SEC Preview

Projected Records & Standings

East Division

1. FLORIDA             11-1  (7-1)
2. GEORGIA              9-3  (5-3)
3. TENNESSEE            8-4  (4-4)
4. SOUTH CAROLINA       6-6  (3-5)
5. VANDERBILT           5-7  (2-6)
6. KENTUCKY             6-6  (2-6)

West Division

1. ALABAMA             10-2  (7-1)
2. LSU                 10-2  (6-2)
3. OLE MISS             9-3  (5-3)
4. ARKANSAS             7-5  (4-4)
5. AUBURN               6-6  (3-5)
6. MISSISSIPPI STATE    2-10 (0-8)

East Champion: FLORIDA
Big shocker here. Everyone and their mothers are picking Florida to win not only the SEC East, but the national championship as well. The Gators return the bulk of a championship roster, so another SEC crown and run at the national title is not out of the question. HOWEVER, I will go out on a limb and guarantee Urban Meyer and company will lose at least once this season, possibly at LSU on October 10th.

West Champion: ALABAMA
Nick Saban quickly put his stamp on the Alabama program, which paid big dividends in 2008. The Crimson Tide’s calling card was their toughness and line play en route to a near-flawless first three months of the season. The Tide have a lot of turnover on offense this year, but if Star Jackson wins the quarterback job they could be more explosive. Even if Alabama doesn’t improve offensively, the defense should be good enough to carry the team to at least 9 wins.

Question the Hype: OLE MISS
Whoa, people. Let’s slow down on putting Ole Miss in the top 5 already. I like Houston Nutt and I like his team heading into the season, but the Rebels play in the best division in college football. Nutt is only in his second year. He picked up a couple of nice wins in 2008, and there will be more big wins over the course of his tenure in Oxford, but to leapfrog Alabama and LSU during a season in which Arkansas is poised to make a jump in the standings as well just doesn’t seem realistic to me. Not yet at least.

Could Surprise: TENNESSEE
Lane Kiffin made more enemies in his first three months on the job than most coaches make their entire careers. Most opposing SEC fans are rooting for the Vols to go 0-12 in his rookie season – along with probably the majority of opposing SEC coaches. But Kiffin has two secret weapons in his father Monte and superstar safety Eric Berry. Berry is a rare talent that will anchor what should be at the very least a solid defense.

Offensively, the Vols have an actual direction for a change after converting from running team to passing team to spread offense and back again seemingly by the series over the last several seasons. That means Tennessee will be a more stable team than they have been recently, a strange fact considering the program is in a state of turnover due to the coaching change.

Bo Jackson Trophy Candidates:
Top 3:
WR-Julio Jones, Alabama
QB-Tim Tebow, Florida
OT-Ciron Black, LSU

Ten to Watch:
WR-A.J. Green, Georgia
OG-Mike Johnson, Alabama
WR-Brandon LaFell, LSU
WR-Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss
RB-Chris Rainey/Jeff Demps, Florida
RB-Charles Scott, LSU
RB-Alphonso Smith, Kentucky
RB-Michael Smith, Arkansas
QB-Jevan Snead, Ole Miss
TE-D.J. Williams, Arkansas

Herzlich Trophy Candidates:
Top 3:
SS-Eric Berry, Tennessee
LB-Brandon Spikes, Florida
DT-Terrence Cody, Alabama

Fifteen to Watch:
DE-Rahim Alem, LSU
FS-Ahmad Black, Florida
DE-Antonio Coleman, Auburn
LB-Rennie Curran, Georgia
DE-Jermaine Cunningham, Florida
CB-Joe Haden, Florida
DE-Greg Hardy, Ole Miss
CB-Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt
CB-Trevard Lindley, Kentucky
LB-Rolando McClain, Alabama
CB-Walter McFadden, Auburn
LB-Eric Norwood, South Carolina
DT-Jeff Owens, Georgia
CB-Patrick Peterson, LSU
DT-Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas

Bowl Results

For the record, here's how the conferences fared in bowl games this season. Selections in red indicate the conference's signature win. Selections in blue indicate the conference's worst loss.

J.Pike's Bowl Picks Record: 17-17 (50%)
BCS Bowl Picks Record: 3-2 (60%)

1. PAC-10
Record: 5-0 (100%)
Results
Las Vegas Bowl: Arizona 31, BYU 21
Emerald Bowl: California 24, Miami 17
Holiday Bowl: Oregon 42, Oklahoma State 31
Sun Bowl: Oregon State 3, Pittsburgh 0
Rose Bowl: USC 38, Penn State 24

2. SEC
Record: 6-2 (75%)
Results
Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt 16, Boston College 14
Peach Bowl: LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3
Outback Bowl: Iowa 31, South Carolina 10
Citrus Bowl: Georgia 24, Michigan State 12
Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34
Liberty Bowl: Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19
Sugar Bowl: Utah 31, Alabama 17
National Title Game: Florida 24, Oklahoma 14

3t. BIG EAST
Record: 4-2 (66.7%)
Results
St. Petersburg Bowl: South Florida 41, Memphis 14
Meineke Car Care Bowl: West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30
Pizza Bowl: Rutgers 29, N.C. State 23
Sun Bowl: Oregon State 3, Pittsburgh 0
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech 20, Cincinnati 7
International Bowl: Connecticut 38, Buffalo 20

3t. CONFERENCE USA
Record: 4-2 (66.7%)
Results
St. Petersburg Bowl: South Florida 41, Memphis 14
New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss 30, Troy 27 (OT)
Texas Bowl: Rice 38, Western Michigan 14
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston 34, Air Force 28
Liberty Bowl: Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19
GMAC Bowl: Tulsa 45, Ball State 13

5. MOUNTAIN WEST
Record: 3-2 (60%)
Results
New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State 40, Fresno State 35
Las Vegas Bowl: Arizona 31, BYU 21
Poinsettia Bowl: TCU 17, Boise State 16
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston 34, Air Force 28
Sugar Bowl: Utah 31, Alabama 17

6. BIG XII
Record: 4-3 (57.1%)
Results
Alamo Bowl: Missouri 30, Northwestern 23 (OT)
Holiday Bowl: Oregon 42, Oklahoma State 31
Insight Bowl: Kansas 42, Minnesota 21
Gator Bowl: Nebraska 26, Clemson 21
Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34
Fiesta Bowl: Texas 24, Ohio State 21
National Title Game: Florida 24, Oklahoma 14

7. ACC
Record: 4-6 (40%)
Results
Eagle Bank Bowl: Wake Forest 29, Navy 19
Meineke Car Care Bowl: West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30
Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State 42, Wisconsin 13
Emerald Bowl: California 24, Miami 17
Pizza Bowl: Rutgers 29, N.C. State 23
Humanitarian Bowl: Maryland 42, Nevada 35
Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt 16, Boston College 14
Peach Bowl: LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3
Gator Bowl: Nebraska 26, Clemson 21
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech 20, Cincinnati 7

8. WAC
Record: 1-4 (20%)
Results
New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State 40, Fresno State 35
Poinsettia Bowl: TCU 17, Boise State 16
Hawaii Bowl: Notre Dame 49, Hawaii 21
Independence Bowl: Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10
Humanitarian Bowl: Maryland 42, Nevada 35

9. BIG TEN
Record: 1-6 (14.3%)
Results
Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State 42, Wisconsin 13
Alamo Bowl: Missouri 30, Northwestern 23 (OT)
Insight Bowl: Kansas 42, Minnesota 21
Outback Bowl: Iowa 31, South Carolina 10
Citrus Bowl: Georgia 24, Michigan State 12
Rose Bowl: USC 38, Penn State 24
Fiesta Bowl: Texas 24, Ohio State 21

10. MAC
Record: 0-5 (0%)
Results
Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic 24, Central Michigan 21
Independence Bowl: Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10
Texas Bowl: Rice 38, Western Michigan 14
International Bowl: Connecticut 38, Buffalo 20
GMAC Bowl: Tulsa 45, Ball State 13

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
Buffalo 42, Ball State 24

Congratulations to Turner Gill and Buffalo. The Bulls defense forced five turnovers and returned two fumbles for touchdowns late in the third quarter. Ball State suffered their first loss of the season thanks in large part to the Buffalo pass/catch duo of quarterback Drew Willy and wide receiver Naaman "The President" Roosevelt. I hope all the schools with head coaching vacancies took note: Turner Gill deserves a good job in a BCS conference. If Syracuse isn't falling all over themselves to get to Gill, they don't deserve to win another game ever.

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
East Carolina (8-4) at Tulsa (10-2)
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN 2)

East Carolina started the season with a bang, earning victories over preseason top 25 teams Virginia Tech and West Virginia. But injuries began to take their toll over the course of the season (not to mention an ill-advised quarterback switch in mid-season that has since been rectified), and the Pirates managed to compile four losses. Tulsa isn't nearly as good as their statistics indicate (49 points and 579 yards per game), as evidenced by consecutive losses to Arkansas and Houston in early November by a combined score of 100-53. Todd Graham's Golden Hurrican are still potent offensively, though, and have the advantage of playing the title game on their home field. Quarterback David Johnson and receiver Brennan Marrion will hook up for at least two long touchdowns today.
J.Pike's Pick: Tulsa 42, East Carolina 27

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
Boston College (9-3) vs Virginia Tech (8-4)
@ Tampa, FL
(Saturday, noon, ABC)

Well well well, whaddya know. After all the chaos and upsets and parity in the ACC this year, BC and Virginia Tech, the same two teams that played for the title last year, will meet in a rematch. All the so-called "experts" picked Boston College to finish in the bottom two of the Coastal Division because of the loss of Matt Ryan. But if you were paying attention to Pikes Picks [LINK], you would have known better. Much like in 2007, Boston College won the regular season matchup, but the Hokies have the advantage here. BC quarterback Chris Crane broke his collarbone two weeks ago, and the offense is limited without him. Dominique Davis will be a fine quarterback in the future, but he's still young and doesn't have the same feel for the offense Crane did. I love the Boston College defense, and Mark Herzlich in particular. But Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor is arguably the most elusive quarterback in the nation. He'll be able to pick up first downs off scrambles and keep the chains moving in what should be a low scoring affair.
J.Pike's Pick: Virginia Tech 14, Boston College 10

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
Alabama (12-0) vs Florida (11-1)
@ Atlanta, GA
(Saturday, 3 pm, CBS)

This is the big one. The winner here probably gets a shot to play for the national championship. Nick Saban has rejeuvinated Roll Tide more quickly than anybody expected. How he got a team that lost to Louisiana-Monroe last last year to play as well as they have this year is a coaching feat that is unmatched in 2008. However, Bama must face their stiffest challenge of the season in Urban Meyer's Florida Gators. The Gators bring a ton of speed to the Georgia Dome, probably as much collective speed that turf has ever hosted. Alabama has become the new Nebraska in that they are easily the most physical team in the nation. I think their physical nature will neutralize Florida's team speed and allow the Tide to control the trenches on both sides of the ball. Florida is a heavy favorite in Las Vegas, but that's because even the gamblers have forgotten that football is ultimately won in the trenches.
J.Pike's Picks: Alabama 30, Florida 17

Gameday Commentary - 8 pm

*Tony Franklin's offense is an abomination. Tommy Tuberville, if you want to win any more games in the SEC this year, you better get control of the offense because otherwise Franklin is going to keep running Chris Todd out there in the shotgun to go 3-and-out for all of infinity. The only time the Auburn offense has moved the ball today is when Ben Tate lined up in the Ace formation and ran the ball down hill (obviously Tuberville's influence). Tate picked up 9 first downs in that fashion. But with Franklin running his preferred offense the remaining 75% of the game, Auburn only produced about 5 first downs and 10+ penalties. Auburn's offense is a joke, and Tony Franklin is looking like a terrible hire so far.

*On a similar topic that will further emphasize Tony Franklin's hard-headedness, Vanderbilt's secondary is legit. D.J. Moore, Myron Lewis, Reshard Langford, and the rest of that group are all big and athletic, and they completely dominated Auburn's receivers tonight. Great win for Vanderbilt.

Spotlight Game of the Week

#11 Alabama

at
#2 Georgia

(Saturday, 6:45 pm, ESPN)

When Alabama has the ball

When looking at the Alabama offense, you have to start in the backfield with their powerful pair of running backs. Glen Coffee and freshman Mark Ingram have been running wild on opponents this season. Coffee is averaging an amazing 8.6 yards per carry and has 404 rushing yards to show for it. Ingram has already compiled 263 yards and 4 touchdowns in his young career.

The reason these backs are so dangerous is because the offensive line is playing like five bulldozers. Left tackle Andre Smith is a blue chipper if there ever was one and heady center Antoine Caldwell has been a key component on the line for all of his four seasons on campus. This unit has paved the way for the Crimson Tide to roll up 236.8 yards rushing per game (5.9 yards per carry).

They haven’t faced a unit like Georgia yet this year though. The Bulldogs run defense has been outstanding, holding opponents to fewer than 50 yards rushing per game and an average of 2.0 yards per carry. Georgia’s quickness and depth along the defensive line will allow them to make some big stops, but I’ll give Alabama a slight advantage overall here. Although the Georgia D-Line is deep, you can’t lose players like DT Jeff Owens and DE Roderick Battle (both out with injuries) without suffering a little. Plus, Alabama’s running game is PHYSICAL and they’ll beat up on the Georgia line a little bit.

Georgia has a definite advantage when Alabama decides to throw the ball. Personally, I like John Parker Wilson as a quarterback, but he has proven to be inconsistent when you can put pressure on him. Georgia has the tools to bring plenty of heat. The Georgia front seven is one of the fastest and most athletic units in the nation. You’ll hear linebacker Rennie Curran’s name called a lot. The sophomore is by far the leader in tackles on the team (29), and has already posted 3 sacks on this young season. If Wilson has a bad day it will probably be because of Curran. Keep an eye on backup defensive end Justin Houston too. He’s a pass rushing specialist who could play a factor.

Another reason Wilson might have a rough game is because Georgia’s linebackers will make it very difficult to find his safety valve, tight end Nick Walker (team high 12 receptions). Dannell Ellerbe and Darryl Gamble are more than capable of hanging with Walker and taking him out of the game.

That means uber-recruit Julio Jones will need to step up. Jones clearly has all the talent and big play ability in the world, but is he accomplished enough on the intricacies of route running and beating bump coverage at the line to get open and bail Wilson out when he’s in trouble? We’ll find out. Jones will need to play well enough to make Georgia take that extra guy out of the box (and out of Wilson’s grill) in order to double-team him.

When Georgia has the ball

Much like the Alabama offense, Georgia’s offense starts in the backfield with running back Knowshon Moreno. Moreno is simply one of the best players in the nation. The sophomore exploded onto the scene in 2007 and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. He’s the most important player on the offense and he has a knack for picking up first downs. He also has a nose for the end zone, as evidenced by the 9 touchdowns he has scored in only 4 games this year.

Moreno hasn’t gotten as much help from his blockers as you might think either. The offensive line lost its best player when left tackle Trinton Sturdivant tore up his knee in preseason drills. Mark Richt has been forced to shuffle the lineup every week in an attempt to find the right chemistry. There is plenty of talent, but the line clearly hasn’t gelled yet.

Another missing cog in the blocking scheme was fullback Brannan Southerland. The senior is arguably the best blocking fullback in the nation and he hasn’t played yet this year due to a foot injury. However, his status has been upgraded to probable for this game. Don’t underestimate his presence – Georgia is a much better team with Sutherland in the lineup.

The questions up front mean that “Mount Cody” and his friends on the Alabama defense might be able to wreak some havoc. Junior defensive tackle Terrence Cody is the 365-pound beast in the middle of the defensive line that Nick Saban needs to execute his 3-4 defense to perfection. Cody has done nothing but produce this year, taking up plenty of space in the middle and managing to post 12 tackles, including 3 for loss.

Mount Cody’s play has freed up outside linebackers Brandon Fanney and Cory Reamer to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. The duo has combined for 6½ tackles for loss this year. Inside backer Rolando McClain doesn’t need any help to make plays. The sophomore is already one of the best linebackers in the SEC, which automatically puts him near the top of the list nationally. McClain leads the Tide in tackles (29) and will be in charge of containing Knowshon Moreno.

The wildcard here is Matthew Stafford. Stafford has the talent to be the best quarterback in the nation, but he hasn’t quite put it all together yet. He was responsible for the game winning touchdown pass in overtime against Alabama last year though, so he’ll definitely up to the big game challenge more than J.P. Wilson.

Stafford has formed an immediate connection with true freshman wide receiver A.J. Green. While Green doesn’t have quite the raw talent of Bama’s freshman phenom Julio Jones, he has managed to out-produce Jones by a considerable margin so far this year (16 receptions for 300 yards, 2 tds). Green will play a big role in this game. Even if he only notches three receptions, they will all be important plays.

The Alabama secondary is good. Safety Rashad Johnson is the leader of the unit and a certified ball-hawk. You’ll hear his name a lot because he’s always around the ball - whether it’s a run or a pass, Johnson will be there. Kareem Jackson will probably be tasked with keeping up with Green, so that will be a key matchup. Jackson is a solid corner, but he hasn’t faced a receiver with the size and speed of Green yet this year. The other cornerback, Javier Arenas, is a dynamo that is capable of scoring anytime he’s on the field. Arenas has already taken an interception (63 yard return) and a punt (87 yard return) to the end zone this year.

Even against Bama’s solid secondary, I think Georgia will be able to get enough yards through the air to maintain balance offensively.

Final Verdict

This game will come down to two factors: how well John Parker Wilson handles Georgia’s pressure and how Georgia’s re-tooled offensive line does against Alabama’s imposing front seven.

Georgia will get to Wilson. If he can stay focused in the pocket and make good throws despite the pressure Alabama will have a very good shot at winning.

Even though it appears on first glance that Alabama might have a slight edge in the trenches, Knowshon Moreno is a beast. Moreno flat out knows how to pick up the yards he needs to get to keep drives alive, and with the return of his fullback Brannan Southerland he’ll have even more opportunities to make the big play. Moreno is a fighter and a leader in every sense of the word and he won’t back down Saturday night until he’s led Georgia to victory.

J.Pike’s Pick: Georgia 24, Alabama 20

WEEK FOUR - Spotlight Game of the Week

#7 LSU
at
#11 Auburn

(Saturday, 6:45 pm, ESPN)

When LSU has the ball
Les Miles finally found a running back to hitch his wagon to. His best offenses usually feature a great running back that can chew up yards and Charles Scott appears to fit that profile. He has been on a tear this season averaging a ridiculous 11.4 yards per carry and his strength/speed combination seems to be on par with Beanie Wells at Ohio State. Linebacker Tray Blackmon will have his work cut out trying to keep up with Scott. He’ll have to play a disciplined game to keep LSU’s running game in check.

You can expect a heavy dose of Scott (and Keiland Williams for that matter) because LSU is very inexperienced at quarterback. Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch have been splitting time this season and both will see time Saturday. Auburn’s defense is up to Tommy Tuberville’s usually high standards so you better believe they’ll be looking to put the pressure on the newbies. Sen’Derrick Marks is one of the best defensive linemen in the nation so he’ll be keeping Lee and Hatch company in the backfield all night long.

In a vacuum LSU might have a slight edge with their wide receivers going up against Auburn’s secondary. Demetrius Byrd is a great all around wideout and speedsters Brandon LaFell and Terrance Toliver provide big play ability. However, when you factor in the questionable quarterback play the Auburn DBs have a definite advantage. Warren McFadden has been playing as well as any cornerback in the nation so far.

On the whole I think LSU will be able to manufacture field position with their solid running game and at some point one of the talented wide receivers will make a play to break the game open.

When Auburn has the ball
Whoo-boy. If Auburn’s offense plays the way it did last week in a 3-2 win over Mississippi State I don’t know that they’ll even move the ball past midfield against LSU’s stingy defense.

Where to begin? First there is the complete lack of a real ground attack. Auburn has gone to the spread with new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. That’s fine and all, but Franklin has completely abandoned any non-shotgun formations in favor of a lot of passing and a sideways running game. The Tigers have been unable to convert in short yardage situations this season due to the change, and they haven’t even faced a defense the caliber of LSU yet.

Then there are the turnovers. Chris Todd and Ben Tate have struggled with shotgun handoffs this year, and that has led to turnovers at critical moments late in games when Auburn is just trying to run out the clock.

If all that isn’t enough, the Tigers benched Kodi Burns, a quarterback that can beat you with his legs, in favor of Todd. Todd might eventually be a solid player in this offense, but right now he’s not executing consistently enough to make the passing game click.

So Auburn can’t run and they can’t string together enough completions to sustain a drive. That’s not a good combination because across the line of scrimmage waits one of the most athletic defenses in the nation. Defensive linemen Ricky Jean-Francois, Kirston Pittman, and Tyson Jackson might make a meal out of Chris Todd if Auburn’s struggling offensive line doesn’t improve. Linebacker Darry Beckwith shouldn’t have any problem containing Ben Tate either.

All things considered, I’m not sure Auburn will even scrape together one drive that ends in an offensive touchdown. Prove me wrong Tony Franklin.

Final Verdict
Make no mistake – this game will be dictated by the defenses. The Auburn defense will not only have to play the best game they’ve played all season, they’ll probably have to score too since Chris Todd and the offense don’t appear likely to put many points on the board.

If Kodi Burns sees action at quarterback for Auburn I’ll give them a slightly better chance of winning. Despite the inexperience at quarterback, LSU still seems to be in much better shape to score points. In a game where points will be at a premium, that will be enough to get the win.

J.Pike’s Pick: LSU 16, Auburn 6

Thanks to The Helmet Project for the helmet logos.

BP25- #8 LSU Tigers

I know they lost their Top 2 QB's and I know they lost their lunch pail guy Hester, and I know they lost Dorsey and Highsmith and 3/4 of their secondary, but LSU is LSU and they have speed for days on this team.

OFF-Jarrett Lee will battle Andrew Hatch to take over for Perrilloux, so expect to see a heavy dose of the run game with Keiland Williams and co. Brandon Lafell and Demetrius Byrd will help out the new QB's and OL has 3 ALL SEC players so other then experience at QB this unit will be solid.

DEF-My man Marlon Favorite now gets the spotlight now that Dorsey left and with Tyson Jackson and Pittman and Jean Francois Jr, this will be the class of the SEC and potentially the NCAA. Darryl Beckwith leads the young batch of LB's but even with the loss of Highsmith I look for this group to improve over last year's numbers. The secondary is very green so they will have to learn quickly, but luckily they don't have a pass heavy team until mid October so they will have time to jell. Watch out for Patrick Johnson-CB.

Schedule- Get your creampuff's here while their hot. The open with darlings of small college App St, who I have heard some people say they have a chance to upset LSU this year. LSU is no Michigan, LSU will pound App st and thier other two tune up teams(UNT and Troy). Conference road games include a trip to Auburn, Florida, S Carolina and close the season at Arkansas. Georgia and Alabama are the only tough games at home. So the road will be tough and the stretch in October At Florida, At S. Carolina and home with Georgia will be the barometer of where this team will go.

BP25- #10 Auburn Tigers

So long Brandon Cox or the govenor switch on the Auburn Program. Now we can finally see what this team is capable of.

Offense-Put any QB here. Kodi Burns will be great in this offense and the RB core of Ben Tate, Brad Lester and Mario Fannin will be toughest trio in the SEC. WR is solid with Montez Billings and Rodgerious Smith and OL returns 5 starters. So the offense is poised for a big season.

Defense-You gotta love Trey Blackmon, but he is his worst enemy. If he can get his off the field under control he could be a lottery pick. The defense overall is solid but not spectacular they lost alot from the previous year(Patrick Lee, Josh Thompson(leading tackler) Quentin Groves(very overrated though) and Johnathan Wilhite), so several players will have to step up, but the Tuberville pantry is stocked, watch for Craig Stevens-LB and Zac Etheridge-SS to fill the void.

Schedule: The only tough game is in Morgantown vs W Virginia, but they should stomp them. SEC road games include trips to............Alabama, and that is it. They get LSU, Tennessee and Georgia all at home. So now that Cox is out, it will be interesting to see how high this team can go, and it will improve on its 9 wins last year.

SEC Preview

Favorites

East: Georgia
Mark Richt’s squad is loaded, and a preseason favorite to compete for a national title. The schedule is also loaded as the Bulldogs face eight coaches who have won national championships on one level or another – and that doesn’t even count Tommy Tuberville who went undefeated at Auburn in 2004. If the talented Bulldogs can stay hungry and manage that schedule, they’ll be in the SEC title game with a berth in the National Championship game on the line.

West: Auburn
Defending national champ LSU has too many holes to fill to be considered a favorite in the West. Auburn is breaking in two new coordinators, but strangely I have more faith in Tuberville than I do in the gambling Les Miles. There’s no way LSU converts on 4th downs as often as they did last season again!

Sleepers
East: South Carolina
Steve Spurrier predicted his Gamecocks would compete for the SEC East title prior to last season. A rash of injuries put an end to those dreams despite a 6-1 start. If the loaded defense can stay healthy, new coordinator Ellis Johnson should be able to mold them into one of the finest defenses in the nation. A good defense can go a long way.

West: Mississippi State
Was Mississippi State a one-year wonder, or are they going to stick around in the SEC West race again this year? Don’t be surprised if Sly Croom and his rock-solid defense, led by playmaking DB Derek Pegues, make another appearance in the postseason. The Bulldogs beat Alabama and won at Auburn last season, so there’s no reason they can’t pull off a similar feat again. And because it looks like LSU will take a step back coming off their national championship season, anything can happen in the wild SEC West.

On the Rise: Ole Miss
It’s safe to say the Ed Orgeron experiment was a mistake and should just be forgotten. Enter Houston Nutt, whose track record in the SEC proves he’ll be able to bring consistency back to the program. The cupboard is far from bare too, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He’ll need to find a running back, but since when has that been a problem for Nutt? True freshman Enrique Davis will challenge for playing time, but don’t count Dexter McCluster out of the equation. He showed flashes of brilliance as a true freshman two years ago, but was later inexplicably moved to wide receiver.

Declining: Arkansas
What were they thinking? Running the successful Houston Nutt out of town is one thing, but to turn around and hire Bobby Petrino is a double-whammy on the program. Petrino is a sound offensive coach, but he will have a hard time commanding respect from his players any more, and he’ll just leave a mess behind when he eventually bolts again (see Louisville and the Atlanta Falcons current situations). Expect some down years for the Razorbacks.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

East
1. Georgia	11-1 (7-1 conference)
2. Florida	10-2 (6-2)
3. Tennessee	9-3 (5-3)
4. South Carolina	7-5 (4-4)
5. Kentucky	6-6 (2-6)
6. Vanderbilt	2-10 (0-8)
West
1. Auburn	10-2 (6-2)
2. LSU	9-3 (5-3)
3. Alabama	7-5 (4-4)
4. Mississippi State	7-5 (4-4)
5. Ole Miss	6-6 (3-5)
6. Arkansas	4-8 (2-6)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: Knowshon Moreno (RB, Georgia)
Defense: Jasper Brinkley (LB, South Carolina)
Special Teams: Brandon James (KR, Florida)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Darry Beckwith (LB-LSU) – Arrington, Fave
Eric Berry (DB-Ten) – Arrington, Deion
Tray Blackmon (LB-Aub) – Arrington
Jasper Brinkley (LB-SoCar) – Arrington, Fave
Wes Byrum (K-Aub) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Dannell Ellerbe (LB-UGA) – Arrington, Fave
Greg Hardy (DE-Miss) - Arrington
Percy Harvin (WR-Fla) – Bo Jackson, Sayers
Brandon James (KR-Fla) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Ricky Jean-Francois (DL-LSU) – Arrington
Rashad Johnson (DB-Bama) – Deion
Knowshon Moreno (RB-UGA) – Bo Jackson, Sayers, Fave
Captain Munnerlyn (DB-SoCar) – Deion, Fave
Chris Nickson (QB-Vandy) - Frazier
Derek Pegues (DB-MSU) – Arrington, Deion
Chris Rainey (RB-Fla) - Sayers
Andre Smith (OL-Bama) – Bo Jackson
Brannan Southerland (FB-UGA) – Fave
Brandon Spikes (LB-Fla) – Arrington
Matthew Stafford (QB-UGA) – Bo Jackson, Fave
Tim Tebow (QB-Fla) – Bo Jackson, Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
LSU defensive line
Tennessee offensive line
Florida offensive line
Georgia defensive line
Ole Miss offensive line
Florida defensive line
Alabama offensive line
Auburn defensive line
Auburn offensive line
LSU offensive line
Ole Miss defensive line

JP25 - #1 GEORGIA

Georgia is the trendy pick, but that’s because this is the best team in the nation. They also happen to play one of the toughest schedules in recent memory. Will the Dawgs be able to handle the gauntlet and make it to the national championship game? I believe the difficult schedule will keep them focused throughout the season and prepare the team for the spotlight when it shines brightest in the National Championship game.

OFFENSE
Whoa, what a backfield. Knowshon Moreno is arguably the best running back in the nation, and if Matthew Stafford continues his maturation he might be considered the best quarterback prospect for the NFL. There are no ifs ands or buts about Brannan Southerland though – he’s the best fullback in college football. A thunderous blocker and sneaky goal line threat, Southerland played a big role in the emergence of Moreno last year by paving big holes for him to run through. Unfortunately Southerland will miss the first five weeks of the season rehabbing a foot injury.

Moreno was a revelation in 2007. Not only did he produce like one of the best backs in the country (1,334 yards, 14 tds), but he displayed confidence and leadership far beyond his true freshman status. Moreno stepped right into a leadership role and he’ll continue to provide a spark with his full-throttle running, much the way Adrian Peterson did at Oklahoma. Filling in for the departed Thomas Brown, an underrated backup (779 yards, 10 tds), is redshirt freshman Caleb King. King is a speedy back with exciting potential, and since Richt likes to use two running backs he’ll see plenty of action.

Stafford continues to be one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the nation. He has a great arm that is capable of making all the throws in the book. He still has accuracy problems at times, but the improvement he made his sophomore season leads me to believe he’s on the right track to becoming a star. He’s already got a commanding presence in the huddle and the team responds to him well. Look for Stafford to really break out and become a star in 2008 as he leads his team in the hunt for a national championship.

The offensive line suffered a major blow a couple weeks ago when left tackle Trinton Sturdivant tore up his knee. Sturdivant was already establishing himself as an anchor on this line after starting all 13 games a year ago as a true freshman (the first to do so at Georgia since 1989), but he will be forced to miss the season rehabbing the knee. That leaves only two returning starters, both of whom are sophomores. This is now an area of concern, but Georgia still has enough talent on the roster to field a solid O-Line.

The receiving corps has been an area of mediocrity for a couple years now in Athens. Mohamed Massaquoi is a senior now and the most likely to become a go-to threat. The tight end spot at Georgia has been a position of strength under Richt, but Tripp Chandler is a step down from the others who have played here recently. It would be nice if one of the other veterans stepped up to provide Stafford more reliable targets so there isn’t as much pressure on highly touted incoming freshmen A.J. Green and Tavarres King to produce right away.

DEFENSE
Georgia suffered an ever so slight step back in defensive production in 2007, but they still managed to be a top 15 group. With 9 returning starters the Bulldogs D should regain their spot among the elite in college football.

The strength of the defense is where the strength of all great teams lies – up the middle. Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens are one of the best defensive tackle duos in the nation. Atkins is extremely adept at getting into the backfield (7.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss) thanks in large part to the multiple blockers required to keep the powerful Owens from doing the same.

Middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is simply one of the most under-appreciated players in college football. Despite leading Georgia in tackles (93) and making plays all over the field (12 tackles for loss), he still didn’t receive any All-Conference recognition. That will change this season because Ellerbe will continue making plays, and since the schedule is so difficult, most of these plays will be made on national television.

Rennie Curran is another true freshman who played his way into the starting lineup in ’07. Curran’s tremendous speed made an immediate impact, so imagine what he’ll be able to do over a the course of a full season as the starter. Curran and Ellerbe, along with Akeem Dent make up what should be one of the most athletic, productive groups of linebackers in the nation.

The loss of defensive end Marcus Howard, who terrorized Colt Brennan in the Sugar Bowl last year, leaves a void. The pass rush has never been an issue for Richt though, so I expect that production among Roderick Battle, Jarius Wynn, and Jeremy Lomax will meet the lofty standards. Coaches seem to think Wynn, a JUCO transfer a year ago, will provide the biggest boost.

With Asher Allen, Reshad Jones, C.J. Byrd, and Prince Miller returning in the secondary, the Bulldogs will field their most experienced secondary in years. Cornerback Thomas Flowers is the only loss from the unit, but he was beat out by Miller in the starting lineup by the end of last year anyway. Allen and Jones are great players who will keep the Georgia defense as strong against the pass as the front seven is against the run.

Overall this is one of the most athletic defenses in the land. There is more speed in this unit than any other school can claim, and they are a year more experienced this year. This is a championship defense.

KEEP AN EYE ON
Blockers on offense. With the injuries to Trinton Sturdivant and Brannan Southerland, and a demanding schedule, it will be up to their replacements to pace the offense through a rough early-season schedule that includes road games against Arizona State, South Carolina, and a home date against Alabama.

RISING STAR
Dannell Ellerbe. For some reason, Ellerbe isn’t a star yet. He should be though, and he’ll prove it this season. He’s one of the best the SEC has to offer.

JP25 - #4 FLORIDA

Urban Meyer had high expectations placed on him when he took this job, yet he still managed to surprise everybody by winning a national title in only his second season in Gainesville. Now that he’s got a roster full of his own recruits its pretty obvious Florida is going to be a national title contender every year. The stockpile of talent and speed Meyer has collected is downright ridiculous.

OFFENSE
Meyer continues to place a priority on speed during recruiting and this approach has succeeded in churned out flashy playmakers every year. This season its redshirt freshman Chris Rainey’s turn to burst into the spotlight. His freakish speed and agility made him the breakout star of the spring, and gives the Gators yet another game-breaker on an offense that already averaged 42.5 points per game.

Speaking of game-breakers, I’m sure by now you’ve heard the names Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. You’ll be hearing even more about them in 2008 because they are both back. And as you already know Tim Tebow is the greatest human being to walk the planet since the dawn of time. Bow in his presence or CBS will eliminate you.

Aiding all these speedy playmakers will be what should be the best offensive line Meyer has assembled yet. Three starters are back and so is former starter Phil Trautwein, who missed last year with an injury. Maurkice Pouncey started 11 games last season as a true freshman and is quickly becoming one of the best centers in the league. There are also a handful of talented sophomores to provide quality depth, which always comes in handy in the trenches.

Overall, there’s no reason this offense won’t continue to light up scoreboards, even in the defensive minded SEC. Ideally somebody will step up (USC transfer Emmanuel Moody maybe?) and take some of the pressure off Tim Tebow in the running game, but it doesn’t really matter. Florida will score points.

DEFENSE
The talent and speed (there’s that word again!) on this roster is without peer, but the Gators will need to tighten up the defense if they want to make another run at the national title. Eight starters return and the depth chart is littered with sophomores and juniors, so potentially this will be a unit to be reckoned with in the very near future.

The defensive line will benefit from the addition of Dan McCarney to the coaching staff. McCarney, the former Iowa State head coach, is a fantastic line coach who comes over from South Florida where defensive end George Selvie turned into an All American under his tutelage. The anticipation on the Florida campus is that super-sophomore Carlos Dunlap will have the same kind of emergence in 2008.

The defensive tackle rotation is already stout, but incoming freshman Omar Hunter was all Urban Meyer could talk about this spring. That means Hunter will probably be seeing the field sooner rather than later, and he could have a significant impact on a defense that could use a little more physicality.

This group of linebackers has the potential to become one of the best in the nation. Middle linebacker Brandon Spikes plays fast and furious and led the team with 131 tackles in ’07. He also chipped in 16 tackles for loss. Dustin Doe adds even more athleticism and A.J. Jones rounds out the starting lineup. As with every other position on this Florida team, there is an exciting up-and-coming star providing depth off the bench. Brandon Hicks was a top recruit a year ago and gained limited experience as a true freshman. Look for him to take the next step in his development.

The secondary is where the Florida defense was let down the most in 2007. The Gators finished last in the SEC by giving up 258.5 passing yards per game, and they only picked off 11 passes all season. With three of four starters returning, those numbers should improve. Safety Major Wright stepped onto the scene as a true freshman a year ago and showed experience beyond his years. Look for him to take a leadership role this year as he establishes himself as one of the best in the league.

KEEP AN EYE ON
The defense. There is no excuse for this unit not to come up with more key stops than they did a year ago. There is too much talent up and down the roster to accept another 9-4 season, so it is imperative that the defense show improvement.

RISING STAR
Umm, the entire roster? Players like Chris Rainey, Carlos Dunlap, and Omar Hunter will all make names for themselves this year. There are another half dozen or so behind those three too.

BP25- #12 Tennessee Volunteers

Gotta love Rocky Top. Philip Fulmer is back amid the calls for his reign to be over, but I like Icons and Phil is a Icon. With a record of 147-45 in the tough SEC, this guy should be able to coach till he drops. ie JoePA. I know he hasn't won a National Championship since Tee Martin(Sorry Manning), but to put up at least 8 wins in the last 7 of the last 8 years, that is saying something. So Rocky Tops get off his back!

Now onto the review they lose the veteran Erik Ainge who is battling for a spot with the Jets. I think they signed some old guy from S Miss so I think he has a shot. But Jonathan Crompton is more the capable of taking over. Arian Foster comes back to anchor the backfield but watch out for Lennon Creer, very fast. The WR return basically intact from last year, with Lucas Taylor, Josh Briscoe and Austin Rodgers all very solid. The OL which always seems to be a strength returns 4 starters and and boasts a line average of 6'4 315.

Defensively they lose Jerod Mayo(who the Patriots will love) and Johnathan Hefney(who seemed to be there for 10 years) to the pros but have very capable replacements. Rico Suave McCoy brings his 106 tackles back as long as Strong Safety Eric Berry the superfrosh last year. The defense will be solid but by SEC standards average. Schedule wise they open with @ UCLA, Rick Neuheisel debut, but other then that the non conference is easy and when have a SEC schedule you need to be easy on non conference scheduling. This year the Gators and Bama are the only big hitters that will come to Rocky Top and what a statement game it will be vs the Gators who have won the last 3 and a 59-20 blowout last year. But the road is brutal going at Auburn, at Georgia and at S Carolina. So this is a good Tennessee team but as always will finish with about a split in SEC play which is good enough for me to garner a #12 ranking.

JP25 - #8 AUBURN

The recent story of Auburn football has gone something like this: play consistently great defense; squeeze just enough out of an anemic offense to stay in games; rely on solid special teams to win games; lose the defensive coordinator to Texas. That’s definitely not a bad plan because Auburn has been mighty successful the past few years, but Tommy Tuberville finally decided he didn’t want to lean as hard on the defense as he has and brought in new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin to run the spread offense. This change is the first dramatic shift in philosophy at Auburn in quite some time and it might be just the shot of energy the program needs to compete for another national title.

OFFENSE
Franklin’s offense at Troy averaged 452.8 yards per game (a full 117.5 yards per game more than Auburn in 2007) and utilized athleticism out of the quarterback spot as a weapon. The transition is made easier by the fact that he came on board prior to the Peach Bowl last season began installing the offense for that game.

It also helps to have all five starting offensive linemen back. One reason for the Tigers lack of offense in ’07 was the fact that three true freshmen started on the line. Tackles Lee Ziemba and Ryan Pugh, as well as guard Chaz Ramsey gained valuable experience last season competing in the best conference in America. They’ll anchor the unit this year.

Kodi Burns played extensively in the Peach Bowl last season and seems to have a leg up on the quarterback job thanks to his impressive running ability. However, junior college transfer Chris Todd, who started his career at Texas Tech, is a much better passer and was tutored by Franklin in high school. Right now it looks like both will see significant action this year, depending on whose skills apply best to specific game situations.

Running back has been a strength at Auburn for a while now, and this season should be no exception. Ben Tate fits the mold of recent successful backs here and he amassed 903 yards and 8 tds a year ago. Senior Brad Lester provides excellent depth. Sophomore Mario Fannin will be used as an all purpose threat in the new offense thanks to his athleticism and receiving skills.

Fannin might be counted on heavily in the passing game because wide receiver is a question mark. Rodgeriqus Smith (52 receptions for 705 yards, 5 tds) is back for his senior year, but nobody else has shown much promise yet. There will undoubtedly be more passes thrown this season so somebody needs to step up.

DEFENSE
The Auburn defense was fantastic in 2007 when they allowed an SEC best 16.9 points per game. It will be up to new defensive coordinator Paul Rhodes – who comes over after spending time at the same position at Pitt for the last eight years – to keep up the production.

Despite some key losses up front, there’s no shortage of talent on maintain this unit’s standing as one of the most disruptive D-Lines around. Stump Thompson, Quentin Groves, and Pat Sims were fine players, but their departure only means it’s time for Sen’Derrick Marks and Antonio Coleman to step into the spotlight. JC transfer Raven Gray was highly sought after in recruiting so he’ll probably end up starting on the other end opposite Coleman, which gives the Tigers one of the better pass rush tandems in the SEC.

Tray Blackmon has the playmaking ability to become one of the best linebackers in the nation. He’s super-athletic, has a nose for the football, and will play the middle ‘backer spot. In Rhodes’ defense this position has traditionally been very productive, and Blackmon has as much raw talent as anybody he’s coached.

In the secondary the Tigers will start two juniors and two sophomores, but there is enough experience between the four that the pass defense will continue to be top notch. Strong safety Zac Etheridge was second on the team in tackles (65) as a freshman last season and free safety Mike McNeil managed to rack up 35 tackles while seeing action in every game as a true freshman. To make room for McNeil, Aairon Savage moves over to cornerback where he’ll team with Jerraud Powers (63 tackles, 4 interceptions) to form a solid coverage duo.

KEEP AN EYE ON
Mario Fannin – if you can. Tony Franklin will try to get this speedster the ball in a variety of ways. With limited depth at receiver, Fannin might end up playing a big role in the new offense.

RISING STAR
Tray Blackmon. Blackmon has all the potential in the world. If he keeps his head on straight he’ll be fun to watch flying all over the football field this fall.

JP25 - #12 LSU

To say LSU has some holes to fill would be an understatement. The defending national champs not only lose ace defensive coordinator Bo Pelini and several key playmakers, they also must find a replacement for QB Ryan Perrilloux who was kicked off the team over the summer. Don’t cry for the Tigers though because there is still plenty of talent on the roster to make a run at the SEC crown.

OFFENSE
Question number one is obviously the quarterback. With the dismissal of Perrilloux, who would have brought another dimension to this offense, the job falls to either Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch or freshman Jarrett Lee. Neither player has the look of a future star so the job will probably go to whoever can take care of the ball and make the fewest mistakes.

Another question mark in the backfield is whether or not one of the three talented tailbacks will finally step up to be more than just an occasional threat. Keiland Williams, Charles Scott, and Richard Murphy have all shown flashes of brilliance in their careers, but all three remained on the sidelines in 2007 while Jacob Hester took the meaningful snaps. Hester was a steady back, but he doesn't have near the size or speed of the other three. It's up to one of these guys to step up and show the coaching staff he can be counted on consistently. Williams will get the first shot, but I think Scott is the best of the group.

The good news is that four starters return to an offensive line that paved the way for the second ranked scoring offense in the SEC in 2007. Left tackle Ciron Black and left guard Herman Johnson are All America candidates, and rising sophomore Joseph Barksdale - who played last year as a true freshman - might be an All America candidate in the very near future. This should be one of the best offensive lines in the nation, which puts them in the running for one of the first two Gold Wrenches.

There are also no problems at wideout where, even with the loss off Early Doucet, the Bayou Bengals will boast one of the best group of receivers in the SEC. Brandon LaFell gets all the press and all-conference mention, but Demetrius Byrd is actually the better overall receiver. There's also sophomore Terrance Toliver, who displayed impressive athleticism in a limited role a year ago, and true freshman DeAngelo Benton. The dependable Richard Dickson also returns at tight end. With the receiving corps and the offensive line in the shape they are in, whoever wins the quarterback job will be given every opportunity to succeed.

DEFENSE
Despite losing All-World defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, the defensive line in Baton Rouge should again be excellent. LSU has an embarrassment of riches up front that even some NFL teams would envy. Kirston Pittman, who was awarded a medical redshirt year by the NCAA, and Tyson Jackson form a solid pair of pass rushing ends, but it's at tackle where the depth and talent is really impressive. Marlon Favorite and Charles Alexander are extremely athletic and can cause disruptions against even the best offensive lines. Ricky Jean-Francois is listed as a backup - but he might be the most talented player on the whole team! Al Woods and Drake Nevis round out the rotation of defensive tackles. In case you weren't counting, that's five DTs on the roster that could play just about anywhere else in the nation.

The talent doesn't end there. Darry Beckwith slides over to play middle linebacker this year where he will shine. The senior has been underrated his whole career while playing in the shadow of Ali Highsmith, but I think he'll be better than Highsmith. Sophomore Kelvin Sheppard is another athletically gifted linebacker who will be turned loose on opposing defenses this year. Sheppard takes over the starting job on the weakside.

There are questions in the secondary however. You don't lose two corners like Chevis Jackson and Jonathan Zenon, who started together for three years, and not take a step back. I believe sophomore Jai Eugene will be an excellent replacement in the long run, but the other corner spot is completely up for grabs. Luckily there will be an upgrade athletically at safety where emerging star Chad Jones steps in for the departed Craig Steltz. Steltz produced (101 tackles, 6 interceptions, each tops on the team), but Jones has a much higher upside.

The biggest question facing the defense is the loss of defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. Pelini has made a name for himself everywhere he has gone and he leaves some rather large shoes to fill. Even with all the talent on hand it will be difficult to get the same production out of this unit that Pelini was able to get (2nd best rush defense in the SEC; 3rd best pass defense and total defense in the nation).

KEEP AN EYE ON
The offensive backfield and the new cornerbacks. The rest of the team is loaded, so how these skill positions (QB, RB, CB) perform will determine whether LSU wins 9 games or defends their national title. Les Miles got lucky on several gambles last season. That won't happen again, so that makes these big question marks. I think they will be closer to a 9-win team than to a legit national title contender, but keep an eye on these spots and make the call yourself.

RISING STAR
Defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois. Francois played in only two games last year, but they just so happened to be the SEC title game and the BCS National Championship. He was the best player on the field in both games so if he can keep his academics in order he'll be in the running for all kinds of awards and have the attention of NFL scouts everywhere.

2008 Games To Watch

If you only have 10 hours this whole season to sit down and watch football, these are three games you should watch. Not only will these games have a direct effect on the national title race, they will each feature some of college football's most storied programs competing at their highest level.

September 13
Ohio State at USC
In case you haven't heard, Ohio State is taking a little trip out west early this season. This is a rare non-conference matchup between two teams that have legitimate national title aspirations. Ohio State has been embarrassed by SEC teams in the past two national championship games - will USC's speed be able to do the same?
Early hedge: Ohio State won't be run off the field again. Although USC has the speed of those SEC teams, they don't have the same experience. In this September matchup, Ohio State's ball control offense and loaded defense will be enough to keep them in the game and take the crowd out of it.

October 11
Texas vs Oklahoma
Everybody knows the recent history of this rivalry. Bob Stoops owns Mack Brown. This game has determined the Big XII South champion for the last several seasons, and it has also played a role in the national title picture as well. 2008 will be no exception. The athleticism on the field will be impressive.
Early hedge: Oklahoma will be the favorite heading into this game. It was the same story last season and Texas hung with the Sooners to the final gun. Texas has improved this off-season, but has Oklahoma?

November 1
Florida vs Georgia
This one is so big it has the potential to go down as one of the most legendary showdowns since KITT battled KARR on national television. After last year's showdown produced a team celebration on the field after Georgia scored their first touchdown, and a written response from Urban Meyer in his book, there should be no shortage of buildup for this game.
Early hedge: These two teams are just good enough that the game on the field might actually surpass the immense hype. This will be a game where you can just sit back and enjoy two teams playing at their peaks because neither one wants to lose to the other. I can't wait for this one.

SEC - RB Rankings

1. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia

Moreno quickly established himself as one of the best running backs in the nation as a true freshman in 2007. He's a fantastic back with great vision and burst, but even his talent is surpassed by the spark he brings to the huddle. He was one of the biggest reasons for Georgia's turnaround last season because of his leadership and confidence. That's no small feat for a true freshman, especially in the SEC. Moreno is a big part of why Georgia is a consensus top 3 team heading into the 2008 season.

2. Terry Grant, Alabama
3. Ben Tate, Auburn
4. Derrick Locke, Kentucky
5. Arian Foster, Tennessee

KEEP AN EYE ON
Chris Rainey, Florida
His spring game performance is why he's already a candidate for the Sayers Trophy.

Charles Scott, LSU
One of the trio of tailbacks in Baton Rouge has to finally establish himself as the feature back. From what I've seen of the three, Scott has the most physical ability.

JP25 - #15 TENNESSEE

Despite the fact that Tennessee won 10 games and the SEC East crown and return 14 starters, the Vols aren't getting nearly as much love from the national media as division mates Florida and Georgia. Tennessee, armed with new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson, is once again positioned so that they'll be there to steal the division should Florida's defense let them down again and Georgia's ridiculous schedule gets the best of the Dawgs.

OFFENSE
Clawson's arrival is the big news in Knoxville. He will inject elements of the spread into Tennessee's stale offense, which has more than just the fans excited. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton has waited patiently behind the departed Erik Ainge for two years and he'll be the first quarterback to run the new, potentially very quarterback-friendly offense. In filling in for an ailing Ainge two seasons ago, Crompton displayed complete confidence in his abilities and a command of the huddle that frankly surpassed even Ainge at the time. Crompton isn't as physically gifted as Ainge, but he's more than ready to step up and make a name for himself.

Another player excited about the new offense is sophomore wide receiver Gerald Jones. Jones got in nine games a year ago as a true freshman, but only touched the ball 19 times. Look for that number to increase dramatically this season because Clawson has installed a whole package called the "G-Gun" for Jones to take snaps at quarterback. The idea is to get the ball in the hands of their best playmaker as many ways and as often as possible.

One of the biggest reasons for optimism in Knoxville is the return of all five starters on the offensive line. First-team All American Anthony Parker headlines a unit that only allowed 4 sacks(!) all season, so you know the pass protection in the new scheme will be top notch.

In the backfield Arian Foster is back after rushing for 1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2007. Foster is a stead back who produces (he's poised to break several school records), but honestly he doesn't inspire fear in the hearts of opposing defenses. Montario Hardesty is a thunderous back with potential, but as of now he appears relegated to "wait your turn" status behind the senior Foster. It's too bad LaMarcus Coker messed up off the field and got kicked off the team because he could have been a fantastic feature back for the Vols.

DEFENSE
There's reason for optimism on the defensive side of the ball as well. Top defender Jerod Mayo (140 tackles) took his services to the NFL and the Vols gave up 27.3 points per game (10th in the SEC), but a totally revamped secondary, one that might end up being the best in the conference, should lead the way in turning things around.

Any talk of the Tennessee secondary has to start with safety Eric Berry. As a true freshman last season Berry came in and made his presence felt right away, picking off 5 passes and chipping in 85 tackles. He has already established himself as one of the best defensive backs in the SEC, but look for him to rise to All America status this year.

Brent Vinson is another player who saw action as a true freshman in Tennessee's secondary in '07, starting 10 games at cornerback. He's back, but he'll have to hold off stiff competition from the likes of Marsalous Johnson (started the first 7 games last season prior to getting hurt), Antonio Gaines (started the first 2 games prior to injury), DeAngelo Willingham, and kick return specialist Dennis Rogan in order to keep his starting job. If that isn't enough experience for you, the Vols also get stud safety Demetrice Morley back too. Morley was a force in 2006, but missed last season due to academics. All told, the Vols have eight talented DBs with significant game experience who Phil Fulmer can count on.

There are questions in the front seven however. Rico McCoy is back at linebacker, but Mayo's presence in the lineup will definitely be missed. Somebody on the defensive line will need to step up and provide a pass rush. The lack of a pass rush has really hindered the defense in recent seasons, so somebody like senior Robert Ayers or highly touted sophomore Ben Martin has to get to the quarterback or it won't matter how good the secondary is.

KEEP AN EYE ON
I want to say the pass rush, but everyone knows offense is where the excitement is. I'm as curious as anybody to see just how wide open the new scheme is compared to previous Fulmer squads. But you should keep you eye on whether the pass rush improves or not when that offense is on the sidelines.

RISING STAR
Gerald Jones. If the new offense is a hit, the all-purpose Jones will be a big reason why. He has the athleticism to be a difference maker and Fulmer/Clawson appear committed to getting him the pigskin.

BP25-#22 Alabama Crimson Tide

As my counterpart continues his uzi like assault on college football analysis, it is time for me to catch up so here is a quick review of my rankings:

#22-Alabama Crimson Tide:

I look for the Nick Saban stamp on things to continue to improve in Tuscaloosa, another solid recruiting class and another year with JPW(John Parker Wilson). Terry Grant should step up this year as he has pushed his competition to the OLB job(Jimmy Johns moves) and despite losing all 3 top recievers, Me and Julio Jones will be down by the touchdown yard this year(old Paul Simon reference). Rolando McCain and JJohns should improve the overall speed on the defense and should show a gradual improvement with Saban's guys showing up.

Schedule wise they start out with this year's sweetheart darkhorse pick Clemson, which should be a fantastic game in Hotlanta. As far as SEC they have to go to Georgia(where they lost in OT last year in Tuscaloosa), at Tennessee(who they blew out last year 41-17), at LSU(Sure the Jungle Tiger is licking his chops to get Saban back to see what he gave up) and wrap up with Rival Auburn which will be tougher this year now that Auburn has a QB. So Tide fans the road looks tough but with 4 tough games they should finish with a strong record.

JP25 - #22 SOUTH CAROLINA

Steve Spurrier heaped big expectations on his team heading into the 2007 season. After a 6-1 start that included a victory at Georgia it looked like he might have been right about declaring the Gamecocks ready to win the SEC East. But the injuries piled up and an inability to stop the run led to five straight losses to close the season. SC didn't even manage to grab a bowl berth.

Offense- This definitely isn't the Spurrier offenses of old. In fact, the only thing reminiscent of his days in The Swamp is the fact that nobody has any idea who is going to be quarterbacking this team. Stephen Garcia would appear to be the most able player at the position, but he keeps getting in trouble and is currently suspended from the team. That leaves Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher to compete for the job. Beecher was named the starter coming out of spring practices, but that may simply be because Smelley isn't an SEC-caliber quarterback. Is Beecher? We'll find out.

The receiving corps will at least be a little more experienced this season, led by the dynamite senior Kenny McKinley and tight end Jared Cook. McKinley is truly one of the elite receivers in the SEC, and he'll bail out whoever is playing QB more often than not. Cook is one of the best pass catching tight ends in the nation as well. There are a host of other receivers who got a year of experience under their belt in 2007, so it would be nice if one established himself as a reliable #2 wideout.

The loss of Cory Boyd at running back leaves a big hole to fill. Boyd was a tough runner with a good burst, and good enough hands to haul in 36 passes on the season. Senior Mike Davis will get first shot at replacing him, but he's nowhere near the player Boyd was. Spurrier needs either sophomore Brian Maddox or freshman Eric Baker to step up and fill the void or it is going to be that much tougher on the quarterback.

The Gamecocks should be in better shape up front. Last season's instability, which included rotating players in and out of the lineup at multiple positions, means that eight linemen return with starting experience. They should be sorted out and much more consistent in '08. They'll need to be with the question marks in the backfield.

Defense- As hard as this is to believe, the defense will probably be the backbone of this Spurrier team. The Gamecocks gave up loads of real estate on the ground in 2007 (209 yards per game, which ranked last in the SEC and 110th in the nation), but they suffered several injuries up front, and have brought in new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson from Mississippi State. Johnson shuffled some players around to better utilize their strengths, and stud Jasper Brinkley returns after missing the majority of last season due to injury.

The linebacking corps might actually be one of the best in the conference. Brinkley should be an all-SEC candidate, as he was well on his way to becoming last season before he got hurt. There's no way he lets this defense give up over 200 yards per game on the ground again. Eric Norwood stepped into the spotlight in 2007 as a defensive end, but he was moved to outside linebacker in the spring to give him more freedom to roam and make plays. Rodney Paulk and Marvin Sapp each had over 60 tackles in '07 and might not even secure the other starting spot.

The defensive line is bolstered by the return of Jordin Lindsey, who was ineligible last year, and Cliff Matthews, who moved from linebacker. These two pass rushers should be a nice complement to a trio of tackles that will rotate in order to stay fresh. Nathan Pepper and Marque Hall were two other players hobbled by injuries last year who should help bolster this unit against opposing running games.

Even if the front seven suffers as many injuries as they did last season, the defense is still in good hands with a secondary that returns two more All-SEC candidates. Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn not only has one of the coolest names in the nation, he also is one of the better playmakers in the SEC. And if his ballhawking skills don't scare you, strong safety Emanuel Cook's hard hitting and sure tackling should. Cook is one of the best safeties in the SEC and the next tackle he misses will be his first. These two combined to lead SC as the top pass defense in the SEC, where they gave up only 169 yards per game.

If the defense can avoid the same injuries it accumulated in 2007, there is no reason for this defense not to be one of the better units in the SEC. There are stars at every level of the defense, and as many as five players with All-League capability.

Rising Star- Defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye.

Keep An Eye On- Improvements in the front seven on defense, especially against the run.