2015 SEC Football Projections

[jbcarol]

ESPN's Mark Schlabach: Never Too Early Top 25

1. TCU
2. tOSU

8. UGa Bulldogs
10. Bama
11. Ole Miss
14. Auburn
17. LSU
21. Arkansas
23. Tennessee

21. Arkansas Razorbacks

2014 record: 7-6, 2-6 SEC

Returning starters: 10 offense, 7 defense, 1 special teams

Key personnel losses: OT Brey Cook, DE Trey Flowers, LB Braylon Mitchell, LB Martrell Spaight, FS Alan Turner

Why they might finish higher: After losing 13 consecutive SEC games to start the Bret Bielema era (and 17 in a row overall), the Hogs finally turned the corner at the end of the past season. Arkansas upset then-No. 17 LSU and then-No. 8 Ole Miss by a combined score of 47-0 in November and then defeated Texas 31-7 in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl. The Hogs will carry a lot of momentum into next season, especially with star tailbacks Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins both expected back. Four starters are returning on the offensive line, along with quarterback Brandon Allen, who threw 20 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2014.

Why they might finish lower: If Arkansas is going to improve its 2-6 2014 SEC record, it will have to earn it this coming season. The Razorbacks' schedule is again arduous, with road games at Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss and LSU. The Razorbacks will also have to replace two key defensive players: Flowers, their top pass rusher, and Spaight, their leading tackler.

[jbcarol]

CBS Sports Never Too Early 2015 Power Poll

1. tOSU
2. TCU
3. Bama
7. Ole Miss
8. LSU
12. Miss St
13. Auburn
14. Mizzou
17. UGa
19. Arkansas
23. Florida
24. Tennessee

No one wants to play the Hogs the way they finished up 2014. In Bret Bielema's third season, this could be a 10-win team with a punishing defense and run game.

[jbcarol]

Now a couple of years removed from the SEC's best quarterback class in some time, the SEC should be heavy on the run in 2015.

SEC's leading rusher returning in 2015 will be Georgia's Nick Chubb for his sophomore season, and LSU freshman Leonard Fournette could also be worthy of striking his Heisman pose. Chubb rushed for 1,547 yards and an SEC-leading 14 touchdowns this season, and most of that came while backing up Todd Gurley until he went down to injury. Fournette also rushed for over 1,000 yards, including 143 yards in a bowl game loss against Notre Dame. If you need more running power from the SEC, look no further than Arkansas with sophomore Alex Collins. Collins is coming off a 1,100-yard season with 12 touchdowns and should be a big piece of the offense for Bret Bielema in 2015. If there is one thing Bielema knows how to do, it is run the football. With Collins on the field, Arkansas will do just that. Alabama will look for a big year from  too. Henry was 10 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season but he did rush for 11 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.

Up north, the Big Ten...

[jbcarol]

Stewart Mandel @slmandel  ·  7 hours ago

Miss college football already? Here's @FOXSports' ridiculously early Top 25 for 2015. http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/ohio-state-buckeyes-oregon-ducks-2015-preseason-top-25-ranking-011215 ...

1. tOSU

6. Auburn
7. Bama
11. Ole Miss
13. LSU
15. UGa
21. A&M
22. Mizzou
23. Arkansas
24. Tennessee

Razorbacks were one of the nation's most-improved teams in 2014, even if their 2-6 SEC record didn't necessarily reflect it. They shut out both Ole Miss and LSU and lost by one point to Alabama. The 2015 edition brings back most of the key pieces from an offense that began to take on Bret Bielema's vision.

[jbcarol]

247 Just in time 2015 Top 25

1. tOSU
2. TCU
3. Bama
11. Auburn
12. LSU
14. UGa
15. Ole Miss
18. Miss. St.
20. Arkansas
21. Tennessee

Just Missed the Cut
Wisconsin
Missouri
Utah

A killer running game and steady QB play are helping Bret Bielema turn the Hogs around. And here come the big recruiting classes.

