The 2011 Southeastern Conference football season began on Thursday, September 1, 2011, with Kentucky taking on Western Kentucky on ESPNU. The season concluded on January 9, 2012, as the Alabama Crimson Tide shut out LSU Tigers, 21–0 in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to claim their 14th national championship in school history. It was also the final season for the SEC before Texas A&M and Missouri joined the conference from the Big 12 the following season.
Preseason Florida head coach Urban Meyer retired in early December citing his health concerns and wanting to be around his family more. Meyer then joined ESPN as an analyst for its college football coverage during the 2011 season. In his place Florida hired Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as the new head coach. Muschamp elected to bring in former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis as his offensive coordinator.
Vanderbilt interim head coach Robbie Caldwell had a tough year in 2010 with injuries and tough schedule, going 2–10. The school decided to search for a new coach to replace former head coach Bobby Johnson, who retired unexpectedly in July 2010. Vanderbilt hired Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin, and this is Franklin's first head coaching job.
LSU decided to part ways with offensive coordinator Gary Crowton because of a lack of offensive production the previous seasons. In his place LSU hired former Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe.
Kentucky added new schemes to its defense by adding former Cincinnati head coach Rick Minter as its co-defensive coordinator alongside Steve Brown.
2011 Pre-season Coaches All-SEC
+ First Team Offense Position Player Class Team QB So. Georgia RB So. South Carolina RB Jr. Alabama WR Sr. Arkansas WR Jr. South Carolina TE Jr. Georgia OL Sr. Georgia OL Jr. Alabama OL Sr. Mississippi OL Jr. Kentucky C Sr. Alabama
+ First Team Defense Position Player Class Team DL Sr. Arkansas DL Sr. Alabama DL Sr. Tennessee DL Jr. South Carolina LB Jr. Alabama LB Sr. Vanderbilt LB Sr. Kentucky DB Sr. Alabama DB Jr. South Carolina DB Jr. Alabama DB Jr. Louisiana State
+ First Team Special Teams Position Player Class Team K Sr. Georgia P Sr. Georgia RS Sr. Georgia All-purpose back Sr. Arkansas
Rankings + Legend Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking Not ranked previous week
(Pre)Aug20 Sept.6 Sept.11 Sept.18 Sept.25 Oct.2 Oct.9 Oct.16 Oct.23 Oct.30 Nov.6 Nov.13 Nov.20 Nov.27 Dec.4 FinalAlabama AP2323322222432221C2222233322432221 BCSNot released22233222Arkansas AP151414141810101088863765C1413131218121110888631075 BCSNot released910786386Auburn AP23NR21NRNR152419NR2524NRNRC192219NRNR23NR23NRNR25NRNR BCSNot released202322202424NR25Florida AP221816151217NRC231817151218NR BCSNot releasedGeorgia AP19NR252218141313121819C22NR2120161514141820 BCSNot released22181514131416Kentucky APC BCSNot releasedLSU AP4232111111111112C4333222211111112 BCSNot released11111111Mississippi State AP201625NRC201725NR BCSNot releasedOle Miss APC BCSNot releasedSouth Carolina AP1212101210181514141015141414109C12121110914131214101514131398 BCSNot released14139131212129Tennessee 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 Reference September 1 8:00 pm No. 20 Mississippi State Memphis Liberty Bowl • Memphis, Tennessee FSN South W 59–14 33,990 September 1 9:15 pm Kentucky Western Kentucky LP Field • Nashville, Tennessee ESPNU W 14–3 24,599 September 3 12:00 pm Utah State No. 23 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama ESPN W 42–38 85,245 September 3 12:21 pm Kent State No. 2 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama SEC Network W 48–7 101,821 September 3 4:45 pm BYU Mississippi Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi ESPN L 14–13 55,124 September 3 6:00 pm Montana Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee PPV W 42–16 94,661 September 3 7:00 pm Missouri State No. 15 Arkansas Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas PPV W 51–7 70,607 September 3 7:00 pm Florida Atlantic No. 22 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPNU W 41–3 88,708 September 3 7:00 pm East Carolina No. 12 South Carolina Bank of America Stadium • Charlotte, North Carolina FSN W 56–37 58,272 September 3 7:00 pm Elon Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee CSS W 45–14 27,599 September 3 8:00 pm No. 3 Oregon No. 4 LSU Cowboys Stadium • Arlington, Texas ABC W 40–27 87,711 September 3 8:00 pm No. 5 Boise State No. 19 Georgia Georgia Dome • Atlanta (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game) ESPN L 35–21 73,614 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Vick Ballard Mississippi State Tyrann Mathieu LSU Joe Adams ArkansasReference:
Week Two Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference September 10 12:00 pm Central Michigan Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky ESPNU W 27–13 58,022 September 10 12:20 pm No. 16 Mississippi State Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama SEC Network AU 41–34 87,451 September 10 2:30 pm No. 3 Alabama No. 23 Penn State Beaver Stadium • University Park, Pennsylvania ABC W 27–11 107,846 September 10 3:30 pm Cincinnati Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee ESPN2 W 45–23 94,207 September 10 4:30 pm No. 12 South Carolina Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia ESPN SC 45–42 92,746 September 10 7:00 pm New Mexico No. 14 Arkansas War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, Arkansas ESPNU W 52–3 52,606 September 10 7:00 pm UAB No. 18 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida FSN South W 39–0 87,473 September 10 7:00 pm Southern Illinois Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi PPV W 42–24 58,504 September 10 7:30 pm Connecticut Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee CSS W 24–21 32,119 September 10 8:00 pm Northwestern State No. 2 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana PPV W 49–3 92,405 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Tyler Bray Tennessee Mark Barron Alabama Melvin Ingram South CarolinaReference:
