2014 college football season

[dew1679666265]

I think pitiful is pretty strong for the sec east who ended last year with two teams in the top 5. And going by rivals turned in recruiting rankings of 5, 7, 8, 16, 17, 34, 49.

 

Florida can vomit all over themselves and still have huge talent hauls every year. They had an injury filled lightening struck them kind of year last year and I expect them to be strong once again. When the [expletive] teams in your division include Florida and Tennessee (who knocked off USC last year) I don't think you can call it pitiful.

 

It's arguable the second best major conference division in the FBS. Things can chane quickly for a school like Florida that has tons of talent in place just like it did for Auburn. There are 2 or 3 teams out of 7 that could potentially get into the playoff this year so no it's not pitiful.

 

The problem is, the two teams who finished in the top 5 last year may be the only ones who finish above .500. UGA probably will as well, but they've had a lot of losses (including a huge one in Aaron Murray) and that defense was already weak at best last year. I could easily see this playing out:

 

SC: 11-1

Mizz: 10-2

UGA: 8-4

Tenn: 6-6

UF: 5-7

Vandy: 5-7

UK: 3-9

 

There's some optimistic booking there and doesn't include one or more of the teams getting upset. 4 out of 7 teams being .500 or worse is pretty pitiful for an SEC conference.

 

As for Florida, Muschamp is going to have to prove he's good enough to turn this team around. I'm not sold at all that the recruiting classes have developed properly - for the first time in a couple of decades they looked slow and bad last year - and Muschamp is incapable of/unwilling to adjust his system to fit the players on the field.

 

Tennessee has quite a lot of young talent at the skill positions and though they're unproven, I think we'll get quality contributions out of guys like Jalen Hurd and Josh Malone. That said, the defensive line is brand new and the offensive line has 1 guy who's started a game (Marcus Jackson) in college. We've got a bright future if Butch and staff are better than I think they are on the field, but this year we'll do well to win 6 games. Last year's Tennessee team was considerably better than this year's - QB and CB were the only positions of question last year and both lines were very, very good going into the year. We did beat SC, but we also lost to 4-8 Florida (thanks Butch) and Vandy and nearly lost to South Alabama.

[OleMissCub]

I wagered UK to cover the win total spread of 3.5. I have them at 4/5 wins depending on how they do against Miss ST.

 

Not sure if you watched the game last year against Miss St but y'all would have won it if not for a shoe string tackle made by a Bulldog safety during Kentucky's last possession.

[NOLA]

 

 

SC: 11-1

Mizz: 10-2

UGA: 8-4

Tenn: 6-6

UF: 5-7

Vandy: 5-7

UK: 3-9

That's about how I see it, although UGA is a question mark for me. Everywhere is solid enough at least, except the new QB.

 

I loved what I saw out of Worley for you guys last year until he hurt his hand. Tenn may surprise.

[dew1679666265]

That's about how I see it, although UGA is a question mark for me. Everywhere is solid enough at least, except the new QB.

 

I'm just not sure UGA has enough playmakers, especially on defense, to overcome a questionable QB situation. Gurley is about the only elite player they have out there. That said, they're the toughest to place for me. I could see an argument that they're going to go 10-2 and I could buy an argument that they'll go 5-7.

 

I loved what I saw out of Worley for you guys last year until he hurt his hand. Tenn may surprise.

 

In Jim Chaney's offensive scheme, I think Worley had a future. In Butch's spread option offense, I think he's just too limited. I think Josh Dobbs should win the starting job and hold it all year. Give him the ball, let him run with it and see if he's the guy or if you need to get Nathan Peterman ready for 2015.

[UK1679666180]

I wagered UK to cover the win total spread of 3.5. I have them at 4/5 wins depending on how they do against Miss ST.

 

Not sure if you watched the game last year against Miss St but y'all would have won it if not for a shoe string tackle made by a Bulldog safety during Kentucky's last possession.

 

That game as well as the one where they almost upset USC were their 2 best games of the season. 2nd year in the system with more talent from a solid class with the majority of the starters returning. Hopefully, we'll get to see more of the Texas Tech offense with an improved defense to take that next step. If they get 4-5 wins, it'll hopefully go from hopeless where it's at now to maybe soon they'll sneak into a 6-6 bowl eligibility (Music City/Independence) in a year or two.

