Here at last, the Southeastern Conference is Georgia's for the taking.

No other SEC team is unbeaten (the Bulldogs are 5-0). No other SEC team is ranked as high (the Bulldogs are No. 6, their highest ranking since September 1988). For the first time since Herschel was between the hedges, UGA could end up the league's Big Dog.

Agent Orange is, for the moment, dispersed. Florida and Tennessee, the two teams that have monopolized the SEC Eastern Division since its inception in 1992, each have a league loss. And now the Volunteers must come to Athens, toting a wounded quarterback, and the Gators are deep in damage control after a lurching 4-2 start.

Aggies Say Two QBs Are Better Than One

The old football adage says that if you say you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. It might be true of a lot of teams in a lot of locales, but not of New Mexico State this fall. Behind the work of two California kids, the Aggies have become champions of the Rio Grande, defeating ancient rivals New Mexico and UTEP in the same season for just the third time in the last 25 years. (Big news: the Silver Spade and Brass Spittoon now reside in Las Cruces for a year. Go crazy, folks.) Sophomore Buck Pierce's injured shoulder gave redshirt freshman Paul Dombrowski the opportunity to show how slick he is operating Tony Samuel's I-formation option attack. With Pierce doing the throwing and Dombrowski doing the running -- occasionally alternating plays in the 49-14 trampling of UTEP -- the Aggies (2-3 against solid competition) move into Sun Belt play as one of the prime contenders for the title. Pierce, from Gasquet, Calif., is the starter and the No. 9 rated passer in the country. He's about as likely to make a mistake as Joe Paterno is to wear a 'do rag on the sidelines: Pierce has thrown 97 college passes without an interception. But when he was hurt at California Sept. 7, coach Tony Samuel eased Dombrowski, from Hesperia, Calif., into the position and has kept him involved even after Pierce came back. So far Pierce has logged 100 offensive plays running or passing this year. Dombrowski has 93. They're combining to produce 197 yards of offense per game. Opponents can't pick their poison, because they're going to get a dose of each. "Pierce was hurt in the second game of the year and we've been trying to protect him," Samuel said. "Last game we tried to run him some more (he had three carries against UTEP). We didn't run him once against Georgia." "Dombrowski is a little bit bigger kid. We've always liked to play two quarterbacks." Against the Miners Pierce threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Dombrowski, the team's No. 2 rusher at 50.4 yards per game, ran 12 times for 44 yards. When they weren't alternating plays, the two alternated series. That will give the Sun Belt an added dynamic to prepare for and league play intensifies. The Aggies, who open Saturday at home against Louisiana-Lafayette, accomplished their first goal of winning the Rio Grande championship. Now they go to work on the second: A bowl bid. "It's an interesting league," Samuel said. "Everyone's very, very close to each other in terms of talent. It could come down to injuries and your belief system coming out of the money games. This is where it starts, right now." -- Pat Forde

It's a heady time for a proud program that has been relegated to second-class SEC citizenship for two decades (if that's what 8-4 seasons are). From the last years under Vince Dooley through Ray Goff and Jim Donnan, it's been a humbling stretch in Athens. From 1980-83 the 'Dogs went 23-1 in SEC play, but since then they have lost at least two SEC games every year.

"I think it will be difficult for Georgia to lose two games this year," South Carolina coach Lou Holtz opined.

"Offensively, there's not a weak spot on them," Holtz said. "I'm surprised they have not performed better this year (offensively). That's not a negative reflection on them; they just have a lot of talent.

"Defensively, that is their most underrated part. Their kicking game is excellent. I think they've got good chemistry. I think they're on a purpose. I think they're on a mission."

The mission is seemingly quite possible. Are the Bulldogs up to seizing the opportunity?

"I'm still not quite sure how good we are," said coach Mark Richt, off to a 13-4 start as a head coach. "We could easily be 2-3. I think everyone realizes that. To sit here and beat our chest about how great we are is unrealistic. ...

"I think (the players) know it's still very early," he added. "It's real premature right now."

Richt is right about that. Georgia is only 25 percent into SEC play -- although both wins have come in tough locales, at South Carolina and last week at Alabama. More importantly, Georgia has not yet faced its old nemesis to the north (Tennessee) or its old nemesis to the south (Florida). And for now the road to the SEC title game still goes through those two.

The prove-it part of the schedule commenced last Saturday with the win in Tuscaloosa, aided and abetted by the big mouth of former Auburn coach Pat Dye. But now the Volunteers come to town, and even with QB Casey Clausen questionable with -- depending who you believe -- either a hairline fracture of the collarbone as the the Nashville Tennessean reports or a "sore shoulder" as coach Phillip Fulmer says, the psychological ante is upped even more.

