2016 SEC Football Projections

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/ESPN_SEC/status/717370548741808132

When Brooks Ellis first cracked the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2013, things were a lot different in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Ellis will have to help the Razorbacks' defense turn around from a 2015 season that was underwhelming overall. After closing out the 2014 season with shutouts of Ole Miss and LSU and a domination of Texas, the Razorbacks took a step back defensively last season.

If the Hogs are to get back to what they were a couple seasons ago, it will take improvement across the board -- on the defensive line with the pass rush, in the secondary with the pass defense, and someone to fill a leadership role. Ellis hopes to do that.

"I really tried to last year, and that's something I need to improve on this season," Ellis said.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith said he expects Ellis to be key for the Razorbacks at his middle linebacker position.

The talent, Ellis says, is there. Nine of 11 starters return, and many of those returners have "so much potential and upside," that it gives him optimism the Razorbacks can make the necessary steps to become a quality SEC defense.

Smith wants to cut big plays in half (the Hogs allowed an SEC-high 41 plays of 25 yards or more last season). Ellis believes it to be possible.

Ellis, who graduates in December, feels like the defense can reach the levels it did late in 2014. He also feels the program continues to move in a positive direction under head coach Bret Bielema, who has changed the culture drastically since arriving prior to the 2013 season.

"We see the upward trend," Ellis said. "When I got here, there was no excitement. Now everybody's excited for the season. The players can see that this season could be a special one."

[jbcarol]

 Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 1h1 hour ago

Ranking the SEC West's wide receiver groups for 2016 http://sec.news/22cJgmg

RANKING: 5  ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

RETURNING LEADERS
Drew Morgan — 63 catches, 843 yards, 10 TDs
Dominique Reed — 28 catches, 535 yards, 6 TDs
Jared Corneilus — 24 catches, 393 yards, 3 TDs
Keon Hatcher — 13 catches, 198 yards, 2 TDs

CELEBRATED TRUE FRESHMEN
Jordan Jones (3-star recruit)
Kofi

SKINNY
1. Let's have some perspective here: Arkansas' receiving corps would likely rank first among SEC East teams this fall.

It's just another indicator of the SEC West's incredible depth

2. Only one of Morgan's 10 touchdowns occurred against a non-Power 5 program last year

[jbcarol]

SEC Network ‏@SECNetwork 10h10 hours ago

Favorites to win SEC in 2016:
(via ESPN's Preseason FPI)
LSU 39%
Tennessee 28%
Alabama 11%
Georgia 11%
Ole Miss 6%

http://es.pn/23lxita

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN Apr 8

ESPN/ABC primetime opening weekend: Sept. 3 Alabama-USC (Arlington); Sept. 4 Notre Dame at Texas; Sept. 5 FSU-Ole Miss (Orlando)

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/720033047706472448

[jbcarol]

Keith Niebuhr ‏@Keith247Sports 14h14 hours ago

Congrats to all the college football teams that launched national championship seasons the last 2 weekends.

[jbcarol]

Marq Burnett: When a defense loses three projected first-round NFL draft picks, a total of five starters, other key reserves and its coordinator, it's natural to think that unit would take a step back in the coming season.

Not at Alabama.

One of the things Alabama did last year arguably better than any year under Saban was bring some of its young players along early. Daron Payne, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Harrison all played significant snaps as true freshmen in 2015, so their transitions to full-time starters won't be as difficult during their sophomore campaigns.

[jbcarol]

The fan base doesn't want your optimism about Kentucky football

UK has won eight SEC games over the past six years

This should all be expected, of course, when your football team hasn't had a winning season since 2009, when it has won eight SEC games over the past six years, when its current coach is 12-14 overall and 4-20 in the SEC in the past three seasons.

I'd venture to say there's a little something different about the reaction this year. It seems more cynical. It seems to possess a sharper edge. It seems to be less hopeful than at any time in recent memory — even by UK football standards — for a fan base that until recently had faithfully supported losing football.

