My thoughts on next year...

[townhallsavoy 2]

Recruiting's finished. Spring Training has ended. I think it's time to do the ritual predictions for next season.

Here's ten things I see shaping up next year.

1) Georgia is the sleeper team of the year. They showed signs of brilliance and signs of pathetic-ness last season. I think with Stafford getting experience and Richt's coaching, Georgia comes out in the end with the SEC Championship. I think they have a great opener against Oklahoma St and it's at home. Follow up with South Carolina and two decent victories equals a lot of confidence. They'll get two losses against Florida and Tennessee but...

2) A messy SEC. No SEC team will have less than two losses. Lot of teams have big time question marks. In fact, EVERY team has big time question marks. Auburn loses four O-Linemen, LSU loses four 1st Round draft picks (including QB), Arkansas had a messy off-season and loses some key defensive players, Florida loses 9 defensive starters and their starting QB, Georgia loses more than half of their defensive front seven, Tennessee has had injuries and loses key WR and key D-lineman, South Carolina is still young, Ole Miss is still young and without a quality QB, Kentucky may be a sleeper but probably not, and Alabama has a new head coach.

3) Florida loses 3 games. Florida won the SEC last year with their defense. Without turnovers, they would have lost against LSU. They shut out Auburn's offense but still managed to lose. They needed three blocked kicks to beat South Carolina. Now take away 9 guys from the defense. This means Tim Tebow will have to lead an offense that is potent enough to win games while the defense matures. However, Tim Tebow has never had to face a team that has an entire gameplan devoted to stopping him. Florida has to go to LSU, will lose to Auburn, and lose a shocker against South Carolina.

4) Les Miles' job loses its security. He's 22-4 right now. He'll only be 34-6 at the end of next year with another SEC West title. However, LSU loses to Bama and a shocker against South Carolina. There are plenty of critics out there that say Miles has had tremendous success because of Nick Saban. I, personally, disagree. I think Les Miles is a decent, not great, but efficient coach. I don't think he'll ever win the NC but LSU has had a lot of success over the past two years, which can't be done only through talent. However, I think he gets out-coached against Bama and loses a "game LSU should have won" against South Carolina. I also think he'll get a win against Auburn but it'll be a very close game where the critics say "Auburn should have won that one."

5) Bama beats LSU. It's going to be Nick Saban's coming out party. Bama's not going to have a great year but this is the game that will make the Crimson faithful smile. It'll also keep them talking trash for an entire year. They get LSU at home and the mild-mannered Nick Saban is going to be pumped up for this one.

6) Nick Saban doesn't turn things around in one year. I see Alabama going 8-4 with one big victory against LSU. They lose bad to Georgia, close to FSU, upset by Ole Miss and blown out by Auburn. Tennessee has to go to Tuscaloosa and loses the game instead of Bama winning it, sort of like how LSU lost to Florida last year; Florida didn't exactly "win." They'll also lose their bowl game. Bama is sent into the offseason with high hopes for the second year.

7) Auburn handles its tough schedule very well. Two years ago, Auburn had a good argument for being the best team in the SEC. A close loss to LSU kept them out of the SEC title game and a similar situation will happen again this year. Four straight home games keeps Auburn healthy and hungry when they enter the Swamp. Another classic takes place as Auburn beats the overrated Gators. Phase 2 of the away game schedule gives Auburn an impressive win against the Razorbacks. However, LSU wins a close, possible overtime game at home. Auburn also loses for the second straight year to Georgia, who will be turning heads for most of the second half of the season and backing into the SEC title game because...

8) Florida loses a thrilling game to South Carolina, which costs them their shot at the SEC title. This time, South Carolina doesn't choke. They make the field goals and put a lockdown on Tim Tebow. Florida's young defense will have a tough time against Spurrier's vaunting offense. Everything's OK because it's a rebuilding year.

9) Georgia whomps LSU in the SEC championship. I'm talking 30 points. Georgia will enter the SEC title game in a state of euphoria. They're not expecting much from next season, especially after last season. The title game will get them pumped up. LSU won't be as prepared or as excited as the Bulldogs, setting up for a Bulldog title.