After losing nine straight to Tennessee, Georgia has won the last two, including a sensational last-minute victory in Knoxville last year that went a long way toward validating rookie head coach Richt and freshman quarterback David Greene.

Richt still looks great, but Greene is in the process of reestablishing himself. After throwing for 2,789 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, he got off to a very shaky start while splitting time with hotshot D.J. Shockley.

Greene turned in a career-worst game in the opener against Clemson, then was only marginally better and led no touchdown drives the next week against South Carolina. But since Shockley went on the shelf with a broken foot, Greene has seemingly regained his confidence and piled up the numbers: 777 passing yards and eight touchdowns in the past three games.

"Statistically, he's probably played better," Richt said. "But we've played a couple non-conference teams that helped skew that. Last ballgame he played pretty well (against Alabama). He's probably due to just play better as the season rolls on, I guess."

If Greene can reprise his 303-yard, two-touchdown game against the Vols that would play rather well in Athens this weekend. But the big picture is what matters most in title-starved Georgia.

Even with the win last year it was the Vols in the SEC title game, not the Dogs. The Vols have a national title just four years old, have regularly won 10 or more games, have pushed themselves past the Georgias and into the upper echelon.

"The Tennessee program is where most people in the country want their program to be," Richt told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We're trying to get where they are.

"We beat them last year but who was playing for the conference championship? Who's been pretty good but never gets there? That's us."

Getting there is the bottom line this year for Georgia. Right now the path is straight and clear.

Around the SEC

Alabama
The Crimson Tide's strong start on the season was built from the trenches up, as duly noted by block-and-tackle fanatic Pat Dye. But Alabama's line play against Georgia was labeled its worst of the season by coach Dennis Franchione, and the results were seen in the Tide's weekly awards. There was no Player of the Week awarded on the offensive line, and the D-line POW was a linebacker. ... Redshirt freshman Brodie Croyle made several big plays while throwing for 197 yards and a touchdown and diving in for a score on the ground. But he blamed himself and the rest of the offense for not grinding out enough fourth-quarter first downs to allow the Tide to hold the lead against Georgia. The week off should allow senior Tyler Watts to return to full speed after a sprained foot, but look for both he and Croyle to play the rest of the season.

Arkansas
Team OT experienced the flip side this year. After winning the seven-overtime record-setter against Mississippi last year, the Razorbacks were on the wrong end of a six-overtime extravaganza last week. Coach Houston Nutt said he spent much of the plane ride home trying to boost spirits, in an effort to divert the post-OT collapse that ruined Ole Miss' season last year. ... Place-kicker Brendan O'Donohoe missed three field goals in the loss to Tennessee, which may come back to cost him his job. His 38-yard miss in OT No. 3 could have won the game for the Razorbacks, and he had big misses in two close losses last year. His replacement might have identified himself against the Vols. Doug Carlton made his first career attempt, a 47-yard kick in OT No. 6.

Auburn
The superlatives have increased with every spectacular Carnell Williams performance, but Richt might have offered the highest praise possible for the running back this week. When watching film of Williams while an assistant at Florida State, Richt recalls, "I literally said, 'This guy's Walter Payton.' ... He's a big-time football player. He has the low (center of) gravity, the ability to explode on contact. He really dips and lifts on contact." The 200-pound sophomore has scored eight touchdowns the past four games and has run for 478 yards the last three. ... When the Tigers played Saturday opponent Arkansas last year, it was the end of the joyride. A 6-1 start began to implode in a 42-17 pounding in Fayetteville. It also dropped coach Tommy Tuberville's record against the Razorbacks to 2-5 as coach at Auburn for three years and Ole Miss for four.

Florida
In Gainesville, Ron Zook is circling the wagons for the third time in only six weeks. The Gators held a team meeting upon returning from their loss at Mississippi, and Zook says, "I have no reason to think we won't respond like we did after the Miami game." The criticism came in torrents after a 25-point loss to Miami, then mounted the following week after a lackluster beating of Ohio (Bowling Green whomped the Bobcats much more emphatically than the Gators did). It peaked after Florida's 17-14 loss at Mississippi, during which the offense was a pale reflection of Steve Spurrier's old Fun 'N Gun. Folks wishing to cook Zook should remember that St. Steve suffered upset losses to Western Division teams four times in his last five years: at Auburn in 2001, at Mississippi State in 2000, at home against Alabama in 1999 and at LSU in 1997. Zook's biggest problem to date has been the fact that Miami was added to the schedule, giving him a tougher September than anything Spurrier faced.