Week Three Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference September 15 8:00 pm No. 3 LSU No. 25 Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi ESPN LSU 19–6 56,924 September 17 12:00 pm No. 21 Auburn Clemson Memorial Stadium • Clemson, South Carolina ESPN L 38–24 82,000 September 17 12:21 pm Ole Miss Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee SEC Network VU 30–7 34,579 September 17 1:00 pm Coastal Carolina Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia PPV W 59–0 91,946 September 17 3:30 pm Tennessee No. 16 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS FL 33–23 90,744 September 17 6:00 pm Navy No. 11 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina ESPN2 W 24–21 78,807 September 17 7:00 pm Louisville Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky ESPNU L 24–17 68,170 September 17 7:30 pm Troy No. 14 Arkansas Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas CSS W 38–28 69,861 September 17 7:30 pm North Texas No. 2 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama FS South W 41–0 101,821 Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Chris RaineyMarcus Lattimore FloridaSouth Carolina Trey Wilson Vanderbilt Caleb Sturgis FloridaReference:
Week Four Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference September 24 12:30 pm Georgia Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi SEC Network UGA 27–13 58,032 September 24 3:30 pm No. 14 Arkansas No. 3 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama CBS ALA 38–14 101,821 September 24 7:00 pm No. 15 Florida Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky ESPN FLA 48–10 65,134 September 24 7:00 pm Vanderbilt No. 12 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina ESPN SCAR 21–3 77,015 September 24 7:00 pm Florida Atlantic Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama FSN W 30–14 82,249 September 24 7:00 pm Louisiana Tech Mississippi State Davis–Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi ESPNU W 26–10 55,116 September 24 8:00 pm No. 2 LSU No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, West Virginia ABC W 47–21 62,056
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Trent Richardson Alabama Melvin Ingram South Carolina Brad Wing LSUReference:
Week Five Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 1 12:00 pm Mississippi State Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia FS South UGA 24–10 92,746 October 1 12:00 pm No. 14 Texas A&M No. 18 Arkansas Cowboys Stadium • Arlington, Texas ESPN W 42–38 69,838 October 1 12:21 pm Kentucky No. 1 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana SEC Network LSU 35–7 92,660 October 1 12:30 pm Buffalo Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee CSS W 41–10 87,758 October 1 3:30 pm Auburn No. 10 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina CBS AU 16–13 81,767 October 1 8:00 pm No. 3 Alabama No. 12 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS ALA 38–10 90,888 October 1 9:15 pm Ole Miss Fresno State Bulldog Stadium • Fresno, California ESPN2 W 38–28 32,063
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Tyler WilsonJarius Wright Arkansas Melvin Ingram South Carolina Steven Clark AuburnReference:
Week Six Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 8 12:00 pm Mississippi State UAB Legion Field • Birmingham, Alabama FS South W 21–3 28,351 October 8 12:21 pm Kentucky No. 18 South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina SEC Network SCAR 54–3 75,838 October 8 3:30 pm No. 17 Florida No. 1 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana CBS LSU 41–11 93,022 October 8 7:00 pm No. 15 Auburn No. 10 Arkansas Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas ESPN ARK 38–14 74,191 October 8 7:00 pm Georgia Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee ESPN2 UGA 20–12 102,455 October 8 7:00 pm Vanderbilt No. 2 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama ESPNU ALA 34–0 101,821
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Connor Shaw South Carolina Mike Gilliard Georgia Blair Walsh GeorgiaReference:
Week Seven Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Broadcast Result Attendance Reference October 15 12:21 pm No. 15 South Carolina Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi SEC Network SCAR 14–12 55,418 October 15 3:30 pm No. 1 LSU Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee CBS LSU 38–7 101,822 October 15 6:00 pm No. 2 Alabama Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi ESPN2 ALA 52–7 61,792 October 15 7:00 pm Florida No. 24 Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama ESPN AUB 17–6 87,451 October 15 7:00 pm Georgia Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee FS South UGA 33–28 36,640
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Trent Richardson Alabama Corey LemonierD. J. Swearinger AuburnSouth Carolina Steven Clark AuburnReference:
Week Eight