SEC Football

University of Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna was reportedly set to be released on $80,000 bond Thursday after being arrested Wednesday on child pornography charges.

According to Mark Long of the Associated Press, Judge Meshon Rawls set the terms of Kitna's bond in Gainesville, Florida, decreeing that Kitna could not have any unsupervised contact with minors nor access to the internet.

Kitna's dad, former NFL quarterback Jon, and mom, Jennifer, reportedly addressed the court and said they would supervise their son at their home in Burleson, Texas.

The Gainesville Police Department announced Wednesday that Kitna had been arrested on two charges of distribution of child exploitation material and three charges of possession of child pornography.

Police said in a statement that an investigation into Kitna began when they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an account linked to Kitna sharing images of child sexual abuse on Discord.

Per Long, "Kitna shared two images of a pubescent girl, police said in the report, adding that the phrase 'so young junior' was written on both pictures. Kitna told a detective he thought they were legal because he found them online."

Police said they also found three further images of nude girls in the shower when they searched Kitna's phone.

Kitna, 19, is a freshman backup quarterback for the Gators who threw for 181 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in limited action this season.

The University of Florida released a statement on the matter Wednesday, noting that it was "shocked and saddened" by the allegations against Kitna.

It was also announced by the school that Kitna had been suspended indefinitely from the football program.

Kentucky redshirt senior quarterback Will Levis has established himself as one of the best signal-callers in college football in his two seasons with the Wildcats, and now he's ready to test himself against the pros.

On a Twitter space hosted by Blue Chips, Levis announced that he will enter the 2023 NFL draft, foregoing his final year of college eligibility. Levis also said he hasn't decided whether he'll play in Kenucky's bowl game.

After spending the first two years of his college career at Penn State, Levis transferred to Kentucky in 2021 and was named the team's starter to open the season. He led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and a win against No. 15 Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl. Levis put up 2,826 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as a junior.

The 2022 season didn't quite go as Levis and the Wildcats had hoped. Kentucky finished with a 7-5 record and placed fourth in the SEC East with a 3-5 conference record. Levis missed one game with an undisclosed injury and recorded 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this year.

On Tuesday, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops fired offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who was in his first year in the position. Scangarello had replaced Liam Coen after he was named offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.

Levis' down year doesn't appear to have affected his projection at the next level. B/R's NFL draft big board ranks him as the No. 3 quarterback and No. 11 overall player in the 2023 class. In B/R's most recent mock draft, he's projected to be selected 15th overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna was suspended by the team after being arrested on child pornography charges Wednesday.

“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the news involving Jalen Kitna," the university said in a statement, per Fan Nation's Zach Goodall. "These are extremely serious charges and the University of Florida and the UAA have zero tolerance for such behavior.

"Jalen has been suspended indefinitely from the football program.”

The Gainesville Police Department released a statement Wednesday (via CBS4) saying they received an anonymous tip accusing a user of distributing child pornography on Discord. Officers were able to trace the posts to Kitna, who police said admitted to sharing images he thought were "legal" because he found them online.

A search of Kitna's electronic devices allegedly uncovered three additional images of child pornography. He was arrested and charged with two counts of child exploitation material and three counts of possession of child pornography.

The son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, Jalen Kitna served as the backup to Anthony Richardson during the 2022 season. He threw for 181 yards and one touchdown in three appearances.

Jon Kitna played for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys across 17 NFL seasons.

Class of 2023 4-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. has the chance to join a long lineage of talented pass-catchers when he steps on campus for the LSU Tigers next season.

Sampson, who announced his commitment to the Tigers in August, will follow in the footsteps of Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. as the next potentially great receiver to don the Purple and Gold.

A 6'4", 181-pound speedster who attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sampson is ranked as the No. 6 wide receiver in the nation, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He was named an Under Armour All-American in March.

He also had offers from Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida and Florida State, among others.

As a senior, Sampson displayed the ability to put up big numbers consistently. According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks, he "averaged six-plus catches, about 90 yards, and 1.3 TD catches per game during 10-game regular season."

Brooks described Sampson as a "gifted natural wideout with immense long-term upside given physical tools and functional athleticism displayed over multiple seasons" who "should become an eventual impact starter with the long-term ceiling to develop into an early-round NFL draft candidate."

Sampson is the highest-ranked player in LSU's 2023 recruiting class. He will likely have the opportunity to contribute immediately on a team that doesn't have even an 800-yard receiver this year, LSU's third consecutive season without one after Chase and Jefferson each registered 1,500-plus yards in 2019's national championship season.

