College Football Predictions Pt: 1
You feel it?
It is that time again.
Spring is gone, and summer is in its peak, and that means one thing, college football is near.
Now, the South's king will return, and it will be better than ever.
This year, will be a year of expansion for the Report. This year, substance will be put above style, hence the simpler redesign.
This year, I'll be expanding coverage to not just the SEC and ACC. This year, Big South and the Southern Conference. To make the transition easier, a larger conference will be coupled with a D1-AA conference.
We'll be looking at the ACC and the Big South in the next piece, but this piece will focus on the SEC and SoCon.
First, the SEC.
We'll take a quick overview of each team, to give you, the reader, a more in-depth look at the teams in the conference.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide lose John Parker Wilson at QB, and this will hurt more than Tide fans think. Greg McElroy is the incumbent, but I expect Redshirt Freshman Star Jackson to be the guy by season's end. Whoever the QB is, he will be surrounded by playmakers like WRs Julio Jones and Mike McCoy and RBs Mark Ingram, Ray Upchurch, and Terry Grant. The offensive line is being rebuilt though, and that is one thing that will hold them back this year.
The defense should still be strong, but may be a step slower than last year.
But the future for the Tide is looking full of championship potential. Did I mention they had a very good recruiting class headlined by RB Trent Richardson, a host of WRs, OT DJ Fluker, LB Niko Johnson and CB Dre Kirkpatrick, along with a host of other highly touted players.
Too bad the QB situation will hurt them a lot this year. Watch out for the Tide next year to steam role the West.
Arkansas
The Ryan Mallett era begins at Arkansas. In fact, the Hogs could be led by two transfers. The Michigan transfer has sat out a year, and Bobby Petrion has his QB for his system. Helping is the diminutive RB Michael Smith (5'7), who will be aided this year by a stable of runningbacks, namely Brandon Barnett (JR), DeAnthony Curtis (RS FR), and Dennis Johnson (FR). Keep an eye out for Knile Davis. WR is a key for Petrino, and he now as some guys Mallett can throw to. Joe Adams and Jarius Wright are two viable targets. Keep an eye out for Neal Barlow and Cobi Hamilton, both true freshman, and the senior Reggie Fish. The Oline is still like Arkansas: BIG. The big catch those is transfer RB Broderick Green from So. Cal. Green was able to wave his year to sit out due to having to move back to Arkansas for family health reasons, so look for him to be the power back for the Hogs this year.
The Defense should be improved, but is still a year or two off from being what it used to be. Keep an eye out for true freshman like CB Darius Winston and Rudell Crum, DT DeQuinta Jones, LB Austin Moss, and S Anthony Leon.
Auburn
The Tigers go under a new head coach, former Iowa State headman Gene Chizik. Though his record was bad, he was at Iowa State, but the hire is still a head scratcher. But, Chizik does have talent to build around, and it starts with Jr. QB Kodi Burns.
He also has a stable of RBs in Sr. Ben Tate, Jr. Mario Fanin, and Fr. Onterio McCalebb. WR is the biggest question. There are a lot of highly rated guys from high school, but they are going to need them to produce, especially Montez Billings, Tim Hawthorne, and Terrell Zachary. But Burns, or Sr. Chris Todd, will have a safety blancket in TE Tommy Trott. One guy to watch is the diminuitive WR Philip Pierre-Louis (5'8) who is listed as a 4.4 40-yard guy. If those WRs can't get it done, watch for true freshmen DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake.
The defense will be tough, led by DE Antonio Coleman and CB Walter McFadden. Keep an eye out for JUCO transfer Taikwon Paige and true freshman DT Jamar Travis.
Sadly for the Tiger faithful, they are a year or two away from competing with Alabama and LSU, though they will log an upset or two, plus there are just too many variables around Chizik.
