Well we're a little over halfway through the season, and it's been unpredictable to say the least. The first ever College Football Playoff poll came out Tuesday, and if you had Mississippi State and Ole Miss in the top 4, you're a damn liar. We've got another month left of the regular season, and Fall, which had been absent all September and October, made a strong appearance this morning, with snow and ice covering multiple areas of the South. So, let's get to predictions for each of the SEC schools going forward.
Courtesy of Bleacher Report
Alabama: I predicted at the beginning of the season that Bama would go 11-1 and win the SEC West, at this point they are still on pace for that to happen. Bama had a slip up in Oxford, much to delight of Ole Miss fans everywhere, and they struggled against Arkansas, but they followed that up with a thumping of Texas A&M. They have 3 tough games remaining: at LSU, and Mississippi State and Auburn at home. Their toughest game is in Baton Rouge, and that crowd is going to be well lubricated and loud, but I think they get all 3 done and finish the season 11-1 and get into the playoff.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks have looked much improved this year, but still haven't been able to break through and get their first SEC win under Bret. They've been so close against A&M and Bama, but a loss is a loss. They head to Starkvegas this weekend, and their woes are likely to continue. Then they get LSU and Ole Miss at home, and finish the season at Mizzou. They have to win 2 of those 4 games to get bowl eligible. I don't see how that happens. I think they finish 4-8/5-7 at best and miss out on another bowl. Bret is building something though and that line and run game is getting better, but they're still not ready for SEC play.
Auburn: The War Eagle/Tigers/Plainsmen aren't as good as last year's team, but they are still in the top 3 in college football as of today. They head to Oxford this evening with a loser goes home match. They barely escaped at home last week, when the Head Ball Coach threw the kitchen sink at the Tigers. They have a tough road left, with games at Oxford, at Athens, and at Tuscaloosa. That's Brutal. I don't think there's any way they finish the season with one loss and get into the playoff. They'll still get a huge bowl game though and they'll be playing in a warm weather bowl. Bowl prediction: Outback Bowl.
Courtesy of Bon The Ball
Florida: The Gators are currently beating the hell out of Georgia in the Cocktail Party. It's a must win game for Muschamp. Even with a win here today, he has to get them to 7 wins at best to keep his job and that's going to be tough. He's not a bad football coach, but he doesn't have an offense, and his defense can't stop everyone every week. Florida currently sits at 3-3 (Idaho was cancelled), and they have to win at least 3 more games with Georgia, Vandy, South Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, and FSU on the schedule. They'll need at least 2 upsets to make a bowl, but even if they do, Muschamp may still be gone. I think they beat Vandy, and Eastern Kentucky, and it looks like they'll get an upset against Georgia. Prediction: 6-6 and the Belk Bowl. I don't know if that's enough to save Muschamp, but I think a new OC would certainly help their program rather than a new head coach.
Courtesy of Bleacher Report
Georgia: The Bulldogs pretty much have to fall apart to lose the SEC East. If you're a Georgia fan you can start making reservations in Atlanta for December 6th. The question still remains, who are you going to play? There's a large number of possibilities, but Gurley should be back by then, and he's the best player in college football. For UGA to get into the playoff they have to win in Atlanta, and the odds of that will depend on who they play. I don't think they'll beat a team from the West, but they'll get a nice bowl game as a consolation. Bowl Prediction: Peach Bowl.
Courtesy of USA Today
Kentucky: The Wildcats gave Mississippi State all they could handle last week, but couldn't get over the hump. An impressive start sees them sitting at 5-3 with games at Mizzou, Georgia at home, at Tennessee, and at Louisville. They only need one more win to get into a bowl, but that's not an easy road. I'm sorry Kentucky, but you're not going to be favored in any of those games. The one shot is in Knoxville, and I don't think the Vols are going to let you come into their house and beat them this year. Kentucky has a disappointing finish and goes 5-7, missing out on a bowl.
