From the Top to the Bottom, here's how I see the 2014 SEC Pecking order playing out by season's end...Hold on to your Butt folks, it's going to be a Wild One!
Alabama---Nick Saban has been heralded as "The Greatest Recruiter of All Time" by Steve Spurrier & has enough firepower to go toe for toe with anyone in the nation(with the exception of the Kicking game), but First they'll have to slug their way through the Treacherous SEC West that shows no mercy. Alabama will recieve their first test in the trenches when the Gators come to town & next a near scare in Oxford as the Teddy Bears will be off a bye (but Bama owns their ass) & will put it on cruise control the rest of the way, until they hit Death Valley("where dreams go to die") & then meet their Arch Rival in the Iron Bowl, that could determine the outcome of the West. Alabama is good for at least a 11-1 season & has the potential to go undefeated this year, capping the season off 15-0!
Auburn---In Gus we Must Trust & not focus on the Off the Field Noise(almost a routine thing for players to stay in some shit in the offseason). They will miss their Big Ass Tackle & Full Back from last season, but Malzhan will make proper adjustments. Look for Auburn to be more improved upon on defense with a year under the tutelage of Elis Johnson. Auburn has a Tough ass schedule, but have zero teams that get a bye before they play Auburn. Their first real test will be taking on LSU, which sets up a dangerous situation the following week as they get a Ms. State team salivating for revenge from last season, then a bye to prep for Spurrier's Cocks, then a shoot out in Oxford, then they get two more high powered offensive teams in A&M & Georgia , before the Grand Finale with Bama....Auburn has the ability to go 12-0, but a 10-2 season is more likely...
LSU---The Mad Hatter has proven that he can go 13-0 with Fresh Talent & mediocre QB play because he has Freaks of Nature all over the field in every other position. This year they boast incoming freshman Leonard Fournette that some believe Might be the Best RB since Adrian Peterson, & will thrive behind one of the Best Offensive lines in the Country. Many believe this LSU team is one year away, but best believe they got the thoroughbreds to run with anyone in the Country. The Tigers have 3 credible threats on their schedule that starts with a trip to Auburn, followed the next week with a trip to the Swamp, & then their biggest test when Bama rolls into Death Valley, but they do get a bye to prep for Lord Saban. LSU will go at least 10-2, but have the potential to run the SEC gauntlet unscathed.
South Carolina---The Gamecocks are looking to take their program to the Next level behind a Great Offensive Line, 5th year Senior QB, & Heisman Potential RB. Did I mention their Defense is pretty damn good? Their glairing weakness is their defensive backs, but the Front 7 is good enough to take the heat off the secondary. Their Real challenge begins the 3rd week of the season when they Host Georgia that's off a bye. Then a tough test when Mizzou comes to town, followed by a rough trip to Auburn (who will also be off a bye), to finish off the season with two tough road games at Florida & at Clemson....In years past the Cocks were notorious for late season meltdowns, but have since strung together 3 eleven win season in a row. Are they ready to take the next step? The Cocks are good for at least a 10 win season & seem best equipped for slugging it out with the SEC West Champion.
Georgia---Mark Richt is proving to be a real Choke Artist over his tenure at Georgia. This year his team will feature perhaps the best set of Offensive Skill players in the nation & their defense can only get better from last season. Tread with Caution if you look to back this team, perhaps just safer to play them Over. The Dawgs begin & determine the rest of their season with their first two games against Clemson(first to 42 wins), & follow it up with a trip to South Carolina, then out of the frying pan & into the fire as they travel to Mizzou who's off a bye, soon followed by the Worlds Largest Cocktail party, only to top it off with the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry against Auburn. All in all, the Dawgs have the Talent & Potential to win the East, but in reality they'll come up on the short end of the stick going 9-3.
