[wal66]

It’s not even July yet and already the anticipation is for the upcoming college football season is just jumping off the charts for fans like me. There is no denying that we love all sports but there is something extra special about college football. Whether its team pride, state pride, alumni or just the sport in general our long wait is almost at an end.

Over the next few weeks I plan on doing part preview, part prediction for the major and perhaps a few minor conferences. Today I will start with the SEC West division.


#1 Alabama

The Tide come into the 2010 season as defending National Champions. It was their first National Title since 1992 and their 13th overall. The Tide will embark on yet another title run with 8 returning starters on offense but only 2 on one of the best defenses in college football last season. Even with so many new starters on the defensive side of the ball many of those “in the know” are predicting this defense to be every bit as good if not better. There is no doubt though, the absence of Arenas, McClain and Cody will surely be missed. On the offensive side of things many expect a more open and higher scoring style. Naturally time will tell and anything can happen but how can bet against a Nick Saban team and a Crimson Tide type legacy?

#2 Arkansas
I have The Razorbacks a notch above many experts out there. I don’t think I know more than they do and with reports of Bobby Petrino putting his house up for sale according to Arkansas News I may be backing a lame duck. If Petrino is just downsizing his living arrangements to better suit the economy then his returning of 9 offensive starters and 7 on defense bodes well for the Razorbacks to be a serious contender in the west.

#3 Auburn
Most have Auburn in the #2 spot on this list and for good reason. Auburn will be returning 7 starters on offense and another 8 on defense to a team that went 7-5 overall but only 3-5 in conference play last year. They played tough last season but just always seemed to make that critical error or suffered through scoring droughts but look for huge improvements this season.

#4 Mississippi State
Placing the Bulldogs in this spot won’t have many agreeing with me but I got a hunch. Mississippi played solid defense last season, in fact they played really good defense but they just couldn’t match the same intensity on offense for the most part. This will be Bill Mullen’s second year as head coach and expect to see great improvements out of the offense to compliment the defense and give them some rest time on the sidelines.

#5 LSU
How can I possibly wait until the #5 spot to finally get LSU on the board? Simple enough, I like the other team’s chances more. LSU should be solid as they will return 6 offensive players and with all due respect there is some serious talent in those players. They will also return 4 starters on defense. The Tigers and coach Les Miles can never be overlooked but I really expect a down season and a near bottom or bottom finish to the season. In all fairness though if their defense performs better than predicted they will definitely be much higher up on this list at seasons end and I will be exactly what I am, an amateur playing professional.

#6 Mississippi
The Rebels finished last season below .500 with a 5-7 overall record and a disappointing 3-5 conference record. They will be returning 4 starters to the offense and another 6 to the defense. I will tell you a player to watch for the Rebels, sophomore running back Rodney Scott is a serious stud. I haven’t seen their starting line-up but I’m banking he will be in it and if he is look for him to make the All SEC team. As for the Rebels though look for them to be basement dwellers this season.

I hate to be one of those that simply falls in line but Alabama is the odds on favorite to represent the west in the SEC Championship but depending on the value I would give serious consideration to Arkansas to unseat the Tide from the throne.

Season Prediction:

Alabama 11-1 (7-1)
Arkansas 9-3 (6-2)
Auburn 8-4 (5-3)
Mississippi St 8-4 (4-4)
LSU 7-5 (4-4)
Ole Miss 7-5 (3-5)

[pinnacle212]

Like they say on ESPN Gameday. Hold on just one second. I think Auburn can truly unseat Alabama this year if all the stars fall into place. It will totally depend on the QB position. The unorthodox run and shoot style of Cam Newton may be able to get it done. If he can get the gun working and he doesnt shoot himself in the foot like Barney Fife.

As far as Arkansas, Mallett may not have the best decision making skills when facing top defenses. I saw a lot of this in the bowl game vs ECU. I still think they will be a bit week in the secondary but if Mallett has time and improve his decision making the sky is the limit.

[BigdaddyQH]

Generally I agree. I also have the first three in the same order as you do. We disagree on Mississippi State. I do not see them winning 8 games. I see losses vs Auburn, at LSU, vs Georgia, at Houston, at Florida, at Alabama, and vs Arkansas. I think they will do well to finish at .500, but they could suprise. LSU should fare better, but Miles will probably either leave or be fired after the end of this season. I see losses at Florida, at Auburn, vs Alabama and at Arkansas, and the game against UNC is a toss up. They also can not afford to fall asleep against West Virginia either. 8-4 is possible here, bu that may not be good denough to save Miles, especially if another one of his famous coaching blunders costs LSU yet another defeat.

