SEC Football: Optimistic, Pessimistic and Realistic Predictions for Every Team
It's summertime and your team—yes, you, the fan of a team who lost everybody off of its depth chart—is a stone cold, lead pipe lock to win the SEC, correct?
Well, it's not that easy.
Upsets happen, major injuries occur and sometimes coaches forget the intricacies of proper clock management. We will account for all of those variables in our optimistic, pessimistic and realistic prediction slideshow for the SEC in 2015.
Alabama Crimson Tide
1 of 14
After two straight major bowl losses, Alabama has lost the benefit of the doubt from a national perspective. No longer are the holes on the roster overlooked in Tuscaloosa, and on the offensive side of the ball there are nine craters for head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
The quarterback race appears to be narrowed a bit, with senior Jake Coker and redshirt freshman David Cornwell out front over the rest of the field. Wide receivers ArDarius Stewart and Robert Foster looked great in the spring game but are wildly inexperienced. Running backs Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake are phenomenal, but behind them there are plenty of unknowns.
The Tide should boast the best front seven in the SEC—if not the nation—but have to get more consistent play out of their secondary.
Alabama has the talent to be great, but has plenty of questions. Because of that, the season could go in a wide variety of directions based on how well the coaching staff answers those questions.
Optimistic: 12-0.
Pessimistic: 7-5, with losses to Auburn, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Georgia and one out of the group of Arkansas, Texas A&M, LSU and Wisconsin.
Realistic: 11-1, with a loss to just one of those teams mentioned above.
Arkansas Razorbacks
2 of 14
Arkansas is the trendy pick to make some noise in the SEC West, after a strong close to the 2014 season. Despite that, head coach Bret Bielema still has only two conference wins in two seasons as the head coach of the Razorbacks.
Will this be the year?
The offense looks set with veteran quarterback Brandon Allen, the dynamic duo of running backs Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams, a veteran offensive line and established downfield targets.
Robb Smith proved that he was a fantastic defensive coordinator last year but has to replace defensive tackle Darius Philon, end Trey Flowers and linebacker Martrell Spaight. Can JaMichael Winston become a star and Bijhon Jackson be more consistent? That will determine whether Arkansas is a contender or pretender in 2015.
Optimistic: 10-2 with those two losses coming out of a group consisting of Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss.
Pessimistic: 5-7 with losses to all four of the teams mentioned above, as well as Texas A&M, LSU and either Mississippi State or Missouri.
Realistic: 7-5 with losses to Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss and either LSU or Texas A&M.
Auburn Tigers
3 of 14
Hopes are high in Auburn after head coach Gus Malzahn reeled in the biggest fish in the coaching pond this offseason. Will Muschamp is back to lead Auburn's defense, and has defensive end Carl Lawson back from injury, an All-SEC caliber corner in Jonathan Jones and a veteran linebacking corps.
Offensively, Malzahn has a veteran wide receiving corps, solid offensive line and a stable of talented—yet unproven—running backs. Quarterback Jeremy Johnson will bring more balance to the offense, which should explode in 2015.
The schedule is tough, but most of Auburn's tough SEC games are at home, which should help the Tigers stay in the SEC West race late in November.
Optimistic: 12-0.
Pessimistic: 6-6 with losses to LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama and one out of the group of Arkansas, Louisville or Mississippi State.
Realistic: 11-1 with a loss to Alabama or Ole Miss.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Florida Gators
4 of 14
Jim McElwain's first year as the head coach of the Florida Gators is littered with plenty of question marks.
The high-profile position battle is, of course, at quarterback, where redshirt freshman pro-style signal-caller Will Grier and true sophomore dual-threat Treon Harris are vying for playing time in the pro-style system. Up front, there's a huge problem. Only six scholarship offensive linemen were healthy at the end of spring practice, which means that McElwain will have to depend on some of the six freshmen coming this summer.
Defensively, the Gators should be fine with defensive lineman Jon Bullard, linebacker Antonio Morrison and a veteran secondary led by cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III.
The defense will keep Florida in games, and it will be up to the quarterback and offensive line to put them over the top.
Optimistic: 9-3 with losses to Ole Miss, Tennessee and one out of a group consisting of Florida State, LSU or Georgia.
Pessimistic: 5-7 with losses to all five teams mentioned above, as well as Missouri and South Carolina.
Realistic: 7-5 with losses to Tennessee, Ole Miss, Georgia, LSU and Florida State.
