College Football - SEC Preview :)

My 2010 College preview will start with the kings of the mountain, the SEC. Over the last 4 seasons, Florida, LSU, Florida and Alabama have won the BCS national championships. Certainly conference power can be cyclical, but the SEC is building upon the momentum they have and I just don’t see them backing off anytime soon.

The West appears to be the division with the stronger teams to challenge Alabama. Arkansas, Auburn and LSU have legitimate shots, and with Jerimiah Massoli now chunkin it for Ole Miss, they will be a tough out. Dan Mullen is building Mississippi State, but he just doesn’t have the “dogs” for the SEC West fights yet. I have seen some experts pick Auburn and Arkansas to upset the Tide to represent the West in the SEC title game. Auburn under Chizik is really improving and former Gator Cam Newton should shine in Gus Malzon’s rapid fire offense. Arkansas has future NFL QB Ryan Mallet and so they will score a bunch of points and have a chance to win any game. LSU is super talented, but I have zero confidence in Les Miles. So, while the Hogs and the War Beagles are getting some love, I can’t not pick Alabama. Saban is a top shelf coach and has all his offense back from last year’s championship team. The D lost quite a bit, but the shelves are stocked with serious ball players ready for their turn. Not sure if Bamer runs the table, but I sure see them in Atlanta…playing…the Gators…again.

The East may not be as strong as the West this season. Florida, Georgia and South Carolina should duke it out for a spot in Hotlanta, but Kentucky will be pretty good too. Much is being written about replacing Tebow, one of college football’s most decorated celebrity’s. I honestly expect the Florida offense to be MUCH better with John Brantley taking the snaps. I’m not hating on Tebow, but he was always an unconventional QB, who did not distribute the ball enough for me. He sure carried the team on short yardage situations, but he does not throw the ball as well as John Brantley and he failed to get the ball to the guys who make the Gators special – the speed burners. Like Tebow, I was able to watch Brantley while he was in high school and he has all the tools then so it is a certainty that he has improved in his years at UF waiting his turn. UF lost some good players, but they have been stocking up on 5 star recruits and have Urban Meyer running the show. Just cannot see Georgia or South Carolina unseating them. A regular season road trip to Tuscaloosa will be a dandy and may blemish the Gator season, but it shouldn’t keep them out of a rematch of Orange & Blue vs Crimson & White. It is such a homer thing to do, but I’ll pick Alabama to win the game in October, but the Gators to claim the championship in December  The interesting battle will be between Georgia and South Carolina, who just happen to knock heads in week two in Columbia. Schedules are obviously a key factor, as each SEC team plays all the teams in their division, plus three teams from the other side of the conference. Georgia plays Arkansas, Miss St and Auburn. South Carolina gets Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas. The Gamecocks would trade the Tide for Miss St. if they could. That means that South Carolina has to beat Georgia head to head. The problem is that under Spurrier you never know what to expect from SC. They have had great DEFENSES (go figure) under Steve, but no real offense. Mark Richt has been very solid and steady at Georgia, but also hard to predict. One writer picked Georgia to win the national championship. I sure don’t see that, but expect them to have a decent season. I am taking Kentucky to finish 3rd or 4th in the East, with Tennessee and Vandy bringing up the rear. Vandy is where my cousin Bryan played in the early 90’s and I admire their courage, but they are the one SEC team that really is not an SEC team…CUSA facilities and no athletic department. Repeat, no athletic department! During the inevitable mega conference alignment that will happen in the next year or two, the SEC should find a way to put the Dores on waivers.

One more point of discussion with the SEC and that is the non conference games of note. Alabama hosts Penn State and plays Duke (bully report!). LSU opens with North Carolina in Atlanta and also has a game with West Virginia. Florida still plays FSU and this season they also have the now dangerous South Florida Bulls coming to the Swamp. Auburn plays Clemson. Ole Miss plays Fresno St. Georgia always has the now dangerous Ramblin Wreck at the end of the season, but they also go to Boulder to play Colorado this season. Not that Colorado is awesome or anything, but it is quite scenic out there and pretty high altitude. Tennessee plays Oregon and if the Vols weren’t down, that would be a good one as the Ducks will bring serious offense to Neyland stadium.