10) Sylvestor Croom loses his job. Miss St has been awful ever since he arrived. Not much has changed and his attitude each week is worse than Mike Shula's, when he was at Alabama. I think he'll announce his resignation about 2/3's of the way through.

Those are my thoughts...

Here's my predicted final standings and the losses:

SEC East

Georgia, 10-2 losses to Florida, Tenn

Florida 9-3 losses to Auburn, LSU, South Carolina

Tennessee 9-3 losses to Florida, Alabama, Arkansas

South Carolina 8-4 losses to Georgia, Tennessee, Ark, Kentucky

Kentucky 6-6 losses to Georgia, Tenn, Florida, LSU, Arkansas, (Louisville)

Vanderbilt

SEC West

LSU, 10-2 losses to Alabama, South Carolina

Auburn, 10-2 losses to Georgia, LSU

Alabama, 8-4 losses to Georgia, Auburn, Ole Miss (Florida St)

Arkansas 9-3, losses to LSU, Auburn, Alabama

Ole Miss, 6-6 losses to Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU, (Missouri)

Miss St

I hope I haven't made any mistakes.

[aumd03 2]

I think i see one. Alabama would be ahead of Arkansas in the SEC if they had three SEC losses and beat Ark head to head.

[AUmattyD 0]

I hope I haven't made any mistakes.

You have Alabama at 8-4. According to the Tahd faithful, you made 4 mistakes.

[townhallsavoy 2]

I hope I haven't made any mistakes.

You have Alabama at 8-4. According to the Tahd faithful, you made 4 mistakes.

Meh.

[SouthLink02 8]

I still think UGA has too many holes to win the East. But, I remember that awhile back I gave Bama fans a hard time for "saying they would only win 7-8 games but really, honestly expecting 9-10 wins" so maybe I should take my own advice....there really isnt a single game I see UGA "having no shot" thus I expect to win every game.

I think this is Tennessee's year. With that said, I think we beat UT in Neyland as Richt is 3-0 there BUT I think UGA loses to UF and then 1-2 more out of USC, AU, and Bama.

Other things I think:

I think UF loses 3 games as well. Their D is NOT the same and loses a LOT from last year. They have Tebow at QB who COULD be good but next year will he? I don't think so.

USC will be USC....i don't care if this is supposed to be Spurrier's breakout year or not...with Blake Mitchell at QB...he wont win the East...bank it.

UK/Vandy will be not terrible teams but neither will beat UF, UT, or UGA....UK is getting a lot of press but their talent is still far from that impressive and their coach has yet to ever put together back-to-back good seasons in his coaching career dating back to even Oregon.

UT has the LEAST holes, imo, and I know they lost a solid amount of D talent.

[AUslug 1]

I also think that UF will lose 3 games, since the other two BCS NC winners from the SEC also had 3 losses the following year. Tennessee lost 3 in 1999 and LSU lost 3 in 2004.

[Tigerguy 1]

I don't think we lose 2 games. Sorry to sound optimistic but that's just the Army in me.

WDE

[AUTrey 0]

Most of that seems pretty plausible except one thing: There is no way a hungry, euphoric UGA team will waltz into the SECCG and walk all over an unexcited LSU by 30 points. The reason of course is that only two years ago a hungry, euphoric UGA team waltzed into the SECCG and could only walk all over an unexcited LSU team by 20 points. No way LSU gets caught napping twice in three years, and even if they did, I don't think anybody could beat LSU by 30 without first shooting the knee caps of the first and second string D.

[BamaGrad03 0]

LSU didn't get caught napping in the Georgia Dome. They got caught by a better team.

There's a reason Miles was lobbying the Cotton Bowl commitee the day of the SECCG.

[auwallace 6]

one glaring issue.....there's no way in hell we have 10 bowl eligible teams, i agree with your rankings but the fifth place teams in each division won't have six wins

[AUmattyD 0]

Meh.

Unless you're speaking Slovenian to me, I'm not sure what this means.

[WarTim 3,534]

I predict SAbear will resign after one season at west vance to make his run for the White House. After one term, he will then be made king of the known universe upon developing a cure for all known illnesses and getting Paris Hilton to switch to a low tar brand of smokes. Dubose returns just in time to lead uat to mnc #3,456,789 ! !

Then again, I could just be really sleepy.