To me, there are a couple of reasons for this.

This should all be expected, of course, when your football team hasn't had a winning season since 2009, when it has won eight SEC games over the past six years, when its current coach is 12-14 overall and 4-20 in the SEC in the past three seasons.

I'd venture to say there's a little something different about the reaction this year. It seems more cynical. It seems to possess a sharper edge. It seems to be less hopeful than at any time in recent memory — even by UK football standards — for a fan base that until recently had faithfully supported losing football.

To me, there are a couple of reasons for this.

The second reason for the current tone, I think, is money. Tickets cost more. K-Fund donations cost more. Concessions cost more. Parking costs more. For the first time, you must pay as much as $300 to the K-Fund just to have the right to buy a parking pass — to park in a lot that already has a corporate sponsor.

Many of the renovations made to Commonwealth Stadium are nice and were badly needed, but many of the longtime fans I talk to are not happy. They think most of the improvements favor the big-money donors, the ones who buy the corporate boxers (sic). A sizable number are not happy that they had to give up their old seats —

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/722533583076896769

1. LSU
a) There aren't any tangible fears of back-to-back losses until November, when the Tigers host Alabama and then travel to Arkansas the following Saturday. For what it's worth, the Razorbacks have won both head-to-head encounters, since 2014, by 17 points.

b) The neutral-site or road-game slate of Wisconsin (iconic Lambeau Field), at Auburn, at Florida, at Arkansas and at Texas A&M has name-brand challenges.

c) For the Tigers, thank goodness this year's Game Of The Century against Alabama takes place in Baton Rouge.

[jbcarol]

Alabama is currently at 6-1 odds to repeat as national champions, according to VegasInsider.com. Load up.

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones ‏@KySportsRadio 3h3 hours ago

College Football Odds for National Title at the Wynn...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/HKellenbergerCL/status/723965025283641344

1. Alabama
In deciding who to place atop the SEC to start 2016, we might as well go with the team that has been there at the end of three of the past four seasons.

6. Arkansas
Bret Bielema was always able to plug-and-play with his running backs, so he should be good to go with Kody Walker and Rawleigh Williams III, and Austin Allen likely replaces brother Brandon at quarterback. Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida and LSU all must go to Fayetteville, too.

14. South Carolina
Maybe Will Muschamp has learned his lessons from Florida —

[jbcarol]

http://www.sportingnews.com/list/4703223-top-25-preseason-alabama-clemson-oklahoma-ohio-state-baylor-fsu-ole-miss-michigan/slide/3

23. Arkansas

[jbcarol]

 Paul Finebaum ‏@finebaum 16h16 hours ago

.@BrockESPN says if LSU had a QB like Josh Dobbs they would be the preseason #1

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy Verified account
‏@McMurphyESPN

ESPN's FPI's toughest 2016 schedules: USC, Ole Miss, FSU, Cal, Bama, LSU, UCLA, Syracuse, A&M, Arkansas http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/teamratings/_/sort/sosRemainingRank/order/false ...

[jbcarol]

 Kevin Scarbinsky ‏@KevinScarbinsky 38m38 minutes ago

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/alcom_all-access_should_gus_ma.html  All-Access: Should Gus Malzahn curb his enthusiasm, at least in public? Discuss.

Scarblog: This is what Gus Malzahn said in an article published Sunday on the athletics department's official website, AuburnTigers.com:

"It'd be a great time to come to Auburn," Malzahn said. "I really believe these next three or four years are fixing to be our best years we've had. The way everything is set up with our staff and with our players, it's going to be really exciting. Our players are doing wonderful in the classroom, off the field, and had a great spring."

I suggested in a Tuesday column on the four Auburn players arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana that perhaps it might be wiser for Malzahn to curb his enthusiasm. After all, a year ago, he let everyone know that he really liked his team going into the 2015 season.

The way it turned out, his team let him and the Auburn family down.