[jbcarol]

Athlon: A Very Early College Football Top 25 for 2015

1. tOSU
2. Bama
8. Auburn
9. LSU
11. UGa
12. Miss. State
13. Ole Miss
18. Mizzou
23. Arkansas
24. A&M
25. Florida

(Among) The Next Five
26. Tejas
28. Tennessee
29. UofL

(Among) 11 Other Teams to Watch
South Carolina

The brutal SEC West provides few breaks for Arkansas, so there may not be drastic improvement in the win column for coach Bret Bielema's team. However, the Razorbacks are moving forward under Bielema and will once again be a tough out in the West. Quarterback Brandon Allen showed progress in his second year under center and needs more help from his receiving corps to take another step forward in 2015. Even with improvement in the passing game, Arkansas is going to lean on its ground attack. Jonathan Williams decided to return for his senior season, and the senior will team with Alex Collins to form one of the nation's top one-two punches at running back. And we can't mention the ground attack without a tip of the cap to the offensive line, which figures to be among the best in the nation. First-year coordinator Robb Smith had the defense playing at a high level at the end of the season, and this unit will hope to improve without standout end Trey Flowers and linebacker Martrell Spaight.

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  20 minutes ago

2015 Too-Early SEC Power Rankings http://es.pn/1z5Lhas

1. UGa
5. Arkansas

Too-Early Top 25 ranking: 21
Is there a team in the SEC with more momentum than Arkansas? After winning four of their final six games, Bret Bielema's Razorbacks are on a roll. With a massive O-line, a pair of talented tailbacks and a defense that came on strong late, Arkansas is on a solid foundation. The only thing holding the Hogs back is a mediocre passing game -- and that could change quickly if QB Brandon Allen improves his accuracy (56 percent in 2014).

SEC-E teams anchor down the last four spots. SEC-W holds five of the top six.

[jbcarol]

Bruce Feldman @BruceFeldmanCFB  ·  22 hours ago

Odds for Next YR's CFB Title: #OSU 6/1; #TCU 15/2; #Bama 10/1; #Auburn & #Ducks 14/1; #FSU, #LSU, #MSU & Baylor 16/1; #ND & #USC 20/1-Bovada

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy @McMurphyESPN  ·  21 hours ago

2016 odds OhSt 9-2 TCU 7-1 Ala 8-1 USC/Bay/OU 12-1 Ore/MichSt/Clem 20-1 Aub//LSU/Ga/OleMiss/UCLA/Stan 25-1 ND/FSU/MsSt 30-1 via @LVSuperBook

[jbcarol]

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  4 hours ago

Predicting the finish for SEC East, West for 2015 season http://scne.ws/866gYJ 

EASTERN DIVISION

GEORGIA - Just hand the ball to Nick Chubb

The Bulldogs have to find a quarterback but the only real requirements for the job are the ability to take the snap from center, rotate their upper body, correctly identify the No. 27 (Nick Chubb) and put the ball between the 2 and 7...

WESTERN DIVISION

AUBURN - New QB Jeremy Johnson is a perfect fit

ARKANSAS - The beef on the Razorbacks's O-line returns

While the Tigers may win the West with Malzahn's dizzying run game, the Razorbacks might win it with a run game based purely on physics. Arkansas had the second-heaviest offensive line in the SEC last year at an average weight of 325. Only one of them is moving on, and the returners are likely to only get bigger. Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema is a believer in mass and having that mass block for backs like Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins. Arkansas won three of its last four last season, including thrashing Texas 31-7 in the Texas Bowl.

ALABAMA - RB Derrick Henry will have to carry offense

[NoNC4Tubs]

Stewart Mandel @slmandel  ·  7 hours ago

Miss college football already? Here's @FOXSports' ridiculously early Top 25 for 2015. http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/ohio-state-buckeyes-oregon-ducks-2015-preseason-top-25-ranking-011215 ...