[wal66]

You have far more experience than I QH at trying to project outcomes. This is my first attempt and expect a few bumps along the way. My SEC East will probably be pretty shocking and most will likely laugh.

[wal66]

SEC East Division

For Gator fans this will be a season for heavy hearts as we embark on another title run without our beloved Tim Tebow. For the rest of the SEC East it is a season they have long awaited. Careful what you wish for though because John Brantley is very capable.
As a diehard Gator fan it would be easy for me to get caught up in the hype and project Florida to once again be the frontrunner for the east crown. It would be easy but it might not be smart.
Below is how I see the east unveiling this season. Keep in mind though that this is my first attempt at projecting futures and while I may have had previous success during the season on individual games I have no experience playing here where the big boys hold court.

#1 South Carolina
Ummmmmm, that’s got to be a typo right? I mean this is the east division and the Gators play in this division so it’s obviously theirs.
It would be very easy even without Tebow to place Florida as the #1 choice. In fact most already have it like that but I just have this feeling that the ol’ Ball coach is ready and has the talent to take this spot away this year. The Gamecocks return 8 offensive starters and a solid 7 on the defensive side of the ball to a team that went 7-5 last season and has serious potential to make great improvements on that record. It will all boil down to how sophomore quarterback Steven Garcia handles things. If he settles in and makes better decisions this team can really be something special. They very well could be playing for the east crown come November 13th when they head into the Swamp. The only other serious bump in the road away from home is the game at Auburn.

#2 Florida
It pains me to place Florida here but to be perfectly honest they could finish at #1 or just as easily fall to #3 in the east. If they finish anywhere but the top spot I don’t think it will be the fault of John Brantley though. This kid has a serious arm both in strength and accuracy. No, he can’t ground and pound it like Tebow but he is an all-around traditional style quarterback. This is where the problem could come into play. While Brantley is capable of running if need be he isn’t a typical running style quarterback nor is he an option style quarterback. Give him the ball and a receiver with a step and he will light the secondary up though. The situation on offense comes down to if Meyers allows the offense to open up the passing game and IF the receivers are ready to deliver the goods. Also a concern is the health of Demps and Rainey. With more carries coming their way this year it could be a factor.
On the defensive side of the ball Florida will be aggressive and FAST as always and they are returning 7 starters. Hopefully with another year under their belt the secondary is ready to be what is expected of them.

#3 Georgia
Georgia has plenty of returning talent. In fact they are returning 10 offensive starters and 6 defensive. Athletic talent won’t be an issue for the Dawgs. It will all boil down to how they performs schematically. If the offense can control the ball and capitalize on the PLENTIFUL scoring opportunities and if the defense can remain disciplined and play assignment football the sky is the limit for this team. I have them at #3 but they could easily be the east champs and even be in National contention if they perform to their potential.

#4 Kentucky
Probably a spot higher than most will place them and that’s understandable but I like their chances to finish ahead of Tennessee and Vanderbilt. They will have a young and inexperienced offense returning only 5 starters but they do get 7 defensive starters back. No I’m not saying that Wildcats defense is enough to carry them through but that defense did have glimpses of outstanding performance last year and could be very much improved this season. As the saying goes, “defense wins championships”, this won’t help Kentucky win the east title but it will help have a respectable season.

#5 Tennessee
Poor ol’ Rocky Top, coach done left for the bright lights and big dreams of CALI-FORN-I-A. Course he arrived just in time for some sanctions, good for him. Kiffin might prefer some NCAA timeout on post season play rather than dealing with SEC opponents anyways. Tennessee will be better off in the long run too, ummmmm, but not this season. Potential bottom dwellers for the Vols.

#6 Vanderbilt
How can you not root for the Commodore’s? I mean these kids are the brainpan’s of the SEC and even though they are generally just a practice game for their opponents they still put up a fight. I would love to see them higher up but unless they beat Tennessee in Nashville this is where they will end up.

