CFB Early Conference Standings Predictions: SEC
I had to save the best conference for last since it just means so much more. Let’s take a look at where the SEC stands in my spring standings predictions.
SEC EAST
1. Georgia
Florida’s one-year run at the top of the SEC East was fun, but the Georgia Bulldogs will retake their throne atop the east and claim their fourth SEC East title in the last five years. JT Daniels returns as the most experienced quarterback in the SEC and was absolutely on fire to end the 2020 season. Daniels gives Kirby Smart a passing element he never had with Jake Fromm or Stetson Bennett. He’ll be flanked by Zamir White, who decided to return for another season. The receiving core is unproven for the most part, but talented nonetheless with George Pickens sidelined with an ACL tear. The defense should be a strength again, and the roster adds another top-five recruiting class despite losing a bunch of secondary pieces and pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari.
2. Florida
The Gators have a talented roster and add a 12th-ranked recruiting class, but there’s a lot of holes Dan Mullen needs to be fixed. Mullen’s self-claimed preview of Florida’s 2021 roster in the Cotton Bowl blowout 55-20 loss to Oklahoma wasn’t a very good first impression. The Gators’ three best offensive players are gone: Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts, and Kadarius Toney (add in WR Trevon Grimes). Can Emory Jones step up and lead this offense on his own? There will be plenty of questions on defense as well, which struggled mightily last year (allowed over 30 pts/game). I’ll give Mullen the slight benefit of the doubt to remain in this spot.
3. Mizzou
The rest of this division is a mess. Mizzou snags this third spot after a 5-5 2020 season. The Tigers lose LB Nick Bolton to the NFL but return a good portion of the defense, QB Connor Bazelak, and four starting offensive linemen. Second-year HC Eli Drinkwitz brings in a new defensive coordinator, former Cardinals HC Steve Wilks, in an effort to improve a defense that allowed over 32 pts/game in 2020.
4. Kentucky
Kentucky ends up in this fourth slot, ahead of the three teams with new coaches next year. The Wildcats lost Terry Wilson to the transfer portal but added QB Will Levis from Penn State. RB Chris Rodriguez should be good for over a thousand yards as he returns to the offense as well and should help Levis ease in. The offense will go with a new approach in 2021, trying to learn more on the passing game when the Wildcats brought in Liam Coen from the LA Rams. The defense should continue to be solid despite losing LBs Jamar Watson and Jamin Davis, DL Quinton Bohanna, and DB Brandin Echols.
5. Tennessee
First new coach: Josh Heupel from UCF to Knoxville. The Volunteers need to put the messy Jeremy Pruitt era as far behind them as possible, and they think Heupel is the guy to lead them out of it. He’s inheriting a tough situation. There’s a ton of talent on the roster, but questions to answer. Let’s start at quarterback. Last year’s starter Jarrett Guarantano transferred out. Harrison Bailey, a former five-star who started three games at the end of last year, should compete with Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker, who made 15 starts for the Hokies over the last three seasons. Who will produce at skills positions? Eric Gray, Ty Chandler, and Josh Palmer are all gone. The Vols lose both starting linebackers as well. How will Heupel handle it? We will see.
8. South Carolina
Shane Beamer takes over at South Carolina following a horrid 2-8 2020 season. The Gamecocks lose two of their biggest playmakers to the NFL in WR Shi Smith and CB Jaycee Horn. USC will have a brand-new QB in 2021, a competition between Luke Doty and FCS transfer Jason Brown. Whoever wins the job will have some support in one of the SEC’s best RBs in Kevin Harris. The rest of the roster leaves a lot to be desired. There’s a long road up for USC.
9. Vanderbilt
The Commodores hired Clark Lea from Notre Dame in hopes to boost Vanderbilt out of the basement of the SEC. He’ll have plenty of issues to overcome, the offense barely scored two touchdowns a game last season (14.8) while allowing the second-most points in the conference (37.3). There’s some returning talent on defense, especially in the secondary with Dashaun Jerkins, Allan George, Jaylen Mahoney, and Maxwell Worship. The Commodores will lean on Temple transfer RB Re’Mahn Davis on offense, a former freshman All-American, complementing year two of Ken Seals under center. Can the Commodores win more than two SEC games in 2021?
