2016-17 Best to Worst SEC Major Mens Sports Seasons

[jbcarol]

TBD. Kentucky

https://twitter.com/joe_mussatto/status/873683714919759872

It's been less than 365 days since Mingione, a former State assistant, was named Kentucky's coach. Wildcats began the season with little outside expectations, and ended it in front of a record crowd on a Super Regional stage at Jim Patterson...

Wildcats had never played in a Super Regional before Mingione's arrival. And while the inaugural appearance ended in a dogpile of Cardinals, the 2017 Kentucky squad may be the building blocks of something bigger.

"I told our guys that it's good to get here, but moving forward we've gotta win here," Mingione said. "That's the next step for our baseball program."

Kentucky's run brought record crowds to Cliff Hagan (5,000+ in their last regional game).

Kentucky Football 2016 Year in Review

Kentucky officially wrapped up its 2016 season with a 33-18 loss to Georgia Tech in the TaxSlayer.

It was a season of "firsts" in many respects for the Wildcats in its fourth season under Mark Stoops.

– Kentucky finished 2016 with a 7-6 record, its first winning season since 2009.

It was only the 17th time since 1934 the Wildcats won at least seven games.

– The Wildcats finished tied for second in the SEC East with a 4-4 mark, its best finish since divisional play began in 1992.

– UK finished the season with 30 rushing touchdowns, tying the school record set in 1949.

– Kentucky's win over Louisville Nov. 26 was its first over a ranked opponent on the road since a 22-17 win at No. 17 Louisville in 2002. No. 11 Louisville was the highest-ranked opponent Kentucky has defeated on the road since a win at No. 4 Penn State in 1977.

– The Wildcats' 35-21 win over Missouri Oct. 29 marked its first three-game SEC win streak since 1999.

– UK's thrilling 40-38 victory over Mississippi State Oct. 22 snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.

– Kentucky's 17-10 win against South Carolina Sept. 24 was its third straight over the Gamecocks, its longest win streak in the all-time series.

Kentucky Basketball falls short of Final Four; fans threaten ref

Wildcats were ranked number one in December after a 20-point win over Michigan State. Early season decisions against UCLA and North Carolina would be reversed in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky lost 73-70 to then #10 UofL in Louisville.  UK lost to KU in the SEC - Big 12 Classic.

Wildcats won the SEC regular season (16-2) and the SEC Tournament. They were eliminated by eventual champ UNC in the regional final. The FBI has identified persons who threatened the head offical and media outlets that posted his personal contact info.

[jbcarol]

TBD. Georgia

https://twitter.com/JasonHButt/status/875470579582853120

ATHENS

When it's all said and done, Georgia will once again finish in the top 20 in the Learfield Directors Cup.

Georgia is one of six teams to finish in the top 20 every year since the 1997-98 sports season, joining Florida, Stanford, North Carolina, UCLA, and Texas in this feat. As of the most recent rankings, Georgia checked in at No. 13, thanks to strong finishes from Georgia's men's and women's tennis and track teams.

When the final poll comes out, Georgia is expecting to rank around No. 15, athletics director Greg McGarity said

While those final spring sports ended the season on a high note, much discussion has centered around the performances of Georgia's top three revenue-earning sports – football, men's basketball and baseball.

The football team, in head coach Kirby Smart's first season went 8-5 with a Liberty Bowl win over TCU. The men's basketball team finished 19-15 and in the NIT for the second consecutive season. For the fourth time in as many years, head coach Scott Stricklin's baseball team ended the season with a below-.500 record and outside of the NCAA Tournament.

That led McGarity to recognize this fact at the UGA Athletic Association's annual spring board of directors meeting in May.

"I know our program is not reaching its full potential," McGarity said.

Football
Georgia won its first three games but didn't look so good against Nicholls and Missouri. Bulldogs then only won four of their next 10 before the Liberty Bowl victory. At the recent SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida, Smart called his first season "disappointing."

Men's basketball
Georgia was a preseason top-4 team in the SEC but ended up on the wrong side of the bubble by NCAA Tournament time. Georgia was unable to land that signature win by going 0-8 against Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, and of course, Kansas.

Baseball
Stricklin has yet to record a winning season as Georgia's head coach. The 2017 campaign ended 25-32 and outside of the NCAA Tournament.

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TBD. Mississippi State

Every major sport at Mississippi State is on the upswing

The football team appears to be on the way back up with a talented quarterback and the hiring of a competent defensive coordinator. The women's basketball team will enter the season as a national title contender and a top-5 team. Baseball, meanwhile, just finished a remarkable season that defied expectations and could be on the cusp of a defining era in the history of the program. Men's basketball, though lagging behind the other sports, continues to have a bright future under coach Ben Howland.

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FYI:

https://twitter.com/SECherbvin/status/877896221435674624

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https://twitter.com/gogamecocks/status/879506226115223553

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https://twitter.com/Matt_W_Green/status/880090163317272576

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/880428462934290432

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/880456618311385089

No other SEC school finished in the Top 10 for '16-17

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https://twitter.com/SECherbvin/status/880493427430961152

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/880728132701102081

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/880729846703411200

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/882655474751082496

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 Robbie Andreu‏ @RobbieAndreu Jun 29

In 2016-17,  the Gators had 13 teams finish in the top 10 nationally, 10 in the top five. Three teams won a national championship.

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https://twitter.com/PerrynKeys/status/882826908840361984

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/883461906941562880

Florida was the best among SEC schools at No. 2 overall, and South Carolina followed at No. 6 to round out the conference's representation within the top 10.

CBS Sports' formula takes into account performance in football, men's basketball and women's basketball, plus two "wild cards" among each program's most successful spectator sports other than the three previously included.

15. Bama
17. UK
21. LS
27. AU
31. Arkansas
32. A&M
39. Vols
40. State
54. UGa
59. Mizzou
61. Vandy
95. Ole Miss

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/884012673108717569

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https://twitter.com/NotJerryTipton/status/885516298360324096