College Football 2011: Which Teams Will Take Control of the SEC?
The SEC is college football's top conference every year. Just ask their fans.
In many of the very, very early pre-season polls for next year, there are as many as eight SEC teams in the top 25. That might be a little excessive, but there is a lot of time until next year's opening kickoff.
The league has claimed the past five national titles, and has a couple legitimate contenders this year looking to make it a half dozen.
SEC! SEC! SEC!...
6. SEC East: Vanderbilt
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Vanderbilt will take their place at the bottom of the SEC and do their job of giving the league some academic credibility. The Commodores are simply outclassed every year.
I hope you don't hear the "SEC!" chant coming from these fans. Perennial doormat, finished last season 2-10, 1-7 in the SEC.
Doubt anything changes. Great school, great baseball team, though.
6. SEC West: Mississippi
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Ole Miss went 4-8 last season and just 1-7 in the SEC. You knew it was going to be a tough year from week one last season for the Rebels when they lost at home to D-1AA Jacksonville State.
Next year will be another tough year for Ole Miss in the toughest division of any conference in America.
Running back Brandon Bolden is the best player on the team. He rushed for 976 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is returning and will have to carry the load for the Rebels.
5. SEC East: Kentucky
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Kentucky just lost their best player on offense in wide receiver Randall Cobb, but received the news that they will retain their best defensive player Danny Trevathan.
In their first year with Coach Joker Phillips, the Wildcats finished the year 6-7 and just 2-6 in the SEC.
Next season they will struggle and be one of the teams battling to get out of the SEC's basement. But the good news for UK fans is that your basketball team is stacked.
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5. SEC West: Mississppi State
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There is no doubt that Mississippi State is on the rise after a 9-4, 4-4 year. Coach Dan Mullen has his team playing at a very high level and runs his spread offense to perfection with Chris Relf at the helm.
But next year will be more difficult for the Bulldogs because they lost defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and will need to replace some linebackers.
They aren't a bye week anymore. There are good enough and well-coached enough to hang with any team in the SEC.
4. SEC East: Tennessee
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This is the first year in a few that every coach that started the year in Knoxville will be staying.
There has been some major turnover at all the coaching positions, and the program has suffered because of it. Last season the Vols started three freshman offensive linemen.
They are extremely young, and that won't help them too much now, but it certainly will later. Look for the Vols to shoot up the rankings in a couple years.
But for now, in the toughest conference in college football, they are fourth and very close to the third place team in my opinion. Derek Dooley, and his great hair, definitely has the Vols going in the right direction.
4. SEC West: Arkansas
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Arkansas is a good football team, and despite losing a top-10 pick in Ryan Mallett, they will be just fine with Tyler Wilson under center.
Bobby Petrino has these guys heading in the right direction, and it looks like he is there to stay for a while this time.
Good receivers, good quarterback and Knile Davis is a heck of a back.
3. SEC East: Florida
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Florida brought in a great coaching staff after Urban Meyer left town, but there is going to be some transition time needed due to the completely different systems, spread to pro-style.
Gator fans are going to have to be uncharacteristically patient. Lightning struck when they got Urban and Tim Tebow within two years of each other. That's not normal.
With a guy like Will Muschamp as the head coach, you know the Gators will make defense a priority. And it it will be a good one, led by cornerback Janoris Jenkins, a probable first-rounder who chose to remain at UF.
3. SEC West: Auburn
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The loss of their two best players Cam Newton and Nick Fairley will certainly hurt a good Auburn team.
But the War Eagle flew to the national title this year with a lot of youth, too. Watch for them to use a power running game to win games, and play some tough defense.
It is definitely going to be a tougher year at Auburn this year, but the recruits will start rolling in. Coach Gene Chizik is going to have to coach his butt off this year. It will be a real test for him.
2. SEC East: Georgia
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After suffering their first losing season since 1996, the Bulldogs will return nine starters on defense next year, and Aaron Murray is emerging as a great quarterback. This is a big year for coach Mark Richt. A put up or shut up year.
Look for the Dawgs to take a few steps forward next season.
2. SEC West: LSU
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This was a tough decision, but it is going to come down to quarterback play, I think. LSU is going to have a fantastic offensive line, returning six experienced linemen and you know the Tigers are always going to bring it defensively.
But quarterback play has been a glaring weakness for the Bayou Bengals, and they might have found an answer in JUCO recruit Zach Mettenberger.
The defense returns seven starters, but once again, it is going to come down to quarterback play. Jordan Jefferson has not been getting it done. Hopefully the Mettenberger signing will light a fire and elevate Jefferson's play.
1. SEC East: South Carolina
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The Gamecocks shocked some people last year by winning the SEC East, and I think they'll do it again this year in a weak SEC East. One thing is for certain, Marcus Lattimore is the absolute truth. He ran for 1,197 yards as a freshman, and fumbled once all year.
Alshon Jeffery out at wide receiver will present some problems for undersized cornerbacks and will always be a deep threat. He and Notre Dame's Michael Floyd will be two of the premier receivers in the country next season.
By the way, Stephen Garcia is back for what seems like his ninth year of college football.
Look for the Gamecocks to repeat in the SEC East and get worked in the SEC Championship again.
1. SEC West: Alabama
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I think Alabama will win the West and the SEC Title next season. They return four offensive linemen and Trent Richardson is in the backfield. Having those five guys will really make new quarterback A.J. McCarron's job that much easier.
You know Nick Saban is going to have a stellar defense. That is just a fact. I think Alabama holds a slight edge over LSU, but they are the two best teams in the SEC next year, far and away. The drop-off after that is pretty big.
SEC Championship Game: Alabama Vs. South Carolina
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