South Carolina 10-2 (6-2)
Florida 10-2 (6-2)
Georgia 8-4 (5-3)
Kentucky 6-6 (4-4)
Tennessee 5-7 (2-6)
Vanderbilt 3-9 (2-6)

I have South Carolina facing Alabama in the SEC Title game. As stated though Florida is the perennial favorite for good reason and Georgia is a serious contender for more than just an SEC title if they are on point.

[The DiB]

I see you have Florida and South Carolina both at 6-2... You think the Gamecocks are going to win @ Florida? Could happen but that's a pretty big task being they've never won there. Trying to be realistic as a Gamecock fan, but Florida is probably going to have to drop 3 if South Carolina is going to win the east.

[BigdaddyQH]

South Carolina's season is decided in week 2, when they host Georgia. The winner will challenge Florida for the SEC East title. South Carolina has not defeated UGA in Columbia since 2000. Spurier's record against UGA is 1-4. Garcia has not developed into the type of leader that can take the next step. There was no excuse for his bowl game against UConn. He runs hot and cold. South Carolina also must replace both guards. They also have to play the Big 3 SEC West teams (Alabama, Arkansas, and Auburn). Add Georgia and Florida on to that schedule and South Carolina would do very well to finish at 8-4. Spurrier obviously is not the coach that he was at Florida.

I think it is between Florida and Georgia. Florida will have played both Alabama (away) and LSU (home) before the UGA game. Georgia will have played Arkansas (home). Florida has a lot of talent but like Alabama, a lot of it is "raw". Georgia returns 10 starters on offense, but young QB Murray is going to have to be able to avoid mistakes. I think the SEC East race boils down to these two teams, with South Carolina as the potential upsetter. As far as the other three teams (Tennessee, Kentucky, and Vandy) are concerned, they will be hoping for 6 wins and a minor bowl bid.

[wal66]

Being a Gator fan it's difficult to put aside my loyalties and to be perfectly honest Florida is an odds on favorite here by more than just Gator fans. Not to be overlooked is the serious talent Georgia will be able to flood the field with but much like FSU last year athletic talent can only take you so far.

Florida will still have some of if not the best talent on the field every Saturday and it will ultimately come down to who performs the best.

I'm not putting any money on a future with South Carolina. My heart and even much of my head says it is still Florida's division but all things equal a 3 team race is a very real possibility.

[jwbama23]

Nice write up wal, I know the South Carolina pick is a bit of a reach but I applaude you for putting yourself out there because nobody else would do that.

BOL this season

[BigdaddyQH]

The SEC is in danger this year of eliminating itself from the BCS Championship game. It is quite possible that the SEC Champion will have two losses, and that would do it for them. Can you name me the last time an SEC team repeated as SEC Champions? Try Tennessee in 1997-1998.

[Boscoe]

Nice writeup. I agree that Miss State will surprise some people.

[wal66]

QH, that potential does exist and it is ashame if it happens because it won't be due to lack of performance or quality in the SEC. It will be because of ALL the talent and competetion that exist in the SEC. The top 3 teams in both divisions would win or be in contention to win in every other conference out there.

You take Alabama and Goergia and put them in the Pac 10, Florida and Arkansas in the Big 12, and South Carolina and Auburn in the Big 10. While you're at it let's throw Mississippi St and Ole Miss in the ACC.

There is a lot of parity in college football these days but the SEC still holds a firm stockpile of the overall talent.

[pinnacle212]

QH, that potential does exist and it is ashame if it happens because it won't be due to lack of performance or quality in the SEC. It will be because of ALL the talent and competetion that exist in the SEC. The top 3 teams in both divisions would win or be in contention to win in every other conference out there. You take Alabama and Goergia and put them in the Pac 10, Florida and Arkansas in the Big 12, and South Carolina and Auburn in the Big 10. While you're at it let's throw Mississippi St and Ole Miss in the ACC. There is a lot of parity in college football these days but the SEC still holds a firm stockpile of the overall talent.

That is absolutely brilliant. If we could do this for about 3 years, we could alleviate all the this conference that conference is better chatter that goes on.

[wal66]

Working on the ACC next. A lot of question for that league. A lot of question for all the conferences but some appear to be a little clearer than the others. The ACC looks to be the most conjested.

[Outhouse Tim]

My own work starts in two weeks (data collection right now). I have no preliminary disagreements with your SEC material.

I'm glad you are doing the ACC next. This is a tough one, but sometimes a surprise or two can be found.