It's one thing to be excited about your team. It's another thing to express that excitement in superlatives for public consumption.

Why? Coaches aren't judged on their record. They're judged on their record relative to preseason expectations. One coach can go 9-3 and get fired. Another can go 6-6 and be named conference coach of the year.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/727906035009196034

Tennessee is the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC East in 2016, and Florida coach Jim McElwain isn't offended by those predictions.

The Gators are the defending division champs, but McElwain expects his team to have its hands full when UF travels to Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 24.

"I kind of have to worry about us," McElwain said Wednesday when asked about the Vols. "I'm sure that they should be (favored) and they should beat the heck out of us. We're just going to be lucky to show up. I don't really get caught up in (predictions). Obviously, that's not my gig. We've got a lot of work here to do."

During the week of the Ole Miss game last year, McElwain also said the Rebels should "beat the heck" out of his team.

The Gators upset Ole Miss 38-10, one week removed from their thrilling comeback victory over Tennessee. The Vols, who've lost 11 straight games to UF, will certainly be looking for redemption at home this fall...

[jbcarol]

Kirby Smart and Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason, whose teams will face the Rebels this fall believe they may continue to experience high-level production.

OXFORD - Ole Miss broke several school records on offense last season, including most points scored, most 50-plus point games and most 600-plus yard games.

"If it's not broke, don't fix it," Smart said. "Coach (Hugh) Freeze and their offense staff do an unbelievable job. They do a good job of getting their playmakers the ball."

The Rebels scored 43 points in their win against Alabama in Week 3 of last season, nearly twice as many as the next-highest point total Alabama allowed during the regular season (23).

[jbcarol]

5 bold SEC football predictions for 2016

We're just past what one website termed the college football "winter solstice" — that is, the midway point between the national championship game and the 2016 season-opener between California and Hawaii in Australia. Time to reveal  5 bold predictions for the SEC football season. The hay is in the barn about as much as it's going to be prior to the beginning of fall camp.

1. Tennessee will beat Alabama for the first time in a decade

3. Vanderbilt will finish ahead of at least two teams in the SEC East

5. Auburn will post its second straight losing SEC record

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/731495603230904320

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Mark_Schlabach/status/730061306506645504

1. Bama

6. LSU

11. Vols

13. UGa

14. OM

21. A&M

[jbcarol]

Jordan Cronkrite ‏@JC_Knows May 11

Girl in my class- "Hopefully the gator football team can win some games this year.." You must live under a rock 😒


And that's the way it is, Wednesday, May 11, 2016...

[jbcarol]

Best and worst case scenarios for Ole Miss in 2016

Best-case scenario: New stars emerge on both sides of the ball, Kelly wins SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Rebels contend for the SEC West.

It's fairly safe to say Ole Miss' 2016 season will hinge on Kelly's arm. Kelly threw for 4,042 yards, 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during his breakout season. He was voted Second Team All-SEC by the coaches and should be in the running for a first team selection this upcoming season.

Worst-case scenario: Ole Miss struggles to replace its stars and loses five games for the first time since 2013.

The quarterback is the most important position on the field, but the loss of Treadwell could greatly affect Kelly next season. The Rebels also don't have proven replacements in the backfield and must replace a stud at left tackle.

The secondary could be a weak spot after the Rebels ranked 13th in the SEC in passing defense last season (258.8 yards allowed per game). Ole Miss lost three defensive backs who recorded an interception last season...

[jbcarol]

Peter Burns Verified account
‏@PeterBurnsESPN

Always looking forward to #SEC football, but 2016 has SO many storylines. My biggest questions right now.....

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/732229499706875904

Crimson Tide are one of six SEC teams Athlon ranks in its top 25. Tennessee comes in at No. 7 as the seeming presumptive favorite to win the SEC East. LSU is No. 9, followed by Ole Miss at No. 10. Georgia is at No. 17 with Florida starting the year off at No. 21.

