The SEC Championship game will pit the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs against each other in College Football Playoff national title rematch, and the stakes couldn't be higher. The winner will move onto the playoff, and the loser will likely get bounced from the final four altogether.
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With bowl season finally upon us, there are a few single-season SEC records that could come tumbling down before this year is out. From an all-time great quarterback to one of the best pass rushers in conference history, there are a bunch of all-time marks that could be reset before 2018 is out.
Single Season Passing Touchdowns: 44
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has 36 touchdown passes heading into the SEC title game, and Missouri quarterback Drew Lock's 2017 record of 44 is definitely within reach. The Crimson Tide could very well play three more games, and with Tua only needing eight more touchdown tosses to tie Lock, we might see the conference's new record holder holding the Heisman Trophy.
Passing Efficiency: 182.0
Tua Tagovailoa is on pace to shatter Baker Mayfield’s passer-rating record, and his teammates believe he can do more: “He’s going to win the Heisman twice.” https://t.co/n92sX9z78r pic.twitter.com/lF5Hvy6EsX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2018
No disrespect to former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton's 2010 season, but this one isn't going to be close. Tagovailoa is sitting on a 212.5 passer rating, which would also shatter Baker Mayfield's NCAA record of 196.9 in one season. We're watching not only one of the greatest seasons by a quarterback in SEC history, but in all of college football.
Highest Completion Percentage: 72.3
Tua is one massive SEC Championship victory away from locking up the Heisman Trophy, but with potentially three games remaining, and the flying Hawaiian is also sitting on a 70.3-percent completion rate, he has a chance to break Tim Couch's 1998 record before this season is out.
Passing Yards Per Attempt: 10.4
The record holder is former LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger from his 2013 season, which helps when you're throwing to Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, but Tua Tagovailoa is currently ahead of that pace, averaging a whopping 11.9 yards per attempt. Don't expect Tua to turn down the throttle, either.
Sacks in One Season: 15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7HmT0MKDnY
With his bowl game left, Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen needs just one more sack to tie Willie Evans, Shane Ray, and Jarvis Jones' SEC record, and two more to be the all-time single season leader. The likely SEC Defensive Player of the Year is receiving Heisman Trophy votes for good reason, as he's been an absolute game-wrecker for the Wildcats.
Forced Fumbles: 6
This is a two-for-one, as both Josh Allen and Florida defensive end Jachai Polite both have five forced fumbles, one shy of LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu's 2011 record. Both have a bowl game remaining, and these two future NFL standouts are in a two-horse race to own this record.
Extra Point Attempts: 79
A nice 70 yarder today. #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/LJz0EBInpI
— Joseph Bulovas (@JosephBulovas9) September 16, 2015
Alabama kicker Joseph Bulovas likely won't break the record for most made extra points as he's still 15 behind, but with 68 attempts so far, he's within striking distance of Florida's Johnathan Phillips' 2008 record. It sure helps to be on the most electric offenses in SEC history, huh?
Yards Per Punt: 48.1
No punter in SEC history has ever surpassed 50.0 yards per punt, but Texas A&M punter Braden Mann is on pace to break Georgia punter Drew Butler's record. Mann is averaging 51.1 yards per punt with one game left, and being three yards clear of the record looks like it'll be his in the end.
Yards Per Punt Return: 24.4
Mecole Hardman with the 70 yard punt return TD #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/mFHZoKIBb6
— Dawg Hoops (@garunsthisstate) September 15, 2018
In 2015, Texas A&M's Christian Kirk set the SEC record, but Georgia's Mecole Hardman could break that with one or two monster returns to end the season. Hardman averages 21.8 yards per return in 2018, so this one is definitely in striking distance if he can manage to take a second punt to the house this season.
Close Calls
Passing Yards in Single Season: 4,275
Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu needed 357 yards to break Tim Couch's 1998 record. However, the Rebels finished this season with a 5-7 record, and he won't get that chance.
Yards from Scrimmage: 2,310
It would take a Herculean effort for Texas A&M running back Trayveon Williams to catch Derrick Henry's 2015 record, but with 1,802 scrimmage yards this season, Williams has a chance to become just the fourth player in SEC history to reach 2,000 yards in a single season during the Aggies bowl game.