Florida
I'll say it right now. Percy Harvin won't be missed by Florida. They still have their catalyst in Tim Tebow, who basically won the National Title last year, along with speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey, and super athlete Deonte Thompson at WR. And the defense returns all 24 guys on the 2-deep, plus some added talent in DT Gary Brown and LB Janoris Jenkins.
A question I have for the Gators is how will they do without former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen?
The Gators should be able to go through the SEC pretty handily, but may face their toughest resistance from Georgia, LSU, and South Carolina. Look for the Gators to have a tough SEC title game contest, and blow by anyone in a National Title game, unless they play Southern Cal.
Georgia
The Bulldogs are losing a lot of offense. QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno are gone to the NFL. Now, it will be the Joe Cox show at QB, and Caleb King will be the workhorse this year at RB. Still, they have freshman phenom WR AJ Green. The offensive line returns, and may have OT Trinton Sturdivant back. I expect the Georgia defense to be stout, as they only lost a few players. Keep an eye out for CB signee Branden Smith to contribute, and maybe TE Arthur Lynch.
Georgia will still be good, but they will be fighting for 2nd place, and the South Carolina game could decide their fate.
My only complaint is that the Dogs and Tide won't play this year, and we won't get to see Green and Jones go head-to-head. Oh well.
Kentucky
The Wildcats had a down year last year after the losses of Andre Woodson and the rest of that strong offense two years ago. Now, it looks to be sophomore Mike Hartline's team at QB, but he may be feeling some heat from true freshman Ryan Mossakowski. RB Alfonso Smith brings a solid presence in the background. WR is still a question mark, and Kyrus Lanxter looks to be the best bet. Keep an eye out for Aaron Boyd and incoming freshman Chris Matthews. The offensive line is a question mark, and is undersized at both guard positions
The defense should be good and make up for any questions on offense. The D will be centered around DE Jeremy Jarmon, LB Micah Johnson, and CB Trevard Lindley. True freshman DeQuin Evans may make some noise on the two deep.
I don't see Kentucky competing for the East, but they will probably finish fourth.
LSU
Les Miles is in a state of flux at the moment. The defense has lost a lot of its firepower, on the line especially, while the offense is looking for a QB. Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee are the best bets to take the spot, but I expect a QB battle over much of the season. All the skill positions look good for LSU, with RB Charles Scott and Keiland Williams anchoring the backfield, and WRs Brandon LaFell and Terrence Tolliver headlining the receiving corp. The line returns both tackles, but is replacing their center and a guard.
The defense is looking very spotty. The line has lost a lot of its guys, like Tyson Jackson and Ricky Jean-Francois. DE Rahim Allen looks to be the leader, but a key could by DT Al Woods, who at 6'4 323 lbs, is a lane clogger. Keep an eye out for true freshman DT Chris Davenport. The linebackers are very inexperienced, but keep an eye out for Shomari Clemons, along with Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley. If not them, look for Freshmen Kevin Minter and Barkevious Mingo.
Also, look for S Craig Loston in the defensive backfield as well.
Miss. State
Speaking of Mullen, he is now the coach of the 'Dawgs. All signs point to him bringing the same spread triple option attack that lead Utah to a major bowl berth in 2004, and two National Titles for the Gators.
I expect a lot of young guys to play, especially WR signees Ricco Sanders and Chad Bumphis, RB Ladarius Perkins, and DB Dennis Thames, DEs Pernell McPhee and Fletcher Cox, and DT Josh Boyd.
They don't really return a QB that screams starter, which means signee Tyler Russell may be their best bet. They do return a bulk of their defense, and have have a strong running combo in RBs Anthony Dixon and Christian Ducre. Still at least 2 years away from competing in the West. It will be a long year for the 'Dawgs, this year.
Ole Miss
Houston Nutt enters year two with the Rebels. Jevan Snead enters his second year under Nutt, and Nutt now has a team to contend for the West. RBs Cordera Eason and Enrique Davis are big and powerful, and fit the bill for Nutt. Dexter McCluster is the catalyst, and the runner of the 'Wild Rebel.' True freshman WR Patrick Patterson could also play a role in the passing game. The O-line is in need of some rebuilding after losing LT Michael Oher and both guards. Bradley Sowell looks to take over for Oher, but don't be surprised if it is former prep schooler Bobby Massie. The guards look to go to anyone.