[HoldEmHook!!]

Wal, Fla's recruiting this year was awesome on the defensive side....I think the gators defense will be "nasty" in the near future

[rk9]

ACC is such a crapshoot. I generally think Big Ten, Pac-10, Big 12 are the easiest to cap. ACC and Big East teams have been so inconsistent over the last few years. SEC is such a gauntlet its hard to tell when teams are rolling and when they will let down. Good luck this year Wal, you seem support your picks well.

[wal66]

ACC crap shoot is no joke. I am finding it very difficult here. I have had a few things get in the way the past couple of days with work and life in general so I am late with wrapping the ACC thread up. Hopefully today or tomorrow I will have some time to finish.

[wal66]

[COLOR=#000000 !important]Odds Furnished by Dr. Jack at Cappersmall

2010 NCAA Conference Division Odds - Atlantic Division

odds from thegreek


3521 Boston College +300
3522 Clemson +250
3523 Florida State +125
3524 Maryland +1200
3525 North Carolina State +650
3526 Wake Forest +1000


2010 NCAA Conference Division Odds - Coastal Division



3531 Duke +1200
3532 Georgia Tech +500
3533 Miami Florida +125
3534 North Carolina +250
3535 Virginia +800
3536 Virginia Tech +250













Ah, the Atlantic Coast Conference. Next to the SEC the ACC might have the best overall talent of any other conference out there. Yeah I know I’m full of crap with that statement right? It’s all a matter of opinion but I really see loads of talent in this conference form a purely athletic standpoint. From a performance standpoint it’s a bit of a disappointment maybe. With a bevy of big fast defensive players and rosters filled with speedy, quick offensive backs the ACC is fast becoming a mirror image of the SEC. Not yet on par but getting closer every year. If a couple of things happen this year the ACC may be considered an elite conference by the time all is said and done.

What kind of things? The short list will include, Georgia Tech strengthening that defense to compliment the offense. This also must coincide with that option offense being able to maintain its previous success. Florida State needs to start playing with discipline to match their incredible athletic ability. Miami has all the talent it needs and the players have a little seasoning under their belts so if they perform to the level of their potential this team has a real shot at something huge. North Carolina has a very fast, very aggressive defense, if they can complement the offensive side of the ball they might well be the most consistent team in the entire conference. Virginia Tech is year in and year out the team to beat in the conference and with their consistency and ability to reload lost talent will remain to be a force.

Just a step below those teams we have Clemson. This team has the talent just lacking the discipline to take it to the next level, if that changes this year watch out for this team to upset plenty. Boston College really doesn’t fit the mold of the new ACC type team. They are more like a Big Ten team, slow and methodical. This isn’t a bad thing but in order to keep up with the transition being made in this conference they are gonna have to fully evolve. Wake Forest pretty much is in the exact same boat as Boston College. This is a good second tier team in the conference and can do some damage but they really need to play perfect football in order to do so.

The conference is wrapped up with Duke who played inspired last year and had a couple of very impressive performances to show for it. Here again though for Duke to do damage they have to play perfect and the top tier teams have to make some key mistakes or basically play flat. Duke just doesn’t have the speed to keep pace with the upper level teams in the conference. Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina State wrap up the rest of the ACC as bottom dwellers. Any one of them could have some high points and potential upsets along the way but I just don’t see any of these teams having what it takes to replace the front runners yet.

Atlantic Division Champion:
I really think it is Florida States to lose this year. Loads of talent, coaching change and some seasoned experience under their belt it is very difficult to go against them here. Although if there is a team in this division that has the potential to top the Noles it is Clemson. If FSU continues to play mistake prone football they could be a huge disappointment this season and allow Clemson to steal the division right out from under them.

Coastal Division Champion:
Here is where it gets really difficult. We have 4 of the best teams in the entire conference in one division. North Carolina and Georgia Tech give us the best odds for the money but Miami and Virginia Tech are the odds on favorites for a reason. I would go out on a limb here if I felt confident that the Tar Heels had an offense ready for the big time cause I really like how they play defense. I just don’t have that confidence though. I keep thinking Georgia Techs offense will get figured out and teams will start shutting it down but them they go out and put up 400, 500+ yards on teams.
I think when all the smoke clears though and everything is said and done Miami is the team to win the division. They have the talent. They have the athletes and the team speed goes without question. It will all boil down to if they have learned from their mistakes and are ready to take their place as leaders. I hope they are.