1. tOSU

6. Auburn
7. Bama
11. Ole Miss
13. LSU
15. UGa
21. A&M
22. Mizzou
23. Arkansas
24. Tennessee

awbern at #6? Based on what........?

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  16 minutes ago

Too-early look at easiest, toughest schedules in the SEC http://es.pn/1Cbo9Vy

State: Just like it was this past year, one loss could mean the difference for the Bulldogs. Why? Because the nonconference schedule is that bad: Southern Miss, Northwestern State, Troy and Louisiana Tech. With Kentucky and Missouri from the East, the non-West portion of the schedule isn't exactly daunting either.

They also play Bama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, A&M and host Ole Miss at season's end.

[jbcarol]

Consensus Building: Early 2015 college football rankings: Combining 8 top 25s into one

1. tOSU
2. TCU
3. Bama
9. AU
10. OM
12. UG
13. LS
20. MU
22. MS
23. Ark

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2 hours ago

Running backs should run SEC in 2015 http://es.pn/15fu1SX

The SEC took some flak in 2014 for not having enough elite quarterback play.

Expect some of that flak to return this season, as the SEC once again deals with a handful of young and relatively inexperienced quarterbacks running amok through the league.

2015 really could be the "Year of the Running Back." And this group of running backs is on the younger side, but that shouldn't matter.

Six of the top-10 statistical running backs return in 2015, and all of them have the capability of making up for some quarterback deficiencies their teams might have.

The four schools that immediately come to mind are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and LSU.

...Then, there is Arkansas, which has the SEC's best running back duo in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins. Both rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, and ..., those two will be relied upon again in 2015. And why not? Coach Bret Bielema wants to pound his opponents into submission anyway, and those two have done it well for the past two seasons.

[jbcarol]

SEC Network @SECNetwork  ·  1 hour ago
2015 Returning Starters
#SEC West:
Ole Miss 16
Arkansas 15
LSU 15
Texas A&M 15
Auburn 12
Alabama 11
Mississippi State 9

#SEC East:
Tennessee 18
Vanderbilt 18
Kentucky 14
Mizzou 13
Georgia 12
South Carolina 11
Florida 9
(via Phil Steele)

[jbcarol]

SEC may have been served a little dose of reality this past college football bowl season with some bad losses in spotlight bowl games and Alabama being topped by Ohio State in the College Football Playoff, but the demise of the SEC has greatly been exaggerated. In college football, recruiting is the lifeblood of a program, and schools in the SEC are doing just fine in this department with National Signing Day looming.

This goes much deeper than the annually impressive haul Alabama is piecing together. SEC schools are scattered throughout the recruiting rankings, a suggestion the conference is managing to lure plenty of good, quality talent as this recruiting cycle comes to a close.

According to the latest Rivals team recruiting rankings, 10 of the top 25 schools hail from the Southeastern Conference. That number includes all seven from the SEC West...

One program from the SEC that has a much lower ranking than you might expect is Florida. At No. 100, the Gators...

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  20 hours ago

Ranking SEC's top 10 tailbacks for 2015: - http://ow.ly/IiqHV  via @aldotcom

With an abundance of talent returning at the position, here is a preview of 10 running backs that I believe will lead the SEC in 2015.

1) Nick Chubb, Georgia

4) Jonathan Williams, Arkansas

2014: 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns on 211 carries (5.6 YPC) in 13 games 

With Williams announcing that he was staying in school for his senior season, the Hogs' two-headed rushing attack returns. Arkansas' Williams and Alex Collins were the only running back duo in the Football Bowl Subdivision that eclipsed 1,000-plus rushing yards in 2014, as they split carries almost evenly down the middle.

At 6-foot, 223 pounds, Williams is the more polished tailback of the two and provides more power than Collins. He looks to lead the way again, as the country's 24th-ranked rushing attack from 2014 returns in full force.

5) Alex Collins, Arkansas

2014: 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns on 204 carries (5.4 YPC) in 13 games

Following his sophomore campaign, Collins joined Darren McFadden as the only Arkansas player to begin a career with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry in each of his first two years in Fayetteville.

