We're a little over halfway through the regular season, so I thought I'd group each of the SEC Teams into categories of Very Good, Good, Average, and Bad to give some perspective for each of the teams in the SEC. So let's take a look.
VERY GOOD
ALABAMA 6-1
Bama looks to get stronger each week. They've found their identity and they'll be favored in every regular season game going forward.
LSU 6-0
LSU's season rests solely on the legs of Leonard Fournette. If he's healthy and they run the football well, they're looking at worst at a New Year's Six Bowl. They've got to go to Tuscaloosa and Oxford before the season ends, but if they can manage that stretch they'll be headed to Atlanta.
FLORIDA 6-1
I think just about everyone was wrong about Florida. Barring an upset loss to Georgia, it looks like the Gators are going to Atlanta. They're clearly the best team in the East, and it doesn't even look close right now. Even without Will Grier, they gave LSU all they could handle in Death Valley.
GOOD
TEXAS A&M 5-1
The Aggies got their first loss of the year when they hopped on the Pick 6 express to Tide Land. Kyle Allen completed 50% of his passes and threw 3 INTs and Murray wasn't much better going 2 of 4 with an INT. Still, they have wins against Ark, Arizona State, and Mississippi State. If they can get that offense clicking again, they'll still finish well.
GEORGIA 5-2
Georgia is off this week, and they'll use the break to prepare for Florida in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. They looked good at the start of the year, but losses to Bama, Tennessee, and a completely unwatchable win (9-6) against Mizzou have sullied the spirits of the Bulldogs. Believe it or not, Georgia still controls it's own destiny to get to Atlanta, but they'll have to pull an upset in Jacksonville and win out to make it there.
OLE MISS 5-2
There's no team more schizophrenic in the SEC than Ole Miss. They go beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and then lose on the road to Florida and Memphis. While Florida and Memphis are good teams, the Rebs still shouldn't have been blown out in both games. When this team is good, it can beat anyone, and when it's bad, it struggles against even mediocre teams. The Rebels could win out or lose out and I wouldn't be surprised.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 5-2
The Bulldogs look like a competent football team, and their ceiling is probably 9-3 if things go their way. They're not going to go to Atlanta, but they're going to give the teams remaining on their schedule some trouble.
AVERAGE
TENNESSEE 3-3
The Vols are sitting at .500, which is about where they've hovered for the last few years. They've got to head to Tuscaloosa this week, and then begin their last stretch of Kentucky, SC, North Texas, Mizzou, and Vandy. 8-4 looks a lot more likely than 6-6, but this team will still wonder what might have been.
AUBURN 4-2
Auburn is 4-2, but they haven't looked impressive in any game they've played this season. They needed OT to beat Jacksonville State at home, and barely beat Kentucky last week. They get Ark, Ole Miss, A&M, Georgia, Idaho, and Bama to close out the year. They're going to need at least 1 more SEC win to get bowl eligible, and with that schedule it's going to be tough.
KENTUCKY 4-2
Kentucky is also 4-2, but they have a little easier road to get bowl eligible. Their remaining schedule is at Mississippi State, Tennessee, at Georgia, at Vandy, Charlotte, and Louisville. Only one of those games is a guaranteed win, but I think they pull another win somewhere along the way and get to a bowl.
MISSOURI 4-3
Mizzou is a lot closer than 2-4 than they are to 5-1. Their only "good win" came against a bad South Carolina team at home. They barely escaped Arkansas State, and needed a gift to beat UCONN at home 9-6. They have 4 wins right now, but there's not one more guaranteed win on their schedule as they'll play a pesky Vandy team, Mississippi State, BYU, Tennessee, and finish the year with Arkansas. 7-5 is probably the ceiling for the Tigers this year.
BAD
ARKANSAS 2-4
The Hogs could easily jump into the next category, if they get some consistent play on offense. Arkansas played Bama tough for 3 quarters, and pushed Texas A&M to the brink, but they lost both games. Their only wins are against UTEP and Tennessee. With Auburn, UT Martin, Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State, and Mizzou left on the schedule, they're going to need to pull multiple upsets to get to a bowl.
SOUTH CAROLINA 3-4
The Gamecocks are already looking to the post-Spurrier era, but they haven't been able to get good QB play all year. They bounced back last week against Vandy, but they only have 1 guaranteed win going forward. Hopefully, SC makes the right hire, because Spurrier has left some big shoes to fill.
VANDERBILT 2-4
Vandy has looked better than most people thought they would, but it is still going to be an uphill battle to make a bowl. Their defense looks very good, but QB play has plagued them all year. They can get on the right track with an upset win today against Mizzou.
Now since we've done a recap of the season so far, let's get to the games this week to see how each SEC team will fair in Week 8.
Auburn
at Arkansas - 6.5
To say this should be a battle is an understatement. These two coaches and teams HATE each other, and with the dialogue over the summer between these two it should be a fun game to watch. Fayetteville is a tough place to go up to and win. With an early kickoff, I'm going with the Hogs to get the win against Auburn in a close one. Arkansas 28 Auburn 24.
Tennessee
at Alabama -14.5
It could be a long day for the Vols. I think Josh Dobbs is going to be running for his life against that Bama defense. The Vols are going to have to get out to an early lead the way Ole Miss did against Bama if they are going to have any chance. Bama 41 Tennessee 24.
Missouri -1
at Vanderbilt
This game is essentially a pick em. Vandy is the sexy pick here, but I just don't think they'll be good enough to get a win, even against a Mizzou team that has underwhelmed all year. I'm going with the Tigers to get a win in a game that you should clearly take the under. Mizzou 14 Vandy 10.
Western Kentucky
at LSU - 15
As long as Leonard Fournette is healthy, give me the Bayou Bengals to win and cover at home. The Tigers were tested last week against Florida, but they still managed to get the win. The threat of a loss is absent this week against a good WKU team this week, but I don't think this one is a blowout. Get ready for an all day party in Baton Rouge. LSU 42 WKU 24.
Texas A&M
at Ole Miss - 5.5
After the last couple of weeks, people think it's amazing that Ole Miss is favored in this game. The Rebs generally play well at home though under Freeze. With Tunsil back, hopefully the Rebs can get their running game going. Look for a lot of sweeps, because the Ole Miss interior offensive line is incapable of blocking. On the A&M side, it's been mighty quiet in College Station after the loss to Bama. Is Kyle Allen or Kyler Murray going to start today? Both of these teams are going to be tense, because the loser is done, while the winner still has a shot to get to Atlanta. I think this game comes down to a field goal and home field advantage gives the Rebels the edge. Ole Miss 35 Texas A&M 32.
Kentucky
at Mississippi State - 12
With this game being at home, give me the Bulldogs. Kentucky has stumbled against Florida and Auburn at home, when they had a chance to contend for the SEC East. I don't think they have much a chance in Starkville today. Bulldogs 30 Kentucky 17.
The Fall is finally in full swing as the weather has cooled off. Arkansas and Auburn kicks off at Noon ET on the SEC Network, Bama and Tennessee play at 3:30 on CBS with Verne and Gary (if there was ever a time to hit the mute button for 4 hours, here it is), and then Ole Miss and Texas A&M have the prime time game on ESPN at 7. Enjoy another football Saturday. Here's to hoping it was better than last week. Cheers!
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