SEC Football: Big Matchups in the 2012 Season

With spring games currently taking place, it won't be long until the college football regular season begins. That's great news for SEC fans, considering the conference will likely be the best in football once again, and feature some of the most important games of the 2012 season. Let's take a look at some of those important matchups.

Alabama at LSU, November 3rd

This game is the cream of the crop in the SEC conference schedule in 2012. LSU won an incredibly tight defensive battle in Tuscaloosa last season, and as we all know, the Tide exacted their revenge against the Tigers in the national title game. The two teams should be similarly evenly matched in 2012, as they will undoubtedly both be top five teams to begin the season. This should be a great game to watch, and one that has the potential to decide the winner of the SEC West

Arkansas at South Carolina, November 10th

While Bobby Petrino's firing definitely makes Arkansas worse off, the team still possesses top-15 talent. Quarterback Tyler Wilson returns and running back Knile Davis is healthy after missing the 2011 season. As for the Gamecocks, they will also return a running back who was injured in 2011 in Marcus Lattimore. The Gamecocks are are an excellent team and should be ranked in the top-10 when the preseason rankings come about. This will certainly be a fun game to watch.

Georgia at South Carolina, November 6th

This game has huge implications, as the winner will likely be in prime position to capture the SEC East title. With great talent returning, such as junior quarterback Aaron Murray, the Bulldogs will also likely be a top-10 ranked team to begin the season. South Carolina outlasted Georgia in a memorable 45-42 game in Athens last season. Expect a similarly competitive game in 2012.

Alabama at Arkansas, September 15th

Considering the game takes place early in the season, Arkansas has a real opportunity to show the world they are still an elite team without Petrino. It's a big game for Alabama because they can't afford to start out slow, given the strength of the SEC West this season. Bama should still be the favorite, given its dominance in their meeting last season. But the game should be much closer this season, and one definitely worth circling on your calendar.