Your SEC predictions this year

[NOLATiger 0]

I suppose it's hard to make these without including Auburn, but wanted to open it up for some predictions about our competitors around the league. What will be the surprise headlines, standouts, disappointments, etc.

Here's a few that fall under the heading of off-the-wall-but-possible:

Tennessee wins the east at 6-2, running the table in its division, upsetting LSU in Knoxville, while losing only to Alabama and Arkansas.

Trent Richardson will sit for at least two games as a result of Albetargate.

The West is a free-for-all heading into the final weekend with LSU, Arkansas, Alabama and Auburn bunched atop the division, two with one losses, two with two losses. They each finish 6-2. You can punch out multiple scenarios that would dictate who gets the trip to Atlanta. I mused that Auburn would lose @Ark and @LSU; Alabama would blow it late in the year @Starkville and @Auburn; LSU would drop a game in Knoxville and in Tuscaloosa; Arkansas would lose @Alabama and in Baton Rouge. Unfortunately, I think that scenario would still send Alabama, as AL and LSU would be 2-1 against the other three tied teams, to Auburn's and Arkansas' 1-2. Then Alabama gets head-to-head over LSU. But you can swap just a few games. If LSU dropped games in Starkville and in Knoxville, while Alabama lost to LSU and Auburn but beat Mississippi State, then LSU wins the four-way tie by being 3-0 against the others. Anyway, have fun with those scenarios. None are that far-fetched. 

Tyler Wilson is not 1st Team All-SEC and costs the Hogs at least one game. Same story for A.J. McCarron.

Miss. State pulls one win, but no more, over the power four in the West. (I refuse to say we're fifth until we finish there. That's insulting that Mississippi State went 1-4 in the division last year and all of a sudden is assumed to be above Auburn. Prove it, puppies. Same with Arkansas. Beat Alabama in September for once, Hogs, then you can sit at the grown-ups' table.)

Florida will struggle to qualify for a bowl.

South Carolina will have a decent year, but drop the right games to lose a return trip to Atlanta.

UGA will qualify for a bowl. But Richt will step down at year's end, tired of the struggle.

 

[BPI 0]

In the west we will eat ourselves...I don't see any team going unbeaten in our division this year.

Bama will lose at least on conference game, 2 most likely.

Arkansas will lose at least 2 SEC games, 3 most likely

Miss. St. will lose 3 SEC games.

Ole Miss 4-5

LSU will lose 1-2 conference games...

AU will lose (hate to say it) 2 Conference games.

In the east

SCAR will lose 2

Jawja will lose 2-3

Florida will lose 2-3

Kentucky 4-5

Tennessee 3-4

Vandy 8

Over half the conference has a shot IMO.