College Football Predictions 2011: Florida and the 5 Most Improved SEC Squads

The Southeastern Conference has been the epitome of premier college football for the past five years.

They have captured the BCS Championship for five consecutive seasons behind the play of juggernaut programs like Florida, LSU, Alabama and Auburn.

But throughout the SEC other teams like Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Tennessee have struggled at different times in those five years as well.

2011 is a new season for everybody. Teams start with the same record and everyone has a chance to do something special during the fall.

As seniors and juniors leave for the NFL and incoming recruits join the teams, each SEC squad will look and play different this season. Some better than others.

Nevertheless, expect to see several SEC teams improve vastly in 2011.

Here are the five SEC teams that will see an improvement throughout the 2011 season.

5. Arkansas Razorbacks

The Arkansas Razorbacks certainly experienced a lot success in 2010. 

Former quarterback Ryan Mallet shined in his junior season, throwing for 3,869 yards and 32 touchdowns.

He led the Razorbacks to a 10-3 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance against Ohio State.

Heading into 2011, Arkansas should improve on it's success from the prior season.

While they have a new quarterback at the helm in Tyler Wilson, Arkansas fans take solace in the performance they saw against Auburn last season. Wilson threw for 332 yards on 25-34 passing, along with four touchdowns. The sophomore ended up being the only reason Arkansas stayed in that game and almost led them to an upset.

Along with Wilson, the Razorback offense features big-time players like Knile Davis, Joe Adams and Greg Childs.

Davis was especially huge in 2010, leading the SEC in rushing with 1,322 yards.

All in all, the Razorbacks return their top four receivers from last season and should expect another outstanding passing attack again in 2011.

With arguably the best offense in the conference, the Razorbacks will see improvement again this season.

4. Tennessee Volunteers

The Tennessee Volunteers are coming off an average year in 2010, posting a 6-7 overall record and just a 3-6 record in conference play.

But the two bright spots for the Volunteers came from the emergence of quarterback Tyler Bray and running back Tauren Poole.

Bray entered last season as a backup to Matt Simms, but eventually took the job from him after Simms failed to perform effectively in the first half of the season. He went on to throw for 1,849 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Volunteers.

Poole also came out of no where in 2010 and had a breakout season. He rushed for 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns after only racking up 85 rushing yards in all of 2009.

The Volunteers return both of these players and they figure to be the focal points of the Tennessee offense in 2011.

Tennessee also has a favorable schedule in 2011 with home games against Cincinnati, South Carolina, Georgia and LSU. 

If Bray and Poole show some maturity and growth next season, the Volunteers could take advantage of their schedule and finish above .500 and continue on the path of returning to the top of the SEC.

3. Georgia Bulldogs

Leading the Georgia Bulldogs into 2011 is perhaps the SEC's best quarterback: Aaron Murray.

Murray was outstanding in 2010 throwing for 3,049 yards and 24 touchdowns. He helped the Bulldogs attain a 6-7 record in 2010.

Murray returns and could be a dark horse contender for the Heisman Trophy as he continues to grow into a top collegiate quarterback. Not to mention, he has a very reliable target in tight end Orson Charles who will look to be the Bulldogs' main receiver after the departure of A.J. Green.

Alongside Murray, Caleb King will be the starting running back for the Bulldogs after Washaun Ealey was dismissed from the team during the offseason. King will provide quality experience for the Georgia backfield.

Look out for incoming freshman running back Isaiah Crowell as well. Crowell was the top running back recruit in the nation among the 2011 recruiting class. He can make an immediate impact even as a freshman with his breakaway speed and his shifty moves.

On the defensive side, Georgia will have lost some leadership, especially in their linebacking corps. But they are a defense that only allowed 22.1 points per game last season and they will build off that success this next season.

And something that goes unmentioned too often is Georgia's special teams. They have the best special teams in all of college football.

Kicker Blair Walsh and punter Drew Butler anchor the Bulldogs' special teams unit. While they aren't on the field as much as other players, they still play a key role in many of Georgia's games when it comes to field position and converting on field goals.

Look for Georgia's experience on offense and talented freshman to lead the Bulldogs to an above .500 record this season and maybe a berth in the SEC Championship game.

2. Florida Gators

The Florida Gators greatly under-performed in 2010, only going 8-5 on the season.

A lot went wrong for the Gators last year. From the inconsistent quarterback play to incompetent tackling, the Gators were one of the most disappointing teams.

But with a new coaching staff and a seemingly new beginning, Florida fans are hopeful for a season that will take them to Atlanta in December once again.

Coach Will Muschamp and new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis are revamping the Florida program. The defense is shifting to a more 3-4 style, while the offense will run a pro-style system, unlike the spread option that Urban Meyer ran while coaching at Florida.

Under Weis, Brantley figures to feel more comfortable this season and should be able to find a rhythm on offense much quicker. The pro-style offense plays into Brantley's strengths and he will have a season that is more indicative of the talent that Brantley possesses.

The Gators have two senior running backs in Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. Both are electric and about as fast as they come in the NCAA. Look for these two senior leaders to have a huge impact on the success of the Gators this season.

Defensively, the Gators are young, but extremely talented. Sophomore linebacker Jelani Jenkins will lead Florida in the middle. He was the team's leading tackler last season and figures to step up as more of a vocal leader in his second season as a starter.

The defensive line will be key for Florida as they feature talented defensive tackles in Jaye Howard, Omar Hunter, Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley. Ronald Powell will come off the edge in the 3-4, along with Lerentee McCray. All of these players are fast off the line and are excellent pass rushers. If they can constantly pressure the quarterback, it could force the quarterback to make mistakes, which would help out Florida's inexperienced secondary a lot.

Look for the Gators to be more comfortable this season and produce a more stable and consistent product on the field. The Gators could very well be in Atlanta for the fourth time in six years.

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs

The Mississippi State Bulldogs had an excellent season in 2010, posting a 9-4 season, which was the Bulldogs best season since 2007. They finished 15th in the final AP poll, which marked the first time they had been in the top 15 of final AP poll since 1999.

Quarterback Chris Relf and running back Vick Ballard exploded onto the scene for the Bulldogs, combining for almost 4,000 total yards on offense.

Both Ballard and Relf return in 2011 and they expect to have huge years once again.

The defense also put up solid numbers in 2010, allowing only 19.8 points per game. This ranked them 19th in all of FBS football.

The Bulldogs return a lot of talent on defense, including their entire secondary. While the secondary struggled in 2010, another year of experience should bode well for these defensive backs.

Defensive tackles Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd return as well, so the Bulldogs will maintain their excellent run defense again in 2011.

Mississippi State is ready to take that leap as SEC championship contenders. If Ballard and Relf can make that leap as well, the Bulldogs have an excellent shot at shocking LSU and Alabama and representing the SEC West in the SEC Championship game this season.