2009: Another Strong Season For The SEC

Only four months until the college football season starts so its the perfect time to preview the upcoming schedule.  I chose the SEC to start because I believe in my heart of hearts that the SEC is the best and most competitive conference.  No disrespect to any other conference intended.

I think Florida will be the national champion next season based on 3 things. 

#1  They will have more team speed than anyone else in the nation. 

#2  Florida's defense will be dominant. 

#3  Florida is the only team with Tim Tebow playing quarterback for them.  As an Alabama fan, its hard to say this but Tebow is the best player in all of college football and he willed UF to a victory of Bama in the SEC championship and a victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl to win a national title.

With that said, Let's take a look at the full schedule courtesy of ESPN.com and my predictions for 2009:

SEC EAST

FLORIDA 11-1 (7-1)

September 5 Charleston Southern, W 
September 12 Troy, W
September 19 Tennessee, W
September 26 at Kentucky, W 
October 10 at LSU  8:00 PM ET, L
October 17 Arkansas, W 
October 24 at Mississippi State, W 
October 31 vs. Georgia*, W
November 7 Vanderbilt, W 
November 14 at South Carolina, W 
November 21 Florida International, W 
November 28 Florida State, W 

GEORGIA 10-2 (6-2)

September 5 at Oklahoma State, W 
September 12 South Carolina, W
September 19 at Arkansas, W
September 26 Arizona State, W
October 3 LSU, W 
October 10 at Tennessee, L
October 17 at Vanderbilt, W
October 31 vs. Florida*, L 
November 7 Tennessee Tech, W 
November 14 Auburn, W
November 21 Kentucky, W
November 28 at Georgia Tech, W

TENNESSEE  7-5 (4-4)

September 5 Western Kentucky, W
September 12 UCLA, L
September 19 at Florida, L
September 26 Ohio, W
October 3 Auburn, W
October 10 Georgia, W
October 24 at Alabama, L
October 31 South Carolina, W
November 7 Memphis, W 
November 14 at Mississippi, L
November 21 Vanderbilt, W
November 28 at Kentucky, L

KENTUCKY 7-5 (3-5)

September 5 at Miami (OH), W
September 19 Louisville, W
September 26 Florida, L
October 3 Alabama, L
October 10 at South Carolina, L
October 17 at Auburn, L
October 24 Louisiana-Monroe, W
October 31 Mississippi State, W
November 7 Eastern Kentucky, W
November 14 at Vanderbilt, W
November 21 at Georgia, L 
November 28 Tennessee, W

SOUTH CAROLINA 5-7 (2-6)

September 3 at North Carolina State, W
September 12 at Georgia, L
September 19 Florida Atlantic, W
September 24 Mississippi  7:30, L
October 3 South Carolina State, W
October 10 Kentucky, W
October 17 at Alabama, L 
October 24 Vanderbilt, W 
October 31 at Tennessee, L 
November 7 at Arkansas, L
November 14 Florida, L
November 28 Clemson, L

VANDERBILT 4-8 (1-7)

September 5 Western Carolina, W
September 12 at LSU  8:00 PM ET, L
September 19 Mississippi State, W
September 26 at Rice, W
October 3 Mississippi, L 
October 10 at Army, W 
October 17 Georgia, L
October 24 at South Carolina, L 
October 31 Georgia Tech, L
November 7 at Florida, L
November 14 Kentucky, L
November 21 at Tennessee, L

SEC WEST

ALABAMA 11-1 (7-1)

September 5 vs. Virginia Tech*, W
September 12 Florida International, W
September 19 North Texas, W
September 26 Arkansas, W
October 3 at Kentucky, W
October 10 at Mississippi, L 
October 17 South Carolina, W
October 24 Tennessee, W
November 7 LSU, W
November 14 at Mississippi State, W 
November 21 Chattanooga, W 
November 28 at Auburn, W

OLE MISS 10-2 (6-2)

September 6 at Memphis  3:30 PM ET, W
September 19 Southeastern Louisiana, W
September 24 at South Carolina  7:30 PM, W 
October 3 at Vanderbilt, W
October 10 Alabama, W 
October 17 UAB, W 
October 24 Arkansas, W
October 31 at Auburn, L
November 7 Northern Arizona, W 
November 14 Tennessee, W
November 21 LSU, W
November 28 at Mississippi State, L 

LSU 9-3 (5-3)

September 5 at Washington, W
September 12 Vanderbilt  8:00 PM ET, W
September 19 Louisiana-Lafayette  8:00 PM ET, W
September 26 at Mississippi State, W
October 3 at Georgia, L 
October 10 Florida  8:00 PM ET, W
October 24 Auburn  8:00 PM ET, W 
October 31 Tulane  8:00 PM ET, W
November 7 at Alabama, L
November 14 Louisiana Tech  8:00 PM ET, W
November 21 at Mississippi, L
November 28 Arkansas  8:00 PM ET, W

ARKANSAS 6-6 (3-5)

September 5 Missouri State, W
September 19 Georgia, L
September 26 at Alabama, L 
October 3 vs. Texas A&M*, W 
October 10 Auburn, W 
October 17 at Florida, L
October 24 at Mississippi, L
October 31 Eastern Michigan, W
November 7 South Carolina, W
November 14 Troy, L 
November 21 Mississippi State, W 
November 28 at LSU  8:00 PM ET, L

AUBURN 7-5 (3-5)

September 5 Louisiana Tech, W
September 12 Mississippi State, W
September 19 West Virginia, W 
September 26 Ball State, W
October 3 at Tennessee, L
October 10 at Arkansas, L 
October 17 Kentucky, W 
October 24 at LSU  8:00 PM ET, L
October 31 Mississippi, W 
November 7 Furman, W 
November 14 at Georgia, L
November 28 Alabama, L

MISSISSIPPI STATE 4-8 (1-7)

September 5 Jackson State, W
September 12 at Auburn, L
September 19 at Vanderbilt, L
September 26 LSU, L
October 3 Georgia Tech, L 
October 10 Houston, W 
October 17 at Middle Tennessee State, W
October 24 Florida, L 
October 31 at Kentucky, L
November 14 Alabama, L 
November 21 at Arkansas, L 
November 28 Mississippi, W

* denotes neutral site game

I have Florida over Alabama in the SEC championship game and going on to win their second straight national championship.  I think that Ole Miss will get an at large BCS bid pushing Alabama into the Cotton Bowl.  

I have the SEC receiving 9 bowl bids with as many as 5 teams finishing in the top 10.  Looks to be another great college football season.  How do you see the season playing out?