ACC Conference Champion:
I sound like a home state homer and maybe I am clouded. I hate both teams with a passion but I cannot get past all the top to bottom talent these teams have. I see Florida State and Miami playing for the title and Florida State winning the 2010 ACC Championship.[/color]

[BigdaddyQH]

Nice write up Wal. As far as the picks go, Florida State is the obvious pick in the very weak Atlantic Division. They get Boston College and Clemson at home, as well as UNC. The only difficult games they should haee are at Oklahoma, at Miami and their season ender hosting Florida. I can't see this team doing any worse than 9-3 for the regular season. I have Boston College next. They always seem to fly below the radar. The B.C. defense is always solid, and the offense scores enough points to win. If LB Mark Herzlick wins his battle against cancer and comes back this season, he will be a huge emotional lift, as well as a defensive lift for this team. Clemson loses C.J. Spikker, and that loss will prove too much to overcome this season.

The Costal Conference is anyones guess. Va. Tech is always there. This year they have QB Taylor leading the way for the offense. The defense will be inexperienced. UNC will have one of the best defenses in the nation, but the offense, especially QB Yates, is going to have to wake up. Ga. Tech has that tremendous offense, and a defense that should imporve, going to a 3-4 alignment. Miami will have to depend on QB Harris, who must use better judgement and make less mistakes. The o-line needs some work. The defense should be improved. If I had to pick a winner out of this group, I would go with the 5/1 odds and Ga. Tech, but any one of the 4 can win this division.

[Joe_Shabadoo]

Oh. My. Science.

I, as well, cannot stand the wait.

You're right, Wal, there's just something to football. It's just so damned fun when one can use a pantheon of knowledge that could be seen as veritably trivial for seven months out of the year, but is at one's disposable when seeing those opening lines come out.

--- Just some thoughts that popped up when looking at your SEC rankings: the more I read & watch what Gus Malzahn is doing within the 2nd-year of his quad-option with the talent available (incumbent & 2-years-recruited, along with the addition of Cam Newton), the more I think that a having a small future on Auburn winning the West, and even the SEC outright could prove to be prudent.

[Joe_Shabadoo]

I'm in accordance with your outlook on South Carolina possibly surprising everyone that's conceding the East to the Gators, but there's always just "something" iffy with this team (and its play-calling at the utmost critical of situations).

I can really envision a 2-to-3 point squeeker of offensive ineptitude when they open against Souther Miss., whom I think should rather be an 8.5-to-9-point underdog as opposed to the dealt line of '14' (even in Columbia on a Thursday Night), although Garcia's in his 4th-year of Spurrier's system that has Lattimore, Miles, Barnes, Gurley, Jefferey, Saunders, etc. at its whim --- not to mention a stout, legitimate top-15 defense.

Or, even a loss; then coming back just to pull off some upsets against 'Bama and Florida.

[The DiB]

I'm in accordance with your outlook on South Carolina possibly surprising everyone that's conceding the East to the Gators, but there's always just "something" iffy with this team (and its play-calling at the utmost critical of situations).

I can really envision a 2-to-3 point squeeker of offensive ineptitude when they open against Souther Miss., whom I think should rather be an 8.5-to-9-point underdog as opposed to the dealt line of '14' (even in Columbia on a Thursday Night), although Garcia's in his 4th-year of Spurrier's system that has Lattimore, Miles, Barnes, Gurley, Jefferey, Saunders, etc. at its whim --- not to mention a stout, legitimate top-15 defense.

Or, even a loss; then coming back just to pull off some upsets against 'Bama and Florida.

All of those weapons won't mean anything unless Coach Elliott can work some magic with the OL.

With the way the Gamecocks have been struggling in recent openers, 14+ does seem like a lot. Southern Miss must have a pretty lousy defense. Southern Miss + whatever for the first half deserves a look, considering how the Gamecocks always seem to play down to their competition.

[Joe_Shabadoo]

All of those weapons won't mean anything unless Coach Elliott can work some magic with the OL.

Well, case in point: a short-coming that may not be remedied when the Gamecocks will really need to make significant plays, sustaining drives.

