SEC Football 2011: Who Will Win the SEC Championship?
The 2011 season is right around the corner, and yet again, the SEC is looking to be the most dominant conference in college football. With the recent expansion of the Pac-12 and Big 10, conferences are making every effort to steal the title of most dominant conference from the SEC.
Before the argument begins for the most dominant conference, there has to be a conference leader. Numerous teams return a wealth of talent in the SEC this season, but no team returns without its fair share of questions for the pending season. Finding a definitive leader in the pack is difficult to say the least.
Early in December, two teams from each division will meet in Atlanta to determine who will be the champion of the SEC. There are some favorite teams that are expected to make the trip to Atlanta, but in the parody that is college football, it is never easy to pick a winner.
Let’s take a look at the three major players from each division and the winner of the conference in 2011.
Eastern Division Contenders
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The Eastern Division is shaping up to be competitive this year, but in the end, it is likely to be overshadowed by the extremely potent Western Division of the SEC. That being said, how this side of the conference shapes up will be a fun showdown to watch.
The top three players for the division will be South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. South Carolina appears to be the easiest and safest bet for the return to Atlanta, but there are some obvious points of concern for the Gamecocks. The biggest question for the Gamecocks is going to be the quarterback position as the fall approaches.
Georgia returns the best quarterback in the conference, but few proven playmakers around him to make it a sure bet for the Bulldogs to own the Eastern Division. The other player is likely to be Florida. Despite having a new coach, they return a ton of talent in Gainesville that should help the new coaching transition.
South Carolina Gamecocks
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With Stephen Garcia being suspended earlier in the spring, most assumed that the position would default to upcoming sophomore Conner Shaw. Shaw did see some time a year ago and is the most likely heir apparent if Garcia doesn’t return, but that scenario seems unlikely.
Returning huge playmakers in Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery only helps the cause for the Gamecocks to pull a repeat. Lattimore and Jeffery will end the season as All-Conference and possibly All-Americans. Just finding a game manager for the offense may be what’s needed.
South Carolina should have a decent defense in 2011, although some key players will be replaced. The good news for the Gamecocks is that the pass defense can only get better, as improving on 107th can’t be too difficult.
The defense returns a group of formidable defensive linemen in Devin Taylor and Melvin Ingram as well as picking up true freshman Jadeveon Clowney. The linebacker position will see the return of Shaq Wilson from injury a year ago and should help aid the rushing defense for the Gamecocks in 2011.
The biggest question will be if the secondary can improve on last year’s embarrassing performance and may determine how far the Gamecocks make it this season.
Georgia Bulldogs
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The main competition for the Gamecocks in the Eastern Division is most likely to be Georgia. The Bulldogs return the most experienced and arguably most talented quarterback for the 2011 season. Aaron Murray shot onto the scene last season and had one of the better seasons for a quarterback in the SEC despite being only a freshman.
Finding support on offense for Murray must be a focus for the Bulldogs as they move toward the 2011 season. With the departure of Washaun Ealy, the search for playmakers narrows a bit. Caleb King does return to the backfield, and newcomer Isaiah Crowell should be a stud, but neither back is proven just yet.
Finding a go to receiver will be another task for Georgia, as they return some talented receivers in Tavarres King and Marlon Brown, but neither has been as explosive as former teammate A.J. Green. One extreme bright sport for the Bulldogs will be Orson Charles, as he may be the most talented tight end in the league this year, but not enough throws will go his way to make a season changing difference.
On the defensive side, the Bulldogs have a ton of questions coming off of a terrible 2010 campaign. The defensive secondary was burned through the air consistently a year ago, and the defensive line was gashed by run after run. The linebacker position was formidable a year ago, but lost some playmakers to the draft.
Picking up John Jenkins from JUCO this recruiting season was a huge win for Georgia to help solidify the defensive front, but replacing starters at linebacker will be a chore. The defensive secondary does not have a ton of losses and will look very similar in 2011 as it did a year ago, but performance must improve, as they played lost at times a year ago.
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Florida Gators
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The Gators received a big win when they pulled Will Muschamp away from his head coach in waiting position at Texas. Muschamp made a splash with his hiring of Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator and is looking to make an instant impact in the conference.
The good news for the Gators is that they return one of the most talented teams in the country in 2011. For the Gators to contend in 2011, however, they have to find leadership at quarterback. Returning to the more traditional pro-style offense to Florida should be a good fit for incumbent John Brantley, but his decision making isn’t going to change with the offensive scheme. There are a number of talented receivers for Brantley to throw to this season; finding each other on the same page will be the chore.
