My first post of the season, as I watch Florida play Georgia in the SouthEast Little League final. A trip to Williamsport on the line!
On to college football. IT IS ABOUT TIME!
The West is probably the toughest "league" in college football this year, but I'll start with the SEC East because I'm partial to the reptiles down Gainesville way.
SEC EAST
Let’s start out with the assumption that South Carolina, Florida and Georgia are the top 3 teams in the East. Tennessee and Kentucky should be decent, but poor Vandy just can’t compete in the SEC (in football) YET. Vandy’s new coach is strong and they are making some noise in recruiting already.
The Gamecocks won the East last year and lost to Auburn in the SEC Championship game. They return 7 starters on Offense and 7 on Defense. They return some big time play makers, including Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery.
Florida returns 6 starters on Offense and only 3 on Defense.
Georgia was 6-7 last season and lost to UCF in their bowl game. For some reason, a lot of “experts” are picking them to win the East. How could that be you ask? The Dawg’s return 4 Offensive and 7 Defensive starters. The numbers are similar to the Gators, but neither of the Cocktail party participants won the East last season or return as many starters as the Cocks.
Their respective Schedules are the key to understanding how the East might play out.
I say USC goes first as they are the defending “champs”. They open with East Carolina in Charlotte and then in week 2 they go “between the hedges” for the showdown with Georgia. It is safe to say that it is a big game. Home games follow against Navy, Vandy and Auburn. Auburn only returns 5 starters from their BCS championship team. War Beagles should be good, but not great. Kentucky comes to town next and then 3 straight road games at Miss State, Tennessee and Arkansas. The Gators will come calling on 11/12 and by then the SEC East will be decided. The schedule has a “breather” against the Citadel before cross state rival Clemson comes to Columbia on Thanksgiving Saturday. USC DOES NOT play Alabama or LSU, both of whom are expected to be top 5 nationally.
Florida opens with FAU and UAB, and then starts conference play with Rocky Top before a roadie to Kentucky. Those 4 look “winnable” and they better be, because a gauntlet follows. The Crimson Tide rolls into the Swamp on 10/1 and the following Saturday has the Gators in Death Valley against LSU. UF gets to follow up two top 5 battles with a trip to Auburn, the defending national champs. A week to heal comes before the Cocktail Party. Vandy opens the November slate and then it’s off to Columbia for the showdown with South Carolina. The East will be settled by that night. Furman and a rejuvenated Florida State round out the dance card for the Mighty Gators.
Georgia’s schedule looks like this: Boise State in Atlanta to get things going. Boise is good, but Boise is NOT playing in the SEC. Week 2 is the biggie vs South Carolina! After that UGA plays Coastal Carolina (they have a football team?) before a trip to the Grove and Ole Miss. Mississippi State comes to Athens on 10/1 and then a roadie to Knoxville and the Vol navy. Another trip to Tennessee the following week to play Vandy and then a bye to get ready for the Cocktail Party and the Gators! November brings in the New Mexico St patsy, followed by Auburn and Kentucky and finally in state rival Ga Tech.
Schedule wise, the Gators have to play both Alabama and LSU, while Georgia and South Carolina miss both of the giants from the West. A lot of folks have Arkansas as the 3rd best team in the SEC (I’m not on that band wagon) and only South Carolina has to tangle with the Hogs. So, from an SEC schedule it is obvious Georgia has the easiest path, then USC, and Florida the nastiest by far. So, THAT is how Florida may have a great team, but not be able to win the East. Let’s imagine that Florida loses two SEC games and beats both Georgia and South Carolina. If USC wins all their other conference games, they win the East even though they lost head to head against UF.
It is way too early to do this, but here is how I see it playing out for these 3.
Georgia:
Beats Boise State, although it would not shock me for Boise to prevail (the puppies lost to UCF last outing…)
Loses to South Carolina
Beats Coastal
Beats Ole Miss
Loses to Miss State at home
Beats Tennessee (maybe)
Beats Vandy
Loses to Florida (again) like death and taxes, some things you can count on !
Beats NMSt
Loses to Auburn
Beats Kentucky
Beats Ga Tech to finish 8-4, 5-3 in the SEC
FLORIDA:
Beats FAU
Beats UAB
Beats Tennessee
Beats Kentucky
Loses to Alabama
Beats LSU
Beats Auburn
Beats Georgia
Beats Vandy
Loses to South Carolina
Beats Furman
Loses to FSU to finish 9-3 and 6-2
SOUTH CAROLINA
W East Carolina
W Georgia
W Navy
W Vandy
L Auburn
W Kentucky
L Miss St
W Tennessee
W Arkansas – this one could be a trap for the old ball coach.
W Florida
W Citidel
W Clemson to finish 10-2 and 6-2 but the win vs UF carries them back to the SEC CG
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