Sophomore Malik Nabers leads the Tigers with 58 receptions and 726 yards in 2022, but he found the end zone just once. He will benefit if Sampson can draw attention from the defense on the opposite side. Jaray Jenkins leads the team with five touchdowns, but he is a senior.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels has one more year of eligibility remaining. While it remains to be seen whether he will enter the 2023 NFL draft, the dual-threat signal-caller would surely enjoy having a target such as Sampson on the outside. Daniels has thrown 15 touchdown passes and rushed for a team-high 11 scores, so he may not have to rely on his legs as much.

No matter who is behind center for the Tigers in 2023, Sampson can be expected to make an impact as he embarks on what could be an exciting college career.

The future for the Georgia Bulldogs' secondary got much brighter in June when highly regarded cornerback prospect AJ Harris joined their 2023 recruiting class.

Harris, who checks in at 6'1" and 180 pounds, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 29 overall player in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is also the No. 4 cornerback and the No. 4 prospect from the state of Alabama in his class.

Before committing to the Bulldogs, Harris was considering Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Notre Dame, LSU and North Carolina. That lists indicates how high his ceiling is as he reaches the college level.

While it's typically a long shot for any program to land an elite recruit from the state of Alabama when they have to deal with Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, Harris told Stephen Means of Cleveland.com he was originally from California and accustomed to moving because his father was in the military.

"It's not really hard for me to just move to far places," he said. "I'm open to wherever and whoever develops me the best and put me in the best position to get to where I want to get to in life."

Fortunately for Georgia, Harris believes it is best positioned to help him succeed. He should help the Bulldogs as well given his overall skill set. As someone who ran track in high school, he is fast enough to keep up with wide receivers downfield, but he's also physical enough to break up underneath routes and contend for jump balls.

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports deemed Harris the "alpha dog" of the Under Armour All-America Camp Series in March 2021 and pointed to his ability to shut down receivers in one-on-one drills. In fact, Ivins noted the cornerback was so impressive he pushed to be "considered one of the nation's top overall prospects regardless of position."

That is welcome news for Georgia, which consistently needs to reload to compete at the championship level it expects to on a yearly basis.

That won't change next season, especially since cornerback Kelee Ringo is a potential top-five pick in the 2023 NFL draft draft. The Bulldogs' secondary will need to replace his production and leadership, and Harris will join a crowded defensive back room in 2023 that could include Nyland Green, Daylen Everette, Kamari Lassiter and Javon Bullard.

Expect Harris to start in a backup role when his college career begins, but his talent will be impossible to ignore as he works his way into the 2023 rotation.

The No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the unranked Auburn Tigers 49-27 in the Iron Bowl on Saturday to improve to 10-2, and now head coach Nick Saban is lobbying for his team to be selected for the College Football Playoff.

Saban told ESPN's Chris Low:

"I don't make those decisions, but I know what a resilient football team this has been. We've lost two games to top-10 opponents, both on the last play of the game and both on the road. We could have easily won both games but didn't. We're a good football team and hopefully people will recognize that and we'll get a chance [to play in the playoff]."

Aside from the 2020 College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide have been one of the four teams selected for the prestigious tournament since its formation in 2014. If selected this season, Alabama would become the first two-loss team to ever make the CFP.

The only two losses Alabama suffered this season came to No. 10 Tennessee and No. 5 LSU. The Volunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 52-49 on a last-second field goal, and the Tigers won on a two-point conversion.

"We've had a lot of close games, didn't always play our best in those games, but did enough to get to 10 wins and hung in there as a team. I guess we will see what happens now," Saban said.

Saban added that he believes his team has been much better since quarterback Bryce Young recovered from an injury to his throwing shoulder. Young missed a game against Texas A&M before returning in the loss to Tennessee.

It's worth wondering whether or not the Crimson Tide would have defeated the Vols if Young was fully healthy, but that's still not going to be a factor in the selection committee's process. A loss is a loss, and Alabama had every opportunity to win that game.

There's still a good amount of hope for Alabama to make the College Football Playoff. No. 7 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State and No 10. Oregon all lost on Saturday. The team's odds will likely get better if TCU and USC both lose their respective conference championship games.

We'll certainly be entering rare territory if Alabama isn't selected for the CFP, though it could end up being one of the more exciting playoffs of recent memory.