Georgia Bulldogs
5 of 14
Is this the year for the Georgia Bulldogs?
Head coach Mark Richt returns a superstar at running back in Nick Chubb, a veteran offensive line and some of the best outside linebackers in the country.
Despite that, though, there are still some gaping holes, including the defensive line, quarterback and at wide receiver.
If somebody steps up outside to help out quarterback Brice Ramsey, Greyson Lambert or Faton Bauta, the Bulldogs offense will be tough to beat. If not, and the defensive line doesn't come together, it could be a long year in Athens.
Optimistic: 12-0.
Pessimistic: 6-6, with losses to Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Auburn, Georgia Tech and either South Carolina or Florida.
Realistic: 9-3, with losses to Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn.
Kentucky Wildcats
6 of 14
Kentucky sat at 5-1 last year, on the brink of bowl eligibility, with that one loss being a triple-overtime heartbreaker at Florida.
Then, it fell flat.
The Wildcats lost six straight and missed a bowl game, but return plenty of offensive weapons including quarterback Patrick Towles and running backs Jojo Kemp and the electric Stanley "Boom" Williams.
Defensively, they'll have to replace Alvin "Bud" Dupree and Za'Darius Smith, which is no easy task.
If Kentucky is more consistent defensively and develops some wide receivers, it could be a tough out for SEC East foes.
Optimistic: 7-5, with losses to Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia and two out of a group consisting of Florida, Missouri, Mississippi State and Louisville.
Pessimistic: 4-8 with losses to all seven teams mentioned above and South Carolina.
Realistic: 5-7, with losses to Florida, Missouri, Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisville or South Carolina.
LSU Tigers
7 of 14
LSU sputtered to an 8-5 record in 2015, and the pressure is on head coach Les Miles to get back into SEC West contention this year.
For the Tigers to get there, Miles not only needs to settle on quarterback Brandon Harris or suspended sophomore Anthony Jennings, but also needs to find a way to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
That's no easy task.
Quay Bain was one of the other players arrested with Jennings this week for allegedly breaking into an apartment, per Ross Dellenger and Maya Lau of the Advocate, and is slated to get plenty of snaps at defensive end. The secondary is loaded, but if new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele can't find a way to generate pressure with four, LSU could be in for a long season.
Optimistic: 10-2, with losses coming against a group consisting of Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss.
Pessimistic: 5-7, with losses coming to all three teams mentioned above, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State and either Florida or South Carolina.
Realistic: 8-4, with losses to Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
8 of 14
Mississippi State put on the glass slipper last year, earning the No. 1 ranking in the inaugural College Football Playoff standings—its first No. 1 ranking in program history.
Can that be repeated?
Head coach Dan Mullen returns a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Dak Prescott and a top-tier wide receiver in De'Runnya Wilson, but must replace five of seven starters in the front seven, three offensive linemen and running back Josh Robinson.
That's no easy task. If Prescott can put the team on his shoulders, the Bulldogs can do some damage.
Optimistic: 10-2 with losses to Alabama and Auburn or Ole Miss.
Pessimistic: 5-7 with losses to all three teams mentioned above, LSU, Texas A&M, Missouri and Arkansas.
Realistic: 6-6 with losses to Auburn, Texas A&M, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss.
Missouri Tigers
9 of 14
Despite back-to-back SEC East titles, Missouri is flying under the radar yet again.
Why?
The loss of two stud defensive ends, a wide receiving corps that has 10 total catches as a unit and a quarterback in Maty Mauk who's wildly inconsistent until the fourth quarter of games has a lot to do with it.
But this is Gary Pinkel, and he's made a living at Missouri filling holes and adjusting his scheme based on personnel.
Can Mauk become more consistent? Can Harold Brantley lead the new-look defensive line? If the answer to both of those questions is "yes," the Tigers might be back in the Georgia Dome for the third straight season.
Optimistic: 11-1, with a loss coming to Georgia, Tennessee or Arkansas.
Pessimistic: 5-7, with losses to all three of the teams listed above, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi State and BYU.
Realistic: 9-3, with losses to Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas.
Ole Miss Rebels
10 of 14
It was clear for the first two months of the 2014 season that Ole Miss has the top-end talent to contend for the SEC West, but when injuries hit late in the season, head coach Hugh Freeze didn't have the depth needed for the homestretch.
That experience will help those reserves in 2015, and if the injury bug doesn't bite as hard, the Rebels could push for the division title through late November.
