SEC West Preview and Prediction
One thing about the SEC West battles this year: there is no dominant team.
So much parity within the division with former juggernauts facing huge holes to
fill and bottom teams are getting much better. Adding to the uncertainty are chaos
at coordinator ranks with 14 new coordinators were installed , 7 on each side of
of the ball, at 12 different schools. Only Alabama and Ole Miss were able to retain
both coordinators. Eleven teams either replace or have QB-competition. Only 3 teams
with starting QBs who have started all games in 2014; Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mizzou.
With so many unknowns, team's projected standing in SEC West could fluctuate as
many as 2 or 3 spots. So take it lightly.
AUBURN (8-5/4-4 SEC)
12 returning starters (4 Offense/8* Defense and 42 lettermen)/5 NFL Draftees
Last Year: Offense 35.5 ppg ranked #27/Defense 26.7 ppg ranked #63
Top notch coaching. Loaded talents on both sides. No apparent weakness besides
new but talented RB corps., and depth concern at Defensive Line.
Offense will be great with Jeremy Johnson at QB. Defense is loaded with talents
and experienced veterans. New DC W. Muschamp will improve defense greatly.
Schedules are tough with Louisville to open season, road games at LSU, Arkansas
and A&M. Having home field advantage vs Miss St, Ole Miss, Georgia, and of course
Alabama are huge for the Tigers. Road game at Kentucky provides another win.
Auburn will at least win 10 games and in position to play for the SEC crown.
OLE MISS (9-4/5-3 SEC)
16 returning starters (9 Offense/7 Defense and 58 lettermen)/1 NFL Draftee
Last Year: Offense 28.3 ppg ranked #70/Defense 16 ppg ranked #1
Great coaching, record has improved in each of Hugh Freeze's 3 years as HC
Offense is loaded and will be better. Running attack will be much more lethal
with an experienced OL and all 5 RBs return plus an impressive group of WRs.
Defense may not be the #1 again but not much drop-off anticipated. A little
thin in the LB unit but loaded everywhere else.
Schedules are very favorable with Florida and Vandy from the East and four
cupcakes for non-conference games. Rebels should expect a 9-3 record. If the
QB is better than average, or one of the contenders slip-up, the Rebels could be
looking at a possible berth in Atlanta.
ALABAMA (14-2/8-1 SEC)
Returning starters 11 (4 Offense/7 Defense and 56 lettermen)/7 NFL Draftees
Last Year: Offense 36.9 ppg ranked #16/Defense 18.4 ppg ranked #6
Best coaching in the nation but seems the Tide lost their defensive swaggers
in their biggest games. They need a dominant defense to contend for the SEC.
Tide offense is practically gutted. It's a huge challenge for Kiffin this year.
Defense is going to be great and is expected to carry the load early on. The front
seven could be the best in the nation but the back four needs huge improvement.
The Tide is in a tough situation this year where every games going to be a battle.
With Wisconsin to open the season and two good teams from the East, at Georgia
and home vs dangerous Tennessee, the schedules are so tough to win them all.
Making CFP again would be a big challenge for the Tide. A ten wins season is
likely but never underestimate a Saban's team. It always seems the Tide are at
their best whenever they face adversity.
Tex A&M (8-5/3-5 SEC)
15 returning starters (8* Offense/7 Defense and 53 lettermen)/2 NFL Draftee
Last Year: Offense 35.2 ppg ranked #28/Defense 28.1 ppg ranked #77
Aggies always have good offenses but awful defenses. That's going to change
from now on with DC John Chavis from LSU in charge of the defense.
QB Kyle Allen holds the key to Aggies success this year. It would be difficult
for Allen with a shaky OL plays and a regressing rushing attack. But they do
have one of the deepest and most talented receiving corps. in the nation.
How much the Aggies can get out of this group will define Aggies season.
DC Chavis has plenty of talents to work with on defense. The Line 2-deep is
solid with 10 linemen returning. The LB unit is counting more on potentials
than proven. The Secondary will be great with several playmakers returning.