Courtesy of Fan Sided
LSU: Look, ummm.....hats off to LSU last week. They played better than the Rebels and won the game. They aren't a playoff team, but they're a lot better than they were in September. That place was loud last week in Death Valley. I literally walked to the car with my fiancee in total silence at the end of that game. At least I fared better than the Ole Miss football is my life girl, which if you haven't seen that video, just YouTube Ole Miss Girl and enjoy. LSU plays Bama close but gets 1 more loss to finish the year at 9-3. Bowl Prediction: Gator Bowl
Mississippi State: This is difficult for me to write, but Mississippi State is for real. They're a very good football team. I still don't think they're the best team in the country, but they're a very good team. They have 2 big games left, both on the road, at Bama and at Ole Miss. I don't think they win either of those games. If the games were in Starkville, I'd say they have a shot against Bama and would be favored against Ole Miss, but both those games are on the road. The Egg Bowl home team might as well get 14 points, because that's how big the home field advantage is. State finishes 10-2 and Dak goes to NYC. I don't think he wins the Heisman, but he definitely deserves to be invited to NYC. Bowl Prediction: Cotton Bowl
Courtesy of Columbia Missourian
Mizzou: The Tigers are 6-2 with remaining games at home against Kentucky, at College Station, at Tennessee, and Arkansas at home. I honestly have no idea how those games will play out. They could go 4-0, or 1-3. I think they finish 2nd in the East with a respectable season, but if they go 4-0 and Georgia slips up they could surprise some people and make the East race very interesting. Bowl Prediction: Music City Bowl
Ole Miss: The Rebels, including myself, got brought back down to earth with the loss in Baton Rouge last week. Then they got a shot of adrenaline in the arm on Tuesday, saying they were the 4th best team in football. I don't know if that's true, but one thing they do have going for them is their schedule. They get Auburn at home tonight, go to Arkansas, and then get State at home. They're favored in all 3 of those games. If they can get past Auburn tonight, they'll likely play State for the right to go to Atlanta. Call me a homer if you want, but I think this is their year. They've been mediocre to bad for a half century and with LSU down, and having beat Bama already, this is their best shot. That loss at LSU didn't hurt their chances as they still control their own destiny. I think they beat Auburn tonight and then beat Arkansas and State for the first ever visit to Atlanta for the Rebels. I already said I don't think Georgia beats the team from the West and I'll stand by that. It's a home game for the Bulldogs, but Ole Miss gets the win and goes to the playoff along with Bama.
South Carolina: Boy was I wrong about the Gamecocks. The only way they are getting to 11 wins this year is if they were to count their Spring Game and practices as wins. That having been said, they're improving. They need 2 more wins to get bowl eligible and play at home at Tennessee, at Florida, at home against South Alabama, and then finish the year at Clemson. They'll get at least 2 more wins, but this is clearly a rebuilding year for South Carolina. Bowl Prediction: Capitol One Bowl as the Gamecocks go dancing in Florida.
Tennessee: I originally thought Butch Jones would start show significant strides this year, but Tennessee just hasn't progressed like I thought they would. They are 3-5 right now, with games at South Carolina, Kentucky at home, Missouri at home, and Vandy on the road. That's going to be tough to win 3 games with that schedule. I've gone back and forth about this, but I think Tennessee pulls an upset along the way and goes to a bowl. Bowl Prediction: Liberty Bowl and Tennessee fans are living it up on Beale Street
Texas A&M: The Aggies looked fantastic after that beat down in the first game in Columbia, but after getting taken to the woodshed against Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Bama, and barely beating ULM at home today, they clearly aren't a very good team. They'll make a bowl, but it's not the kind worth paying Kevin Sumlin $5 million a year. By the way, if you didn't see the throwback helmets for A&M today, they were sick. Bowl Prediction: Texas Bowl
Vanderbilt: How much you want to bet I can throw a football over them mountains? In all seriousness, there is no chance Vandy make a bowl game. If they're lucky, they beat Old Dominion. James Franklin left the cupboard bear when he went to Penn State, and Derek Mason is going to have a tough job going forward. They play ODU at home, Florida at home, then at Mississippi State, and finish the season hosting the Vols. If they get to 4 wins, I'd be shocked.
So the SEC gets 2 teams in the Playoff, in Ole Miss and Bama. FSU could slip up, but it's likely they are getting in as well, and then the final spot is up for grabs. I'd say Michigan State has the easiest path, but if Oregon wins out they'll get in. It's going to be a fun November.
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