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 4m4 minutes ago

4 reasons why Texas A&M could win the SEC West

https://www.seccountry.com/texas-am/4-reasons-why-texas-am-could-win-the-sec-west

John Chavis is still a difference making defensive coordinator.

As Chavis prepares for his second season with Texas A&M, it's important to remember he won SEC championships as a defensive coordinator in his third year at both of his previous stops in the league —

Myles Garrett is a force to be reckoned with at defensive end.

With a total of 24 sacks in his two-year career at Texas A&M, and 20 tackles for loss last season, Garrett should be among the leading contenders for SEC Defensive Player of the Year —

The recent controversy won't impact this year's team.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/732273355135422464

2. LSU
I know lots of people have questions about the Tigers' passing game...

3. Alabama
For the third year in a row, the Tide enters training camp with its quarterback still a question mark.

8. Tennessee
Vols enter 2016 with a lot of momentum. They won seven of their last eight including a 45-6 thrashing of Northwestern in the Outback Bowl, and that one defeat was a close one in Tuscaloosa. I know there's still a lot of skepticism of this program...

15. A&M
Former Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight is a great fit for the Aggies. The dual-threat fits new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone's offense pretty well, and even more importantly, his presence as a leader is key for a locker room that needed it. Knight is greeted by some very gifted receivers, fronted by sophomore star Christian Kirk.

18. Ole Miss
Rebels only have eight starters back --

19. Georgia
Year One of the Kirby Smart Era brings plenty of curiosity, starting with the quarterback. My hunch is by October it'll be true freshman Jacob Eason.

[opineonswine]

I'll believe Tennessee is up there when I see it.

[jbcarol]

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/sec-over-under-totals-2016/

[jbcarol]

Feldman: The one player Alabama could least afford to lose this season? LT Cam Robinson, who was charged with a felony

This story will be interesting to track. The penalty under Louisiana law for felony possession of a stolen property "is not less than one year" in prison, according to AL.com, although it remains to be seen how this case will be handled. It is early in the legal process.

Robinson, a Monroe, La., native, has started all 29 games in his career at Alabama. I'd argue that he is the player the Crimson Tide could least afford to lose on its 2016 roster. Yes, the Tide has other All-American caliber players on this team -- DL Jonathan Allen, pass-rushing star Tim Williams, tight end O.J. Howard, wideout Calvin Ridley, but those guys aren't quite as integral to this team's success either due to how the depth chart stacks up or to the dependence on Robinson to what makes the Tide so tough.

Keep in mind, Alabama is already coping with the big task of replacing All-American center Ryan Kelly, the leader of the Tide's O-line the past few years. Plus, they had to replace departed starter Dominick Jackson at right tackle. Robinson was their big man. Their ultimate go-to guy. He is a huge athletic man, who really comes off the football hard and has proven to be a dominant force in their run game, something which was a bedrock for this Tide offense as it, once again, enters the season with uncertainty about who its starting QB will be.

This is a program that prides itself on being physical and Robinson is tied to that identity more than any other player on this team.

"He's a great left tackle," one SEC defensive line coach said. "He is a hell of a player. He's not as good as (Ole Miss OT Laremy Tunsil) was as a pass protector. but he's physical and big and strong in the run game. He's definitely got first-round talent."

It's also worth noting the devastating group of edge-rushers the Tide will face this season. Among them: Texas A&M's tandem of Myles Garrett and Deashon Hall; LSU's Arden Key and Lewis Neal; Tennessee's Derek Barnett, Ole Miss' Marquis Haynes, and Arkansas' Deatrich Wise.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman ‏@BrentZwerneman 16h16 hours ago

Aggies' Kevin Sumlin talking big about 2016: http://www.chron.com/sports/aggies/article/Aggies-Kevin-Sumlin-talking-big-about-2016-7665052.php ...

A&M fifth-year coach Kevin Sumlin figures the best way to handle rumors, whispers and hot-seat talk concerning his program is to wait for the first whistle – and then blow off some steam.

