The SEC Forum at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

Opinions... well, you know what's said about them. 

SEC East 
Florida- holding and high.. they should be solid and could be squarely back on the podium this year.. except:

Georgia- holding and high.. they've built quite a machine down there and without bama just west of them they'd likely have had a MNC to show for it (do we call it MNC anymore with the playoffs? of course we don't... but I do)

South Carolina- sliding mid range... it's not that they're actually slipping visibly, it's that others in the division have stepped up their game.. they're the auburn of the east- scrappy and uncertain, but perception whispers they're in decline..  

Kentucky- in the midst of a momentary spurt, and wouldn't you know it right when they could possibly compete?  they've got moxy they've lacked historically, but that means nothing to trends until it's translated... i think they've hit the high mark and will be mid range this season with propensity to drop back into the traditional rut. 

Vandy- is still and always will be vandy.  

Mizzou- is truly a mystery this season.  

Tennessee- after a nightmare start last season they pulled it together near the end.  the bowl game was a bit of an abbreviated statement in summary of their season- pulling it off, highly unlikely, at the end.  Obviously i am biased, but i think they are heading up (and maybe because there is hardly anywhere to fall based on the last decade).  I expect 2nd or 3rd in the division to be the high mark. 

SEC West
Bama- is a damn machine.  now i gotta say this carefully- they are, imHo, slightly off their rhythm... they aren't the hideous beast opponents looked across the field at for the last 12-15 years... they're 'obtainable' now..... but, alas, obtainable doesn't mean they're in the bag and they're still the team to beat... they're high and holding with only the slightest perceptible dent. 

Auburn- moves in sprints and falls, and they're dang hard to pin down.  the term 'scrappy' comes to mind in expectations, but with uncertain outcomes... i'd hate to bet on these guys week in and week out... i'd be bald with a quickness... i see nothing to reduce that this season or after... which means- they're holding steady in their ability to be uncertain.. 

LSU- to me it's rare to see a team have as much fun as this team did last season from beginning to end.. it speaks to me of confidence and cohesion, and is brought on by the coaching... and the head coach is in a place that is perfect for his disposition and personality... they've gotta slip some, by simple measure they were the MNC's (there it is again) last year... but does that mean they'll drop lower than second? dare say third? no it doesn't... they'll be second at a minimum, and it will be a toss up between them and the giant... but don't think they get past the scrappy one just like that... high and holding, that's what they are. 

Ole Miss- is bound to trip a few this year... Lame Kitten has a way with strategies and tactics on game day, and he's every bit as slick as the ol' ball coach or tommy the congressional candidate river oat gambler was.. they're low as the edmund fitzgerald right now, but they have rockets attached to that hull... i figure they're low and rising. 

MSU- is going to be an interesting thing to witness... the pirate is back in the SEC and has the controls down there, and nobody really knows what to expect from him except that it will be entertaining no matter what it is... they also have not much choice than to boost upward over the next three to four years (if he is still around), but this season may be a bit of a learning curve... they WILL take someone down they ought not... LSU? Bama? Low/mid and rising. 

Arky- freakin' arky is like the tide.. they come in and they go out with to the second predictability... they're low, sorry to say, and their prospect of rising is unproven and shrouded in mystery.  Low.. Stagnant.. 

aTm- has one tricky rascal, and i do mean rascal, at the helm... they'll boost this season by my reckoning but can they hold course? i suspect they'll land third behind LSU, but may split it with LSU... short term i'd wager perceptible but slight rise... long term i'd guess hold... and they're the top of the middle with a lot of potential below them in MSU and OleMiss, and giants above them in LSU and Bama... those exterior factors speaks to me they define 'holding'.  

what are your thoughts on trends of programs?  

I agree with Cincy about Tennessee. They are upward bound with all those outstanding offensive linemen. I think it is a toss up between them and Florida as to who is second behind Georgia in the East.

In the West I think Texas A&M with the best qb in the League comes in second behind Bama. I think Auburn and LSU are equal as far as third place is concerned.

As far as Bama is concerned I hope the injuries  that crippled last year do not return.

An interesting possibility in  all of this that would annoy SEC haters ... let's imagine UGA goes 11-1 with a critical loss to Florida, but Alabama beats Florida handily in the CG to be 12-1.  Florida is say 11-2 now (loss to LSU).

The other conference champs are 13-0, 12-1, 11-2, 11-2 and ND is 10-3.

So, you have Bama, 12-1, Clemson 13-0, Ohio State, 12-1, and ..... UGA 11-1????  Have we seen this before?  Yup.

I think we'd all put LSU/Auburn/A&M in the 8-4 to 10-2 collection.  I have no idea which is which of course except by guessing.  Tenn might go there as well.  I keep thinking UK will return to being UK but Brooks appears to be coaching them up, or something.

And yes, I can see UGA being 10-2 or even 9-3 if the do a South Carolina again.  I've been watching games from '18 and '19 on youtube of late and it's interesting how many of their wins were pretty close near the half, and they caught a break that could have gone the other way, except in the USCe game.

I didn't watch that UK game last year in the rain (ugh) but I think it was 0-0 at the half.

And UK had no QB in sight.

I figure whether he has your team ranked 1st or 4th is pretty irrelevant when the spread is about 10 spots.

And of course the East very likely comes down to the WLOCP.  UGA could lost to Auburn and Bama and beat Florida and not make it of course.

He's high on A&M because they return their QB and they're going from an all-time tough schedule to one that has only 1 tough game between them and starting out 10-0.  

I think there will be a lot of surprises because of so many questionable starters at QB for the predominately top teams. Texas A&M and Jimbo haven't lived up to the predictions because they too have a QB problem one that is highly over rated. 

Florida is probably in the best shape of the top teams at QB one with SEC game experience so look for them to be to the team to beat in the East.

I think Miss. St. may be the sleeper because of the receivers they recruited and a number one transfer at QB.  They also have the leading rusher in the SEC for 2019.  The thing that may prevent them from being a contender will be on how good their defense is going to be. But with Mike Leach you better be able to put points on the board if you're gonna beat him.

If Tennessee continues to start JG at QB just expect more of the same from last year, inconsistency. He hasn't improved that much in three years so don't expect him to be much better.   If Maurer can stay healthy or Shrout has improved and Harrison Baily is as good as he looks on film then maybe one of the three can start and TN can be a contender in the SEC again.