Lofty Expectations Could Lead to Bruised Egos in the SEC West

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

How do you temper the expectations of the most rabid fanbases in the country?

For most squads in the SEC, you don't. You simply ride the streaks as they come, try to win the weekly battles against your bitter rivals, and hope that your team, if it can't get to Atlanta, can at least satisfy what have become the somewhat unreasonable goals of those that support the program.

This season, the SEC West is packed with teams that have seen their projected spots and believe that they can not only exceed the predictions, but make a run that could end in a championship.

Where will the chips fall?  Here is a look at each of the teams in the West that could make some noise before what has become a de facto national championship semifinal in Atlanta in early December.

Arkansas

While last week's loss in a shootout to Georgia may have slowed the momentum, Arkansas has shown many positive signs under Bobby Petrino. Michigan transfer quarterback Ryan Mallet continues to impress, throwing for over 900 yards in the first two games of the season.

The matchup with Alabama on Saturday may prove to be the fork in the road for the Hogs. Coming into Tuscaloosa as a 15-point underdog, Arkansas must find a way to make the game competitive to remain relevant in the West. 

A blowout loss after the close call against Georgia would likely signify that they are headed for a middle-of-the-pack finish. An upset would turn Arkansas into a top-25 team and a real player for the SEC West title.

To remain in this conversation, Arkansas must defeat Auburn on Oct. 10. A third loss, especially one that would result in an 0-3 start to conference play, would remove Arkansas from contention.

Auburn

No other team in the SEC has seen expectations rise so quickly. Considered an afterthought in the West race, Auburn has turned heads under Gene Chizik and his band of skilled coaches. While the defense looks suspect, Auburn fans hope to ride the newfound enthusiasm and favorable early-season schedule into the top 25.

The unlikeliest of questions concerning Auburn has all of the sudden become relevant.  Can a team that managed five wins last season with an offense that can only be labeled as abysmal continue to build offensive firepower and outscore its opponents in the SEC? 

The scheme is heavy on misdirection and teams that are less than well-coached defensively can have problems. 

The troubling fact for Auburn is that most of those teams exist in conferences outside of the SEC. The breakneck pace and seldom-seen formations can win games against inferior athletes, but can they win against defenses loaded with strength, speed, and talent? 

Road tests at Tennessee and Arkansas are must-wins if Auburn wants to remain in the race. The late-season gauntlet of LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama will be too much to overcome if Auburn has any hiccups early.

Ole Miss

Perhaps the team that is least-equipped to handle national championship aspirations is Ole Miss. Houston Nutt has positioned his team firmly in the top five nationally, but is still a marquee win away from being taken seriously.

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