LSU couldn't even get to the SEC Championship Game before its playoff hopes went up in smoke.

The fifth-ranked Tigers fell to Texas A&M, 38-23, at Kyle Field on Saturday night. Despite having already clinched a berth in the conference title game, head coach Brian Kelly's team needed to at least win this game to have a chance at finishing in the Top Four.

LSU certainly would have moved up the rankings with a victory after Ohio State's loss to Michigan earlier in the day. But the Tigers have three losses on the season heading into their showdown with No. 1 Georgia next week.

Jayden Daniels struggled once again as a passer. The junior quarterback finished 21-of-35 for 189 yards without a touchdown or interception. He failed to throw for 200 yards in three of LSU's four games in November.

The loss snaps LSU's five-game winning streak that included victories over Mississippi and Alabama.

Kelly still has two opportunities to reach 10 wins in his first season with the program, but Saturday's game was devastating for the team's playoff aspirations.

There were several analysts and LSU fans ripping Kelly for coming up short in his team's biggest game of the season.

There is a valid argument that this season has already been a huge success for Kelly. He took over an LSU program that went 11-12 in the previous two seasons combined.

LSU secured the SEC West on Nov. 12 after beating Arkansas, and Ole Miss lost to Alabama. This marks the program's first appearance in the conference championship game since 2019.

But the burden of expectations changes everything about perception. LSU had climbed all the way up to No. 5 in the playoff rankings heading into this game against a Texas A&M team that was 4-7.

The Tigers can redeem themselves by beating Georgia to win the SEC championship next week, but with three losses, it seems unlikely they will get into the playoff no matter what happens.

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker exited Saturday's game against the South Carolina Gamecocks with a non-contact knee injury in the fourth quarter

Hooker completed 25-of-42 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 25 yards before exiting.

Hooker was running an option play and after making a sharp cut, his left leg buckled and he hit the ground grabbing his leg in pain. It was determined he also fumbled on the play and the South Carolina defense recovered the ball for a touchdown.

The 24-year-old walked off the field and into the Tennessee locker room with assistance. He was seen on broadcast cameras limping and not putting much pressure on his injured leg.

Hooker's status moving forward is unclear, but the Volunteers have just one regular season game remaining against the Vanderbilt Commodores next weekend.

If Hooker suffered a serious injury and is done for the season, he put together an impressive senior season with the Vols. Entering Saturday's game, he had completed 71.1 percent of his passes for 2,888 yards and 24 touchdowns against two interceptions in 10 games, in addition to rushing for 405 yards and five scores.

However, any serious injury could hurt his 2023 NFL draft stock. While Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud are expected to be two of the top quarterback's in the 2023 class, Hooker was projected to be a top-five signal-caller.

If Hooker misses Tennessee's final game of the season against Vanderbilt, Joe Milton III would be in line to get the start.

Bryce Young did everything in his power to carry Alabama to a 30-24 victory over Mississippi at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday.

Looking to get back on track after last week's overtime loss at LSU and trying to avoid losing three games in a season for the first time since 2010, Young threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns.

It wasn't the best statistical day for the junior quarterback, but it was apparent throughout the game he was elevating the offense. His best play of the day was a touchdown pass to Ja'Corey Brooks on 3rd-and-goal that tied the score at 24 late in the third quarter.

Young's most important play was a 10-yard scramble on 3rd-and-6 from the Alabama 45-yard line to extend a drive with 6:27 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The first down allowed the Crimson Tide to take four more minutes off the clock and kick a field goal to turn a three-point game into a 30-24 advantage.

The response to Young's performance was positive and in stark contrast to what fans had to say about the play-calling from Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

This has certainly been an unusual season for Alabama. Head coach Nick Saban isn't accustomed to seeing his team struggle in the various ways this year's group has. The defense was a mess in losses to Tennessee and LSU.

The offense has been inconsistent, even in wins over Texas and Texas A&M. The win over the Aggies did come with Young unavailable because of a sprained right shoulder.

In four games since returning from that injury, Young has thrown for 1,241 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. He's completed 59.6 percent of his attempts during that span.

Saturday's win may have been somewhat bittersweet for the Crimson Tide. LSU clinched a berth in the SEC Championship Game thanks to the loss by Ole Miss.

Next up for Alabama will be a glorified tune-up against Austin Peay on Nov. 19 before the Iron Bowl against Auburn at Bryant–Denny Stadium in two weeks.