John Clay’s Sidelines

(AP photo)

SEC links for Friday:

Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun reports on Florida’s loss to Syracuse: “Before a split crowd of 9,353 Syracuse and Florida fans at the St. Pete Times Forum, Florida (8-1) suffered its first loss of the season. Familiar early season problems, turnovers and rebounding, caught up to the Gators. Florida committed 19 turnovers and were out-rebounded 43-31 against a more physical Syracuse frontline.”

Donna Ditota of the Syracuse Post-Standard on the Orange’s big win: “There were plenty of those for the Orange. SU shot 53 percent overall against Florida and 58 percent in the second half. Rick Jackson carried the offensive load for SU before intermission, when he scored 16 points - one short of his career high for an entire game.”

Austin Ward of the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports on Lane Kiffin’s defiance: “But Kiffin clearly isn’t running away from an investigation by one and doesn’t seem all that shaken by a report from the other. If anything he only seemed annoyed Thursday to have to answer questions about his recruiting practices again in his first public comments since an NCAA review of the Vols came to light this week.”

John Pennington of Mr. SEC on the Kiffin double-standard: “When you accuse another coach of cheating, everyone will look to see if you’re cheating. When you question another coach’s discipline, everyone will keep a close eye on your discipline. When you poke fun that another school isn’t playing its freshman receiver, everyone will write it up when your own freshman receiver complains about his playing time on Facebook.”

AP report on Mississippi State’s rout of DePaul: “There’s something about Tampa that brings out the best in Mississippi State. Returning to the St. Pete Times Forum, where they made an improbable run to the SEC Tournament championship last March, the Bulldogs routed DePaul 76-45 Thursday night in the SEC/Big East Invitational.”

In The State, Jon Solomon reports that Steve Spurrier sends UConn a zinger: “Connecticut coach Randy Edsall and Spurrier attended a joint news conference Thursday to promote South Carolina’s appearance at the Jan. 2 Papajohns.com Bowl. Spurrier couldn’t resist addressing published reports that Edsall interviewed Wednesday for the Notre Dame job, which is reportedly going to Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly.”

Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports on Tennessee basketball: “Coach Bruce Pearl appreciates that his ninth-ranked Volunteers (6-1) have learned to win slower-paced games. But starting tonight against the Blue Raiders (3-5), he’d like to see them force their brand of up-tempo basketball on the opposition.”

Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register reports on Bama’s bowl preparations: “UA officials were in Southern California on Thursday finalizing plans for the team’s trip to the West Coast. The Crimson Tide will begin bowl practice Dec. 19 in Tuscaloosa, break Dec. 23 for the holidays and reconvene on campus Dec. 27. The team will then fly to California on New Year’s Day to begin on-site activities.”

Aaron Suttles of the Tuscaloosa News reports on Bama’s offensive line: “It was a redemptive moment for Johnson, the Tide’s first-team All-SEC offensive lineman - not just because he was a part of the group that ran just six plays in the fourth quarter of the 2008 SEC title game, but also because only a week earlier the offensive line’s effectiveness was limited against a thin Auburn defense.”

Gary Laney of The Advocate on the SEC coaching carousel: “Then you are blind-sided by Charlie Strong getting the Louisville head coaching job. So this morning, you have new questions to ask. Who will Strong hire? Who is Urban Meyer going after to replace Strong, one of the Southeastern Conference’s most respected defensive coordinators for the past 10 years?”