For that to happen, though, Freeze has to find a way to run between the tackles more effectively and bring along a new quarterback—Chad Kelly, Ryan Buchanan or DeVante Kincade—and make sure, at the very least, that starter doesn't make mistakes.
If the pieces come together, it could be a banner year in Oxford.
Optimistic: 11-1, with a loss to either Alabama or Auburn.
Pessimistic: 5-7, with losses to Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State.
Realistic: 9-3, with losses to Alabama, Auburn and one out of a group consisting of Florida, Texas A&M or LSU.
South Carolina Gamecocks
11 of 14
South Carolina was picked to win the SEC East last year, but by mid-October that was a distant memory. Head coach Steve Spurrier's crew sputtered to a 7-6 season thanks to an inconsistent defensive line and a young secondary that didn't get a lot of help in the form of pressure.
Those defensive issues linger, but new co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke and defensive end Marquavius Lewis are in Columbia to help fix the problem. Offensively, the Gamecocks have to break in a new quarterback and Brandon Wilds and David Williams have to replace the production of Mike Davis. Having a versatile weapon like wide receiver Pharoh Cooper will help ease the transition though.
In the wide-open SEC East, a few minor tweaks could go a long way for the Gamecocks.
Optimistic: 10-2 with losses to Tennessee and Clemson.
Pessimistic: 5-7 with losses to North Carolina, Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Clemson and two coming out of a group consisting of Missouri, LSU and Florida.
Realistic: 6-6 with losses to Georgia, Missouri, LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Clemson.
Tennessee Volunteers
12 of 14
Tennessee has become a trendy pick to win the SEC East and perhaps more after a strong close to the 2014 season and a roster that's suddenly loaded with veterans with significant playing experience.
If Joshua Dobbs can take the next step after a full offseason with first-team snaps behind an offensive line that, while inconsistent at times last year, returns four starters, this Vols offense could be something fierce.
Defensively, end Derek Barnett was a monster last year, the line as a whole returns seven of eight on the two deep and the secondary led by corner Cam Sutton is highly under-appreciated.
Winning at the level it takes to take home the division title, though, is something that is foreign to these Vols.
Optimistic: 11-1 with a loss to Alabama.
Pessimistic: 7-5, with losses to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama and one out of a group consisting of Florida, South Carolina and Missouri.
Realistic: 10-2, with a loss to Alabama and either Georgia or Oklahoma.
Texas A&M Aggies
13 of 14
Texas A&M has regressed every year since it burst onto the SEC scene with 11 wins in 2012, due in large part to a defense that's been mediocre at best and invisible at worst.
To fix the matter, head coach Kevin Sumlin lured defensive coordinator John Chavis to College Station from LSU. He has plenty of talented players to work with, including defensive end Myles Garrett, linebacker Otaro Alaka and safety Armani Watts.
Offensively, the Aggies will be fine. Quarterback Kyle Allen has plenty of weapons at wide receiver and should benefit from more of a north/south rushing attack with Tra Carson and James White leading the way.
Will it be enough to contend for the SEC West?
Optimistic: 11-1, with a loss to Auburn, Alabama or Ole Miss.
Pessimistic: 6-6, with losses to all three teams mentioned above, Arkansas, LSU and either Arizona State or Mississippi State.
Realistic: 9-3, with losses to Ole Miss, LSU and either Auburn or Alabama.
Vanderbilt Commodores
14 of 14
The first year for head coach Derek Mason didn't go according to plan. The Commodores went winless in the SEC and had a revolving door of starting quarterbacks that made it impossible for the offense to get into a groove.
New coordinators were brought in—including Mason calling the defensive plays himself—to fix issues, but the quarterback problem still sticks out like a sore thumb. Patton Robinette was well on his way to locking down the starting gig after spring practice, but gave up the sport due to medical reasons and to focus on his own medical career. Mason better settle on Johnny McCrary, Wade Freebeck, Shawn Stankavage or Kyle Shurmur this summer, because the mistakes of last year can't be repeated.
Defensively, end Caleb Azubike is a solid piece to build around. If he can be a stud and Mason can recapture the magic from his coordinator days, Vandy can at last stay competitive.
Optimistic: 6-6, with losses to Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, Texas A&M, Tennessee and either South Carolina or Florida.
Pessimistic: 1-11 with the only win coming over Austin Peay.
Realistic: 2-10 with losses to Western Kentucky, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Missouri, Houston, Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Tennessee.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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