SEC Football: High or Low with AP Preseason Poll

By John Richardson | Aug 21, 2016

Dec 5, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; The Southeastern Conference logo is seen at midfield at the Georgia Dome. The Alabama Crimson Tide plays the Missouri Tigers in the SEC Championship on Saturday. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

The AP Poll was released Sunday and includes 6 SEC football teams. We take a look to play high or low with the SEC football teams ranked in the poll.

For those that are unfamiliar with ‘high or low,’ it is a very simple and fun concept. In a nutshell, one tries to identify if a team’s ranking is too high or low based on their perception of how that team will perform in the upcoming season. I’m only one opinion, so feel free to make your thoughts known in the comments section below. While we did the same for the Coaches Poll, we thought it’d be fun to look at the AP Poll as well.

Again, we’ll be using the 6 SEC football teams that are ranked in the poll. You can find the full list here.

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama has a loaded linebacker group and their defense will be just fine. While I feel like their backfield questions should warrant them being lower, I can’t do that. Most importantly because Saban has proven his Tide to be at the top as long as he’s there.

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Verdict: No change

#5 LSU Tigers

LSU will recruit well under Miles and win at least 8. I think they’ll be a bust this season, however. I have zero faith in the quarterback situation or in Cam Cameron to fix it. Because expectations are so high, be prepared for LSU to have a new coach in 2016.

Verdict: High (severe)

#9 Tennessee

I think their schedule will allow them to win 9-10 games. More importantly, though, I don’t feel like they’re a top 10 team. At least not on talent. If they played in the SEC West, I’d rank them in the top 20, but nowhere 10th.

Verdict: High (slight)

#12 Ole Miss

While Tennessee’s schedule affords them several easy games, Ole Miss has no such luxury. Their schedule could see them lose to 3 teams that rank inside the top 18 in the season’s opening month. If that happens, I wonder how the Rebels would respond after such high expectations.

Verdict: Low (slight)

#18 Georgia

Kirby Smart knows how to coach an elite defense, and that’s all he’ll need to finish in the top 2 in the SEC East. Although Georgia probably isn’t a top 20 team in 2016, their schedule will allow them to have the record of one.

Verdict: Low (severe)

must read: South Carolina's 2016 QB Battle

#25 Florida

Everyone seems to be sleeping on Florida. Due to their offensive ineptitude in 2015, many chalk their season up as a fluke. The only place games matter, though, is on the scoreboard. Florida will have a better season than just being at #25.

Verdict: Low (severe)