[Ryne Ween]

I don't think the SEC should sleep on Florida. Texas wanted to give Muschamp the job 5 years ago and Florida has a pretty well respected AD who keeps giving Muschamp a vote of confidence. As a USC fan, I'm not looking at the game in Gainesville this year as an easy out. It will at the very least be a one score spread type game that Florida can easily win. They had tons of injuries last year and the previous year, the 2012 team, had a bunch of marquee wins including a vicious beat down of South Carolina.

 

I don't know how you can look at the SEC and not include Florida among the top teams in the conference going into next year. I'd put them on par with Georgia, Ole Miss or Mizzou going into next year a step below the top tier of Bama, Auburn, LSU and South Carolina. Granted that second tier might end up with a better year than The top tier, but my prediction would be Florida finishes as about the fifth or sixth best team in the SEC.

 

Georgia of course could also be the best team. Gurley is probably the best player in the conference and Richt has graduate David Greene, Shockley, Stafford and Aaron Murray in his tenure and they seem to always come back with another great passer. Apparently the offensive line projects to be poor but who knows.

 

Then you also have Tennessee and it could be their year to turn it back around. They have as good a home field as anybody and if th program gets momentum they easily could return as an annual power starting this year. With other teams that are improving like Ole Miss.

[Guest]

I don't know how you can look at the SEC and not include Florida among the top teams in the conference going into next year.

 

I bet you can come up with why.

 

Florida will definitely have talent and should be better than last year's trainwreck for health reasons alone, but when you have a crummy coach it's not very difficult to predict continued underachievement. Plus their schedule this year is brutal with Bama and LSU to go along with the other 3 East contenders. Bama is the only roadie which is nice, but it's pretty easy to forecast at least 3 losses there, which combined with the chance of a slip up(@UT?) and a trip to Tallahassee puts a pretty hard cap on how good a year they can have.

 

As for Tennessee, they may be better, but for a team returning 0 of 10 starting linemen, I'm not going to predict any type of breakout.

[OleMissCub]

As for Tennessee, they may be better, but for a team returning 0 of 10 starting linemen, I'm not going to predict any type of breakout.

 

Yep, you simply cannot win without being competitive in the trenches. That said they will probably inexplicably beat the Rebels in Oxford.

[Ryne Ween]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

[George Hayduke]

I think pitiful is pretty strong for the sec east who ended last year with two teams in the top 5. And going by rivals turned in recruiting rankings of 5, 7, 8, 16, 17, 34, 49.

 

Florida can vomit all over themselves and still have huge talent hauls every year. They had an injury filled lightening struck them kind of year last year and I expect them to be strong once again. When the [expletive] teams in your division include Florida and Tennessee (who knocked off USC last year) I don't think you can call it pitiful.

 

It's arguable the second best major conference division in the FBS. Things can chane quickly for a school like Florida that has tons of talent in place just like it did for Auburn. There are 2 or 3 teams out of 7 that could potentially get into the playoff this year so no it's not pitiful.

 

The problem is, the two teams who finished in the top 5 last year may be the only ones who finish above .500. UGA probably will as well, but they've had a lot of losses (including a huge one in Aaron Murray) and that defense was already weak at best last year. I could easily see this playing out:

 

SC: 11-1

Mizz: 10-2

UGA: 8-4

Tenn: 6-6

UF: 5-7

Vandy: 5-7

UK: 3-9

 

There's some optimistic booking there and doesn't include one or more of the teams getting upset. 4 out of 7 teams being .500 or worse is pretty pitiful for an SEC conference.

 

As for Florida, Muschamp is going to have to prove he's good enough to turn this team around. I'm not sold at all that the recruiting classes have developed properly - for the first time in a couple of decades they looked slow and bad last year - and Muschamp is incapable of/unwilling to adjust his system to fit the players on the field.

 

Tennessee has quite a lot of young talent at the skill positions and though they're unproven, I think we'll get quality contributions out of guys like Jalen Hurd and Josh Malone. That said, the defensive line is brand new and the offensive line has 1 guy who's started a game (Marcus Jackson) in college. We've got a bright future if Butch and staff are better than I think they are on the field, but this year we'll do well to win 6 games. Last year's Tennessee team was considerably better than this year's - QB and CB were the only positions of question last year and both lines were very, very good going into the year. We did beat SC, but we also lost to 4-8 Florida (thanks Butch) and Vandy and nearly lost to South Alabama.

 

I also tend to think calling the SEC east pitiful is overstating a bit. Ranking based on expected W-L records is of course misleading b/c all conferences are not created equal and teams within those conferences play each other more often. On most preseason rankings I've seen where statistical adjustments are made for SoS, four SEC east teams are ranked in the top 30 (SCar, UGA, Mizz, UF) and both Tenn and Vandy are ranked above the 50th percentile (that is, at least average). Only UK is a bottom-feeder.