[Ranger12 53]

I predict that at least half of what you said will be wrong. The reason being, I have learned to never try to predict anything when it comes to SEC football. See 1993, 2003, and 2004 for as great examples, besides many other years for all the other SEC teams.

[TexasTiger 14,606]

Recruiting's finished. Spring Training has ended. I think it's time to do the ritual predictions for next season.

Here's ten things I see shaping up next year.

1) Georgia is the sleeper team of the year. They showed signs of brilliance and signs of pathetic-ness last season. I think with Stafford getting experience and Richt's coaching, Georgia comes out in the end with the SEC Championship. I think they have a great opener against Oklahoma St and it's at home. Follow up with South Carolina and two decent victories equals a lot of confidence. They'll get two losses against Florida and Tennessee but...

2) A messy SEC. No SEC team will have less than two losses. Lot of teams have big time question marks. In fact, EVERY team has big time question marks. Auburn loses four O-Linemen, LSU loses four 1st Round draft picks (including QB), Arkansas had a messy off-season and loses some key defensive players, Florida loses 9 defensive starters and their starting QB, Georgia loses more than half of their defensive front seven, Tennessee has had injuries and loses key WR and key D-lineman, South Carolina is still young, Ole Miss is still young and without a quality QB, Kentucky may be a sleeper but probably not, and Alabama has a new head coach.

3) Florida loses 3 games. Florida won the SEC last year with their defense. Without turnovers, they would have lost against LSU. They shut out Auburn's offense but still managed to lose. They needed three blocked kicks to beat South Carolina. Now take away 9 guys from the defense. This means Tim Tebow will have to lead an offense that is potent enough to win games while the defense matures. However, Tim Tebow has never had to face a team that has an entire gameplan devoted to stopping him. Florida has to go to LSU, will lose to Auburn, and lose a shocker against South Carolina.

4) Les Miles' job loses its security. He's 22-4 right now. He'll only be 34-6 at the end of next year with another SEC West title. However, LSU loses to Bama and a shocker against South Carolina. There are plenty of critics out there that say Miles has had tremendous success because of Nick Saban. I, personally, disagree. I think Les Miles is a decent, not great, but efficient coach. I don't think he'll ever win the NC but LSU has had a lot of success over the past two years, which can't be done only through talent. However, I think he gets out-coached against Bama and loses a "game LSU should have won" against South Carolina. I also think he'll get a win against Auburn but it'll be a very close game where the critics say "Auburn should have won that one."

5) Bama beats LSU. It's going to be Nick Saban's coming out party. Bama's not going to have a great year but this is the game that will make the Crimson faithful smile. It'll also keep them talking trash for an entire year. They get LSU at home and the mild-mannered Nick Saban is going to be pumped up for this one.

6) Nick Saban doesn't turn things around in one year. I see Alabama going 8-4 with one big victory against LSU. They lose bad to Georgia, close to FSU, upset by Ole Miss and blown out by Auburn. Tennessee has to go to Tuscaloosa and loses the game instead of Bama winning it, sort of like how LSU lost to Florida last year; Florida didn't exactly "win." They'll also lose their bowl game. Bama is sent into the offseason with high hopes for the second year.

7) Auburn handles its tough schedule very well. Two years ago, Auburn had a good argument for being the best team in the SEC. A close loss to LSU kept them out of the SEC title game and a similar situation will happen again this year. Four straight home games keeps Auburn healthy and hungry when they enter the Swamp. Another classic takes place as Auburn beats the overrated Gators. Phase 2 of the away game schedule gives Auburn an impressive win against the Razorbacks. However, LSU wins a close, possible overtime game at home. Auburn also loses for the second straight year to Georgia, who will be turning heads for most of the second half of the season and backing into the SEC title game because...

8) Florida loses a thrilling game to South Carolina, which costs them their shot at the SEC title. This time, South Carolina doesn't choke. They make the field goals and put a lockdown on Tim Tebow. Florida's young defense will have a tough time against Spurrier's vaunting offense. Everything's OK because it's a rebuilding year.

9) Georgia whomps LSU in the SEC championship. I'm talking 30 points. Georgia will enter the SEC title game in a state of euphoria. They're not expecting much from next season, especially after last season. The title game will get them pumped up. LSU won't be as prepared or as excited as the Bulldogs, setting up for a Bulldog title.