Mizzou---Gary Pinkel did a hell of job in year two adjustments in life of the SEC, but Year 3 will really tell the Tale if his Brand of Football can contend year in, year out. Though his recruiting is not top of the charts in the nation, he exceeds in player development. He can put his trust in proven QB Matty Mauk, who is sure to miss a entourage of 6'5 type WR's. The Tigers also have plenty of Good Defensive personel to replace, but Pinkel will find capable replacements. Mizzou opens the season with 4 Out of conference games that should all be wins, before they travel to South Carolina, host Georgia the following week, then Travel to the Swamp, Host a scrappy Vandy squad, & then travel to A&M & to Tennesse, in games that will certainly test the hull of their battle ship. Was last season a fluke or is Mizzou Primed for another shot at the East? Mizzou should finish up with a 8 or 9 win season. Eight Straight SEC Games is a Tough Cookie to swallow, no matter who You are.
Ms. State---Dan Mullen finally has "His boys" in place at Ms. State & huge expectations for this season, but I would not hold my breath State Fans. The Loss of Gabe Jackson will be sorely missed on the Offensive side of the ball, but it's not like it's Ms. State's Offensive Prowess that keeps them in the Ball Game. It's their Defense that's their Bread N' Butter, which allows them to Grind out ugly Wins. The Dawgs schedule sets up with three cupcakes to kick the season off, followed by a beatdown in Death Valley. Then a bye week to lick their wounds & prep for Sumlins high powered offensive attack that has always given Ms. State's Defense fits (even when he was coaching Houston), next they'll look to exert Vengance On Auburn for a last second defeat they dealt them last season, followed by another bye to prep for Kentucky and get healthy. The last 3 games of the season are the stiffest test, when they Travel to Alabama, host a Vandy squad that's off a bye, & then finish up with the Egg Bowl in Oxford on Thanksgiving Day....Ms. State will probably be the most over rated team in the SEC this season & be hard pressed to finish 8-4 , with a Ten win Season in near arm's reach, IF this is indeed "The Year of the Grind"
Florida---Muschamp looked like MusChump last season, but was afflicted with all sorts of injuries. With Driskel back in command & a New Offensive Coordinator in place, the Gators "COULD" bounce back in a big way, if it were not for their brutal schedule. Florida will hang their hat on Defense & has NFL Caliber players littered all over the place. The Gators Warm up with three cup cakes in a row, before they are trialed by fire with 7 brutal games, that begins with a butt whipping in Tuscaloosa, then a bye to lick their wounds and regroup for a trip to Knoxville, only to return to the Swamp the following week to face a rabid bunch of Bayou Bengals, followed by a feisty Mizzou squad. Then their final Bye before a nasty 2nd part of the season against Georgia, @Vandy, South Carolina, to finish up at Florida State...More than Likely the Gators have a 7-5 season, but are liable to shock the nation & turn out better than we think!...I give the Gators a 9 win Ceiling, but believe anything above .500 is a success for the Gators in my book.
Ole Miss--- Hugh Freeze has over achieved with a young team the past couple of years & now has plenty of developed talent on both sides of the ball, including 3rd year QB Bo Wallace, Former National Championship Winner in JUCO. The only glaring weakness in Teddy Bear's armor is along their Offensive line, where they have Zero Depth. If they can get some solid play in that area & stay injury free, they are going to shock a few teams. They kick the season off in Atlanta with Boise St. & follow it up with a stiff trip to Nashville to take On Vandy, who will be in revenge mode. A few Cupcakes later & Bama Comes to Oxford, followed by a shootout in College Station, & a tough home game against Tennessee, followed by a trip to Death Valley, & then the Gus Bus makes his way upto Oxford, to cap it off with a tough road game in Arkansas, followed by the Egg Bowl on Turkey Day where anything can & will happen! The Rebels have a tough slate of games & will do good to go 7-5 on the season, but The true Blue Faithful have higher aspirations that just are not going to happen.