The defense will be tough as usual, and is led by DE Kentrell Lockett and Marcus Tillman. Look for LB Allen Walker to have a strong year. One safety spot is left wide open, but could go to Kendrick Lewis, or incomer Jamar Hornsby.
Look for Ole Miss to have a good shot at the SEC West title.
South Carolina
The Spurrier era has sputtered so far. Each season, except the first one, has seen a late season meltdown, recently blowouts to Florida, Clemson, and Iowa. Spurrier has revamped his staff, and it should lead to improvement.
QB Stephen Garcia is now the guy, but he has to live up to it. The O line should improve under new coach Eric Wolford, and QB Coach G.A. Mangus will be helping Garcia develope. The offense will look completely different with RB Mike Davis, WR Kenny McKinley, and TE Jared Cook all gone. The playmakers will be younger, and we will be seeing some spread from the Ole' Ball Coach.
The D should be good, but its corner position is razor thin. A strong, DB heaving recruiting class should help, and LB Eric Norwood won't let his D fall behind. Look for an improved Gamecock squad, but they are still miles behind Florida. The loss of Emmanuel Cook will hurt, but Darian Stewart is more than capable to fill the void, and LB Rodney Paulk brings a little more mobility to the table than Jasper Brinkley did last year.
This is their year to make a statement with Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky all in down years. If it doesn't get done this year, then it may never be able to get done.
Tennessee
Another team in a coaching change, welcome Lane Kiffin to the SEC...okay, so he already welcomed himself by calling out Nick Saban and Urban Meyer. Kiffin has a pretty big job ahead of him, but he has the talent to get it done. The question is QB, and the Vols haven't had a real game changer since Tee Martin (Arik Ainge was over rated in my personal opinion). Sr. Johnathan Crompton is the guy right now, but watch for RS Soph. BJ Coleman. RB should be fine, even though they just lost Lennon Creer to transfer, they still have Monterrio Hardesty and the young guy in Tauren Poole. WR is the place they are hurting, with no true threat outside of Ahmad Paige, who is in need of a breakout year, but they still have Jeff Cottam at TE, who is reliable. Look for signees RB Bryce Brown and WRs NuKeese Richardson and James Green to see early playing time.
I look for Kiffin to put some more spark in the Defense, and he has recruited some players to build around for the future. I don't expect them to be much better, but I expect them to play with more heart and toughness. I expect DBs Janzen Jackson and Eric Gordon to help out in the secondary.
For Vols fans, this will be a weak year, but they will upset a few teams, and to expect a 7-5 season would be a good mark. If the Vols win 8, Volnation should be happy.
Vanderbilt
The 'Dores are one of those teams that may not have the best talent, but they are very well coached and can beat teams now in the SEC. QBs Mackenzie Adams and Larry Smith will be in competition. RB Jared Hawkins is a tough runner, and Kennard Reeves is a burner. Keep an eye out for RS Frosh. Jermaine Doster. WR is a weak position, with no clear go-to guy. The Oline is a bunch of blue collar guys, but will be outweighed in most games this year.
The Defense took a hit after last year, with their best player being Myron Lewis. I see their Defense being down this year.
The 'Dores will have a down year this year, and will struggle to have a winning record.
League Outlook
I see this being a down year for the SEC offensively. Defense will still be the name of the game, and the only true offensive team will probably be Florida. Tennessee, Miss. State and Auburn are bring in new offenses, while other teams like Georgia, LSU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas are still looking for QBs to run their offenses, with the only "established" teams being Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and South Carolina.