[wal66]

Big Ten football in the eyes of many outside the conference isn’t very popular if you frequent many forums. Yes the conference is rich in tradition but let’s face it, it’s been kind of boring not to mention kind of a disappointment. Ohio State has won 3 outright and split 2 other Conference Titles in the past 5 seasons. To some this says Ohio State is a dynasty and to others it just says there’s very little competition in the conference. Ohio State did play for the National Title in 2006 and 2007 but lost both to Florida and LSU respectively.

Last season though the conference was given a spark. Northwestern had some impressive offensive performances and Iowa showed that they might be ready to start being a force within the conference. Many think that Wisconsin too is ready to be a major factor in this and from what I have researched may in fact be true.

This is the last season the Big Ten will be an 11 team conference. Next year they add Nebraska to the fold and for the first time will join the other major conferences in having a Conference Title game. I won’t get into what Nebraska will do in this conference because that’s a year away but I will say that I am looking forward to seeing how all that plays out.

I haven’t poled the masses but I doubt the majority of college football fans outside the Big Ten would think anyone but Ohio State will yet again be the Conference Champion. They return potentially the leading Heisman candidate in quarterback Terrelle Pryor. While Pryor is still not a traditional quarterback he has definitely improved his throwing abilities the past two seasons. When he is given time to drop back in the pocket the guy can do some serious damage. If this progression continues this season then Ohio State will definitely be in serious contention not only in the Big Ten but on a National level as well.

The Buckeyes even with Pryor will not have an easy pass though. The Iowa Hawkeyes were no fluke in 2009. They are for real and in all likelihood will continue to be a force in years to come. When you don’t have a Conference Title game scheduling is everything, let me emphasize this, it’s EVERYTHING! Iowa get Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State all at home. Without a crystal ball telling us of key injuries to key players these 3 home games in all likelihood will determine Iowa’s first outright Conference Title since 1985. I said outright, they split in 2004, 2002 and 1990.

Sentimental favorites to win the conference is probably still Penn State. This isn’t so much an endorsement of the Lions as it is we want to see Joe Pa get an outright title and gracefully call it a career. It would be a really nice piece of programming for ESPN or CBS to do at the end of the season but don’t look for it to happen. Not only would Joe Pa continue to coach the Lions have no shot at winning the conference this season. Ok maybe a shot but it’s a long distance shot in gale force winds and zero visibility.

New contender to the title this year is Wisconsin. The Badgers support one of the best offensive lines not just in the conference but in college football. Steady ground and pound ball control offense will be essential for the Badgers though because the defense while experienced have had a knack for giving up substantial points for their opponents. If and like before let me emphasize IF, the Badgers defense makes some adjustments and are able to equal the intensity of the offense Wisconsin could very well not merely be a new contender but the real deal in the conference this year.

Other things to look for in the Big Ten this 2010 season is the emergence of Michigan State. They won’t be contenders but much improved and still better than Richy Boy’s Wolverines. Indiana will light up the scoreboards and sometimes it will even be with some of their own scores. Scoreboard fuses will be blown with Purdue as well. The Boilermakers will put up plenty of points but rarely will they put up more than they allow. Illinois will play tough, Illinois will put up a fight but Illinois will finish middle ahead of Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana and Purdue but behind everyone else. Look for Northwestern to be much improved this year as well and provide us with a nice upset along the way.

So who wins the conference this year? Like I really know. If I had a gun to my head I still think Ohio State with a healthy Pryor is the team to beat. Not much of a stretch there I know but would you do any different if you had a gun to your head? Now if I was allowed to freely pick any team I wanted without potential brain trauma this is what I would look for this season in the Big Ten.

Champions:
Ohio State

Gun to my head or not Ohio State is tested and proven and Pryor is an amazing talent, the best talent the Buckeyes have had. I would love to see Wisconsin or even Iowa win the title but Tressel with Pryor get the job done.

Odds of winning the conference: (furnished by Dr. Jack at Cappersmall)

Ohio State +150
Iowa +300
Wisconsin +300
Penn State +650
Michigan State +1000
Michigan +1000
Illinois +1500
Purdue +1500
Indiana +2000
Minnesota +2000
Northwestern +2000

[jwbama23]

--- Just some thoughts that popped up when looking at your SEC rankings: the more I read & watch what Gus Malzahn is doing within the 2nd-year of his quad-option with the talent available (incumbent & 2-years-recruited, along with the addition of Cam Newton), the more I think that a having a small future on Auburn winning the West, and even the SEC outright could prove to be prudent.