At 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, Collins is shiftier than Williams and with another season of experience he should be able to hold on to the ball more that he has the last two years.

Right tackle Brey Cook is the lone offensive lineman that the Hogs lose from their offense that rushed for an average of 218 yards per game in 2014. So back-to-back seasons with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers is not out of the question for the Razorbacks.

[jbcarol]

ESPN's Mark Schlabach posted an updated, post-Signing Day way-too-early top 25 Monday morning

Eight SEC teams are ranked in Schlabach's top 25: No. 4 Alabama, No. 8 Georgia, No. 12 Auburn, No. 14 Ole Miss, No. 16 LSU, No. 20 Tennessee, No. 22 Arkansas and No. 24 Mizzou.

The one thing to note with this February look at the SEC: With only two teams in the top 10 (No. 4 Alabama and No. 8 Georgia), there could be plenty of movement in and out of the top 25 once the rankings start matter...

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  1 hour ago

Edwards: Three SEC teams in early New Year's Six predictions http://es.pn/1AgqhNR

Alabama and Auburn are two of those. But the third team? That might come as a shock to some. Edwards projects Tennessee to play its way into a New Year's Six bowl.

[jbcarol]

Wes Rucker @wesrucker247  ·  15 hours ago

Someone sent me an email tonight saying Butch Jones was an awful coach because he's 0-6 vs. Bama/UGA/Florida so far. I think he was serious.

[jbcarol]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/cbs

4  Bama
9  UGa
11 MS St
17 OM
20 MU
22 AU

30 LSU
34 A&M
35 Arkansas

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  3 hours ago

State your case: How Arkansas makes a New Year's Six bowl http://es.pn/1yMqT8q

... the reason many people have Bret Bielema's Hogs in their preseason top 25 polls is not only that they beat Texas in the Advocare Texas Bowl. That was Dec. 29, and while finishing over .500 was nice, you don't get to take that with you into 2015.

More than its record or its supposed gains in momentum, the reason you can believe in Arkansas is because of the product on the field and the way it steadily has improved since Bielema took over the program late in 2012.

Beyond the hype is substance and an identity that is poised to trouble more and more opponents this season: heads-up, smashmouth football. It's simple, but effective. And in an era of spread, uptempo teams, it's unique.

The offense, led by its massive line and two terrific tailbacks (Alex Collins, Jonathan Williams), isn't imaginative, but it's productive. It's also low-risk, and because teams lean more toward defending the pass and putting smaller players on the field, it's harder to defend.

If new coordinator Dan Enos can coax any improvement out of quarterback Brandon Allen and find a few playmakers to complement tight end Hunter Henry, it might be even more difficult to deal with...

[jbcarol]

Power conference betting odds favor Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon & TCU

2015 SEC Championship Odds
Alabama +260
Auburn +400
Georgia +400
Mississippi +420
Tennessee +900
LSU +1000
Arkansas +1200
...

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  1 hour ago

State your case: How Ole Miss makes a New Year's Six bowl http://es.pn/1LhBnW4

...If Chad Kelly plays well, the Rebs could compete for a national championship. If he doesn't, they could fall short of a New Year's Six bowl altogether.

And unfortunately for Freeze and Ole Miss, Kelly is a walking wild card who no one is sure will turn up on opening day.

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2 hours ago

State your case: How Tennessee makes a New Year's Six bowl http://es.pn/1JtUkaM

Chris Low: If it were up to the Tennessee fans, the 2015 season would start tomorrow.

That's what happens when you put together top-5 recruiting classes in back-to-back years. There hasn't been this much buzz surrounding Tennessee's football program in a decade, and with personnel upgrades across the board, the Vols have the look of a team poised to make some real noise in what will be Butch Jones' third season as coach.

The Vols play five of their first six games in the state of Tennessee, which includes Oklahoma, Arkansas and Georgia in Neyland Stadium.

