The 2010 Southeastern Conference football season began on Thursday, September 2, 2010 with South Carolina defeating Southern Miss on ESPN.
Preseason Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin left after his first season in Knoxville for Southern Cal. Kiffin was replaced by Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley. Dooley opened his first season on September 4 against University of Tennessee – Martin.
Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks retired after seven seasons in Lexington, ending a coaching career that lasted over 40 years. As agreed on in 2008, Brooks was replaced by his offensive coordinator Joker Phillips, who began his first season as head coach on September 4 against archrival Louisville.
In July 2010, Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson unexpectedly retired. He was replaced on an interim basis by Robbie Caldwell, who had the dual titles of Vanderbilt assistant head coach and offensive line coach in 2009. Caldwell made his Vanderbilt head coaching debut on September 4 against Northwestern.
2010 Pre-season Coaches All-SEC Position Player Class Team First Team Offense QB Ryan Mallett Jr. Arkansas RB Mark Ingram II Jr. Alabama RB Derrick Locke Sr. Kentucky WR Julio Jones Jr. Alabama WR A. J. Green Jr. Georgia TE DJ Williams Sr. Arkansas AP Randall Cobb Jr. Kentucky OL Clint Boling Sr. Georgia OL Carl Johnson Sr. Florida OL Barrett Jones So. Alabama OL Lee Ziemba Sr. Auburn C Mike Pouncey Sr. Florida First Team Defense DL Marcell Dareus Jr. Alabama DL Jerrell Powe Sr. Ole Miss DL Cliff Matthews Sr. South Carolina LB Josh Bynes Sr. Auburn LB Dont'a Hightower So. Alabama LB Chris Marve Jr. Vanderbilt LB Kelvin Sheppard Sr. LSU DB Mark Barron Jr. Alabama DB Patrick Peterson JR. LSU DB Stephon Gilmore So. South Carolina DB Janoris Jenkins Jr. Florida First Team Special Teams K Blair Walsh Jr. Georgia P Blair Walsh Jr. Georgia RS Warren Norman So. Vanderbilt
Rankings + Legend Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking Not ranked previous week
Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt went unranked throughout the season in the rankings shown below (AP and Coaches polls, and BCS standings).
(Pre)Aug21 Sept.7 Sept.12 Sept.19 Sept.26 Oct. Oct.10 Oct.17 Oct.24 Oct.31 Nov.7 Nov.14 Nov.21 Nov.28 Dec.5 FinalAlabama AP 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 7 6 5 11 10 9 17 15 10C 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 7 6 5 12 12 11 19 18 11 BCSNot released 8 7 6 12 11 11 16 16Arkansas AP 17 14 12 10 15 11 12 21 19 17 14 13 12 8 8 12C 19 15 13 11 15 13 13 21 18 19 14 13 12 8 8 12 BCSNot released 23 19 18 15 13 12 7 8Auburn AP 22 21 16 17 10 8 7 5 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1C 23 20 15 14 11 8 7 5 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 BCSNot released 4 1 2 2 2 2 1 1Florida AP 4 8 10 9 7 14 22 NR 24 NRC 3 6 7 8 7 12 22 NR 24 NR BCSNot released 22 NRGeorgia AP 23 22 NRC 21 19 NR BCSNot releasedKentucky APC BCSNot releasedLSU AP 21 19 15 15 12 12 9 6 12 12 5 5 6 11 11 8C 16 16 12 12 10 9 9 6 13 11 6 6 6 12 12 8 BCSNot released 6 12 10 5 5 5 10 11Mississippi State AP 24 23 21 17 22 25 22 21 15C 24 23 21 18 22 25 22 22 17 BCSNot released 24 21 20 19 21 25 22 21Ole Miss APC BCSNot releasedSouth Carolina AP 24 13 12 20 19 10 19 17 18 22 17 18 18 19 22C 25 16 15 22 20 12 20 17 17 22 17 17 16 20 22 BCSNot released 21 20 19 23 17 18 19 20Tennessee APC BCSNot releasedVanderbilt APC BCSNot released
Regular season Index to colors and formattingSEC member wonSEC member lostSEC teams in bold All times Eastern time.
Rankings reflect that of the AP poll for that week until week eight when the BCS rankings will be used.