"Based on some things out there right now," Sumlin said on Wednesday during a Touchdown Club of Houston gathering, "we can't wait to play our first game."

Sumlin rarely is demonstrative and emotional in public and with the media, but he emphatically pounded the podium while claiming "we can't wait."

For their part, A&M fans can't wait for a program that will compete for a Southeastern Conference title, after three consecutive finishes in the bottom half of the West division. A big part of the Aggies' problems have been rooted in poor defensive play, and Sumlin stuck out his neck like never before in vouching for that side of the ball.

Sumlin told the crowd in a JW Marriott banquet room the Aggies have the potential to be a top 15 defense – which would mean at least a 36-spot jump from last year.

"No. 1, we were improved on defense," Sumlin said of the difference under Chavis, hired from LSU, and cutting the total defense ranking in half. "We've got to get better in our run defense, and I think we have the personnel to do that. Our defensive front will be as good as anybody in the country. Our linebackers take a lot of heat, but they're better than people think they are."

[jbcarol]

Golden Nugget win totals

UT 10
UA 9.5
LS 9.5
UG 8.5
UF  8
OM 7.5
AU 7

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/733461025211568130
(poll at link)

2016 college football season is only a few months away, and oddsmakers are beginning to release their predicted win totals for teams across the country.

The Golden Nugget Casino and Sportsbook in Las Vegas has Auburn winning 7 games in 2016. Offshore sports book 5Dimes set Auburn's win total at 7.5.

[jbcarol]

Paul Finebaum ‏@finebaum 15h15 hours ago

.@DannySheridan1's SEC East Power Rankings

1. Tennessee
2. Georgia
3. Florida
4. South Carolina
T5. Kentucky
T5. Mizzou
T5. Vandy

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/finebaum/status/733411435846369280

[jbcarol]

Below are the over/unders 5dimes has set for 12 of the 14 SEC teams this year, and how I figure they'll finish (for whatever reason, they haven't yet included win totals for Kentucky and Missouri, not that anyone cares all that much). These win totals include potential conference championship games and bowl games, which makes projecting a little trickier.

Arkansas 7 wins — PUSH ...

Florida 8 wins — OVER

Georgia 9 ½ wins — UNDER

LSU 10 ½ wins — OVER

Ole Miss 9 ½ wins — OVER

Mississippi State 7 ½ wins — UNDER

South Carolina 6 ½ wins — UNDER

Tennessee 10 ½ wins — OVER

A&M 8 wins — UNDER

Vanderbilt 6 wins — PUSH

Auburn 7 ½ wins — UNDER

Bama 9 ½ wins — OVER

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 2h2 hours ago

.@LVSuperBook title odds: Bama 6-1;  Mich 7-1; Clem/OU/OhSt 8-1; FSU 12-1; Bay/LSU/ND/Tenn 15-1; Aub/UGA/MichSt/OleMiss/Stan/UCLA 30-1

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/735125735095074816

• Since the SEC went to two divisions in 1992, only one team — Florida from 1993-96 — has won the conference championship in more than two consecutive years. Three other teams — Florida in 1992, Alabama in 1993 and Florida in 2009 — lost in the SEC championship game after entering the season as conference favorite.

• The media's pick to win the SEC championship has done so only five times in the two-division era, a span of 24 seasons. One of those was Alabama in 2014. The others were Florida in 1994, 1995 and 2008 and LSU in 2007.

• That means that in 16 of the last 24 seasons, the preseason SEC favorite did not even reach Atlanta. Alabama was the preseason favorite in 2000, and finished 3-8 and had its coach fired. Auburn was the preseason favorite last year, and finished in last place.

• More germane to this year's team, the Crimson Tide's road schedule is extremely tough. Alabama must travel to Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/735542442829701120

I have been shamelessly walking the plank of potential embarrassment in declaring that Kentucky will beat UGA on Nov. 5 – perhaps the Wildcats' most significant home victory since toppling No. 1 LSU in 2007.