It remains to be seen how the Vols, still lacking in experience, handle the hype. With so much expected of this team, if they lose one early, are they resilient enough to recover and get back to the grind in the rugged SEC?

The Oklahoma game the second week of the season is massive, especially with the trip to Florida looming two weeks later. The Gators have owned the Vols and won 10 straight in the series. Two losses in September could send things spiraling in a hurry...

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  · 

State your case: How Texas A&M makes a New Year's Six bowl http://es.pn/1LlM5uV

With the most productive offense in the SEC the past three seasons (517.4 yards per game), the only thing left to do is discover what defense is and how to play it. After all, over that same period A&M had the league's worst defense to overcome (438.9 yards per game).

Enter Chavis, whose résumé all but guarantees better numbers. During his six seasons as LSU's defensive coordinator, the Tigers had the fifth-best defense in the country, allowing an average of 309.6 yards per game.

The defensive talent in College Station and Baton Rouge isn't the same, granted, but they're not miles apart necessarily. Just look at Garrett, who is already one of the league's premiere pass-rushers. If he can get some help from five-star freshman defensive tackle Daylon Mack and No. 11-ranked defensive end James Lockhart, you could see a ripple effect on defense from the trenches back to the secondary.

Any improvement on defense, however slight, would be a welcome sight for Sumlin...

[jbcarol]

Mizzou Tigers are 14-2 in league games over the last two seasons, making back-to-back appearances in the SEC championship game. And while they were beaten soundly both times, the fact that they got to Atlanta in the first place is a testament to the job Gary Pinkel and his staff have done with the program.

There are some key pieces missing from the Tigers' 2014 Eastern Division championship team, namely All-SEC defensive ends Shane Ray and Markus Golden and the team's top four receivers (including Bud Sasser and his 12 touchdown receptions), but quarterback Maty Mauk returns in his second full season as the starter and will have four of his five offensive linemen back. The running game should also be in good hands with 1,000-yard rusher Russell Hansbrough returning.

What could go wrong

Ray and Golden were the ultimate equalizers for Missouri last season with the way they could get to the quarterback and squash promising drives for the opposition. Even with the Tigers' penchant for reloading in the defensive line, it might be a stretch to think two new guys can step in and match their production.

If Missouri isn't as disruptive off the edge next season, what will that mean for the rest of the defense? The Tigers return seven starters on defense, and it's worth remembering that they won four SEC games last season in which they scored 24 or fewer points. It's also the first time in a long time that somebody not named Dave Steckel will be running Pinkel's defense.

Offensively, it's fair to wonder which version of Mauk will show up next season...

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  23 hours ago

Spring preview: 10 burning SEC questions http://es.pn/17KoCon

Are any teams in the SEC really pegged for a national championship run?
The SEC has a handful of contenders, but none of them are polished to this point...

[jbcarol]

Chuck Dunlap @SEC_Chuck  ·  16 hours ago

SEC announces dates for 2015 SEC Football Media Days http://www.secsports.com/article/12414249/sec-announces-dates-2015-sec-football-media-days ...

The Southeastern Conference announced today Kickoff '15, its annual football media days, will be held July 13-16, remaining at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham - Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. The event will continue to be four days in 2015.

ESPN will once again bring SEC Media Days to a national audience, with the SEC Network making its debut at the event...

2015 SEC FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS SCHEDULE

MONDAY, July 13
SEC Commissioner
Auburn - Gus Malzahn
Florida - Jim McElwain
Vanderbilt - Derek Mason

TUESDAY, July 14
SEC Coordinator of Football Officials Steve Shaw
South Carolina - Steve Spurrier
Texas A&M - Kevin Sumlin
Miss. State - Dan Mullen
Tennessee - Butch Jones

WEDNESDAY, July 15
Alabama - Nick Saban
Kentucky - Mark Stoops
Arkansas - Bret Bielema
Missouri - Gary Pinkel

THURSDAY, July 16
LSU - Les Miles
Georgia - Mark Richt
Ole Miss - Hugh Freeze

[jbcarol]

Natalie Pierre @Natalie_Pierre  ·  13 minutes ago

biggest questions in SEC as spring ball begins: QB battles + new coordinators/head coaches hit field- http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/03/post_655.html#0 ... via @aldotcom

5) Can LSU's offense get something going?
Quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris return, but both still have a ton to prove...