The running back position is loaded for the Gators, but none of the backs are really fit for the traditional downhill rushing style that comes with the pro-style offense. How the Gators shake the talent tree will be interesting but the most likely scenario is that Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps will split carries.
The defense for the Gators has the most question marks for the team this year. The defensive front should be quite formidable and will be a strong point for the Gators against the run this year. The linebacking returns very few playmakers or experience this season but will look for Jelani Jenkins to be a leader in 2011.
The secondary is set to lose both starting safeties in 2011 and lost Janoris Jenkins to suspension this offseason. The good news is they led the SEC in interceptions a year ago; the bad news is that is very unlikely to happen again this year. No matter how formidable the front seven may be for the Gators, their season will hinge on the success of the new secondary.
Best of the Rest in the East
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Looking at the Eastern Division, it is undoubtedly down a bit for the second year in a row. The rest of the division doesn’t hold any favorites to win the east, but there is always room for a surprise. The only team that would possibly break into the competition from the east would be Tennessee.
Tennessee returns a solid running back in Tauren Pool and one of the best receiving groups in the conference. Tyler Bray came on strong at quarterback last season, but he is still likely to face some growing pains in his sophomore year.
Kentucky is another team that may be able to steal some wins from the top three, but it is not likely for the Wildcats to contend this season. Vanderbilt is facing its first season under James Franklin and is likely to finish last in the conference.
Western Division Contenders
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The Western Division of the SEC is the strongest division of any in the country again in 2011 and is likely to produce the sixth national champion from the SEC in as many years. Three teams have separated themselves from the pack in the early running of the summer months, but a few spoilers could emerge.
Alabama, Arkansas and LSU are the three frontrunners for the division title heading into 2011. Alabama will possibly have the best defense in the nation but has questions on the offensive side of the ball that may hinder production.
LSU is likely the most talented team in the nation, much less the conference, but the same quarterback quandary hangs over the Bayou that does in Tuscaloosa. Arkansas may be the sleeper of the three in this group. The Razorbacks return a host of playmakers on offense and have a depth-filled defense. The division winner is likely to be determined in the last weekend of the regular season.
Alabama Crimson Tide
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Alabama will field the most talented defense in the country next season when Kent State comes to town. Returning linebackers Donta Hightower and Courtney Upshaw was a huge win for Nick Saban after both could have considered jumps to the pros after 2011.
The defensive secondary is another strong position set for the Tide in the coming season, as it returns big play potential in Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick. The depth in the secondary seems to be almost a thing of legend when you look at the potential for a shutdown defense.
The main question for the defense will be the defensive line. Alabama lost Marcel Dareus to the NFL this season and only returns one definitive starter in nose guard Josh Chapman. Bringing in Quinton Dial and Jesse Williams from JUCO will need to be the quick fix, as the line is the biggest question for an otherwise formidable defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Tide return a very talented offensive line and a Heisman front runner in Trent Richardson. Outside of that, the questions begin to mount.
The Tide has two huge holes offensively to fill at the quarterback position and receiver if they want to make a run to the conference title. Returning Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks helps at receiver, but neither player has the talent to replace Julio Jones. A playmaker and deep threat must emerge early for the Tide to keep the pressure off of Richardson out of the backfield.
The final question and most glaring is the quarterback position. The Tide will between two highly recruited players in A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims. Neither quarterback has separated from the competition as the Tide heads to fall camp, but McCarron holds the supposed edge with his experience. Both are similar in style, and how this competition ends in the fall will have the most bearing on the future for the Tide in 2011.
Arkansas Razorbacks
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Bobby Petrino has his chance in 2011 to join the ranks of championship coaches. Petrino is not known for his success in big games in his career, but this season, he has to prove his worth. Arkansas returns a ton of talent on both sides of the ball and is the most under the radar team of the three contenders.
Losing Ryan Mallett would seem like a rebuilding year for most programs, but Tyler Wilson may be a better quarterback by the time he has finished his career in Arkansas. Match the talent of Wilson and the receiving corps for the Razorbacks, and Petrino should be living the offensive dream in 2011.
The Hogs have been in need of impact tailbacks since the departure of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, and they may have them in 2011. Ronnie Wingo and Knile Davis may form one of the most dangerous rushing duos in the SEC this season if they can find the holes to run through. Arkansas is replacing three starters on the offensive line, and how that position set works out will determine the success the Hogs will have offensively.
