2007 SEC Football Predictions from my friend, Jeff Kendall

Folks, it is that time of year again. The pads are popping, the tailgating gear is getting cleaned up and in what has become annual tradition, my SEC Football predictions. We all know that I am not 100% right, but I think I am a pretty good handle on things and am better that some of the magazines you read. Take for example, Phil Steele and his SEC predictions. He has bama ranked 23^rd preseason and Auburn in the 40’s……please. Anyway, these are just my thoughts, feel free to contradict me with your unique thought processes….I know some of you will.

Player of the Year – Darren McFadden, ARK…like there is another, should have solid chance to win Heisman

Defensive Player of the Year – I am picking against the crowd on this one, everyone loves Glenn Dorsey of LSU, but I am going with Quetin Groves, AU

SEC East Winner – UT

SEC West Winner – LSU

SEC Champion – LSU

SEC East

1 – UT (9-3, 6-2) – This is a tough pick, as UT will win the SEC East war of attrition. Yes, they have a decent QB, with decent RB’s and decent WR’s, but no star. They do have David Cutcliffe, who Ole Miss fans will rue the day they let him go, actually they are already ruing. Anyway, their schedule sets up nicely with UGA, USC and ARK all at Neylend. The D, also not great, but serviceable. They will do just enough to win the East with the big showdown game coming on October 27^th against…..

2 – USC (9-3, 5-3) – I really wanted to pick the Cock-n-Fire with the Ol’ Ball Coach number 1 in the East, but just too many tough games on the road. They return 10 starters back on the defense, which includes the Brinkley Twins, Casper and Jasper. And the SEC’s second best RB duo of Mike Davis and Cory Boyd. If Blake Mitchell can stay out of bar fights, and play like he did the end of last year, Spurrier may pull it out and win the East

3 – UF (7-5, 4-4) – Unlike the rest of the college football world who thinks Tim Tebow is ready to win the Heisman this year, he has yet to play a meaningful snap under center. It is his show to run and throw now. I have no doubts he is great talent and will be very good next year, but first year starters in the SEC rarely do well. If UF had some kind of running game, maybe they could be a little better, but Tebow is the returning rushing leader for this team. Yes, I know that Chris Rainey is coming in to play, but he is a true freshmen, he may be good enough to win the starting job, but that isn’t saying much. Add in losing 9 starters on defense and you have a rebuilding year in Gainesville, though wins over UT and UGA will make it palatable.

4 – UGA (8-4, 4-4) – Matt Stafford is going to be great, problem is, is there a WR on the roster that can hang on to the ball? Provided he can get it to them with all the problems on the O-Line. The RB position should be in capable hands with Kregg Lumpkin, which will help some against opposing teams and their pass rush so Stafford can throw to….well, someone. Defensively, the Dawgs are ok, nothing great. If the defense can fill some of their holes and the O-Line can come together quickly, wins over UF and USC are possible.

5 – UK (7-5, 3-5) – Say it isn’t so Joe, the Wildcats are going to back to back Bowl games. UK will be living…and dying on the arm of the best QB in the SEC, Andre Woodson. He will do for UK, what Jay Cutler did for Vandy a couple of years ago. He has great help on the offense with scat back/return guy Rafael Little. Little will help open up some passing lanes for Woodson to hit at least one deep ball a game. Defensively, the Wildcats return most of their starters, so some improvement over last years awful D should be expected. With just a little help from the D, 8 or even 9 wins is possible.

6 – Vanderbilt (6-6, 2-6) – This may be the best Vandy team in decades, but you will never know. SEC Offensive LEADER, that’s right I said leader, Chris Nickson is back for his second year under center to lead Vandy to their fist bowl game in years. Bobby Johnson has done a great job of stocking the best talent that Vanderbilt can get, to make this a complete ball club, unfortunately for them, they still play in the SEC. Any other conference in the nation, and Vanderbilt has at least 2 more wins.

SEC West

1 – LSU (11-1, 8-0) – As much as I like LSU and their talent, I just can’t help but think that Les Mile swill cost them a game or three. Luckily for LSU, they have a great schedule that will allow just about anyone to coach them to the SEC title game. The tough games are not only spread out, but all at home, as if they need any help. Defensively, LSU is just about as good as it gets…and this is how they will win. DT Glenn Dorsey will wreak havoc in the middle, allowing the LB’s to run where ever they need to go to make the plays. On the offense, Matt Flynn finally gets his chance to start. After the demolition of “the U” in the Peach Bowl 2 years ago, the Cajuns are ready for him to start. He will take his lumps early, especially with a new O-Coor down in Baton Rouge, but again with the D and the schedule, he will have a chance to make his mistakes and still win the game. Don’t count out Les and his ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

2 – Auburn (11-1, 7-1) – Now I know everyone is saying, Kendall, what are you thinking you homer, the barners will never win 11 games, but I say, Not so fast my friends. I always try to be as unbiased as possible on this, so here are my reasons. First and foremost, a 5^th year senior QB. Now if Brandon Cox goes down, forget the 11 wins. If he is healthy, like he was two years ago, he is the most accurate passer in the SEC, though not as strong an arm as many Auburn people would like. The schedule, though tough, actually sets up relatively well. Yes, the 4 road games of death are on the schedule, but only ARK and LSU are back to back, and I expect a split in those games. Auburn has a stable of RB’s, any of which could start at most places in the country, and a fast, athletic defense, led by Quentin Groves and Tray Blackmon. Auburn must replace 4 starters on the O-Line, but that is a misnomer as 3 of those four have started several games in their career, with one of them, Leon Hart, actually being names SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week 2 years ago. If the offensive line can gel, and the injury bug stays away, a trip to the A-T-L in December is a possibility.

3 – Arkansas (9-3, 5-3) – or as the world turns to most of us. Can there be anymore drama on a college football team than all the scandal in Fayettenam this past year? I will say that anyone can coach for and against Arkansas this year, the problem will just be stopping the running machine that they have. Everything revolves around Darren McFadden and to a lesser extent Felix Jones. If Casey D&^k can complete 5-8 per game, they are in good shape. The good defensive teams, they play this year, LSU and Auburn, should be able to hold them to less than 200 yards per game, which should be enough to win, and then Houston Nutt is always good for some unexpected loss, too.

4 – bama (6-6, 3-5) – Saint Nick needs some time to build depth. bama has enough talent to compete, but not any depth. They have the best duo of WR’s in the SEC, or at least second best behind UF, with a good enough QB to get the ball to them, but no RB to speak of. The starting RB for bama is starting for South Florida, so that leaves Jimmy Johns to start, who is more of a fullback the tailback. Defensively, they will be better, but the best players are gone and again, no depth. Saint Nick will make them better, but he is still 2 years away from competing, not competing for a National Championship, but competing in the SEC.

5 – Miss State (4-8,1-7) – OK, we have all heard what a great guy Sylvester Croom is and how he is building it “right” with the players he wants, problem is, no one else wants most of those players…well except maybe Ole Miss. Maybe someone should just say, Croom is not a good head coach. There is nothing wrong with that, not many of us would be. And you can make a great living, being the O-Line coach somewhere, maybe even back in the NFL, but hey, all of us like the easy SEC win.

6 – Ole Miss (3-9, 0-8) – Oh how they long for David Cutcliffe. The winningest coach at Ole Miss since what what, 1950? Yes, he had Eli, but Eli would have went to UT if Cutcliffe stayed there. The fans cheer for a 1^st down and they just want there tailgate spot in The Grove. Chalk up another win for all of us and pass the Hotti Totti.

OK, feel free to discuss.