OK, Auburn? Auburn is horrible and there is no way possible for them to win the west. That highschool style offense is not gonna last long in the SEC where you have the kings of defensive minded coaches. I am not buying any of the 'Barn crap from anyone. Just my opinion

[itchypickle]

It’s not even July yet and already the anticipation is for the upcoming college football season is just jumping off the charts for fans like me. There is no denying that we love all sports but there is something extra special about college football. Whether its team pride, state pride, alumni or just the sport in general our long wait is almost at an end.

Over the next few weeks I plan on doing part preview, part prediction for the major and perhaps a few minor conferences. Today I will start with the SEC West division.


#1 Alabama

The Tide come into the 2010 season as defending National Champions. It was their first National Title since 1992 and their 13th overall. The Tide will embark on yet another title run with 8 returning starters on offense but only 2 on one of the best defenses in college football last season. Even with so many new starters on the defensive side of the ball many of those “in the know” are predicting this defense to be every bit as good if not better. There is no doubt though, the absence of Arenas, McClain and Cody will surely be missed. On the offensive side of things many expect a more open and higher scoring style. Naturally time will tell and anything can happen but how can bet against a Nick Saban team and a Crimson Tide type legacy?

#2 Arkansas
I have The Razorbacks a notch above many experts out there. I don’t think I know more than they do and with reports of Bobby Petrino putting his house up for sale according to Arkansas News I may be backing a lame duck. If Petrino is just downsizing his living arrangements to better suit the economy then his returning of 9 offensive starters and 7 on defense bodes well for the Razorbacks to be a serious contender in the west.

#3 Auburn
Most have Auburn in the #2 spot on this list and for good reason. Auburn will be returning 7 starters on offense and another 8 on defense to a team that went 7-5 overall but only 3-5 in conference play last year. They played tough last season but just always seemed to make that critical error or suffered through scoring droughts but look for huge improvements this season.

#4 Mississippi State
Placing the Bulldogs in this spot won’t have many agreeing with me but I got a hunch. Mississippi played solid defense last season, in fact they played really good defense but they just couldn’t match the same intensity on offense for the most part. This will be Bill Mullen’s second year as head coach and expect to see great improvements out of the offense to compliment the defense and give them some rest time on the sidelines.

#5 LSU
How can I possibly wait until the #5 spot to finally get LSU on the board? Simple enough, I like the other team’s chances more. LSU should be solid as they will return 6 offensive players and with all due respect there is some serious talent in those players. They will also return 4 starters on defense. The Tigers and coach Les Miles can never be overlooked but I really expect a down season and a near bottom or bottom finish to the season. In all fairness though if their defense performs better than predicted they will definitely be much higher up on this list at seasons end and I will be exactly what I am, an amateur playing professional.

#6 Mississippi
The Rebels finished last season below .500 with a 5-7 overall record and a disappointing 3-5 conference record. They will be returning 4 starters to the offense and another 6 to the defense. I will tell you a player to watch for the Rebels, sophomore running back Rodney Scott is a serious stud. I haven’t seen their starting line-up but I’m banking he will be in it and if he is look for him to make the All SEC team. As for the Rebels though look for them to be basement dwellers this season.

I hate to be one of those that simply falls in line but Alabama is the odds on favorite to represent the west in the SEC Championship but depending on the value I would give serious consideration to Arkansas to unseat the Tide from the throne.

Season Prediction:

Alabama 11-1 (7-1)
Arkansas 9-3 (6-2)
Auburn 8-4 (5-3)
Mississippi St 8-4 (4-4)
LSU 7-5 (4-4)
Ole Miss 7-5 (3-5)

Is this "Bill" Mullen Dan Mullen's twin brother that he's got hidden away? Hell of a write up man. I agree the Bulldogs will surprise the masses. Bama takes it easily out the West.

[HoldEmHook!!]

Oh. My. Science.

I, as well, cannot stand the wait.

You're right, Wal, there's just something to football. It's just so damned fun when one can use a pantheon of knowledge that could be seen as veritably trivial for seven months out of the year, but is at one's disposable when seeing those opening lines come out.

--- Just some thoughts that popped up when looking at your SEC rankings: the more I read & watch what Gus Malzahn is doing within the 2nd-year of his quad-option with the talent available (incumbent & 2-years-recruited, along with the addition of Cam Newton), the more I think that a having a small future on Auburn winning the West, and even the SEC outright could prove to be prudent.