Which brings us to the following questions: What took you so long, Herbie? Or were you merely saving this gem for the rubber-chicken circuit in nearby Louisville?

Mini-rant aside, it's good to finally have some company on the "Kentucky" bandwagon. Coach Mark Stoops (three-year record: 12-24) has been recruiting like a fiend for roughly 40 months, and that labor will soon bear fruit in Lexington.

The Kentucky powers-that-be will be rewarded in another sense: Stoops' work will soon convert to victories, sparing the athletic department the awkwardness of doling out a reported $15.5 million buyout of the coach's contract, if the Wildcats sought change at the top after this season...

[jbcarol]

The early round of over/unders have been released by South Point Sports Book

South Point Sports Book

Alabama — 10
LSU — 10
Ole Miss — 8.5
Arkansas — 7.5
Auburn — 6.5
Mississippi State — 6.5
Texas A&M — 6

Tennessee — 9.5
Georgia — 8.5
Florida — 7.5
Kentucky — 5
Missouri — 5.5
South Carolina — 5
Vanderbilt — 5

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/736199082969010176

[jbcarol]

Dave Matter ‏@Dave_Matter 2h2 hours ago

Vegas sets Missouri's win total at 5.5. Three in SEC East come in lower

Vegas win totals for Mizzou opponents: WVU 6.5, EMU 3, MTSU 7.5, UGA 8.5. LSU 10, Tenn 9.5, UF 7.5, SC 5, UK 5, Vandy 5, Ark 7.5

[jbcarol]

Sheldon Mickles ‏@MicklesAdvocate 1h1 hour ago

Booger McFarland: #LSU has got 'the best team they've had since Nick Saban left' http://theadvocate.com/columnists/scottrabalais/15971037-128/booger-mcfarland-lsu-has-got-the-best-team-theyve-had-since-nick-saban-left ...

LSU great Booger McFarland is a rising media star for three reasons – his personality, his insight and his candor.

The former All-American defensive tackle is gearing up for another season of analyst work with the SEC Network and is about to branch out into a bigger role with ESPN (more expected on that this summer) along with his co-hosting duties on Sirius/XM radio's "The Opening Drive" NFL show.

"LSU has got the best team they've had since Nick Saban left," McFarland said. "Better than in 2011. They have more star power and more players who have potential to be good."

He said he's heard this offseason that LSU coach Les Miles had a coaching epiphany after a tumultuous 2015 season that nearly saw him fired after a three-game November losing streak, that he's finally willing to expand the Tigers' offensive repertoire.

"But I also heard it two years ago," McFarland said. "LSU has been so successful doing it one way. It's human to want to go back to what's worked.

"I want to see if LSU's evolved. Not against Wisconsin. They can line up and beat Wisconsin (in the Sept. 3 season opener). But against Auburn (Sept. 24). To me, Florida (Oct. has enough talent that that's a test. And obviously, the biggest test is that first Saturday in November."

That's Nov. 5, the date of the Alabama game...

[jbcarol]

2016 College Football Win Totals, Title and Conference Odds

Nationally, Alabama (+650), Clemson (+750), Ohio State (+800) and Michigan (+800) are the 4 largest favorites, standing apart from the next tier of teams which includes Oklahoma (+1100), Florida State (+1200), LSU (+1200), Baylor (+1500), Tennessee (+1600) and Notre Dame (+1800).

In terms of win totals, in the SEC, Alabama (10), LSU (10) and Tennessee (9.5) are the schools most likely to enjoy success.  However, Alabama and LSU are both in the SEC West and thus, competing with one another before making the title game. That said, both programs are #1 and #2 in overall conference odds (Alabama is +150, LSU is +350) while Tennessee is third at +450, indicating linesmakers belief that the SEC West is simply more dominant.  LSU is projected to show the most overall improvement, winning 2 more games than 2015.  Meanwhile, Florida and Texas A&M are both projected to lose at least 2 more games in 2016 than they did last year.