Texas A&M---Post Johnny Football will not be as thrilling around A&M, but Sumlin is a Offensive Wizzard that has the benefit of having one of the best Offensive lines in the Country to help him execute his master plan. The Aggies real concern is their defense, which can only improve because it can't get much worse. Their Offense is not good enough to bail out the defense, so A&M will take a step back this season; as they Open College Football with a Loss in Columbia, South Carolina & then get 3 Cupcakes to boost their confidence back up, before they take on their old SW Rival Arkansas in Jerry's world, followed by a Tough trip to Starkville where the Dawgs are off a bye, only to have a shootout with the Rebels the following week in College Station, then off to Tuscaloosa to get their teeth kicked in, only to finish the final 3 games going down Murderers row at Auburn, Mizzou in College Station, & to finish up with LSU. The Aggies are good for a 6-6 season, but anything above 7-5 will be over achieving.
Vanderbilt---Derek Mason has a tough act to follow replacing James Franklin, but at least he has more to work with than his predecessor. The big question mark looms at QB, but whoever receives the job gets 5 starters back on the Offensive Line to provide quality protection & establish a good ground game to move the chains. The Defense will transition into a 3-4 scheme, which may have a learning curve but will feature hard hitters all over the place. Their first test begins with a cross division rivalry in Oxford that always seems to come down to a last second play or field goal, followed by a tough home game with South Carolina, then three brutal SEC Road games at Kentucky, Georgia, & Mizzou, then they host the Gators, before catching a bye and taking on Ms. State in Starkville, & cap it all off with their instate Rival Tennessee. The Commodores are good for about 6 wins on the season & may fall just one short of that number.
Tennessee---The Vols are the only team in the Nation to lose everyone from both their Offensive & Defensive Line & lack a solid QB. They do have a nice one-two Punch in Senior RB Marlin Lane & Prized incoming Recruit Jalen Hurd, so credit Butch Jones to signing a Top-Ten Recruiting class. With so much uncertainy on both lines of Scrimmage & with 9 teams on their schedule that played in Bowl games last season, the Vols will be hard pressed to go .500 on this season & are at least a year way. The Final Game at Vanderbilt may determine which team gets to go bowling.
Arkansas---Year 2 of the Bret Bielema era begins with the brilliant game plan of lining up with a 500LB Gorilla & whipping him into submission. The Hogs loss of their Center & Tackle will be sorely missed by a Trio of Backs that are the only lime light of this Hog Offense. Their QB play must improve. The Defense should be better, but a stagnant offense will keep them on the field for extended minutes. Their schedule has Ten Teams that played in Bowl Games last season & Big Belly Bret has yet to record a SEC Win. Look for the Baconator to squeal out a 4-8 season & go wee wee wee all the way home.
Kentucky---Don't Worry Wildcats, Basketball season will be here before you know it! Stoops should open the Season with Two Wins before he gets thumped by everyone else not named Vandy, ULM, & Tennessee.