It is easy, and safe, to pick Florida to win the East and Conference again, and looking at their roster, they will. A down East will make it even easier, while the West is up for grabs. Tim Tebow will probably win player of the year for the SEC, and all eyes look for them to have a good shot to repeat, because I don't think they will miss Harvin much, if at all.
Best bet to win the West is Alabama, but keep an eye out for the Rebels with Jevan Snead at QB, and LSU is always a contender. Another big question is Arkansas, and how improved will they be under Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett?
East
1-Florida
2-South Carolina
3-Georgia
4-Kentucky
5-Tennessee
6-Vanderbilt
West
1-Mississippi
2-Alabama
3-LSU
4-Arkansas
5-Mississippi State
6-Auburn
SEC Title Game: Florida over Mississippi
All SEC Preseason Team
QB-Jevan Snead (Ole Miss)
RB-Charles Scott (LSU)
RB-Anthony Dixon (Miss. State)
WR-Julio Jones (Bama)
WR-AJ Green (UGA)
WR-Brandon LaFell (LSU)
OL-Mike Johnson (Bama)
OL-Ciron Black (LSU)
OL-Mike Pouncy (UF)
OL-Markice Pouncey (UF)
OL-Chris Scott (UT)
OL-Garrett Anderson (USC)
TE-DJ Williams (Ark.)
Spec.-Tim Tebow (UF)
K-Liegh Tiffin (Bama)
DL-Carlos Dunlap (UF)
DL-Kade Weston (UGA)
DL-Terrence Cody (Bama)
DL-Cliff Matthews (USC)
LB-Eric Norwood (USC)
LB-Brandon Spikes (UF)
LB-Rennie Curran (UGA)
DB-Javier Arenas (Bama)
DB-Trevard Lindley (UK)
DB-Eric Berry (UT)
DB-Ahmad Black (UF)
DB-Janoris Jenkins (UF)
P- Brett Upson (Vandy)
And now, the Southern Conference.
SoCon
1-Appalachian State
2-Wofford
3-Furman
4-Elon
5-Georgia Southern
6-Citadel
7-Chatanooga
8-Samford
9-W. Carolina
It is that time again.
Spring is gone, and summer is in its peak, and that means one thing, college football is near.
Now, the South's king will return, and it will be better than ever.
This year, will be a year of expansion for the Report. This year, substance will be put above style, hence the simpler redesign.
This year, I'll be expanding coverage to not just the SEC and ACC. This year, Big South and the Southern Conference. To make the transition easier, a larger conference will be coupled with a D1-AA conference.
We'll be looking at the ACC and the Big South in the next piece, but this piece will focus on the SEC and SoCon.
First, the SEC.
We'll take a quick overview of each team, to give you, the reader, a more in-depth look at the teams in the conference.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide lose John Parker Wilson at QB, and this will hurt more than Tide fans think. Greg McElroy is the incumbent, but I expect Redshirt Freshman Star Jackson to be the guy by season's end. Whoever the QB is, he will be surrounded by playmakers like WRs Julio Jones and Mike McCoy and RBs Mark Ingram, Ray Upchurch, and Terry Grant. The offensive line is being rebuilt though, and that is one thing that will hold them back this year.
The defense should still be strong, but may be a step slower than last year.
But the future for the Tide is looking full of championship potential. Did I mention they had a very good recruiting class headlined by RB Trent Richardson, a host of WRs, OT DJ Fluker, LB Niko Johnson and CB Dre Kirkpatrick, along with a host of other highly touted players.
Too bad the QB situation will hurt them a lot this year. Watch out for the Tide next year to steam role the West.
Arkansas
The Ryan Mallett era begins at Arkansas. In fact, the Hogs could be led by two transfers. The Michigan transfer has sat out a year, and Bobby Petrion has his QB for his system. Helping is the diminutive RB Michael Smith (5'7), who will be aided this year by a stable of runningbacks, namely Brandon Barnett (JR), DeAnthony Curtis (RS FR), and Dennis Johnson (FR). Keep an eye out for Knile Davis. WR is a key for Petrino, and he now as some guys Mallett can throw to. Joe Adams and Jarius Wright are two viable targets. Keep an eye out for Neal Barlow and Cobi Hamilton, both true freshman, and the senior Reggie Fish. The Oline is still like Arkansas: BIG. The big catch those is transfer RB Broderick Green from So. Cal. Green was able to wave his year to sit out due to having to move back to Arkansas for family health reasons, so look for him to be the power back for the Hogs this year.
