I’ve been hooked on SEC football for many years. I remember watching Hershel Walker and Bo Jackson rip off long runs was part of my upbringing (yes, I’m geriatric).
Today, we’ll take a look at some of the SEC changes this year, as well as the prime contenders to take home the crown jewel, an SEC title.
Before we get started on the SEC Conference preview, make sure you stick around for my Week 1 best bet in the Vanderbilt vs Virginia Tech game.
SEC: Bigger is better
The SEC expanded its ranks this year by adding two former Southwest Conference/Big12 foes, the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns.
The addition of these two tremendous college football traditions certainly strengthens the ranks of the strongest conference in the game. Both are considered contenders for the playoffs this year.
One other change we see this season in the SEC is there will be no more divisions. The two teams with the best SEC records will play in the conference championship scheduled for early December in Atlanta.
I will miss the traditional division rivalries like Tennessee/Florida and LSU/Alabama, but the format is most likely to produce the true champion.
Contenders
The clear top shelf of the conference is Georgia, Texas and Alabama. And I certainly expect to see one, if not two of these teams contending for the National Championship.
The next group includes Mississippi, the LSU Tigers, and a Mizzou team that has the weakest schedule of any SEC team. Oklahoma and Tennessee are carrying confidence into this campaign, but I think they lack the talent of the aforementioned group of six.
Top Shelf Teams in SEC Football
Texas Longhorns
Texas is the leader of the new additions. I have them as a top-three conference team in their inaugural SEC season. They return 15 starters to a team that Head Coach Steve Sarkisian led to a 12-2 mark last season. They ultimately lost last year to Washington in the national semifinal.
QB Quinn Ewers will get a ton of attention this year. With Arch Manning coming up behind him, the Horns seem poised to linger near the top of the national rankings for the near future.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Dawgs are right where they’re used to being. At the top of the preseason rankings. 14 starters return from a 13-1 team that fell to Alabama in last year’s SEC title, leaving them watching the playoff from afar.
This team is poised to win it all, and it will need to play with that focus as their schedule is tough. An opening day neutral site game against Clemson is must-see TV. Then they visit Bama and Texas + head to Jacksonville for their annual cocktail party against Florida.
Georgia has the talent and experience to run the table this year.
Texas
SEC newcomer Texas enters the conference off a playoff loss to Washington last year, 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl. Loaded with skill talent ,they also bring back 4 of 5 starting offensive lineman and defensive backs.
Their QB Ewers threw for 3,479 yards last year with 22 TD’s to go along with only 6 INT’s.
Head coach, Steve Sarkisian has done a nice job in Austin, but I’m not convinced he can get a national championship. His career head coaching record of 71-49 is far from eye-popping. It will take great coaching to make an impact in a tougher conference. The schedule is where Texas does get a break.
September 7th, they step out of conference to visit Michigan, but their SEC schedule is friendly. I think barring major injury we should look to see Texas in the 12-team playoff.
Alabama
Kalen DeBoer takes over for Nick Saban at the helm for the Crimson Tide. DeBoer has a career 37-9 FBS head coaching mark (Fresno and Washington). He also had a stunning 67-3 mark at Sioux Falls. The man knows how to win.
Jalen Milroe returns as the starting QB, coming off 3,300 plus total yards and 23 passing TD’s to go along with 6 INT’s.
The Tide also returns four of five starting big men up front.
Defensively, Bama brings back their starting nose guard, Mike and Will linebackers and strong safety, making them experienced up the middle.
If Deboer can handle the ascension to one of the most storied programs in college football history the Tide should be in position to make the expanded 12-team playoff.
Outlier Teams
Mizzou has made great strides under Eliah Drinkwitz, going 11-2 last year with a 14-3 bowl win over Ohio State.
This year they get a schedule that includes Murray State, Buffalo, Vandy, and Umass. This should get them in the playoff barring any major collapses against stronger opponents.
Mississippi is my other outlier. Ole Miss is coming off an 11-2 campaign where they knocked off Penn State 38-25 in the Peach Bowl.
Led by often maligned Lane Kiffin, the Rebs bring back an eye popping 20 starters off of that team. QB Jaxson Dart comes off a big season where he threw for 3,364 passing yards. Dart added 23 TDs and only 5 INT’s. They also return all 5 starting OL and 4 of 5 starting DB’s.
A date with the Tigers in Baton Rouge October 12th will be the big one to watch as well as 10/26 against Oklahoma and vs 11/9 Georgia, both home games. I am concerned about the Rebels’ lack of major playoff experience.
Wild Card
LSU’s Brian Kelly went 10-3 at the helm of the Tigers last year, finishing up his third season in Death Valley.
12 returning starters and a schedule that includes home games against Mississippi, Bama and Oklahoma will give them a certain edge.
Watch for LSU this season. They have higher pedigree than the other outliers, possess a deadly home field advantage and have a winner at Head Coach. The play of their new starting QB Garrett Nussmeier will be interesting to watch.
Best SEC Football Bet: Week 0 Vanderbilt vs Virginia Tech OVER 50.5 -110
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