Back Judge: How the mighty have stumbled

Perhaps Texas deserves a turn at the top.

Another week, another set of stumbling performances by college football’s supposed elite.

Repeating what now has to be considered this season’s primary theme, neither then-No. 1 Alabama nor then-No. 2 Florida played like a team worthy of the game’s top slot Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (8-0) were beaten everywhere but on the scoreboard by Tennessee (3-4) in Tuscaloosa, salvaging a 12-10 victory thanks to two fourth-quarter blocked field goals by All-American defensive tackle Terrence Cody. In the game’s deciding half, the Volunteers ran 46 plays to Alabama’s 18 and held the ball for more than 20 minutes, while the Crimson Tide mustered just four first downs and 84 yards of offense.

No. 1 teams aren’t supposed to need to steal games against unranked squads via special teams, but that’s just what Alabama did thanks to a 4-for-4 day from kicker Leigh Tiffin (38 yards, 50, 22, 49), a dreadful 1-for-4 showing by Tennessee kicker Daniel Lincoln (made from 24 yards, missed from 47, blocked from 43 and 44) and the game-saving plays by Cody, who blocked the potential game-winner from 44 yards with no time left on the clock.

The Volunteers exposed what many folks around the nation already knew: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is average, even by Alabama standards (think decidedly sub-Jay Barker). In Alabama’s last three games, McElroy is a combined 43-for-83 passing for just 359 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Tennessee stacked the box to stop Heisman hopeful tailback Mark Ingram and dared Alabama to throw. The Crimson Tide couldn’t. It’s difficult to imagine one-dimensional Alabama moving the ball much against stingy SEC West Division challenger LSU (6-1) in two weeks, much less against the Gators (7-0) in a possible SEC championship matchup.

Speaking of Florida, the Gators flopped again at Mississippi State, clawing past the Bulldogs 29-19 in the continental drain sometimes called Starkville. The nation’s top-ranked defense was typically dominant, holding Mississippi State to just two field goals, but Saint Timothy and the Gators’ offense continue to sputter. Florida was just two-for-13 on third-down conversions, and it will be fascinating to see how those who already had bronzed Tim Tebow before his first snap this season choose to spin a performance defined by two pick-six miscues. Tebow was Mississippi State’s best offense.

The Gators now have floundered in consecutive weeks against the dregs of the SEC’s West Division, posting survival-style victories over teams with a combined 2-7 record in the conference (Arkansas and Mississippi State).

“As an offense, we’re not well right now,” said Florida coach Urban Meyer, whose offense should have a chance to do some healing next week against a Georgia defense that is perhaps the most porous in the SEC.

That leaves Texas (7-0), which dispatched Missouri in the manner befitting a No. 1 team - 41-7 - behind a solid performance from new Heisman favorite Colt McCoy (26-for-31, 269 yards, three touchdowns). The Longhorns look like a shadow of the team that was left out of last season’s BCS behemoth thanks to a nonexistent running game. But unlike Alabama and Florida, at least Texas features a quarterback familiar with the forward pass.

Game balls and gassers

This week’s sprints go to the Idaho defense and Tennessee’s kicker. A week after receiving some top-25 votes, the Vandals (6-2) gave up a laughable 662 yards of total offense and 70 points in a loss at Nevada. Lincoln, meanwhile, made a folk hero out of Cody and ruined a brilliant game plan by Lane Kiffin and Co. with his trajectory-challenged performance in Tuscaloosa.

There are precious few candidates for leather in a week defined by miscues and near-misses, but perhaps spelling-challenged Mississippi State defensive back Johnthan Banks deserves the nod after turning two errant Tebow throws into two picks, two scores and 120 yards of interception-return real estate. Maybe Banks can buy a vowel with his newfound fame.