Can Chavis turn around an awful unit in year one? History says Yes. Expect the
Aggies defense to be at the middle, instead the bottom, of SEC this year.
Aggies get help from a favorable schedule with South Carolina and Vandy from
the East. Season opener against Arz St. will tell more about the Aggies progress.
The Aggies can go any where from 3-5 to 5-3 in SEC and likely end up with an
8-4 overall record, and things are looking up for 2016.
ARKANSAS (7-6/2-6 SEC)
15 returning starters (9* Offense/6 Defense and 49 lettermen)/5 NFL Draftees
Last Year: Offense 31.9 ppg ranked #45/Defense 19.2 ppg ranked #9
Offense will again lean on its dominant Line, a bruising ground attack, and
occasional passes. The Hogs are well equipped to wear down defenses despite
the loss of their leading rusher, Johnathan Williams, to injury for the season.
Defense suffered the loss of their top tackler as well as 4 of top 7 defenders.
But progress has been steady under second year DC Robb Smith, a brilliant
defensive mind. Do not expect too much drop-off on defensive side.
Expectations are sky high in Arkansas but the reality is the Hogs have not won
an SEC road game under coach Beliema. Until he can prove he has better game
plan (not so ultra-conservative and predictable) better game adjustment, and
ability to win on the road, the Hogs won’t be able to topple SEC heavyweights.
With some good breaks and more open offensive plans, the Hogs could go
9-3, but an 8-4 record is more likely.
LSU (8-5/4-4 SEC)
15 returning starters (9 Offense/6 Defense and 48 lettermen)/4 NFL Draftees
Last Year: Offense 27.6 ppg ranked #76/Defense 17.5 ppg ranked #4
LSU have seen their SEC records regressed over the past 4 years. It has been the
same old problem, a poor passing attack with incompetent QB's plays. Nothing
is going to change this year on the offensive side.
Defense is going over a transition with Kevin Steele as their new DC. Do not
expect Steele be at the same caliber as Chavis. He inherits a great defense but
can he improve or even maintain that level is remain to be seen.
Schedule is very favorable with SEC East games at South Carolina and home
versus Florida. The non-conference schedule is quite easy with Syracuse as
the toughest opponent. The Tigers could be 4-0 and possibly 5-1 or 6-0 not
counting SEC West. But LSU will struggle in SEC West and will continue their
recent decline and likely be looking at their first SEC-losing season in seven
years. A 7-5 or at best 8-4 record for the Tigers this season.
MISS St. (10-3/6-2 SEC)
Returning starters 12 (5* Offense/7 Defense and 45 lettermen)/5 NFL Draftees
Last Year: Offense 36.9 ppg ranked #16/Defense 21.7 ppg ranked #23
The Bulldogs have improved significantly the last two seasons. It won ten games
for the first time in 15 years. They were ranked #1 for the first time in school history
Repeating that feat this season is probably not in the mind of many people.
The best SEC QB Dak Prescott, almost 3500 passing and 1000 rushing yards)
return along with many skill players. Offense will be explosive but OL is leaky.
Manny Diaz returned to his old job as Bulldogs' DC. He has proven to be a good
DC but can he churn out another good defense with very limited depth?
The overall lack of depth will derail Bulldogs in close games and toward the end
of the season.
Bulldogs should be 4-0 non-conference record with a typical Bulldogs' cupcakes.
SEC cross division games, at Mizzou and host Kentucky, are manageable. It could
be 5-1 or 6-0 record not counting SEC West . The Bulldogs may have a chance to
pull off a road win at Texas A&M and/or a home win over LSU. Best case scenario
is 6-0 plus 2 SEC West wins. Worst case is for Bulldogs to lose all SEC games and
miss out a Bowl at 4-8 or 5-7 record. Coach Mullen is too good a coach to let his
team slide down that far. A 6-6 record is a reasonable expectation.