3) Will Jake Coker lock up Alabama's QB job this spring?
After transferring from Florida State to Alabama in 2014, the expectations that Coker arrived in Tuscaloosa with were sky high...

1) How quickly can Auburn's defense improve?

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2 hours ago
Spring overview: 10 bold SEC predictions http://es.pn/1GqCoLJ

Chris Low: At least 13 teams will have two or more losses: When it was all said and done a year ago, everybody in the SEC had at least two losses, and 13 of the 14 teams had three or more. That's just where the league is right now. It eats its own...

Arkansas and Tennessee break out: The Hogs and Vols are both primed for breakout seasons in 2015. Are they ready to make that leap? We should find out on Oct. 3 when they meet in Knoxville in what will be a top-20 matchup. Brace yourselves for more "Woo Pig Sooie" calls and more renditions of "Rocky Top" than should ever be allowed...

[jbcarol]

Zach Abolverdi @ZachAbolverdi  ·  6 hours ago

ICYMI: Jon Gruden praises Jim McElwain's offensive system | http://editorsdesk.blogs.gatorsports.com/10985/gruden-praises-mcelwains-offensive-system/ ... via @Gator_sports

Garrett Grayson, McElwain's QB at CSU, is one of five signal callers in this year's draft class who will compete in the Jon Gruden Quarterback Camp this spring.

Gruden said McElwain's offense has helped prepare Grayson for the NFL.

"There's a lot of parts of Colorado State's system that I recognize, unlike a lot of college football that's running up-tempo, no-huddle, spread-option football," Gruden said. "There's some principles at Colorado State that will serve Grayson well. ... He's a darkhorse in this class."

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·

Opening spring camp: LSU Tigers http://es.pn/17Y9zHI

Question marks: We addressed several spring storylines in greater detail in a post earlier this week. One of the leading questions entering spring practice is what shape the defense will take under Steele's guidance. Chavis coached a 4-3 base defense and regularly deployed personnel packages with five and six defensive backs. It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see Steele continue those alignments since that's what the current Tigers were specifically recruited to play. But we will also likely see him add some new wrinkles -- maybe even some 3-4 looks like his defenses played under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart at Alabama...

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  51 minutes ago

Take 2: Mississippi State or Texas A&M more likely to finish in top 25? http://es.pn/1GEHNPo

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2 hours ago

Running backs could carry the load in 2015 http://es.pn/1AfS0dJ

One thing's for sure in the SEC: It is definitely not the Year of the Quarterback, but it will be the Year of Finding the Quarterback. Ten SEC teams have some sort of serious quarterback question, but there's good news for most: There are quality running backs to help carry the load.

Arkansas returns the SEC's best rushing duo in Jonathan Williams (1,190) and Alex Collins (1,100), which definitely has to have Allen smiling...

On paper, the SEC has enough wealth at running back to counter the newbies and uncertainty at quarterback. These guys aren't total cures, but their play will go a long way toward shoring up those uncertain passing games.

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2 hours ago

SEC morning links http://es.pn/1GIz3Yo

Tweet of the day

Razorback Equipment @RazorbackEquip
Finishing up fitting newcomers for the start of spring practice! #WPS
2:43 PM - 11 Mar 2015

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  55 minutes ago

SEC morning links http://es.pn/1Av38Ud

I thought it would be interesting to see what seed each SEC football team would have gotten had there been a 68-team tournament. This is according to the Massey composite rankings and comes as of Dec. 6, 2014, before the bowl games.