The Defense should be improved, but is still a year or two off from being what it used to be. Keep an eye out for true freshman like CB Darius Winston and Rudell Crum, DT DeQuinta Jones, LB Austin Moss, and S Anthony Leon.
Auburn
The Tigers go under a new head coach, former Iowa State headman Gene Chizik. Though his record was bad, he was at Iowa State, but the hire is still a head scratcher. But, Chizik does have talent to build around, and it starts with Jr. QB Kodi Burns.
He also has a stable of RBs in Sr. Ben Tate, Jr. Mario Fanin, and Fr. Onterio McCalebb. WR is the biggest question. There are a lot of highly rated guys from high school, but they are going to need them to produce, especially Montez Billings, Tim Hawthorne, and Terrell Zachary. But Burns, or Sr. Chris Todd, will have a safety blancket in TE Tommy Trott. One guy to watch is the diminuitive WR Philip Pierre-Louis (5'8) who is listed as a 4.4 40-yard guy. If those WRs can't get it done, watch for true freshmen DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake.
The defense will be tough, led by DE Antonio Coleman and CB Walter McFadden. Keep an eye out for JUCO transfer Taikwon Paige and true freshman DT Jamar Travis.
Sadly for the Tiger faithful, they are a year or two away from competing with Alabama and LSU, though they will log an upset or two, plus there are just too many variables around Chizik.
Florida
I'll say it right now. Percy Harvin won't be missed by Florida. They still have their catalyst in Tim Tebow, who basically won the National Title last year, along with speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey, and super athlete Deonte Thompson at WR. And the defense returns all 24 guys on the 2-deep, plus some added talent in DT Gary Brown and LB Janoris Jenkins.
A question I have for the Gators is how will they do without former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen?
The Gators should be able to go through the SEC pretty handily, but may face their toughest resistance from Georgia, LSU, and South Carolina. Look for the Gators to have a tough SEC title game contest, and blow by anyone in a National Title game, unless they play Southern Cal.
Georgia
The Bulldogs are losing a lot of offense. QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno are gone to the NFL. Now, it will be the Joe Cox show at QB, and Caleb King will be the workhorse this year at RB. Still, they have freshman phenom WR AJ Green. The offensive line returns, and may have OT Trinton Sturdivant back. I expect the Georgia defense to be stout, as they only lost a few players. Keep an eye out for CB signee Branden Smith to contribute, and maybe TE Arthur Lynch.
Georgia will still be good, but they will be fighting for 2nd place, and the South Carolina game could decide their fate.
My only complaint is that the Dogs and Tide won't play this year, and we won't get to see Green and Jones go head-to-head. Oh well.
Kentucky
The Wildcats had a down year last year after the losses of Andre Woodson and the rest of that strong offense two years ago. Now, it looks to be sophomore Mike Hartline's team at QB, but he may be feeling some heat from true freshman Ryan Mossakowski. RB Alfonso Smith brings a solid presence in the background. WR is still a question mark, and Kyrus Lanxter looks to be the best bet. Keep an eye out for Aaron Boyd and incoming freshman Chris Matthews. The offensive line is a question mark, and is undersized at both guard positions
The defense should be good and make up for any questions on offense. The D will be centered around DE Jeremy Jarmon, LB Micah Johnson, and CB Trevard Lindley. True freshman DeQuin Evans may make some noise on the two deep.
I don't see Kentucky competing for the East, but they will probably finish fourth.