 

I think Mizz will be a tough team but a bit weaker than last year. UGAs offense is definitely good, but they have some serious holes in their defensive secondary that I think will be exploited by many teams. Also UF has a legit top ten defense but their offense looks to be atrocious. I predict the east will fall out something like this:

 

SC: 10-2

UGA: 9-3

Mizz: 9-3

UF: 7-5

Tenn: 5-7

Vandy: 5-7

UK: 2-10

[Ryne Ween]

As for Tennessee, they may be better, but for a team returning 0 of 10 starting linemen, I'm not going to predict any type of breakout.

 

Yep, you simply cannot win without being competitive in the trenches. That said they will probably inexplicably beat the Rebels in Oxford.

 

I'm assuming they have some four stars stepping in and a juco or two that they purchased.

 

Tennessee always has a ton of size.

[George Hayduke]

As for Tennessee, they may be better, but for a team returning 0 of 10 starting linemen, I'm not going to predict any type of breakout.

 

Yep, you simply cannot win without being competitive in the trenches. That said they will probably inexplicably beat the Rebels in Oxford.

 

I'm assuming they have some four stars stepping in and a juco or two that they purchased.

 

Tennessee always has a ton of size.

 

Yeah, Tenn has a bunch of young guys who are supposed to be all-world, so anything could happen, but I think they're still a few years away from being really relevant again.

[Guest]

I'm assuming they have some four stars stepping in and a juco or two that they purchased.

 

Tennessee always has a ton of size.

 

That's a bit of the point, Tennessee isn't replacing a bunch of departed 2 stars, but their lines weren't good last year either. It's kinda a recurring thing with Tennessee, they haven't reached 8 wins in 6 straight seasons, and haven't had a winning record since 2009. Maybe Jones is the coach to break that cycle, but last year didn't really give a ton of proof in that direction, and with so little experience in the interior it's tough to see this being the year they jump by 3-4 wins. They have a rough schedule too, @Ole Miss, @UGA, @SC, v. Bama, with a non-con trip to Norman.

[Ryne Ween]

I'm assuming they have some four stars stepping in and a juco or two that they purchased.

 

Tennessee always has a ton of size.

 

That's a bit of the point, Tennessee isn't replacing a bunch of departed 2 stars, but their lines weren't good last year either. It's kinda a recurring thing with Tennessee, they haven't reached 8 wins in 6 straight seasons, and haven't had a winning record since 2009. Maybe Jones is the coach to break that cycle, but last year didn't really give a ton of proof in that direction, and with so little experience in the interior it's tough to see this being the year they jump by 3-4 wins. They have a rough schedule too, @Ole Miss, @UGA, @SC, v. Bama, with a non-con trip to Norman.

 

 

They also open with Utah State which was just an idiotic scheduling decision. I don't know when they signed up for that game but that's just stupid. It's one thing for Ole Miss to schedule Boise. Tht game generates interest and even though Utah state has been th better team the perception of losing to Utah state is more crippling than losing to Boise.

[Ryne Ween]

Sort of like USC road win at UCF last year. That close win, if anything, hurt USCs standing in the eyes of the voters. The game was on whatever the channel in the college football package that airs the Kentucky games, is it SUN? Ultimately that was a win against an otherwise undeafeated BCS bowl winner with the 1 QB in the draft.

 

Teams like Ohio State and Oklahoma don't make scheduling errors like that.

[NOLA]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

I would be surprised if they made it to 7 wins, but o/u of 7.5 wins is a gift? They surely will be decided underdogs vs Bama, LSU, USC and FSU. Vandy is the only other you listed where you an say right now they'd even be favored. Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

[George Hayduke]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

I would be surprised if they made it to 7 wins, but o/u of 7.5 wins is a gift? They surely will be decided underdogs vs Bama, LSU, USC and FSU. Vandy is the only other you listed where you an say right now they'd even be favored. Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

 

If you give UF Tenn and Vandy (which I think is reasonable), that should put them solidly at 6 wins. They may very well finish up 6-6, but I think with their defense pitted against other teams who lean more on offense than defense, I kind of think they'll pull off an upset against one of LSU, UGA, or Mizz. Even SC over UF in the Swamp isn't a gimmie, IMO.

[OleMissCub]

Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

 

Name on the jersey, maybe?

