Football Future-see 2015: Week Eleven

Alright, we’ve reached the home stretch for this season. The big games are starting to roll around for the Big XII, as evidenced by Oklahoma and Baylor being on our slate this week. Georgia makes their customary appearance, even though they fell from the ranks of the ranked long ago. A big match-up in the American Athletic Conference bring Memphis and Houston to our slate. Alabama has to travel to Starkville to face Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. Bama’s opponent last week, LSU, plays host to the Razorbacks of Arkansas. Should be a fun week.

Also, this week, we debut our bowl predictions.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	0-0
Week Thirteen	0-0
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	42-18	.700

The Games:

Georgia at Auburn (Saturday, Noon, CBS)

It was rather fitting that Georgia got off the schneid by beating Kentucky 27-3, especially after Florida made the Dawgs look awful in their own 27-3 win over Georgia the week before. The Dawgs employed a “wild-dog” offense that kept Kentucky guessing all day. Auburn has been disappointing all year, but they just handed Texas A&M an upset loss that shook up the SEC West. This game is always close. This series has always been close. Every now and then one team will blow out the other, but usually it’s close, usually the underdog sneaks out a win, and often the road team comes away victorious. Georgia really needs to win out in order to play “damage control” with the coaching staff and the fans. Auburn will put up a fight, but the Wild-Dog offense and an invigorated Nick Marshall and Sony Michel should bring Georgia a close win in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Dawgs win.

Final Score: Georgia 27, Auburn 21
CORRECT: Georgia won 20-13

2 Alabama at 17 Mississippi State (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Alabama already has a loss, yet they’re #2 in the nation in the eyes of the playoff committee. And I think they may be right. I’m not sure there is anyone in the nation who would be favored over Alabama on a neutral field right now. Mississippi State still has QB Dak Prescott. That counts for a lot, but it doesn’t count for enough to win over Alabama. The Tide is on a roll, an RB Derrick Henry is making great strides toward winning the Heisman this year. I like Alabama in this one, and it won’t be as close as the score indicates.

Final Score: Alabama 28, Mississippi State 17
CORRECT: Alabama won 31-6

21 Memphis at 24 Houston (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPN2)

Houston has won five straight games in this series, but Memphis has inched closer each time. The Tigers have a really good offense, as evidenced by their win over Ole Miss. But they just had a very-much down game against Navy. Houston has the better defense between these two, and will try to exercise that against the Tigers offense. This game could very well decide the winner of the American Athletic Conference West Division. Memphis has the better wins on the season, but I like Houston to win here in a close game.

Final Score: Houston 24, Memphis 20
CORRECT: Houston won 35-34

Arkansas at 9 LSU (Saturday, 7:15pm, ESPN)

LSU, and more specifically, LSU’s RB Leonard Fournette, were made to look mortal against Alabama last week. Fournette was regularly going for 150 or 200 yards per game. Alabama held him to 31. Meanwhile, the LSU defense gave up much to Tide’s offense. Arkansas, on the other hand, is coming off a thrilling overtime win over Ole Miss, in which the Razorbacks offense put up 53 on the proud Land Shark defense. LSU will have to shape up defensively, and they have to refocus on offense in order to stay in playoff contention. I like LSU to win here, but I think the Razorbacks keep it uncomfortable for LSU basically all day. Tigers win close.

Final Score: LSU 26, Arkansas 21
INCORRECT: Arkansas won 31-14

12 Oklahoma at 6 Baylor (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

How insulted does Baylor have to feel now? Iowa just jumped them in the playoff poll. Iowa? Over Baylor? The biggest thing going for Baylor right now is that they are just entering the meat of their schedule. The Bears have several ranked opponents left. Oklahoma is gaining momentum after an off loss to Texas, but it may be too late for the Sooners. Baylor, even without QB Seth Russell, is still on fire. This game has shootout written all over it. The Big XII, unfortunately, is not known for its defenses. I like Baylor to outscore Oklahoma, but it’ll be close. Bears win.

Final Score: Baylor 38, Oklahoma 34
INCORRECT: Oklahoma won 44-34

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Five of the poll features all sorts of changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: None

15. Michigan Wolverines (NC)

14. Michigan State Spartans (-6)

13. TCU Horned Frogs (-8)

12. Florida Gators (+2)

11. LSU Tigers (-9)

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3)- The Irish may very well wind up crashing the playoff party, given their brutal schedule.

