SEC Predictions

The SEC is the premiere conference in all of college football and more often than not, it is the conference that produces the national champion. More than any other season since the SEC’s dominance began back in 2006, America’s best conference is wide open.

Let’s take a quick look at each team before I give you my predictions.

SEC West:

Alabama: Everyone just assumes that Alabama’s quarterback situation will work itself out and that there is no way this team isn’t right back in the national title hunt, but in reality, the lack of a dependable quarterback could be the reason this team slips back a bit this year. The running backs are as good as any in the country, and I’m sure the defense will be solid, but if this team is going to compete for a title, SEC or national, they will have to have a better than average quarterback.

Arkansas: Bret Bielema is probably wishing he was playing a Big 10 schedule these days. Last year, Arkansas failed to win a league game in his first season as head coach, and this year, the best they can really hope for is ruining someone’s season. Arkansas has a good quarterback, and if I took the time I would probably find out that they have a couple of other players who are okay, but as long as that idiot is running the show, nothing is going to get much better for the Hogs.

Auburn: 2013 was a magical season for the Tigers, and no team in the history of college football has deserved what Auburn has coming to them more than the 2014 edition of the Auburn Tigers. To say that the schedule is brutal is an understatement. The Tigers host LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Alabama while going on the road to Georgia and Kansas State on a Thursday night for some reason. Auburn does return Nick Marshall, but they lost some big name players from a team that overachieved a season ago, so I don’t think its crazy to think they are going to take a step back.

LSU: How is it possible that this team could be flying under the radar? Ok, so I couldn’t tell you the name of the quarterback if I tried and the only real thing I know about this team is that they got the number one recruit in the country last year, running back Leonard Fournette, but LSU is still LSU and they are going to be heard from in the SEC West. By the time they play Alabama in November, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are in the Top 10 and positioning themselves to get into the SEC title game.

Mississippi State: It seems like a long time ago when Dan Mullen took the job at Mississippi State and there was talk of turning the Bizzaro Bulldogs into a contender. Mullen has done a good job just making this team mediocre, but they play in the toughest division in college football and they will always be number two in their state. Sadly, this is probably as good as it is going to get in Starkville for a very long time. Maybe they get lucky and make a bowl, but probably not.

Ole Miss: Hugh Freeze got everyone talking two years ago when he brought home on of the best recruiting classes in school history, and he kept them talking when the Rebels upset LSU last year, but now Ole Miss faces its toughest test yet: Can they live up to the high expectations facing them this year? Ole Miss hosts both Alabama and Auburn, if the Rebels can win one or both of those games, then they might just be in the conversation for the SEC title game come November.

Texas A&M: This is going to be an important year for Aggie football. Their introduction into the SEC coincided with the Johnny Football Era, but now Kevin Sumlin has to prove that his program can go on in a post-Johnny world. They will have the eyes of the college football world on them on opening night at South Carolina, and I think the way they play in that game might dictate how far the Aggies fall this year. It’s time for Sumlin to start earning that $4 million contract.

SEC East:

Florida: So as a Georgia fan, just how many games does Will Muschamp have to win, while still losing in Jacksonville to keep him around for another season? Florida was decimated by injuries last year, and they bring back a talented team that could win 10 games this season and put the Gators right back on the national map, but at the end of the day they are still a team that lost to Georgia Southern last year in the Swamp. I think Florida wins 7 or 8 games and puts Jeremy Foley in a really tough spot.

Georgia: Georgia has a new quarterback, a new defensive coordinator, a new secondary, and a lot of talent. What will it all add up to? I’m not sure Mark Richt knows. All of the talk around camp has been that Jeremy Pruitt is the real deal and that the defense is going to be dramatically better. The schedule is as manageable as an SEC schedule can be with no LSU or Alabama this year. If Hutson Mason can be ¾ as good as Aaron Murray, then the Dawgs should be in line for not only a spot in the SEC title game, but maybe a spot in the new college football playoff.

Kentucky: People in Lexington are really excited about what Mark Stoops is doing in Kentucky. They are renovating their stadium, and their recruiting has picked up. I’m really happy for those Kentucky fans who really don’t have anything to do until the third week of November when basketball tips off. Kentucky is going to be bad this year, but I don’t think they are going to finish last in the division, so I guess that is showing improvement.

Missouri: In only their second season in the league, the Tigers took down Georgia in Athens, beat Florida and went to the SEC title game. Ok Gary Pinkle, now do it again. James Franklin graduated and they also lost a seventh round draft pick that every keeps talking about. Missouri will be a good football team, but I’m not sure they can come close to repeating what they did last year. If they can finish third in the East, I think that would be a pretty good season from them.

South Carolina: This might be the last great chance that Steve Spurrier gets at South Carolina. Georgia should be strong, but the Dawgs have to come to Columbia this year. Florida will be back soon and Tennessee is going to continue to improve under Butch Jones. When he took the job, he said his goal was to win the SEC. If the Gamecocks don’t get the job done this year, they never will.

Tennessee: Last year they showed signs of life, this year will be another step forward, but Tennessee is still going to need one more season before they are officially back. The Vols had Georgia on the ropes last year, but lost a heart-breaker. They beat South Carolina for their signature win, which cost the Gamecocks a shot at the SEC title. They will ruin someone’s season again this year, but there will be more losses than wins for Tennessee in the SEC this season.

Vanderbilt: James Franklin is gone. Vanderbilt, you now have permission to go back to being Vanderbilt. That is all.

SEC Predictions:

Team that will surprise: LSU

Team that will disappoint: Auburn

Teams that will need a new coach after the season: Arkansas, Mississippi State, Florida

Offensive Player of the Year: Todd Gurley

Defensive Player of the Year: No clue

Coach of the Year: Hugh Freeze

I like LSU to come out of nowhere to win the West. I think Georgia is going to lose to South Carolina in the second game of the season, but I think that will be their only loss. South Carolina could only lose once and keep Georgia out of the SEC title game, but that might not be such a bad thing for the Dawgs because I think an 11-1 Georgia team that has won 10 in a row would have a very strong case to make the playoff even if they don’t make the SEC title game.

Just to not be too much of a homer, I’ll go with LSU as conference champions.

It’s so close now you can almost taste it.

Coming later this week: Georgia/Clemson Preview and Week 1 of Picks You Should Bet Your Friend’s Money On!