Georgia
Sophomore defensive end David Pollack continues to ease the loss of big-time pass rusher Charles Grant and the rest of last year's defensive line standouts. Pollack, considered by some to be too small to thrive in the SEC trenches at 6-2 and 275 pounds, leads the league in sacks with five and quarterback pressures with 17. He was at his big-play best in league triumphs over South Carolina and Alabama. ... Running backs coach Tony Pierce surprised everyone with his resignation this week. The Bulldogs' running game was a surprise disappointment, 11th in the league in rushing, but Pierce's resignation was for personal reasons.

Kentucky
The Wildcats took quite the leisurely bye week, with four days off from practice. "This is pretty intense football," Morriss said. "There's a lot of pressure on these kids. ... This way they didn't have to see us or listen to us fussing at them." ... The Wildcats' metamorphosis into a balanced offense will be at a premium against South Carolina Saturday, with running back Artose Pinner asked to tote the rock and keep the Gamecocks off the field. Morriss likes his chances in that area. "The first guy's not going to bring (Pinner) down," he said. "We don't have to open up a seam you can drive a truck through."

LSU
Backup running back Domanick Davis, who has been shifted around to defense and kick returns in an effort to get him on the field, will now be the feature back with the injury to LaBrandon Toefield. That shouldn't be a problem, since Davis had been LSU's most productive runner this season already. ... Florida's balky offense gets another test from the No. 1 defense in the SEC. The Tigers have been stellar on that side of the ball this year, their first with Will Muschamp as the defensive coordinator. "We haven't made as many mental errors as we had in the past (on defense)," head coach Nick Saban said. "We haven't given up as many big plays because of that." ... Saban on the balanced quality of the league this season: "There's a lot of good football teams. Maybe not the dominant teams we've had in the past. It's hard to point out teams you couldn't beat, or who couldn't beat you." ... While much of the scrutiny of LSU's meager passing offense has centered on quarterback Matt Mauck, Saban said the absence of receiver Josh Reed is likely the biggest factor. Reed, Saban said, "would go get the ball in a way that impacts everyone else."

Mississippi
Consider it one of the great one-week defensive turnarounds in SEC history: The Rebels' D was almost helpless against Vanderbilt -- yes, Vanderbilt -- in a 45-38 win. Then Ole Miss turned around and clobbered Heisman Trophy candidate Rex Grossman and Florida in a 17-14 landmark upset. Somehow, some way, Vandy outgained Florida by 164 yards. Grossman threw four interceptions and 21 incompletions, while Vandy's Jay Cutler threw 10 incompletions and no picks. ... Perhaps the best sign for Ole Miss was that it could win a game of that magnitude with just an ordinary day from Eli Manning. He threw for just 154 yards, but never made the costly error as the defense made all the necessary plays. ... Don't ask buttoned-down David Cutcliffe to do much crowing, even after the program's biggest win since perhaps Archie Manning was the quarterback. "You never arrive in this league," Cutcliffe said.

Mississippi State
Jackie Sherrill is the winningest coach in school history, but that might not be enough to save his job as the Bulldogs' season continues to spiral into disaster territory. State has now lost all four of its games with Division I-A opponents, and its three straight losses by a total of 70 points is the program's worst three-game stretch since 1988. Add the ongoing NCAA inquiry to the pile and you have serious issues. ... Not even upcoming Homecoming opponent Troy State is a free pass. The Trojans shocked the Bulldogs last year, the low point of a 3-8 year.

South Carolina
The Gamecocks travel to Lexington Saturday for what has become a true bellwether game for both teams. The winner in seven of the last nine meetings has gone on to at least six victories, and the loser of all nine meetings has gone on to finish with a losing record. The all-time series is 6-6-1, with South Carolina winning the last two. ... Just when you think you've heard every lament in Lou Holtz's poormouth playbook, he surprises you with a new one. This week's addition to the Woe Is Me Chronicles: the roof on the Gamecocks' indoor facility leaked during a downpour Tuesday. "I don't know whether we got anything out of practice," Holtz kvetched.

