SEC West: Projecting the Order of Finish (July)
July 4th has passed, the unofficial date the kicks off the countdown to the upcoming college football season. As such, it’s time to start projecting how the SEC will finish in three sentences or less, beginning with the SEC West.
7. Arkansas
Bret Bielema has a ton to replace on the offensive side of the ball. Gone are Hunter Henry, Alex Collins and Brandon Allen — with each leaving a gaping hole. Arkansas’s 2015 defense didn’t inspire, leaving them little hope of winning the SEC West in 2016.
6. Auburn
I hate doing this, as I believe the best time to bet on Auburn is when everyone is betting against them. If John Franklin is a legit SEC West quarterback, all bets are off. But Auburn has their third defensive coordinator in as many seasons.
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5. Mississippi State
Dan Mullen has his work cut out for him in replacing SEC West legend Dak Prescott. This is one of the years he has to be extra grateful to have Kentucky on the schedule every year. Mullen always keeps the Bulldogs out of the basement, though.
4. Texas A&M
Auburn and the Aggies scare me, as they are absolutely loaded with talent (even by the standards of the SEC West). Their defense will be improved and I think Trevor Knight will get them off to a fast start. He didn’t cut it at Oklahoma for a reason, though.
3. Ole Miss
The Rebels return the best quarterback in both the SEC West and SEC, which will help them offset the offensive losses of Tunsil and Treadwell. Until their identity changes, bet on the Rebels beating one of the two teams ahead of them but losing a game they shouldn’t. I’d pick any of the top 3 teams in the SEC West to win the SEC East, though.
2. LSU
The Tigers are absolutely loaded with NFL talent, which is why many are picking them to win the SEC West. Until Brandon Harris proves he is capable of running an offense, though, my bet will be against the Tigers. Les Miles will be back, though, as the talent of the Tigers will lead them to 10 wins without a quarterback.
must read: Why the Aggies Will Bounce Back Quicker than Tigers
1. Alabama
Not having a quarterback going into the season seems to impact every team but Alabama. Saban’s Tide have had new quarterbacks entering the last two seasons, and survived early season losses to win the SEC West. This will be their least experienced backfield in quite some time, though.
Until someone is able to knock off Alabama, they have to be the favorite in the SEC West. Ole Miss has beaten them twice in a row, but has been unable to capitalize and win the division. Things could change this month, though, so I reserve the right to change my predictions come August.
