On planet Earth there is a country known as the United States of America. Within that great country lays a region, tucked away into a corner, known as the Southeast. Within this great land there is an age-old tradition that takes place every Saturday, fondly known as SEC football.
With new recruits and new game plans, the most dominant conference in the land is once again a force to be reckoned with this upcoming season, and I thought I would take the time to preview some of the better teams in the conference, beginning with the true king of the South.
University of Alabama Crimson Tide
Roll Tide! The Crimson Tide are returning as the favorite to win the SEC title and to repeat as national champions. On the offensive side of the ball they are bringing back A.J. McCarron, who quarterbacked the last two championship teams, and a number of skilled players, including sophomores T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper. This in addition to the many highly touted recruits they snagged during the off-season.
On defense, ‘Bama has depth and talent at every position, bringing back seven of last year’s starters. Overall this year’s team looks to match up to, if not be better than, last year’s, and from the look on Nick Saban’s serious face after last year’s championship victory, you can be sure he was already thinking about bring the trophy back to Tuscaloosa in 2014.
Key games include: Aug. 31 vs. Virginia Tech, Sept. 14 at Texas A&M, Nov. 9 vs. LSU
Texas A&M Aggies
Even though the Aggies are losing many of last year’s starters on both sides of the ball, they are still bringing back the reigning Heisman trophy winner, Johnny Manziel. The aggressive offensive strategy of head coach Kevin Sumlin combined with the dynamic playmaking ability of Manziel was unstoppable last year and looks to be equally explosive this season, even with the loss of many of their starting position players.
It seems the only thing holding A&M back is its weak defense, which allowed almost 22 points per game last year. If A&M can strengthen its defense and finish their home game against Alabama on top, they’ll have a great shot at taking the crown.
Key games include: Sept. 14 vs. Alabama, Nov. 23 at LSU
University of South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks failed to make the SEC championship the past two seasons, getting the short end of the stick with Florida and Georgia, but is favored to win the East this year. Steve Spurrier, the Ol’ Ball Coach, has proven to be one of the most spirited coaches in college football and will bring the same intensity from the sidelines this year. Player-wise, the Gamecocks are strong on the offensive side of the ball, with third year starter Connor Shaw under center and a plethora of playmakers at receiver and running back.
The defense, however, is the true heart of this team. Jadeveon Clowney and Chaz Sutton are two of the biggest and baddest defensive ends in the country and will be giving SEC quarterbacks the jitters all season long. Overall this team has the pieces to make the SEC Championship game, but with the likes of ‘Bama and A&M waiting for them, that’s as far as they are going to get.
Key games include: Sept. 7 at Georgia, Nov. 16 at Florida, Nov. 30 at Clemson
University of Florida Gators
After losing to 2012 Big East champ Louisville despite being the favorite in the Orange Bowl last year, Florida enters the season with a bad taste in their mouths. But there are a lot of bright spots on this team, which has been improving ever since Will Muschamp began in his reign in Gainesville. Quarterback Jeff Driskel looks to become a leader, and many of their high-profile defensive players, including Ronald Powell and Loucheiz Purifoy, will continue to build their NFL resumes.
Overall the Gators look like a very strong team, but with a relatively easy schedule compared to other top teams in the SEC, they would be lucky to make the SEC championship.
Key games include: Sept. 7 at Miami, Oct. 12 at LSU, Nov. 2 vs. Georgia, Nov. 16 at South Carolina, Nov. 30 vs. Florida State
Louisiana State University Tigers
Even though the Tigers are coming off a respectable 10-3 season in 2012, this program settles for nothing less than a SEC title. You can be sure Les Miles will lead the Bayou Bengals back with a vengeance this season. They bring back only four defensive starters, but with a lot of depth and the defensive-oriented leadership of Miles the new unit should still perform at a high level.
The real threat to the Tigers’ run this season is the quarterback play of Zach Mettenberger, who was only able to complete about 58 percent of his passes last year. You would think with all the blue chip recruits the Tigers are able to get, they could at least get a good quarterback. Nonetheless they reluctantly bring back Mettenberger, hoping to avoid the mistakes they made last year. Quarterback struggles and one of the toughest schedules in the country will make a title run exceptionally difficult. But with Coach Miles at the helm anything can happen.
Key games include: Aug. 31 vs. TCU, Sept. 28 at Georgia, Oct. 12 vs. Florida, Oct. 26 vs. Furman (obviously), Nov. 9 at Alabama, Nov. 23 vs. Texas A&M