Tennessee
On Wednesday, Vols coach Phil Fulmer pretty well evaded frank talk about QB Clausen's availability to play Saturday, saying he didn't even know how his status was listed on the injury report. (Right.) "If he can go, he's going to go," Fulmer said. "Then you have to decide how effective he can be. He's gotten better every day." If Clausen doesn't play, quarterbacking duties likely will fall to Wake Forest transfer C.J. Leak, though a few Vols watchers are fantasizing about receiver Kelley Washington getting some snaps. Washington came to Knoxville as a receiver/quarterback, but he's been so good catching balls -- and Clausen has been so good throwing them -- that there has been no need to go there. Maybe Saturday in Athens they will. ... Running back Cedric Houston, the Vols' leading rusher before being injured a couple of games ago, should play Saturday, Fulmer said. ... Fulmer said he's confident that the marathon OT game with Arkansas will not result in a tired Tennessee team taking the field against the Bulldogs. "I'll tell you Saturday, I guess," Fulmer said. "I think we're OK."

Vanderbilt
Bad news is never far away in Nashville, and it revisited the Commodores' practice field again Tuesday. Starting tailback Norval McKenzie broke his leg near the end of practice, the third Vandy player to break a leg during practice. His place will be taken by true freshman Kwane Doster, who has played well but at 175 pounds might be a bit light for feature-back duty. With starting quarterback Jay Cutler still suspended for disciplinary reasons, the Commodores might run more option Saturday against Middle Tennessee with the speedy Doster and shifty backup QB Benji Walker.

Around the Sun Belt Conference
The coach of the defending Sun Belt champs likes what he sees in surprising early league leader Arkansas State. "Coach (Steve) Roberts has gone in there and done a terrific job," North Texas boss Darrell Dickey said. "He seems to have come in and got them believing in a short period of time that they can win, and that's a big thing." Roberts began his coaching career by going 9-19-1 his first three years at Southern Arkansas, but since then he's gone 44-17 at Southern Arkansas, Northwestern (La.) State and now in his first year at Arkansas State. The Indians (4-3 overall, 2-0 in the league), whose seven-game record is the best in Jonesboro since 1989, get an upset opportunity Saturday against a Mississippi team that could be flat after knocking off Florida. It certainly would be a nifty birthday present for Roberts, who turns 38 the next day. ... Running back Danny Smith recorded his fifth straight career high in rushing yards last week with 154 against Middle Tennessee. It was his third straight 100-yard game. ... League play can't start soon enough for Idaho, which dropped to 1-5 with a home loss to Montana. The Vandals led at halftime for the first time this year, then, in the words of coach Tom Cable, "we couldn't finish it in the second half." After playing the nation's No. 8 schedule to date according to the Sagarin Ratings, Louisiana-Monroe -- rated No. 182 by Sagarin, second-lowest of all Division I-A teams ahead of only Army -- is a welcome sight. "Mentally, we're still trying to learn how to win," Cable said. "But physically, we're in great shape." ... Louisiana-Lafayette got three things out of its 48-0 loss to instate heavyweight LSU: a check, a boost in local profile and only surrendered seven points in the second half. Just don't ask about the first half. ... Idaho's Cable is a believer in Louisiana-Monroe's big-play true freshman quarterback, Steven Jyles. "All you have to do is turn on film," Cable said. "He's unbelievable on his feet and has got a big-time arm. He's just got to get experience. He's definitely scary." Jyles is completing just 39.2 percent of his passes but is averaging 14.4 yards per completion. ... Middle Tennessee continues solidifying its claim to Disappointment of the Year in the league. The Blue Raiders are now 0-5 following consecutive losses to Southeast Missouri State and Arkansas State. Dwone Hicks hasn't played since injuring his left knee in the second half of the Kentucky game, which was the third game of the year. And now the reeling Raiders face a Vanderbilt team bent on revenge for an upset season-opening loss last year in Nashville. ... You might recognize the name of New Mexico State's big-play sophomore linebacker: Richard Glover. The son of former Nebraska All-American defensive lineman Rich Glover -- an Aggies assistant coach -- made 17 tackles against UTEP, knocked Miners quarterback John Schaper out of the game with a broken collarbone and returned an interception for a touchdown. "Kid's all over the football field," Tony Samuel said. ... With an open date this week, North Texas is optimistic it will have starting quarterback Scott Hall back for its Oct. 19 league opener at Arkansas State. Hall was injured in the second half of the season opener against Texas and hasn't played since. ... The Mean Green hopes its running game makes a return appearance then as well. It was outgained 432 yards to 198 last week by South Florida, mustering just 80 on the ground. "When we don't run the ball well, we don't usually play well," Dickey said.

Pat Forde covers college football for the Louisville Courier-Journal.