SEC East

SEC EAST


1. South Carolina
2. Georgia
3. Florida
4. Missouri
5. Tennessee
6. Vanderbilt
7. Kentucky

* I really like what Steve Spurrier has done at South Carolina. He has recruited extremely well, brought the Gamecocks to their first SEC title game in 2010 and first 11 win season in school history in 2011. Connor Shaw is talented and experienced at QB and if Marcus Lattimore can return from a devastating ACL tear in 2011, Cocky looks to return to Atlanta. Getting Georgia at home on October 6 doesn’t hurt either.

* Georgia had an interesting season in 2011. The Bulldogs lost the first two and the last two games of the season but went on a 10 game winning streak in between. 10 wins should never be dismissed, but when the marquee victory for the campaign was a win over an 8-5 Auburn team, Georgia fans felt a little unsatisfied in the end. In the four losses, Georgia gave up an average of 38.75 points per game. That is no way to win a title.

* Florida will be better this season, but there are serious questions on the offensive side. Both QB’s vying for the starting role, Driskel and Brissett, are inexperienced sophomores. It’s almost amazing to me, but I don’t see any way the Gators win the East unless both Georgia and South Carolina implode. I think Muschamp was average at best on game days and has a ways to go to match Spurrier, Richt, Miles and Pinkel who will be on the opposing sidelines this year. (Yes, on the whole I think Miles is better on Saturdays than Muschamp) We will know a good bit about Florida when they meet LSU on October 6. Two early road games at A&M and UT will set the tone for the season.

* The only reason I have Missouri behind Florida is I think the Tigers may struggle a bit on the defensive side of the ball in their first SEC season. They have plenty of talent on the offensive side and Gary Pinkel is a very good coach. Expect 7 or 8 wins this season.

* I hate to say it, but I don’t think Derrick Dooley survives past 2012 at Tennessee. The middle of the season has a four game stretch of at Georgia, at MSU, Alabama and at South Carolina. That looks like a 1-3 run or even an 0-4 disaster. The Vols could get to 6-6, but that would be the end for Dooley.

* Vanderbilt may not make it to a bowl game, but they will cause some problems. The Dores get Carolina, Florida, Auburn and Tennessee at home. I expect them to win at least one of those.

* Kentucky was atrocious on offense last season scoring a measly 15.8 points a game. It’s amazing they won 5 games. This season may be even worse. Don’t be surprised to see Joker Phillips joining Dooley in the unemployment line.

A few stories of interest:

Is Miles one of the top coaches in the country?

LSU v. Alabama will be primetime again.

LSU Preview from College Football News.

SEC West

Welcome Aggies and Tigers!!

I personally am very excited to have Texas A&M and Missouri in the fold. Two solid programs that will not wow you but definitely assist in beefing up the middle class of the league. I think both programs will be an asset and enhance the SEC’s overall strength as time goes by.

Here are my predictions for the upcoming season. Once again I blew it last season picking Alabama over LSU in the West and South Carolina over Georgia in the East. Of the 14 participants in the SEC Title game over the last seven years, I have only correctly picked four. (LSU in ’05 and ’07, UT in ’07 and Florida in ’09)

SEC West

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Auburn
5. Texas A&M
6. Miss. State
7. Ole Miss

*Here is a break down of the 22 starting quarterbacks that have led their teams to the SEC Title game since 2001.

Class	#	Record
Senior	8	6-2
Junior	8	4-4
Sophomore	6	1-5
Freshman	0	0-0

* At this point I know I sound like a broken record, but experience on the offensive line and at QB are critical. I know Jefferson stunk out the place late last year, but Jarrett Lee, a senior last season, did a great deal of the heavy lifting behind an experienced offensive line which led the league in rushing yards, attempts and TD’s. (stats from conference games only) The success in the Title Game by upper class QB’s speaks for itself.

* LSU gets Alabama and South Carolina at home while traveling to A&M, Arkansas, Florida and Auburn. The Tigers will probably be favored in every game this season, but a tough road slate could be their undoing. The margin between first and second in the division could be decided buy another overtime field goal.

* Alabama will be very good in 2012, but it may be too much to ask to replace all those starters lost on defense. Much like 2010, Alabama may be better on the offensive side of the ball with four starters returning on the O-Line with a combined 95 career starts while the defensive replacements grow into their roles. The schedule is favorable as the Tide avoids South Carolina, Georgia and Florida from the East.

* Arkansas is again a wildcard. The departure of Petrino and hiring of John L. Smith creates huge questions for the Hogs. In his 18 year coaching career, including six years in I-AA, Smith has only won 10 games or more twice. In his four years at Michigan State he was a paltry 22-26. By October 6, Arkansas will have played Alabama, A&M and Auburn. They are talented enough to win all three games. But they could also be flaky enough to lose all three.

* Auburn’s schedule shapes up nicely as they only have one tough road game at Alabama. But with early games at Clemson and Miss. State and a home date with LSU on September 22, the Tigers could also possibly be looking at a 1-3 start to the season.

* Texas A&M is down here by default. A new coaching staff and entering a new league creates a myriad of challenges for A&M. If they can beat Florida at home in the second week of the season they could start 5-1 or even 6-0 going into an October 20 home game versus LSU. It is more likely they struggle against the better SEC sides and finish with 7 wins.

*Miss. State and Ole Miss are in a similar predicament. No experience up front on the offensive side of the ball. The teams return two starters combined from last year on the offensive line. State has the path to bowl eligibility down to a science, four weak non-conference opponents on the schedule and annual games versus Ole Miss and Kentucky provide a clear path to 6 wins. 2011 was a complete disaster for Ole Miss. Don’t expect much improvement in the win column this season.

Previews!

Welcome back.  We are within 90 days of the start of another college football season.  Over the next few months I will be posting my SEC preview, off-season thoughts and plenty of other nuggets of information.

I've posted my Pre-Season Super 7 to get things rolling for what should be a very good 2012 season.