By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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LSU picked up its first conference win of the season with an exciting victory over Florida.

The question heading into the weekend was what would the two Mississippi teams to do for an encore. Lightning in a bottle? Please.

Ole Miss went to College Station and routed Texas A&M from the start in a far more dominant win than the 35-20 final score would suggest. Mississippi State overcame a few moments of peril to hold off Auburn.

But Saturday was more than just the Magnolia State duo. Lets relive an interesting Week 7 in the SEC.

Georgia 34, Missouri 0

The Bulldogs won because: The defenses performance lived up to its talent. Thats why Mark Richt hired Jeremy Pruitt to run Georgias defense. Holding Missouri to 147 yards is really, really impressive, no matter how many self-inflicted wounds the Tigers had. The 8Dawgs forced five turnovers on the day, aiding an offense that was dealing with the unexpected absence of star running back Todd Gurley. True freshman Nick Chubb was a workhorse, carrying it 38 times for 153 yards to help the Show Me State quickly revert to a baseball state.

Kentucky 48, Louisiana-Monroe 14

The Wildcats won because: They got serious after 15 minutes. A 14-3 Warhawks lead left the 57,000 Big Blue backers in Commonwealth Stadium stunned, but Kentucky found another gear in the second quarter, scoring 21 points in a five-minute stretch to blow the game open. Patrick Towles played a clean game after an early interception, moving the Wildcats within one win of bowl eligibility after winning just four games combined in 2012 and 2013.

Mississippi State 38, Auburn 23

The Bulldogs won because: When they needed a play, they got it. Mississippi State tried to let its 21-0 lead, helped by Auburn turnovers on both of its first two plays, evaporate with four turnovers of its own. But the red zone defense, coupled with the running game producing 223 yards, would have none of it. Heisman Trophy candidate Dak Prescott struggled throwing the ball, but his legs helped carry the Bulldogs to the No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history.

Tennessee 45, Chattanooga 10

The Volunteers won because: They only had one turnover. Yeah, the offensive line was again a disaster, but three plays and a punt arent going to hurt you against a team like Chattanooga. Tennessee needed any semblance of positivity after three straight losses and with Ole Miss and Alabama on deck. They got it with a mostly crisp performance from quarterback Justin Worley against the Moccasins, who completed 19 of 24 passes for three touchdowns.

Alabama 14, Arkansas 13

The Crimson Tide won because: The run defense showed up. Alabamas offense looked lost for a second week in a row, but the vaunted Arkansas running game could never find its way, finishing with just 89 yards on 39 carries. If you force the Razorbacks to pass, theyll eventually make a mistake. The big mistake came on the Hogs last possession, as Brandon Allen was intercepted by Landon Collins to help the Tide avoid back-to-back regular-season losses for the first time since 2007.

LSU 30, Florida 27

The Tigers won because: Les Miles. A relatively ugly game turned highly exciting in the fourth quarter, as the two struggling offenses combined for 20 points in the final six minutes and 10 seconds. In vintage Miles fashion, LSU intercepted a deflected pass, nearly inexplicably ran out of time, but converted a 50-yard field goal for its fourth win in five games against the Gators.

Vanderbilt 21, Charleston Southern 20

The Commodores won because: Charleston Southern couldnt pass. The Buccaneers triple-option is not built to play from behind. Nevertheless, they turned a 21-10 deficit into a one-point game while holding the Vanderbilt offense scoreless for the entire second half. It wont inspire much confidence in a downtrodden Vanderbilt fanbase, but the 8Dores avoided complete embarrassment. Quarterback roulette continued, as both Wade Freebeck and Johnny McCrary saw action in the teams second win of the season.

Ole Miss 35, Texas A&M 20

The Rebels won because: Their defense is the best in college football. There was no letdown form the Alabama win, as Ole Miss stormed to a 21-0 lead before the Aggies could find themselves in front of the largest crowd to ever see a football game in the state of Texas. Bo Wallace again played turnover-free football, and the running game showed some life for the first time this season. Two defensive scores helped, but they were more window dressing than actual substance in a one-sided affair in College Station.

Game Balls

Mississippi State RB Josh Robinson 3 19 carries, 97 yards, 2 TD; 2 receptions, 37 yards

Georgia QB Hutson Mason 3 22-of-28, 156 yards, 1 TD

LSU RB Leonard Fournette3 27 carries, 140 yards, 2 TD

If The Playoffs Started Today

Sugar Bowl: (1) Mississippi State vs. (4) Baylor

Rose Bowl: (2) Ole Miss vs. (3) Florida State

Week 8 Lookahead

After two chaotic weeks, the SEC has a quieter, but still highly important slate in Week 8. Texas A&M travels to Alabama (3:30, CBS) in a game that looked like one of the seasons biggest games a few weeks ago. Now, it becomes a de facto elimination game in the SEC West title race.

Georgia hopes to maintain command of the SEC East when it visits Arkansas in Little Rock (4 p.m. ET, SEC Network), while two other division title contenders, Missouri and Florida, will square off in Gainesville (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

Tennessee and Ole Miss will do battle for the first time since 2010 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), and Kentucky makes the long trip to LSU (7:30 p.m., SEC Network).

South Carolina comes off a bye week to host Furman (12 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Auburn, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are idle.