2014 SEC |
|
Aug 30 |
Sept 6 |
Sept 13 |
Sept 20 |
Sept 27 |
Oct 4 |
Oct 11 |
Oct 18 |
Oct 25 |
Nov 1 |
Nov 8 |
Nov 15 |
Nov 22 |
Nov 29 |
Alabama
|
|
WVU* |
FAU |
USM |
UF |
OPEN |
@OM |
@ARK |
A&M |
@UT |
OPEN |
@LSU |
MSU |
WCar |
AUB |
Arkansas
|
|
@AUB |
NSU |
@TTU |
NIU |
@A&M |
OPEN |
BAMA |
UGA |
UAB |
@MSU |
OPEN |
LSU |
OM |
@MIZZ |
Auburn
|
|
ARK |
SanJose |
OPEN |
@KState |
LaTech |
LSU |
@MSU |
OPEN |
SC |
@OM |
A&M |
@UGA |
Samford |
@BAMA |
Florida
|
|
Idaho |
EMU |
UK |
@BAMA |
OPEN |
@UT |
LSU |
MIZZ |
OPEN |
UGA* |
@VAN |
SC |
EKU |
@FSU |
Georgia
|
|
Clemson |
OPEN |
@SC |
Troy |
UT |
VAN |
@MIZZ |
@ARK |
OPEN |
UF* |
@UK |
AUB |
CharSou |
GTech |
Kentucky
|
|
UTM |
Ohio |
@UF |
OPEN |
VAN |
SC |
ULM |
@LSU |
MSU |
@MIZZ |
UGA |
@UT |
OPEN |
Louis |
LSU
|
|
Wisc* |
SamHou |
ULM |
MSU |
NMexSt |
@AUB |
@UF |
UK |
OM |
OPEN |
BAMA |
@ARK |
OPEN |
@A&M |
MSU
|
|
USM |
UAB |
@SAla |
@LSU |
OPEN |
A&M |
AUB |
OPEN |
@UK |
ARK |
UTM |
@BAMA |
VAN |
@OM |
Missouri
|
|
SDakSt |
@Toledo |
UCF |
Indiana |
@SC |
OPEN |
UGA |
@UF |
VAN |
UK |
OPEN |
@A&M |
@UT |
ARK |
Ole Miss
|
|
BoiseSt* |
@VAN |
ULL |
OPEN |
Memphis |
BAMA |
@A&M |
UT |
@LSU |
AUB |
Presby |
OPEN |
@ARK |
MSU |
S. Carolina |
|
A&M |
ECU |
UGA |
@VAN |
MIZZ |
@UK |
OPEN |
Furman |
@AUB |
UT |
OPEN |
@UF |
SAla |
@Clemson |
Tennessee |
|
UtahSt |
ArkSt |
@OU |
OPEN |
@UGA |
UF |
UTC |
@OM |
BAMA |
@SC |
OPEN |
UK |
MIZZ |
@VAN |
Texas A&M
|
|
@SC |
Lamar |
Rice |
@SMU |
ARK |
@MSU |
OM |
@BAMA |
OPEN |
ULM |
@AUB |
MIZZ |
OPEN |
LSU |
Vanderbilt |
|
Temple |
@OM |
UMass |
SC |
@UK |
@UGA |
CharSou |
OPEN |
@MIZZ |
ODU |
UF |
OPEN |
@MSU |
UT |
Mike Slive says on 2014 Scheduling changes;
Key takeaways from the 2014 SEC Football Schedule:
1. LSU vs Texas A&M and Arkansas vs Mizzou are new end of the year rivalry games – LSU and Arkansas used to play on Thanksgiving weekend.
2. There are two new permanent cross divisional rival matchups as well – South Carolina vs Texas A&M and Arkansas vs Missouri (since 1991 Arkansas and South Carolina were permanent cross divisional rivals).
3. Open Date balance – Georgia and Texas A&M play 3 SEC schools coming off of a bye week (most in the SEC). The league has made significant progress in balancing bye week scheduling to make sure no school has an overwhelming disadvantage (Bama in 2010 played 6 SEC schools coming off a bye week). Below are how many games each school has against an opponent coming off a bye week (in parentheses) and the schools they play when coming off of their own bye weeks:
Alabama(2) – Ole Miss, LSU
Arkansas(1) – Alabama, LSU
Auburn(0) – KState, South Carolina
Florida(2) – Tennessee, Georgia
Georgia(3) – South Carolina, Florida
Kentucky(2) – Vandy, Louisville
LSU(2) – Alabama, Texas A&M
MSU(1) – Texas A&M, Kentucky
Mizzou(1) – Georgia, Texas A&M
Ole Miss(1) – Memphis, Arkansas
South Carolina(2) – Furman, Florida
Tennessee(1) – Georgia, Kentucky
Texas A&M(3) – TBA
Vandy(1) – Mizzou, MSU
A GIANT THANKS TO ALL WHO VOTE!