1: Alabama
2: Ole Miss, Mississippi State
3: Georgia, Auburn
5: Missouri, LSU
7: Arkansas
8: Texas A&M
9: Florida
10: Tennessee
12: South Carolina
16: Kentucky (play-in game)

...early-round matchups would have included Arkansas (7) versus Duke (10) or Texas A&M (Eight) versus Notre Dame (9).

[jbcarol]

Who's the one player that each SEC team will miss the most from last season?

Alabama: WR Amari Cooper...

Arkansas: DE Trey Flowers

The defense won't be the same without players such as Flowers, Darius Philon and Martrell Spaight, but Flowers will be especially missed because of the leadership he provided. Brandon Lewis backed up Flowers last season and therefore should be considered the front-runner to win the job, but he's had to sit out this spring due to injury. That's opened the door for Deatrich Wise to take over the defensive end spot opposite JaMichael Winston, and both Wise and Winston have made it a point to take on more of a leadership role with Flowers gone.

Auburn: C Reese Dismukes...

[jbcarol]

Attrition hit the SEC hard this offseason, for some more than others, but every school has a player moving on that left a mark, a player that can't easily be replaced. So we asked the question, which player will be missed most on every SEC team? And more importantly, how does that team plan to fill the void left behind?

First up in the two-part series is a look at the SEC East.

Missouri: DE Shane Ray

Really, this could go to Ray or teammate Markus Golden. They formed the top defensive end duo in the SEC last season and played a major role in getting Missouri back to the SEC title game. With both moving on, who's next in line at D-Line Zou? Redshirt freshmen Marcus Loud and Charles Harris are the two most viable candidates, as the coaches are high on both, but junior-to-be Rickey Hatley will also be in the mix as will five-star recruit Terry Beckner Jr. when he enrolls this summer. Though at 6-foot-4, 298 pounds, Beckner is better suited to play inside.

Tennessee: CB Justin Coleman

With more and more teams going to spread offenses, the nickel cornerback has become a valuable asset to SEC defenses. Coleman was a perfect example. As a senior, he led the team with four interceptions. Now Tennessee, who could have one of the top secondaries in the conference, has to find a new nickel corner. Rashaan Gaulden impressed as a freshman on special teams and could be a perfect fit with his size and instincts, but juniors Devaun Swafford and Malik Foreman will also get a look. Swafford played there in 2013.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  6m 6 minutes ago
Jim McElwain: Florida roster 'really insufficient' in wake of Will Muschamp era http://ow.ly/KUcvx

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  23h 23 hours ago

Five spring developments in the SEC http://es.pn/1Nu5dpK

Last season, the Razorbacks' front five dominated the SEC's rushing defenses, with their runners averaging 218 yards per game. They also allowed the fewest sacks in the conference (14). So it's safe to say coach Bret Bielema got the improvement wanted from his offensive line last year. But there's always room to tweak things in this league and that's exactly what Bielema has done. With starting right tackle Brey Cook gone, the staff moved Dan Skipper from left tackle, where he started 13 games last year, to right tackle. Denver Kirkland, viewed as the team's most talented lineman, moved from right guard to left tackle. Frank Ragnow, who saw time at center in nine games last year, moved to right guard. From all indications, Bielema has found the exact combination he wants up front...

[jbcarol]

 Brett McMurphy @McMurphyESPN  ·  2h 2 hours ago

CFB title odds: OhioSt 4-1 Ala 7-1 TCU 8-1 USC 12-1 Aub, Bay, OU 15-1 Clem, MichSt, ND, Ore 20-1 via Westgate Las Vegas

[jbcarol]

 Kyle Tucker @KyleTucker_CJ  ·  46m 46 minutes ago

Q&A: Kentucky coach Mark Stoops, coordinator D.J. Eliot talk evolution of Cats' defense and some spring standouts: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2015/04/01/qa-stoops-eliot-talk-evolution-of-uk-defense/70776218/ ...

