Where Will SEC Teams Stumble in Out-of-Conference Games?

Starting alphabetically so no team feels slighted, let's look at each SEC team that might have a problem with an out-of-conference game and make a way-too-early prediction on its outcome. 

Alabama

In the second game of the season, Penn State could be an upstart looking to create havoc with the polls by defeating a team most pundits believe will be in the BCS Championship Game.

But even with a home game "white out," Penn State just doesn't have the power to pull off the upset—unless Alabama simply gives the game away with too many turnovers and knowing Nick Saban, he won't allow that to happen, even with new quarterbacks.

Last season Alabama could have buried Penn State worse, but Saban pulled back the horses at the end. This year Penn State should be a better team and he may not have to do that, just survive.

Alabama should win this and all of their out-of-conference games.

Arkansas

In the last game before they hit the meat of the schedule by playing SEC teams, Arkansas plays Texas A&M in the fifth game of their season. A&M is ranked No. 9 in the preseason poll while Arkansas came in at No. 14—and that was before they lost their starting running back.

This could be a tough game and Arkansas will be coming off a tough road loss at Alabama the week before.

Arkansas will lose this game, but win the remainder of the out-of-conference games on their schedule.

Auburn 

Like Alabama, Auburn will have their biggest out-of-conference test in the early part of the season with their third game against Clemson.

Auburn may have an edge with talent; Clemson may have more experience. This could be a really tough game to pick, but I think Auburn can make it past Clemson.

Auburn should win this and all of their out-of-conference games.

Florida

The Gators' only real tough out-of-conference game will be on the last day of the regular season, when they will try to win state bragging rights by beating Florida State.

However, that's a very unlikely thing to happen.

While the Gators have spent this season trying to find their own voice and identity, and simply get their feet beneath them, the Seminoles will be in full stride and running like a well-oiled machine.

Florida won't win this game, but will win the other out-of-conference games.

Georgia 

Georgia is the first team to be discussed that may have two teams with a serious shot at beating them.

The first is the first game of the year against Boise State, a team that has tried to be a BCS buster for several years now.

Georgia loses this first big game of the season and will easily win all the other out-of-conference games—until they face a tough Georgia Tech team at the Tech home stadium, that is.

This could be a tough game, but I think they will pull it out and only have the one out-of-conference loss coming against Boise State.

Kentucky

Kentucky plays four pushovers in Western Kentucky, Central Michigan, Louisville and Jacksonville State. If they lose any of these four games, they should be ashamed.

Kentucky should win all of their out-of-conference games, but will still struggle to make a bowl appearance. 

LSU

This year LSU has two tough out-of-conference games and two pushovers. The first game with Oregon will be a test to try and stop that high-powered offense. Plus, Jordan Jefferson won't have a game to get those early season kinks out.

Still, they should manage to find a win in this struggle.

Then, in Game 4, they face West Virginia, who has a history of being a giant killer. This, too, could be an upset game, but I see the Tigers pulling this one out.

The pushovers, Northwestern State in Game 2 and Western Kentucky in Week 10, should amount to wins about as bad as Les Miles' conscience will let them go.

LSU should win all of their out-of-conference games.

Mississippi (Ole Miss) 

Even though Ole Miss is a bottom-of-the-barrel SEC team, they are still an SEC team and should win all of their out-of-conference games, except for the opener against BYU.

The wins against Southern Illinois, Fresno State and Louisiana Tech are sure wins. And except for a win against in-conference opponent Vanderbilt, they may be the only wins they get this year.

Ole Miss should win three of their four out-of-conference games, but will not go bowling this year. 

Mississippi State

Dan Mullen has transformed the Bulldogs from an SEC doormat to an SEC contender. This season, with senior Chris Relf pulling the trigger, they could contend for a major bowl game and a top 20 season.

With easy wins over Memphis, Louisiana Tech, UAB and Tennessee Martin, this will only add to the tally of SEC foes that they'll beat up on this season.

Mississippi State should easily win all of their out-of-conference games.

South Carolina 

Can Stephen Garcia stay sober? Can he stay off suspension? These are the questions that could determine just how far these Gamecocks can fly this season.

East Carolina could put up a struggle and Navy might throw some wrinkles at SC that they haven't seen in a while, so I can't count this game as a pushover like I can the game they'll play against the Citadel.

Looming at the end of the road is the always tough rivalry game with Clemson. Dabo Swinney has been getting some good talent in the fold at Clemson, but the early prognosis of that game is that it's the Gamecocks' to lose.

But it's still very early. Even with that said, South Carolina should win all of their out-of-conference games. 

Tennessee

In the first two games, Montana should be no problem, but Cincinnati could put up a good fight. But this is not the Cincinnati of the glory days and they should come out of this 2-0.

Buffalo and Middle Tennessee shouldn't even put up a fight at all; the Vols will simply smash them.

Give Derek Dooley a few more years to get some recruits in there and they will be a stronger in-conference team as well.

Tennessee should win all of their out-of-conference games.

Vanderbilt 

Make all the jokes you will about Vanderbilt (and if you don't have any, I can lend you some), but they are still an SEC team and know how to pound hard for 60 minutes. They should have a good out-of-conference record.

Early games against Elon and Connecticut should get them off to a good start. They then face an always well-coached and disciplined Army team that could give them quite a struggle.

But I believe I'll give the edge to Vandy here. Army's been down about as low as Vandy and they play in Vanderbilt, which gives the home team the nod.

With a last-game-of-the-season win over Wake Forest, Vanderbilt will have four wins on their score sheet, but still may not pull off an SEC win.

Vanderbilt should win all of their out-of-conference games.

In Conclusion

Eight of the 12 SEC teams should win all of their games. Of the remaining four, each should only lose but one out-of-conference game.

Some may say this is because the SEC schedules so many cream puffs, and they would be right, but many SEC teams have scheduled at least one out-of-conference foe who could pull off the win.

With bottom-dwelling SEC teams like Vanderbilt and Ole Miss only losing one out-of-conference game between them, it will show that the SEC is a tough league to play in—especially considering the number of in-league games these two will win.