LSU
Les Miles is in a state of flux at the moment. The defense has lost a lot of its firepower, on the line especially, while the offense is looking for a QB. Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee are the best bets to take the spot, but I expect a QB battle over much of the season. All the skill positions look good for LSU, with RB Charles Scott and Keiland Williams anchoring the backfield, and WRs Brandon LaFell and Terrence Tolliver headlining the receiving corp. The line returns both tackles, but is replacing their center and a guard.
The defense is looking very spotty. The line has lost a lot of its guys, like Tyson Jackson and Ricky Jean-Francois. DE Rahim Allen looks to be the leader, but a key could by DT Al Woods, who at 6'4 323 lbs, is a lane clogger. Keep an eye out for true freshman DT Chris Davenport. The linebackers are very inexperienced, but keep an eye out for Shomari Clemons, along with Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley. If not them, look for Freshmen Kevin Minter and Barkevious Mingo.
Also, look for S Craig Loston in the defensive backfield as well.
Miss. State
Speaking of Mullen, he is now the coach of the 'Dawgs. All signs point to him bringing the same spread triple option attack that lead Utah to a major bowl berth in 2004, and two National Titles for the Gators.
I expect a lot of young guys to play, especially WR signees Ricco Sanders and Chad Bumphis, RB Ladarius Perkins, and DB Dennis Thames, DEs Pernell McPhee and Fletcher Cox, and DT Josh Boyd.
They don't really return a QB that screams starter, which means signee Tyler Russell may be their best bet. They do return a bulk of their defense, and have have a strong running combo in RBs Anthony Dixon and Christian Ducre. Still at least 2 years away from competing in the West. It will be a long year for the 'Dawgs, this year.
Ole Miss
Houston Nutt enters year two with the Rebels. Jevan Snead enters his second year under Nutt, and Nutt now has a team to contend for the West. RBs Cordera Eason and Enrique Davis are big and powerful, and fit the bill for Nutt. Dexter McCluster is the catalyst, and the runner of the 'Wild Rebel.' True freshman WR Patrick Patterson could also play a role in the passing game. The O-line is in need of some rebuilding after losing LT Michael Oher and both guards. Bradley Sowell looks to take over for Oher, but don't be surprised if it is former prep schooler Bobby Massie. The guards look to go to anyone.
The defense will be tough as usual, and is led by DE Kentrell Lockett and Marcus Tillman. Look for LB Allen Walker to have a strong year. One safety spot is left wide open, but could go to Kendrick Lewis, or incomer Jamar Hornsby.
Look for Ole Miss to have a good shot at the SEC West title.
South Carolina
The Spurrier era has sputtered so far. Each season, except the first one, has seen a late season meltdown, recently blowouts to Florida, Clemson, and Iowa. Spurrier has revamped his staff, and it should lead to improvement.
QB Stephen Garcia is now the guy, but he has to live up to it. The O line should improve under new coach Eric Wolford, and QB Coach G.A. Mangus will be helping Garcia develope. The offense will look completely different with RB Mike Davis, WR Kenny McKinley, and TE Jared Cook all gone. The playmakers will be younger, and we will be seeing some spread from the Ole' Ball Coach.
The D should be good, but its corner position is razor thin. A strong, DB heaving recruiting class should help, and LB Eric Norwood won't let his D fall behind. Look for an improved Gamecock squad, but they are still miles behind Florida. The loss of Emmanuel Cook will hurt, but Darian Stewart is more than capable to fill the void, and LB Rodney Paulk brings a little more mobility to the table than Jasper Brinkley did last year.
This is their year to make a statement with Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky all in down years. If it doesn't get done this year, then it may never be able to get done.