[jbcarol]

SEC West team sliding after spring

Edward Aschoff: This will make me even less popular in Starkville, but I think there are still a lot of major questions at Mississippi State. Things were going to be tough with the loss of Dak Prescott, but not finding a lead guy to take over for him delays the process of moving on. Nick Fitzgerald feels like the favorite, but he didn't exactly separate himself from the three others in competition. Someone has to do that during fall camp.

What's the status of the offensive line?


Sam Khan Jr.: I'm going with Auburn. Quarterback play is critical to success, and not much about what was seen during Auburn's A-Day spring game was encouraging. The offense as a whole went 1-for-22 on third down, and while Gus Malzahn has numerous options at the position, it didn't appear anyone separated from the pack, either in the spring game or any of Auburn's spring scrimmages.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/740331003147849728

1. Arkansas returns eight starters on defense; and that doesn't even include Deatrich Wise Jr., who possesses the most physical upside of any Hogs defender.

2. Despite the graduation loss of Brandon Allen (school record-holder in touchdown passes), Arkansas should be in good hands at the quarterback spot...

3. There are also minimal worries about the Hogs' running game, which no longer has access to Alex Collins or Jonathan Williams — the 1,000-yard pillars of seasons past. Arkansas coach Bret Bielema always puts his personal stamp on power football, and successors like Kody Walker, Rawleigh Williams III or true freshman Devwah Whaley should fare well, when given consistent touches.

(It also helps to have mammoth right tackle Dan Skipper and right guard Frank Ragnow anchoring the offensive line.)

4. History tells us Arkansas will finish on a strong note, regardless of the early growing pains. Covering the last two seasons, the Hogs are 6-2 in the month of November — including multiple victories over LSU and Ole Miss.

5. Arkansas might have been given a gift from the SEC scheduling gods, traveling to Mississippi State and Missouri in the final two weeks. We're not expecting the Bulldogs or Tigers to contend for a bowl in 2016.

6. The Razorbacks' receiving corps, led by Drew Morgan (63 catches, 843 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Dominique Reed (28 catches, 535 yards, six touchdowns), might have ranked first among the SEC East wideouts...

[jbcarol]

3 SEC teams move up in ESPN's latest way-too-early Top 25

1. Alabama Crimson Tide
6. LSU Tigers
10. Tennessee Volunteers
12. Georgia Bulldogs
13. Ole Miss Rebels
21. Texas A&M Aggies

[jbcarol]

More Best/worst-case-scenario projections for all 7 SEC West teams

LSU
Best-Case Scenario: 13-0 (SEC champs)
Worst-Case Scenario: 9-3

BAMA
Best-Case Scenario: 12-1 (SEC champs)
Worst-Case Scenario: 9-3

A&M
Best-Case Scenario: 11-2 (SEC champs)
Worst-Case Scenario: 9-4

OLE MISS
Best-Case Scenario: 9-3
Worst-Case Scenario: 6-6

AUBURN
Best-Case Scenario: 9-3
Worst-Case Scenario: 5-7

STATE
Best-Case Scenario: 7-5
Worst-Case Scenario: 3-9

[jbcarol]

How many wins does every SEC team need in order to celebrate?

Arkansas

Last year: 8 wins | Five-year high: 11 wins | Five-year low: 3 wins

    Somersaults: 9 wins
    We'll take it: 6 wins
    Burn it down: 4 wins or fewer

LSU

Last year: 9 wins | Five-year high: 13 wins | Five-year low: 8 wins

    Somersaults: 11 wins
    We'll take it: 10 wins
    Burn it down: 8 wins or fewer

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/JTalty/status/742386518698930176
Slideshow

SEC East anchors down the bottom 4 spots

State at #10 is the bottom of the SEC-W

Bama's the Top of the West