How does the league shape up for 2009? Here is what I'm thinking: East 1. Florida 2. Tennessee 3. Georgia 4. Kentucky 5. South Carolina 6. Vandy Florida is going to be a beast again and has a favorable schedule with only LSU in Tiger Stadium to test them. Georgia and Tennessee could flip-flop, as could Carolina and Kentucky. West 1. LSU 2. Bama 3. Ole Miss 4. Arkansas 5. Auburn 6. Miss St LSU will be stronger at QB and on defense and could have an explosive but balanced offense. Bama was unusually good last year, but will face green quarterback issues in 2009 as LSU did last year. Ole Miss could pass them up if things go right for Nutt. SECCG LSU vs Florida Hmmm. I think it depends on who wins the regular season game. It's hard to beat a team twice in a season. The smart money will be on LSU at home and Florida in the Dome, I think.
I'm cautiously optimistic at present, waiting on more info from spring and summer practices before I get all riled up. I think after all the information filters in from spring and summer practices, we'll be named co-favorites in the west along with Ole Miss. The Tide is relying on too many new players in too many positions to realistically have a chance. I like our chances in 2009. It would be sweet for Miles to win it all, so we can shut up the Bamalama-dingdongs. They believe the reason we won both titles is now at T-town. Would be great to prove them wrong once and for all. :geaux:
I'm gonna go out on a limb with this prediction, but I think Florida won't be as good as people think. They're far and away the favorites in the East, but they're losing some key O-linemen that protected Tebow's butt the last couple of seasons, and the loss of Percy Harvin is going to hurt their offensive speed more than people may appreciate. The defense will keep them winning, but a good offensive team with a solid defense should be able to beat them.
The drop-off b/w UF and the rest of the East is tremendous! Spots 2-5 seem almost interchangeable at the current time. I don't think that UTenn will finish second. I don't think that the inevitable trainwreck in Knoxville is going to take very long to materialize. I would say that UGA is the defacto 2nd place finisher in the East...as they are pretty much year-in and year-out. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that Arky finishes 2nd in the West (behind LSU). For as much of a weasel as he is, Petrino is no slouch of a coach. And I think that he'll catch some people off-guard this year.
All I know is my parents and I were talking about the various @$$ whippins that LSU needs to serve up for revenge this season. Man, that list got long: Alabama, Florida, UGA, Ole Miss, Arkansas... I hope we're up to the task, guys.
Along with Florida, Arky goes right to the top of my list. There is no justifiable reason for going 1-2 against Arky in the last 3 meetings, none. LSU needs to make a statement and stomp them good after Thanksgiving.
I don't think LSU will get the schedule boost from the odd year, like we have so far this decade. LSU has gone to the SECCG in '01, '03, '05, and '07 because a scheduling quirk had LSU's three toughest opponents at home in those years and on the road in even years (Auburn, Florida, and the rotating east division opponent, often Georgia or Tennessee). But now Auburn is down and Bama and Ole Miss are back, plus we get Vanderbilt at home and Georgia in Athens. So this year only Florida among our top rivals will play in Tiger Stadium. Bama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Washington are all on the road. LSU must be road warriors this year.
God help us if LSU loses the opener in Seattle. I expect Bama and Georgia to have significant offensive dropoffs this season. Strangely, Ole Miss may be our toughest road game if our defense doesn't show up. All winnable games barring injuries or internal team conflicts.
While I will not make a full prediction for the SEC rankings at the end of next season, I do agree with this....