Tennessee
Another team in a coaching change, welcome Lane Kiffin to the SEC...okay, so he already welcomed himself by calling out Nick Saban and Urban Meyer. Kiffin has a pretty big job ahead of him, but he has the talent to get it done. The question is QB, and the Vols haven't had a real game changer since Tee Martin (Arik Ainge was over rated in my personal opinion). Sr. Johnathan Crompton is the guy right now, but watch for RS Soph. BJ Coleman. RB should be fine, even though they just lost Lennon Creer to transfer, they still have Monterrio Hardesty and the young guy in Tauren Poole. WR is the place they are hurting, with no true threat outside of Ahmad Paige, who is in need of a breakout year, but they still have Jeff Cottam at TE, who is reliable. Look for signees RB Bryce Brown and WRs NuKeese Richardson and James Green to see early playing time.
I look for Kiffin to put some more spark in the Defense, and he has recruited some players to build around for the future. I don't expect them to be much better, but I expect them to play with more heart and toughness. I expect DBs Janzen Jackson and Eric Gordon to help out in the secondary.
For Vols fans, this will be a weak year, but they will upset a few teams, and to expect a 7-5 season would be a good mark. If the Vols win 8, Volnation should be happy.
Vanderbilt
The 'Dores are one of those teams that may not have the best talent, but they are very well coached and can beat teams now in the SEC. QBs Mackenzie Adams and Larry Smith will be in competition. RB Jared Hawkins is a tough runner, and Kennard Reeves is a burner. Keep an eye out for RS Frosh. Jermaine Doster. WR is a weak position, with no clear go-to guy. The Oline is a bunch of blue collar guys, but will be outweighed in most games this year.
The Defense took a hit after last year, with their best player being Myron Lewis. I see their Defense being down this year.
The 'Dores will have a down year this year, and will struggle to have a winning record.
League Outlook
I see this being a down year for the SEC offensively. Defense will still be the name of the game, and the only true offensive team will probably be Florida. Tennessee, Miss. State and Auburn are bring in new offenses, while other teams like Georgia, LSU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas are still looking for QBs to run their offenses, with the only "established" teams being Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and South Carolina.
It is easy, and safe, to pick Florida to win the East and Conference again, and looking at their roster, they will. A down East will make it even easier, while the West is up for grabs. Tim Tebow will probably win player of the year for the SEC, and all eyes look for them to have a good shot to repeat, because I don't think they will miss Harvin much, if at all.
Best bet to win the West is Alabama, but keep an eye out for the Rebels with Jevan Snead at QB, and LSU is always a contender. Another big question is Arkansas, and how improved will they be under Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett?
East
1-Florida
2-South Carolina
3-Georgia
4-Kentucky
5-Tennessee
6-Vanderbilt
West
1-Mississippi
2-Alabama
3-LSU
4-Arkansas
5-Mississippi State
6-Auburn
SEC Title Game: Florida over Mississippi
All SEC Preseason Team
QB-Jevan Snead (Ole Miss)
RB-Charles Scott (LSU)
RB-Anthony Dixon (Miss. State)
WR-Julio Jones (Bama)
WR-AJ Green (UGA)
WR-Brandon LaFell (LSU)
OL-Mike Johnson (Bama)
OL-Ciron Black (LSU)
OL-Mike Pouncy (UF)
OL-Markice Pouncey (UF)
OL-Chris Scott (UT)
OL-Garrett Anderson (USC)
TE-DJ Williams (Ark.)
Spec.-Tim Tebow (UF)
K-Liegh Tiffin (Bama)
DL-Carlos Dunlap (UF)
DL-Kade Weston (UGA)
DL-Terrence Cody (Bama)
DL-Cliff Matthews (USC)
LB-Eric Norwood (USC)
LB-Brandon Spikes (UF)
LB-Rennie Curran (UGA)
DB-Javier Arenas (Bama)
DB-Trevard Lindley (UK)
DB-Eric Berry (UT)
DB-Ahmad Black (UF)
DB-Janoris Jenkins (UF)
P- Brett Upson (Vandy)
And now, the Southern Conference.
SoCon
1-Appalachian State
2-Wofford
3-Furman
4-Elon
5-Georgia Southern
6-Citadel
7-Chatanooga
8-Samford
9-W. Carolina
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