[Ryne Ween]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

I would be surprised if they made it to 7 wins, but o/u of 7.5 wins is a gift? They surely will be decided underdogs vs Bama, LSU, USC and FSU. Vandy is the only other you listed where you an say right now they'd even be favored. Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

 

If you give UF Tenn and Vandy (which I think is reasonable), that should put them solidly at 6 wins. They may very well finish up 6-6, but I think with their defense pitted against other teams who lean more on offense than defense, I kind of think they'll pull off an upset against one of LSU, UGA, or Mizz. Even SC over UF in the Swamp isn't a gimmie, IMO.

 

With that schedule I would take the under 7.5. If you took a 5 unit under you could limit you exposure if it looks bad by taking Florida straight up as a huge dog vs the gamecocks and or at FSU.

[NOLA]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

I would be surprised if they made it to 7 wins, but o/u of 7.5 wins is a gift? They surely will be decided underdogs vs Bama, LSU, USC and FSU. Vandy is the only other you listed where you an say right now they'd even be favored. Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

 

If you give UF Tenn and Vandy (which I think is reasonable), that should put them solidly at 6 wins. They may very well finish up 6-6, but I think with their defense pitted against other teams who lean more on offense than defense, I kind of think they'll pull off an upset against one of LSU, UGA, or Mizz. Even SC over UF in the Swamp isn't a gimmie, IMO.

No way I'm giving them Tenn. In fact, after they go 1-1 in conference with KY and Bama, the Vol game could be the one that tells the tale for Fla. They lose that one in Knoxville and things could get ugly for that staff in Gainesville.

[Ryne Ween]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

I would be surprised if they made it to 7 wins, but o/u of 7.5 wins is a gift? They surely will be decided underdogs vs Bama, LSU, USC and FSU. Vandy is the only other you listed where you an say right now they'd even be favored. Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

 

If you give UF Tenn and Vandy (which I think is reasonable), that should put them solidly at 6 wins. They may very well finish up 6-6, but I think with their defense pitted against other teams who lean more on offense than defense, I kind of think they'll pull off an upset against one of LSU, UGA, or Mizz. Even SC over UF in the Swamp isn't a gimmie, IMO.

No way I'm giving them Tenn. In fact, after they go 1-1 in conference with KY and Bama, the Vol game could be the one that tells the tale for Fla. They lose that one in Knoxville and things could get ugly for that staff in Gainesville.

 

Tons of uncertainty obviously because wha you say is possible or of course they could play an overrated bama tough and go to Knoxville and blow the doors off a dead 1-3 vols squad. The middle is hard to predict.

[Ryne Ween]

But 7.5 looks good as an under because they would have to handle the games they are supposed to win two that they shouldn't.

[Andy]

Preseason coaches poll being released at noon tomorrow. It is now functionally pointless, of course, but still.

[George Hayduke]

I just looked at Floridas schedule and the 7.5 o/u looks like an absolute gift. To get 8 wins they would have to win 4 of @bama, @UT, lsu, mizz, @uga, USC, @vandy, @FSU. Even if you give them UT and Vandy they need to probably win 2/3 of the home games

I would be surprised if they made it to 7 wins, but o/u of 7.5 wins is a gift? They surely will be decided underdogs vs Bama, LSU, USC and FSU. Vandy is the only other you listed where you an say right now they'd even be favored. Even the brutal schedule notwithstanding, I just don't understand what they have shown you that gives you optimism.

 

If you give UF Tenn and Vandy (which I think is reasonable), that should put them solidly at 6 wins. They may very well finish up 6-6, but I think with their defense pitted against other teams who lean more on offense than defense, I kind of think they'll pull off an upset against one of LSU, UGA, or Mizz. Even SC over UF in the Swamp isn't a gimmie, IMO.

No way I'm giving them Tenn. In fact, after they go 1-1 in conference with KY and Bama, the Vol game could be the one that tells the tale for Fla. They lose that one in Knoxville and things could get ugly for that staff in Gainesville.

 

UF over Tenn is definitely not a slam dunk, but I have little problem saying UF is a better team than Tenn by a safe margin, especially on defense. Anything can happen and probably will, but I think a healthy UF has at least 6 wins this year and a 7th wouldn't shock me at all. Admitedly, I think 8 wins is a reach.

[dew1679666265]

As for Tennessee, they may be better, but for a team returning 0 of 10 starting linemen, I'm not going to predict any type of breakout.

 

Tennessee is probably a 5-7 or 6-6 win team this year - the breakout should happen next year when we'll have a bunch of returning players everywhere.