10) Sylvestor Croom loses his job. Miss St has been awful ever since he arrived. Not much has changed and his attitude each week is worse than Mike Shula's, when he was at Alabama. I think he'll announce his resignation about 2/3's of the way through.

Those are my thoughts...

Here's my predicted final standings and the losses:

SEC East

Georgia, 10-2 losses to Florida, Tenn

Florida 9-3 losses to Auburn, LSU, South Carolina

Tennessee 9-3 losses to Florida, Alabama, Arkansas

South Carolina 8-4 losses to Georgia, Tennessee, Ark, Kentucky

Kentucky 6-6 losses to Georgia, Tenn, Florida, LSU, Arkansas, (Louisville)

Vanderbilt

SEC West

LSU, 10-2 losses to Alabama, South Carolina

Auburn, 10-2 losses to Georgia, LSU

Alabama, 8-4 losses to Georgia, Auburn, Ole Miss (Florida St)

Arkansas 9-3, losses to LSU, Auburn, Alabama

Ole Miss, 6-6 losses to Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU, (Missouri)

Miss St

I hope I haven't made any mistakes.

I hope you've made three mistakes-- losing 2 and beating . I'd hate for $aban to have the satisfaction.

[Tiger1992 1,085]

I predict SAbear will resign after one season at west vance to make his run for the White House. After one term, he will then be made king of the known universe upon developing a cure for all known illnesses and getting Paris Hilton to switch to a low tar brand of smokes. Dubose returns just in time to lead uat to mnc #3,456,789 ! !

Then again, I could just be really sleepy.

The only flaw I see in your thinking is that you know Paris Hilton is too stupid to listen to anyone else's advice.

[townhallsavoy 2]

Most of that seems pretty plausible except one thing: There is no way a hungry, euphoric UGA team will waltz into the SECCG and walk all over an unexcited LSU by 30 points. The reason of course is that only two years ago a hungry, euphoric UGA team waltzed into the SECCG and could only walk all over an unexcited LSU team by 20 points. No way LSU gets caught napping twice in three years, and even if they did, I don't think anybody could beat LSU by 30 without first shooting the knee caps of the first and second string D.

Well, that is kind of one of my points. I think LSU DOES get caught napping because Les Miles isn't that great of a coach. Defensively, LSU is very sound, as usual. However, Offensive mistakes and coaching mistakes are going to be their downfall. Mark Richt has been a very consistent coach since he arrived at UGA. I don't expect him to have two down years and an underdog Richt team may be the most dangerous in the SEC.

[townhallsavoy 2]

one glaring issue.....there's no way in hell we have 10 bowl eligible teams, i agree with your rankings but the fifth place teams in each division won't have six wins

Yeah I thought about that but I really think the bottom four (Ole Miss, Miss St, Vandy, and Kentucky) don't matter much next year. I think Eddie is a good coach at Ole Miss, enough to pull out an upset. However, I'm not sure how those teams will shape up by the end of the year. Who, honestly can predict the Miss St-Vandy game? Vandy has a good coach but that fire has to run out sometime. Rich Brooks actually bring Kentucky to greatness? Please.... So I gave Kentucky and Ole Miss the edge over the other bottom teams.

[townhallsavoy 2]

I predict that at least half of what you said will be wrong. The reason being, I have learned to never try to predict anything when it comes to SEC football. See 1993, 2003, and 2004 for as great examples, besides many other years for all the other SEC teams.

Agreed. But I think my predictions are much different than the conventional. I have LSU being a weaker team and Georgia jumping to the top. I think my predictions are different enough so that one of us will have to be right. But who knows - It's all in good fun.

[GalensGhost 0]

I predict SAbear will resign after one season at west vance to make his run for the White House. After one term, he will then be made king of the known universe upon developing a cure for all known illnesses and getting Paris Hilton to switch to a low tar brand of smokes. Dubose returns just in time to lead uat to mnc #3,456,789 ! !

Then again, I could just be really sleepy.

I'd vote for him if he could get Paris Hilton to switch to a low rent brand of Ghost for a day or two.

[AUesquire 1]

Well, I know where she'll be for the next 45 days.

