A Quarterback Conundrum in the SEC East
Georgia and South Carolina are the two teams picked to battle it out for the SEC East crown this season. Missouri will take a few steps back from its aspiring run last year, as they lose a lot of talent. The Tigers also lose key receiver Dorial Green-Beckham.
South Carolina is now without all-time university wins leader Connor Shaw. Taking the helm in Columbia (SC) is senior QB Dylan Thompson. After sitting behind Shaw for the last three years, Thompson will get a chance to show the conference what he can do from day one. But the SEC has already seen Thompson in action.
The Gamecocks are 3-0 in games Thompson has started, though that comes with a caveat. Thompson stepped in against Central Florida when Shaw was hurt. He led the Gamecocks to victory. His start against Missouri didn’t go nearly as well. Mizzou jumped up 17-0 on South Carolina and head coach Steve Spurrier pulled Thompson in favor of Connor Shaw. Shaw rallied the team to a double-OT victory.
Now, Connor Shaw is gone. Dylan Thompson has to carry the load on his own. How he fares with an entire season as the Gamecocks' leader will have a huge impact on how long into the postseason South Carolina plays.
Meanwhile, in Athens, the Dawgs will be breaking in a new quarterback. Hutson Mason has seen on and off playing time during his years at Georgia, but he was forced into a starting role last year when Aaron Murray was injured against Kentucky. He led the Dawgs to victory against the Wildcats, but faced near disaster in Atlanta. Georgia Tech, who has struggled mightily against the Dawgs in recent years, seemed to have Georgia's number, jumping out to a 20-0 lead. Mason rallied his team and Georgia fought back, winning the game 41-34 in OT.
Georgia was selected to face Nebraska for the second straight year, this time in the Gator Bowl. Pitiful field conditions favored neither team. Georgia, though, found new and exciting ways to shoot themselves in the foot. It was one of the worst episodes of play-calling by the Dawgs I've seen in a long time. Even then, Georgia was never out of contention in the bowl game.
Now, the new season begins. Georgia opened practice today. South Carolina is preparing to face Texas A&M on August 28. Georgia welcomes Clemson in the second half of a scheduled home-and-home series on August 30. Both teams are favored in the SEC East. The battle should be epic.
Right Wing Preseason Top Ten
These are my picks for the top ten to start the season. Let me say that I hate preseason polls. They create situations that it becomes difficult for teams to overcome. If three teams go undefeated, but one team started the season unranked while the other two were in the top ten in the preseason poll, the latter two will get the most attention. At least, that’s how it was under the BCS system.
Thankfully, we have a playoff now.
So here’s my preseason top ten, with an explanation of why I’ve ranked the team where I’ve ranked them. I’ll never reference this article again. Once the weekly predictions begin, I’ll start the Right Wing Top Ten in week six. My poll has nothing to do with the AP or the Coaches Poll.
There are eleven teams in my top ten, because I honestly can’t decide between Georgia and South Carolina when it comes to preseason slotting.
10t. South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina has, possibly, the top offensive line in the conference. This will be great for RB Mike Davis. The Gamecocks are also breaking in a relatively new QB. They’ll challenge Georgia for the top spot in the SEC East.
10t. Georgia Bulldogs
The Dawgs are a team that is hard to predict. They have a relatively new QB, Hutson Mason, but they have a deep WR corps, one of the best RB stables in the nation, and one of the top LB corps in the conference, if not the nation. They’re a team that could go 11-1 or could go 8-4.
9. Stanford Cardinal
Three PAC-12 schools made my preseason Top 10. Stanford is a team that could legitimately challenge not just for the conference, but for a national championship, as well.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes
I know, I know, Ohio State is the greatest team in the history of organized sports… oh wait, I’m not an Ohio State fan. Good grief. I think, once again, the moment Ohio State faces a true defense, they’ll crumble under the pressure.
7. Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners are garnering a lot of preseason attention, but I’m curious to see if they can handle the pressure. Bob Stoops, or, as I like to call him, SpongeBob BowlFlop, actually piloted the school to victory over Alabama in the last Sugar Bowl.
6. UCLA Bruins
The Bruins of UCLA are getting loads of love this preseason. They have one of the better QBs in the nation in Brett Hundley. They’ll probably own southern California again. We’ll probably see UCLA and Oregon in the first PAC-12 Title Game at Levi’s Stadium.
5. Michigan State Spartans
Can Sparty replicate the run that got them to the Rose Bowl? MSU’s defense carried the banner all last year. Do it again, and you’re likely looking at a playoff team.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
Would Florida State have beaten Alabama? We’ll never know, at least until later this year, should both teams find their way to the playoff. ‘Bama brings a lot to the table, even with replacing their star QB.
3. Oregon Ducks
Another season, another prediction of Oregon near the top. A few years back Oregon has a legitimate shot at the national championship, but it was during the SEC’s reign, and Auburn stopped the mighty Ducks offense. With the playoff, Oregon should be a contender.
2. Auburn Tigers
The national runner-up Tigers will battle Alabama all year for the top spot in the SEC West. They had a run of miracles to beat Georgia and Alabama last year before running Missouri into the ground and facing FSU for the final BCS title. Auburn’s mantra this offseason has been that they needed to be 13 seconds better.
1. Florida State Seminoles
Until someone beats the ‘Noles, they stand atop the heap of college football. They claimed the first and last BCS championships, and they currently reign over college football as the National Champions.
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