuelpds26https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwyb37bexc2gThe sound of tens of thousands of cowbells clanging in unison.03 Oct 2026 16:01 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyb37bexc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwy5tc5rw22gThe cowbells in pregame have been compared to the sound of locusts. I don’t know, it seems like very loud locusts already.03 Oct 2026 15:03 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwy5tc5rw22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwxxmpb4tc2gMississippi State has a tradition so loud the SEC once banned it: A story of cowbells: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7652494/2026/10/03/mississippi-state-football-cowbell-tradition/?unlocked_article_code=1.F1E.uZ9O.8yGHEuyR8juo03 Oct 2026 13:12 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwxxmpb4tc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwu3nmivdk24Hello.02 Oct 2026 00:13 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwu3nmivdk24https://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwotyb4zhs2oEric Schmitt, one of the architects of the Protect College Sports Act. Truly the best and the brightest coming to save college sports. [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 22:13 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwotyb4zhs2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwj6pr6m322sSEC vibes rankings: Parity is real - and deep. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7635575/2026/09/27/sec-football-rankings-week-4-florida-mississippi-state/27 Sep 2026 16:09 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwj6pr6m322shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwitl3zczc2sJohn Mateer went full Garo Yepremian, and it symbolized the sorry state of Oklahoma's offense. Mateer is a mess and thus so is Oklahoma, which is already basically done as a CFP contender, and Brett Venables is at a crossroads moment: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7633922/2026/09/27/oklahoma-football-john-mateer-future/27 Sep 2026 12:49 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwitl3zczc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwipgge7e22sThis clip sums up why Lincoln Riley, apart from just not getting defense right, isn't up to being a head coach. At minimum, his staff was afraid to tell him before the presser the cameras caught his player laughing after the Moore injury. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ddx0_cwinQf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D27 Sep 2026 11:35 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwipgge7e22shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwhsx6im522sMississippi State's Anthony Evans may have made the SEC catch of the year to this point, considering the circumstances.27 Sep 2026 03:05 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwhsx6im522shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwhczla5hk2sUpdate: Georgia now out-gaining Oklahoma 254-211 and winning 38-6. [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Sep 2026 22:20 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwhczla5hk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwhclsg2wk2sAt the end of the third quarter Oklahoma is out-gaining Georgia 210-173 and losing 31-6.26 Sep 2026 22:13 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwhclsg2wk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwhc3rujd22sWe're up to six turnovers between Oklahoma (three fumbles and an INT) and Georgia (fumble and an INT).26 Sep 2026 22:04 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwhc3rujd22shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwhbajeb3c2sGeorgia's offense, after scoring consecutive TDs in the first half, then spent nearly 14 minutes of game action (13:56) off the field. Since then, 12 plays for 34 yards (including TD on a short field.)26 Sep 2026 21:49 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwhbajeb3c2shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwh6rmwnec2sOffensive yards at halftime: Georgia 150, Oklahoma 140. Score at halftime: Georgia 28, Oklahoma 026 Sep 2026 21:04 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwh6rmwnec2shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwh6hulqh22sMateer fumbles again ... and Chris Cole recovers again ... this time not all the way to the end zone. But still.26 Sep 2026 20:59 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwh6hulqh22shttps://bsky.app/profile/sethemerson.bsky.social/post/3mwh4yzyru22sOh man, John Mateer.26 Sep 2026 20:33 +0000at://did:plc:ngm374c5jlf22azzrfj2c4s5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwh4yzyru22s