Even though I think the SEC is once again clearly the best conference in football, I said I’d reveal these picks in reverse order of when I made them. So don’t take the fact that the Southeast Conference coming in third means I think that they’ll be anything shy of dominant again in 2011 – trust me, they will be. I am very disappointed to hear about the suspensions at LSU, Georgia’s already depleted roster (due to injuries and players no longer on the team for various reasons), the QB controversy at South Carolina (come on Stephen Garcia, really? Get it together man) and in my mind the most disappointing news of all, Arkansas’ Knile Davis being out for the season before taking a snap. I had him pegged as the #2 RB in the league behind Bama’s Trent Richardson and was excited to watch him play this year.
But even with all those reasons to be disappointed and down on the SEC, it will still be by far the greatest collection of high-quality football this side of the NFL. Let’s dive into the predictions.
SEC East
1. Florida Gators (10-2, 6-2)
2. Georgia Bulldogs (9-3, 6-2)
3. South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3)
4. Tennessee Volunteers (7-5, 3-5)
5. Kentucky Wildcats (5-7, 1-7)
6. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-7, 1-7)
SEC West
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0)
2. LSU Tigers (10-2, 7-1)
3. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-3, 6-2)
4. Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-5, 3-5)
5. Ole Miss Rebels (5-7, 1-7)
6. Auburn Tigers (4-8, 1-7)
SEC Championship Game
Alabama over Florida
The SEC has won five straight national titles, with four different programs. A lot of people are wondering when that run will inevitably come to an end. I’m saying at least not for one more year. Alabama has 10 starters back from what was already arguably the best defense in the country last year. Yes, the one player they lose was a superstar (first-round draft choice Marcell Dareus) but they have the horses to take his place.
LSU is super-talented as well, but I just don’t trust Les Miles (seriously… the guy eats grass as a pre-game ritual), and with all the off-field controversies blowing up in their face right before the incredibly important season opener against Oregon (AP preseason #3 vs. #4), I don’t see them putting it all together to run the table and get to the BCS title game in New Orleans.
I feel much the same way about South Carolina. They are the prohibitive favorite to win their second straight East crown (never mind that last year was the first year they’ve ever accomplished that feat), but I just don’t have a good feeling about them this year.
Despite what I usually say about first-year head coaches, I think Will Muschamp will get this Florida program turned around quickly. They’ve got boatloads of talent. I think the program probably just got a little stale and complacent under Urban Meyer – and really, how could you not after winning two national titles in three years? Also keep in mind that last year they were trying to replace Tim Tebow with John Brantley while running the exact same offense, which is like expecting Tony Stewart to run the same 100m dash as Usain Bolt. Yeah, they’re both really good racers – but they get it done with a completely different skill set. It’s not just Muschamp that joins this Gators staff — Charlie Weiss is the new offensive coordinator. In case you had forgotten after all those frustrating years in South Bend, the dude can still coach some offense. I mean, he can REALLY coach up quarterbacks. And as bad as he looked last year, John Brantley was the #4 QB coming out of high school for a reason, folks. You put him in a system that will take advantage of his natural talents, with a coach who knows how to bring out the absolute best in his QBs, and I’m predicting he will absolutely tear it up in 2011.
Finally, I should touch on Auburn here. I understand that preseason polls are a necessity, because you have to start some time, so why not make it at the beginning of the season. If you must have polls (which, let’s face it, we must), then it makes sense that you must have preseason polls. And it makes sense that the defending national champion should at least be given the benefit of the doubt to be kept somewhere in the Top 25 at the start of the next year. But not this year. Auburn has 6 starters back from last year’s title team. SIX! Three on offense. Three on defense. No Cam Newton. No Nick Fairley. Hell, no nobody. They lost 31 letterman, which is barely less than how many they return (38). They have exactly ONE senior starter on defense. This team isn’t a bad team — in fact, by all accounts they are quite talented. They are just unfathomably young and inexperienced. It will not be pretty. They will lose. A lot. They will get beaten badly by teams looking to exact revenge for all the close wins the Tigers pulled out last year. I repeat: it will not be pretty. So put them in at #23 in the preseason poll if you must, I suppose that only seems fair for the defending champs. But don’t expect them to stay there long.
Oh yeah, one more thing:
