Saban liked to use the phrase “rat poison,” as a way to get his players not to feel too good about themselves, to avoid letdown performances like the one we just saw from the Crimson Tide. It was frequently mocked, but it also worked.

Vanderbilt’s 40-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama has seen shockwaves through college football. Paul Finebaum called it the worst loss he’s ever seen and blamed former Alabama coach Nick Saban for it. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin reacted to the Crimson Tide’s first loss of the season,

Trevor Etienne ran for two touchdowns as No. 5 Georgia bounced back from its first regular-season loss in almost four years with a 31-13 victory over Auburn.

Georgia went ahead early and kept Auburn at bay to bounce back from its loss at Alabama. It was the Bulldogs' ninth straight win against the Tigers.

Beck was effective and decisive in the 31-13 victory over Auburn, completing 23 of his 29 passing attempts (79%) for 240 yards with two touchdowns on an interception-free outing. He looked back to himself — a quarterback who takes care of the football and manages the game well with a high level of mental processing who can do more when asked of him.