The defense has a lack of star power entering this year, but it returns a ton of experience. The defensive line is led by D.D. Jones and Jake Bequette and will wreak havoc in the backfields of opponents this season.
The middle third of the defense should be much improved, as the Hogs will lean on tackling machine Jerry Franklin to help ensure that the defense is in the right position to make plays. The secondary has playmakers scattered about and may be the best it has been since Petrino’s arrival.
LSU Tigers
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The LSU Tigers have the most potential of any team in the country this season. It seems that we hear that phrase uttered year after year, however, as the Tigers always seem to under achieve. This season is set for the Tigers from the Bayou to own the day if they can finish and find good leadership at the quarterback position.
Zach Mettenberger has made his way to Baton Rouge this season from JUCO not to sit the bench as a backup but to win the starting position. Jordan Jefferson has hopes of leading the Tigers to a national title in his final season playing in Tigers Stadium and is likely the frontrunner in the quarterback contest.
The offensive line is only set to lose one starter from a year ago, and a host of talent and experience fills every other position. The running back position is packed with talent despite the loss of Stevan Ridley. Michael Ford, Spencer Ware and Alfred Blue will look to lead the rushing attack for the Tigers and provide the consistent spark that was received from Ridley a year ago.
The Tigers defense looks to be strong as usual, as the linebacker position is losing a huge playmaker in Kelvin Sheppard, but his backup, Kevin Minter, is set to step in. Replacing leadership will be the toughest part of filling in for Sheppard, but the talent will not be a drop off.
The defensive secondary loses a major name in Patrick Peterson but returns its interception leader in Morris Clairborne and has a host of other talented defensive backs that have experience from a year ago. The defensive line will be losing the most as the center line loses both starters from 2010. LSU has stud defensive ends that return, however, so the pressure may be diverted while depth is developed.
Best of the Rest in the West
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The SEC West has six teams in the division, and five of those will be in bowl games in 2011. Mississippi State and Auburn are the other two that should have good seasons and bowl wins at the end of 2011. Both teams could also play the spoiler for a number of teams in the conference.
Mississippi State returns Chris Relf at quarterback and a host of talented running backs. Throw in an experienced offensive line and playmaker Chad Bumphis catching passes, and you have the recipe for a very good football team. State returns a number of playmakers on defense as well in 2011 and will look to finish higher than expected this season. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, there are four teams better than they are in the West in 2011.
Auburn is the second team that could play spoiler often this season. The Tigers are a very talented team in 2011, possibly more talented overall than in 2010, but there are far too many questions for the Tigers to be considered serious title contenders. The defensive line is a huge question mark, and the quarterback situation is far from figured out, with rumors still running rampant about transfer athlete Russell Wilson.
Ole Miss rounds out the SEC West but is still a few years away from seriously contending for any type of championship. The Rebels do have a habit of knocking off one or two teams they shouldn’t.
So Who Wins the SEC?
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The season ending contest in Atlanta will be hard earned and much deserved for the two teams that make it. Deciding which team will win their respective division is tough enough, much less deciding who wins the conference.
The most telling part for a team in the SEC always should finish with a discussion about the schedule. Which conference games do you have at home and which games are played on the road are the major focus. Looking at the schedules is the most likely gauge as these teams are splitting hairs when it comes to talent. Taking a look at the last decade in recruiting, the SEC owns the top 15 every year.
The SEC Eastern Division comes down to South Carolina and Georgia. The two teams face each other early in the season when the Gamecocks travel to Georgia in week two. With road trips to Mississippi State, Tennessee, Arkansas and a home game against Florida all in a row, the Gamecocks will have difficulty returning to Atlanta.
Georgia will likely win the week two matchup by passing over, around and through the Gamecocks defense and will win the shootout in Athens.
The SEC Western Division comes down to Alabama and LSU. LSU travels to Tuscaloosa this year the first week of November and will hope to pull out the victory.
Alabama has a schedule set up for success, as they don’t face SEC opponents until Week 4, when Arkansas comes to town. Bama’s toughest games on the road are at Florida, Mississippi State and Auburn. LSU has a favorable schedule as well, but the trip to Tuscaloosa will be the ultimate test.
Alabama likely wins the Western Division and trips to Atlanta in December. Despite major questions at quarterback, the depth on defense and power running game have the Tide poised for success in 2011.
SEC Champion: Alabama Crimson Tide
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