SEC WEST
1. Alabama
Not too much I need to go over here. ‘Bama will most likely be the preseason No. 1 team in the AP Poll. The Crimson Tide lost Mac Jones, Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Alex Leatherwood, Deonte Brown, and Patrick Surtain. Bill O’Brien is now calling plays for new QB Bryce Young, who saw very limited exposure behind Jones last year. Despite all these losses, I think ‘Bama will be just fine.
2. Texas A&M
The Aggies had a great 2020 season, but couldn’t get enough momentum to slip into the CFP. Kellen Mond and his experience will be sorely missed, but the Aggies have a great chance to open up more in the passing game. That spot looks like it will be between Zach Calzada and Haynes King. A&M returns Isaiah Spiller, one of the best backs in the SEC, but also loses four of their starting offensive linemen from an elite group in 2020. With an also-unproven WR core, there’s a lot of questions for the future of this offense. The defense, on the other hand, is loaded with returning talent. That might be the unit to carry this team if needed.
3. LSU
Next up in this fun division are the LSU Tigers. Coach O continues to recruit at an elite level, bringing in the third-ranked 2021 recruiting class. Now, to get back to the winning ways. The Tigers bring in new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, who will help turn around a group that allowed nearly 500 yards/game in 2020, which is unacceptable from a group with as much talent as the Tigers possess. Better pass rush, better tackling, and better secondary play (with two elite corners in Derek Stingley and Elias Ricks). The QB competition should be interesting, but I’m not sold on Myles Brennan, TJ Finley, and Max Johnson just yet. Year two of WR Kayshon Boutte should be a blast to watch. There’s room for LSU to move up, but improvements need to be made.
4. Ole Miss
Ole Miss had to have been the most exciting SEC team outside of Tuscaloosa in 2020. The emergence of Matt Corral paired with All-American Elijah Moore and a horrendous defense led to many entertaining games. Now in year two, those next steps are expected. Matt Corral cutting down on his 14 interceptions? A second year with Lane Kiffin should help. Improvement on defense? Three four-star defenders in a top-20 recruiting class along with more chemistry and plenty of the two-deep returning. Replacing Elijah Moore? Plenty of options already on the roster, with Dontario Drummond, Jonathan Mingo, and Braylon Sanders. Will Kiffin find a spot for John Rhys Plumlee? We will see.
5. Auburn
Bryan Harsin gets a tough roll taking a job in the toughest division in college football. He brings along new OC Mike Bobo and DC Derek Mason. How will the group get Bo Nix back on track? The junior has been inconsistent over his first two seasons as a starter, and I’m curious how long of a leash Nix gets with a coaching staff that didn’t recruit him if he continues to struggle. Nix will have a strong running game to lean on with sophomore RB Tank Bigsby but also loses his top three receivers outside (Seth Williams, Anthony Schwartz, and Eli Stove). The defense should be solid, but what is their ceiling? I couldn’t tell you right now.
6. Arkansas
Arkansas’s 3-7 record in 2020 undersells how well Sam Pittman did in his inaugural season. The Razorback loses Felipe Franks, but trust KJ Jefferson will make an easy transition into the role. It helps with the surplus of skill position players available: Rakeem Boyd and Trelon Smith at RB, Treylon Burks and Mike Woods out wide, and all five offensive linemen returning. How will the defense perform? The unit forced turnovers, but only recorded 14 sacks the entire season. I don’t think we’ll see the improvement we saw in Pittman’s first season (6.5 yards/play in 2019 to 5.65 yards/play in 2020), but improvement should be expected.
7. Mississippi State
What are we going to see in year two of Mike Leach? That was a really ugly debut season. Leach’s calling card spread passing attack was nowhere to be seen. Now with a full offseason, we hope to see a little more out of the Bulldogs. Will Rodgers will start the season under center after replacing KJ Costello in 2020. The air raid only works as well as the quarterback running it. Rodgers will get to work with a promising set of skill players: Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson at RB, with Jaden Walley, Austin Williams, and Malik Heath at WR. The defense was actually pretty solid in 2020 but returns only one starter on the DL.
Writer
-By: TJ Mathewson