SZVETITZ COLUMN: Predicting the SEC race next season

By Mike Szvetitz
Sports Editor, Opelika-Auburn News
Published: May 8, 2008

As you can see, it’s never too early (or late) to talk about college football.

Especially in these parts.

There’s just something in the water around here that makes every season football season.

And do we ever get tired of it? No. And why would we?

Not only is it part of the culture to hangout around the water cooler or pick-up truck and talk about the upcoming season and who’s going to do what, but it’s really fun to project how your team’s going to be in 2014 with that crop of seventh graders coming up.

I heard that boy from Around The Corner Middle School is already bench pressing 225. We need to go ahead and get him committed.

With spring practice in the books, classes over and summer workouts just beginning, it’s now prediction season — the fifth most important season behind (1) the actual season, (2) the recruiting season, (3) the spring season and (4) the coach-watch season.

Prediction season is just the opposite of Wabbit Season — you don’t want to be very, very quiet. Matter of fact, this is the season you shout from the mountain tops and beat your chest about how great your team is going to do this year.

And why not? Everyone’s undefeated. And everyone had “a great spring.” Hopes are at their highest, and that schedule, well, “if we can just get into October undefeated ...”

And since predicting is one of my favorite games this side of Chutes and Ladders, here’s how I see the SEC season playing out.

Please, hold your applause until all the names have been called.

SEC East
1. Georgia
I’m sold. What can I say. The Bulldogs are returning more starters than an auto repair shop, led by seasoned quarterback Matthew Stafford and my pick to be SEC Player of the Year, running back Knowshon Moreno. The way Georgia finished 2007 is the way they’ll start 2008. They’ll be in Atlanta the first weekend in December.

2. Florida
Once again the WLOCP (read: that game in Jacksonville, Fla.) will be for the East crown. Unfortunately for the Gators and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, Georgia’s just too good. Florida, however, is loaded with talent on offense, and their defense should be better. Hey, you can’t do much worse than the way they played in that Capital One Bowl loss to Michigan.

3. South Carolina
Year 4 of the Ol’ Ball Coach Era kicks off with the Gamecocks finishing in the top half of the East, even with a tough schedule that ends with back-to-back road games at Florida and at Clemson. It’ll be the first time since, well, ever that Steve Spurrier won’t be calling plays, but that might help South Carolina in the long run.

4. Tennessee
One year removed from sneaking into the SEC Championship Game, the Vols will struggle in 2008. This is the hardest team for me to pick every year, because I just don’t know what to expect from Phillip Fulmer and Co. Just when I want to crown them the SEC’s best, they lay an egg. And when I’m ready for them to receive an atomic elbow from the top rope, they move at the last second and win. But, when you play Florida, at Auburn, at Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama and at South Carolina in the middle of the season, it’s hard to stay upright.

5. Kentucky
Rich Brooks did more than keep his job last year with the Wildcats’ amazing run to 8-5 and a Music City Bowl win over Florida State. But that was last year. And while I’m pretty sure Brooks assured himself at least one year off the hot seat, Kentucky returns to its place in the bottom-half of the SEC East.

6. Vanderbilt
Has there ever been a time when the Commodores haven’t been picked last? OK, the year when Jay Cutler was a senior. And I might have been the only vote. Other than that? It’s hard to say. Vandy does return 11 starters from last year’s team, but that’s not going to help much.

SEC West
1. Auburn
Let’s put it this way, the Tigers have the most to lose. It’s an even year, which means the schedule is in Auburn’s favor. The Tigers’ entire offensive line is back to go with an always-full stable of running backs, who all happen to be solid veterans. The defense is (stop me if you’ve heard this before) fast and physical. The only question marks are the two new coordinators. But if the Chick-fil-A Bowl was any indication, first-year offensive coordinator Tony Franklin’s spread offense is more than just a gimmick. It works. What remains to be seen is which quarterback — Chris Todd or Kodi Burns — will be able to run it consistently.

2. LSU
They are the defending national champions with — as always — a solid defense. Other than the whole Ryan Perrilloux debacle — which I tip my hat (get it?) to Les Miles for handling the right way — the Tigers are still going to be tough to beat. Depending on who steps up to play quarterback, LSU could find itself on the cusp of the SEC Championship Game again. But, like it usually does, the game at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 20 will determine who’s in the Georgia Dome in December.

3. Alabama
Nick Saban kicks off his second year in Tuscaloosa. (Didn’t know if you heard.) And with that comes even more expectations. The Crimson Tide will fair better than last year’s 7-6 record, but not by much. The swagger has definitely returned to Alabama, with Saban leading the way, but it’s going to take another year or so for the athletes to catch up.

4. Mississippi State
And why not? The Bulldogs are riding high after winning the Liberty Bowl to go 8-5 under Sylvester Croom, who has taken that program beyond most people’s expectations. Mississippi State, like last year, will win some big games. But, unlike last year, the Bulldogs aren’t going to sneak up on anyone. They just need to get some offense.

5. Ole Miss
Houston Nutt will do well in Oxford. And he’ll bring the Rebels along with him. By actually having an offensive plan, highlighted by actually naming/having a starting quarterback before the season begins, Nutt is already ahead of the game at Ole Miss. Beginning this year, the Rebels will be better. Unfortunately for them, so will the rest of the SEC West.

6) Arkansas
Bobby Petrino or Bill Walsh, it doesn’t matter in Fayetteville this year. The Razorbacks still need to replace 99.9 percent of their offense now that Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are in the NFL.

SEC Championship
Georgia vs. Auburn
With the potential of both offenses, by the time these two teams meet in the Georgia Dome, which will be the second time they’ll play each other within a month, the score could be astronomical. Whoever has the ball last wins, 101-99. Give or take a touchdown.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.