Kentucky is now past the halfway point of spring football practice with session No. 8 (out of 15) in the books today. Coach Mark Stoops and coordinator D.J. Eliot talked a great deal about the evolution of the Wildcats' defense, which Eliot says remains "multiple" but has now become heavily reliant on a 3-4 structure...

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  6m 6 minutes ago
Jim McElwain: Florida roster 'really insufficient' in wake of Will Muschamp era http://ow.ly/KUcvx

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  11h 11 hours ago

Will Muschamp responds to Jim McElwain: 'He like the dog better than his players?' http://s.al.com/GZXO6kT

[jbcarol]

DJournalnow @DJournalnow  ·  2h 2 hours ago
Mullen pleased with Bulldogs' first scrimmage http://ow.ly/Lca59  | Quarterbacks have a good day.

"I think we got a lot of the things we needed to done," Mullen said. "We'll get a great opportunity to evaluate some players, and let guys see how they're doing. I think what especially a lot of younger players are going to see is they do some really good things sometimes. But for us to be successful they've got to do good really things all the time."

Quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Nick Fitzgerald each threw for 247 yards, with Prescott connecting on 15 of 28 passes and a touchdown and Fitzgerald hitting on 23 of 34 passes with two touchdowns. Neither quarterback threw an interception and Prescott added a 10-yard rushing touchdown.

Fitzgerald led six scoring drives, including one with the first-team offense. He tossed a 25-yard touchdown to Jesse Jackson and a 7-yard score to Aeris Williams.

"We're just giving him reps because right now he'd be a snap away from being in the first-team offense," Mullen said. "We want to give him an opportunity to roll with that crew and just see how it went, how he performed."

Prescott's touchdown toss was a 14-yarder to Fred Ross.

[jbcarol]

Jim Kleinpeter @JimKleinpeter  ·  Apr 3
ICYMI: #LSU's Leonard Fournette, Jamal Adams star in scrimmage @geauxlsu, @geauxtigers  http://s.nola.com/ciiHq4c  via @nolanews

LSU running back Leonard Fournette scored four touchdowns and safety Jamal Adams had two interceptions as the Tigers scrimmaged in Tiger Stadium Thursday, a source who watched the scrimmage said.

The team held its 12th practice before taking 12 days off for spring break.

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  44 seconds ago

Injuries force Florida to turn spring game into glorified scrimmage, & other SEC East links | http://AL.com  http://ow.ly/LjnTB

Injuries have forced new Florida coach Jim McElwain to change the Gators' annual Orange & Blue Debut spring game into more of an enhanced scrimmage on Saturday, the Orlando Sentinel reported this week.

"We won't have true teams necessarily," McElwain told the Sentinel. "We'll have to do just some offense against defense just because we don't have enough (players) really to have two teams out there and we're still kind of working with that."

The spring game is expected to have a similar look to 2013, when the Gators had only six healthy offensive linemen at the end of spring drills and turned the spring game into a practice with six 11-on-11 scrimmage drills separated by individual drills.

A stinger suffered by sophomore offensive tackle Roderick Johnson on Monday left the Gators with only six healthy scholarship offensive linemen.

"We'll put together an offense vs. a defense kind of scoring system, that type of deal," McElwain told the Sporting News. "We'll move the field, move the ball. We'll work some third-down situations, overtime situations, two-minute situations where we're working just offensive units vs. defensive units."

[jbcarol]

Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  38m 38 minutes ago
Texas A&M will be better this season, in part because Aggies have a better schedule. Only one game outside the state of Texas until Nov. 21.

[jbcarol]

 Will Borthick @willborthick  ·  4h 4 hours ago

#MTSU sets homecoming for Oct. 3 against rival Vanderbilt: http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/college/mtsu/football/2015/04/08/mtsu-homecoming-set-vanderbilt-game/25500829/ ...

[jbcarol]

 Gabe Bock @GabeBock  ·  16h 16 hours ago

Kevin Sumlin addressed the absence of Speedy Noil after practice today. Expected to return to team next week.