[mcgufcm 4,109]

a few thoughts of my own:

1) kentucky has a legit top 10 quarterback running the show. no matter how bad the team, a big-time talent like that will always find a way for a shocker or two (think cutler over tennessee). kentucky will knock off AT LEAST one of the east's big three... and still manage to win no more than 8 games.

2) the winner of the west will only lose one conference game. either auburn, lsu, or arkansas is going to win 7 conference games... and auburn and lsu might have an out of conference lose. south florida and virginia tech (with the nation rightly behind them) loom large early in the year.

3) if erik ainge is right, tennessee wins the east on the back of a steady senior qb, and the sec title game matchups up two senior qbs (flynn or cox fit the bill in the west).

4) saban shocks everyone by NOT pulling off a win that bama shouldn't have gotten and going a completely unspectacular 8-5 (loses to auburn, lsu, fsu, tennessee, and uga) getting a win in a boring bowl game.

5) coach O continues to prove he's the worst coach in the conference by finishing in the west's basement. msu makes more noise than they have in years... and still only finishes with 5 wins. but it's enough to keep sly's job (people still love him in starkville).

6) auburn has a lead in baton rouge... i have no idea if they keep it. it's just a prediction that this will be a tight game, following the recent trend in this series. i don't believe all the crap about lsu having loads more talent than everyone else. last year was just a great senior class (like auburn in 2004 only crappier). these two teams are evenly matched all over the field.

7) mcfadden and jones make arkansas incredibly relevant in the west. they'll win 10 again if they let those two horses pull the carriage.

8) uga somehow pulls similar stuff to last year. they're going to have a late kick to make the season seem better than it really was. stafford is going to hit the sophomore wall just like almost every second year qb hits (greene's about the only guy i can think of that avoided it).

9) spurrier will get one of the big boys, beat clemson again, win at least one out west, and have a great year for south carolina. are they going to be the darlings everyone is making them out to be? no. but it's going to be a fun year for gamecock fans.

10) auburn over tennessee in atlanta. i believe ainge is going to be healthy, and i think the vols will find a way to at least split florida and georgia. tim hawthorne, montez billings, and terrell zachary are going to make auburn's passing game more explosive. the defense (the front seven featuring marks, groves, thompson, and blackmon in particular) will lead the way for a banner year that's a little unexpected given the schedule. auburn is never better than when it's doubted.

(this just in... i'm an auburn fan)

[wesfau 0]

7) mcfadden and jones make arkansas incredibly relevant in the west. they'll win 10 again if they let those two horses pull the carriage.

Stop the insanity. DMac and Jones are very, very good.

HOWEVER......Ark's record in games without Malzahn and Mustain was 3-4 last year (by "without Malzahn" I mean that it is widely recognized by Hog fans that Nutt yanked the play calling privileges from Gus). There is no threat of a vertical passing game with Nutt/Dick (quit giggling) and opposing defenses will stack the box.

[mcgufcm 4,109]

let 'em.

malzahn and mustain wouldn't have made a dime's worth of difference in the games they lost last year: usc, lsu, florida, and wisconsin. combined losses: 6. those were just better teams. period. arkansas is going to flat out run over 7 or 8 over the teams on their schedule. i'm just saying those two guys (one of which is the best sec runner since bo) will do something special to get a win or two.

[wesfau 0]

let 'em.

malzahn and mustain wouldn't have made a dime's worth of difference in the games they lost last year: usc, lsu, florida, and wisconsin. combined losses: 6. those were just better teams. period. arkansas is going to flat out run over 7 or 8 over the teams on their schedule. i'm just saying those two guys (one of which is the best sec runner since bo) will do something special to get a win or two.

Ark had a chance in all but the USC game and competent playcalling and the ability to throw downfield might have made the difference. Here are Dick's stats for the LSU/UF/UW games: 22/60 2tds 4ints.

Yes, the RBs might "get a win or two" for the Hogs....most likely against OM and SWMoSt.

[SouthLink02 8]

8) uga somehow pulls similar stuff to last year. they're going to have a late kick to make the season seem better than it really was. stafford is going to hit the sophomore wall just like almost every second year qb hits (greene's about the only guy i can think of that avoided it).

Ya, he thrived his 2nd year to SEC POY