Go ahead and hit that lever to flush your money down the toilet for betting on Auburn

[Joe_Shabadoo]

Go ahead and hit that lever to flush your money down the toilet for betting on Auburn

I'm not saying I'm jumping on it right now, nor that I will put anything over 5% of my bankroll on it.

Simply put, it would be behoove one to consider it though, as it represents substantive value, with the proper research done here of course, if thought of beyond the simplistic "there's-probably-no-way-it'll-happen-&-they-got-huge-fvcking-odds-right-now-so-let's-go-against-the-grain"-type of rationale.



Similarly, the so-thought-of high school wankery of Gus Malzahn did work fairly well in its first season (19th-ranked, weighted offense nationally], and can be more of a "traditional" approach with pistol elements that can produce all of the run-pass options that a power-base/west-coast offense can, being much more problematic to the Big Ole' SEC than one would initially think.

Alabama, accordingly, is the most talented team in the SEC West, but they're just a wee-bit ahead of the Auburn right now. The Iron Bowl may have them matched-up with both teams being undefeated, so, we will definitely see how this works out, in terms of that winner perhaps being one game away from the national title afterwards. Remember, Alabama was +2 in turnovers, and only managed around 70-yds. on 35-or-so carries last season against the Tigers.

Just my opinion. I hope they both get to Thanksgiving undefeated, because it'll be a show.

[CaptainPrice]

nice write up man

[jwbama23]

I'm not saying I'm jumping on it right now, nor that I will put anything over 5% of my bankroll on it. Simply put, it would be behoove one to consider it though, as it represents substantive value, with the proper research done here of course, if thought of beyond the simplistic "there's-probably-no-way-it'll-happen-&-they-got-huge-fvcking-odds-right-now-so-let's-go-against-the-grain"-type of rationale. Similarly, the so-thought-of high school wankery of Gus Malzahn did work fairly well in its first season (19th-ranked, weighted offense nationally], and can be more of a "traditional" approach with pistol elements that can produce all of the run-pass options that a power-base/west-coast offense can, being much more problematic to the Big Ole' SEC than one would initially think. Alabama, accordingly, is the most talented team in the SEC West, but they're just a wee-bit ahead of the Auburn right now. The Iron Bowl may have them matched-up with both teams being undefeated, so, we will definitely see how this works out, in terms of that winner perhaps being one game away from the national title afterwards. Remember, Alabama was +2 in turnovers, and only managed around 70-yds. on 35-or-so carries last season against the Tigers. Just my opinion. I hope they both get to Thanksgiving undefeated, because it'll be a show.

Betting on the 'Barn to win anything significant this year is like letting Colonel Sanders babysit your pet chicken

[Joe_Shabadoo]

OK, Auburn? Auburn is horrible and there is no way possible for them to win the west. That highschool style offense is not gonna last long in the SEC where you have the kings of defensive minded coaches. I am not buying any of the 'Barn crap from anyone. Just my opinion

I already spoke of the seemingly presumptuous lines of thought concerning the Auburn offense, but one should take note that they did rush for more yards than anyone against 'Bama last season, and did have the highest rushing average as well, if you would eschew the skewed results yielded against Florida in the SEC Championship where the Gators were destroyed, save for 1-or-2 broken plays in which they were able to attain a still-gaudy 88-yds.

[Joe_Shabadoo]

Betting on the 'Barn to win anything significant this year is like letting Colonel Sanders babysit your pet chicken

Yes, that's quite good.

I still must re-affirm that this is based on a highly probable return on a huge value differential, not just about throwing money on the underdog hoping for a miracle.

[The DiB]

Bottom line with Auburn... you know the offense is going to be there. If they fix up the defense, they'll make a lot of noise in the west.

[ZBOIZ]

Wal or you drunk ??

How the fuk can you honestly say LSU will finish behind Mississippi St. ????? And even Arkansas ?? Yea I know Arkansas is a fan favorite this year but everyone seems to forget that there defense was TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!! In the SEC it's all about defense.... ARKANSAS COULD NOT STOP ANYBODY LAST YEAR!! It's funny how people are expecting a Arkansas team who struggled against a ECU team in a bowl game to all of a sudden be dominant this year....