Week One Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance September 2 7:30 pm Southern Miss South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina ESPN W 41–13 70,438 September 4 12:00 pm Miami (OH) #4 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 34–12 90,178 September 4 12:21 pm Louisiana–Lafayette #23 Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia SEC Network W 55–7 92,746 September 4 3:30 pm Kentucky Louisville Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky ABC W 23–16 55,327 September 4 3:30 pm Jacksonville State Mississippi Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi CSS L 48–492OT 55,768 September 4 6:00 pm Tennessee-Martin Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee PPV W 50–0 99,123 September 4 7:00 pm San Jose State #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama PPV W 48–3 101,821 September 4 7:00 pm Arkansas State #22 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama FSN South W 52–26 83,441 September 4 7:00 pm Tennessee Tech #17 Arkansas Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas PPV W 44–3 69,596 September 4 7:00 pm Memphis Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi ESPNU W 49–7 56,032 September 4 7:30 pm Northwestern Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee CSS L 21–23 37,210 September 4 8:00 pm #21 LSU #18 North Carolina Georgia Dome • Atlanta ABC W 30–24 68,919 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Cam Newton Auburn Danny Trevathan Kentucky Patrick Peterson LSU
Week Two Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance September 9 7:30 pm #21 Auburn Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi ESPN AUB 17–14 54,806 September 11 12:00 pm #22 Georgia #24 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina ESPN USC 17–6 80,974 September 11 12:21 pm South Florida #8 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida SEC Network W 38–14 90,612 September 11 7:00 pm #19 LSU Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee ESPNU LSU 27–3 36,940 September 11 7:00 pm #19 Penn State #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama ESPN W 24–3 101,821 September 11 7:00 pm Louisiana–Monroe #14 Arkansas War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, Arkansas FSN W 31–7 55,705 September 11 7:00 pm #7 Oregon Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee ESPN2 L 48–13 102,035 September 11 7:30 pm Western Kentucky Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky CSS W 63–28 66,584 September 11 9:00 pm Ole Miss Tulane Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans ESPN2 W 27–13 36,389 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Trent RichardsonMarcus Lattimore AlabamaSouth Carolina Nick Farley Auburn Jeff Demps Florida
Week Three Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance September 18 12:00 pm #12 Arkansas Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia ESPN ARK 31–24 92,746 September 18 12:21 pm Vanderbilt Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi SEC Network VAN 28–14 51,667 September 18 3:30 pm #10 Florida Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee CBS FLA 31–17 102,455 September 18 3:30 pm #1 Alabama Duke Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, North Carolina ABC W 62–1339,042 September 18 7:00 pm Mississippi State #15 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana ESPNU LSU 29–7 92,538 September 18 7:00 pm Clemson #16 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama ESPN W 27–24OT 87,451 September 18 7:00 pm Akron Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky FSN W 47–10 64,014 September 18 7:00 pm Furman #13 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina PPV W 38–19 73,681 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Ryan Mallett Arkansas Josh Bynes Auburn Josh Jasper LSU
Week Four Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance September 25 12:21 pm UAB Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee SEC Network W 32–292OT 95,183 September 25 3:30 pm #1 Alabama #10 Arkansas Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas CBS ALA 24–20 76,808 September 25 7:00 pm Kentucky #9 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPNU FLA 48–14 90,547 September 25 7:00 pm Georgia Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi FSNMSST 24–12 56,721 September 25 7:30 pm Fresno State Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi CSS W 55–38 55,267 September 25 7:45 pm #12 South Carolina #17 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama ESPN AUB 35–27 87,237 September 25 9:00 pm #22 West Virginia #15 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana ESPN2 W 20–14 92,575 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Cam Newton Auburn Robert Lester Alabama Patrick Peterson LSU
Week Five Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance October 2 12:00 pm Louisiana–Monroe #10 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama ESPNU W 52–3 80,759 October 2 12:00 pm Alcorn State Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi FSN W 49–16 50,439 October 2 12:00 pm Vanderbilt Connecticut Rentschler Field • Storrs, Connecticut Big East Network L 21–40 40,000 October 2 12:21 pm Kentucky Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi SEC Network MIS 42–35 55,344 October 2 3:30 pm Tennessee #12 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana CBS LSU 16–14 92,932 October 2 4:30 pm Georgia Colorado Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado FSN L 27–29 52,855 October 2 8:00 pm #7 Florida #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama CBS ALA 31–6 101,821 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player TeamStevan Ridley LSU Courtney Upshaw Alabama Jesse Grandy Ole Miss
Week Six Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance October 9 12:21 pm Tennessee Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia SEC Network UGA 41–14 92,746 October 9 3:30 pm#1 Alabama #19 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina CBS USC 35–21 82,993 October 9 3:30 pm #11 Arkansas Texas A&M Cowboys Stadium • Arlington, Texas ABC W 24–17 65,662 October 9 7:00 pm Eastern Michigan Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee ESPNU W 52–6 33,107 October 9 7:30 pm #8 Auburn Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky ESPN2 AUB 37–34 70,776 October 9 7:30 pm #12 LSU #14 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN LSU 33–29 90,721 October 9 8:00 pm Mississippi State Houston John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium • Houston CBS College Sports W 47–24 32,067 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player TeamStephen GarciaSouth CarolinaTramain ThomasArkansasWes ByrumAuburn
Week Seven Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance October 16 12:21 pm Vanderbilt Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia SEC Network UGA 43–0 92,746 October 16 3:30 pm No. 12 Arkansas No. 7 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama CBS AUB 65–43 87,451 October 16 6:00 pm No. 10 South Carolina Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky ESPN2 UK 31–28 67,955 October 16 7:00 pm Mississippi State No. 22 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPNU MSST 10–7 90,517 October 16 7:00 pm McNeese State LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana FSN LSU 32–1092,576 October 16 9:00 pm Ole Miss No. 8 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama ESPN2 ALA 23–10 101,821 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Cam NewtonMike Hartline AuburnKentucky Chris White Mississippi State Ryan TydlackaMarquis Maze KentuckyAlabama
Week Eight Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance October 23 12:21 pm Ole Miss Arkansas Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas SEC Network ARK 73,619 October 23 3:30 pm LSU Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama CBS AUB 24–17 87,451 October 23 7:00 pm Alabama Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee ESPN ALA 102,455 October 23 7:00 pm UAB Mississippi State Davis-Wade Stadium • Starkville MS ESPNU MSST 56,423 October 23 7:00 pm South Carolina Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee FSN USC 21–7 33,425 October 23 7:30 pm Georgia Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky CSS UGA 44–31 70,884 Players of the week: