2011 College Football Conference Previews- The SEC
The SEC has to be considered the power house conference of the six majors with a five-year streak of producing a National Champion. Last year it was Auburn’s turn after Alabama won it in 2009. Florida won the title two times in 2006 and 2008 with LSU getting its turn in 2007. Heading into this season, the favorites to win the SEC will also be among the favorites to win the BCS, but as usual it will be battle of survival to see which team actually comes out on top.
The following is a brief preview of each team in the SEC along with their current odds to win the conference as provided by BetUS.com.
East Division
Florida +175
Will Muschamp takes over for the retired Urban Meyer as the Gators’ head coach and will be faced with returning the program to its lofty ranks after finishing 8-5 overall last season and just 4-4 in the conference. Charlie Weis takes over the offense and will switch back to more of a pro set that will better suit the abilities of starting quarterback John Brantley. Just two starter’s return on defense, but Florida should still benefit from the lingering effects of Meyer’s recruiting efforts.
Georgia +500
If the Bulldogs are going to have any chance to move back up into the elite of the SEC they will need a huge effort from QB Aaron Murray. The defense returns eight starters from last year’s team and should benefit from another season in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme. They also have a wealth of talent ready to move up from a couple of very strong recruiting classes.
Kentucky +6000
The Wildcats return the bulk of their offensive line, but will be starting from scratch when it comes to the skill positions. QB Morgan Newton is expected to get the nod as the new starter and RB Raymond Sanders is currently slated to get the bulk of the carries, but it could turn into a backfield by committee as the season progresses. There is a bit more stability on defense with the entire secondary intact from last year.
South Carolina +650
The old ball coach Steve Spurrier is coming off his best season as the Gamecocks head coach, but he has his work cut out for him in 2011 with just 13 starters returning a squad that went 9-5 and won the SEC-East. It also does not help that QB Stephen Garcia is currently serving a second team suspension and remains questionable heading into this season. The one bright spot is that All-American RB Marcus Lattimore is back and poised for an even bigger year after running for 1,197 yards in 2010.
Tennessee +1200
The Volunteers have fallen on some hard times as of late capped off with a 6-7 record last season. Hopefully some stability at head coach with Derek Dooley entering his second season, will translate to some additional wins on the field. Tennessee does return seven starters including three All-Conference players on defense and was encouraged by freshman QB Tyler Bray’s performance in relief of Matt Simms last season.
Vanderbilt +15000
As the longest of longshots in the conference, the Commodores have nowhere to go but up after a 2-10 campaign last year and a 28-14 victory over Ole Miss as their only win in the conference. The prospect for any kind of a dramatic turnaround looks bleak, but with the entire starting offensive unit back, another year’s experience could result in a few more wins.
West Division
Alabama +165
The Crimson Tide have been anointed by many as the toast of the conference this year and the most likely candidate to continue the string of national champions to come out of the SEC. This lofty ranking is not without merit considering that seven starters return on offense and 10 starters return on defense from last season’s 10-3 club. RB Trent Richardson will become the fulltime featured back and WR’s Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze will combine to fill the shoes of the departed Julio Jones.
Arkansas +1200
This is a team that will waiting in the wings in case Alabama and LSU should both falter, but with the loss of five starters on offense including QB Ryan Mallett, the Razorbacks could have their work cut out for them to step up and fill the void. The defense remains fairly intact with seven starters back, including three All-Conference selections and should be able to keep Arkansas competitive against anyone it faces.
Auburn +1500
Last season’s national champions not only lost its Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Cam Newton but 13 other starters from the 2010 squad. There is still a wealth of young talent on this team, but the 2011 season will most likely be used as a precursor to another title run in 2012. The front seven on defense remain the strength of this team, but there are some serious question marks with a secondary that will have several new faces in the lineup.
LSU +300
The Tigers return nine starters on offense and seven starters on defense from a team that went 11-2 and was ranked 11th in the nation in points allowed; giving up just 18.2 points a game. The starting quarterback position is still up in the air, but it appears that Jordan Jefferson has the inside track. Spencer Ware should get the bulk of the carries out of the backfield, but there are quite a few other backs that should get their fair share of carries as well.
Mississippi +3000
Ole Miss sunk to a new low last season with a loss to Vanderbilt on its way to a 4-8 record overall and an even more disheartening 1-7 record in conference play. The Rebels do return nine starters from last year’s team but have major question marks at the quarterback position with three different players vying for the starting role. Defensively, seven starters return from a unit that gave up an average of 35.2 points a game.
Mississippi State +1200
The Bulldogs went 9-4 overall last year, but all four losses were in the conference. In order to have any chance to compete this year they will need a big-time effort from QB Chris Relf and RB Vick Ballard. Both these players showed tremendous potential last season, but will need to elevate their game to a much higher level in order to have any chance to compete for the West title. The defense lost its entire linebacking corps but the secondary and defensive line remain fairly intact.
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