9. Utah Utes (+2)- Utah still has a chance to go to the PAC-12 Championship Game.

8. Oklahoma Sooners (+2)- Oklahoma is still very much alive in the Big XII.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes (+2)- Iowa is still undefeated. I will repeat that…Iowa is still undefeated.

6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+6)- Oklahoma State put a very serious beating on TCU, making their presence known in the Big XII.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (+2)- Ohio State is still not that high on my list, but they are getting better and better each week.

4. Stanford Cardinal (+2)- Stanford would be much higher were it not for that early loss to Northwestern.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor was not impressive against Kansas State, but they’re still undefeated. TCU cannot say that anymore.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (+2)- Alabama might have one loss, but they would probably be favored against almost anyone in the nation. They are that good.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson just proved that they can take a hit to the mouth and keep going. You need to be that tough to win a championship.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Baylor

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Ohio State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Iowa vs Utah

Fiesta Bowl: Temple vs Stanford

Second Tier Bowls

Outback Bowl: Michigan vs Mississippi State

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Georgia vs Penn State

Football Future-see 2015: Week Eight

A perfect week last week is nice, even if certain teams did not look all that well (lookin at you, Georgia). Florida stumbled against LSU, Alabama knocked off Texas A&M, and USC fell against Notre Dame. In the “heartbreaker of the year”, Michigan bobbled the snap on a punt as time expired, and the ball seemed to fly magically into the hands of a Michigan State defender, who ran it back for the game winning touchdown. In the “make you so mad at the stupidity of people” moment of the year, Michigan fans have sent death threats to the Wolverines punter. Pathetic.

This week we’ve got two SEC conference games, one PAC-12 conference game, one Big XII conference game, and an ACC conference game, all for my good buddy Dale. (He likes the U.)

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine
Week Ten
OVERALL	31-14	.689

The Games:

6 Clemson at Miami (Saturday, Noon, ABC)

Miami is 4-2, but their losses are interesting: a near blowout loss to Cincinnati and close loss to Florida State. Clemson, meanwhile, is distancing itself from the rest of the ACC. The Tigers have two close wins over Louisville (3 points) and Notre Dame (2 points) and their other four victories have come by an average of 26.5 points. I have a strong feeling that this game will go more like the other four than the first two. Miami is, I think, on the rise, but like other teams, they’re just not there yet. I’m looking for a big game from Deshaun Watson and the Clemson offense. Tigers win.

Final Score: Clemson 35, Miami 14
CORRECT: Clemson won 58-0

Tennessee at 8 Alabama (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Alabama is back. That’s right, they’re back. That loss to Ole Miss is looking like a distant memory. The Tide is rolling, coming off a huge win over Texas A&M. Tennessee, meanwhile, is coming off a big rivalry win over a much deflated Georgia team, and a bye week. The Vols still aren’t at the top of their game, and a fierce Crimson Tide team will probably exploit that. Alabama rolls.

Final Score: Alabama 42, Tennessee 14
CORRECT: Alabama won 19-14

Texas Tech at 17 Oklahoma (Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC)

Texas Tech has a high-octane offense, averaging nearly 50 points per game. The Sooners, meanwhile, just exorcised some demons from the loss to Texas by shutting out Kansas State 55-0. Those numbers make this a very interesting, and likely entertaining, game. Sooners QB Baker Mayfield has played well, and leads a stout Oklahoma offense. Cliff Kingsbury’s Texas Tech offense will be looking for a big conference win. They lost close to TCU (55-52) and not-so-close to Baylor (63-35). Oklahoma is still in the running for the Big XII title, and that will push them to overcome the Red Raiders offensive firepower. Close game, and high scoring, but Oklahoma wins.

Final Score: Oklahoma 38, Texas Tech 34
CORRECT: Oklahoma won 63-27

15 Texas A&M at 24 Ole Miss (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPN)

The SEC West is still in the process of cannibalizing itself, like it does every year. Ole Miss suffered a bad loss last week, losing a non-conference game to Memphis. The Aggies are still a good team, but last week’s loss to Alabama had to have some sort of demoralizing effect on them. I don’t believe it will be enough to get Ole Miss over the hump against the Aggies, but it will serve to keep this game close. If this were in College Station, I would say that A&M would win by a much larger margin, but since it is in Oxford, I think the Rebels keep it close. Aggies win, perhaps on a late touchdown.

Final Score: Texas A&M 28, Ole Miss 24
INCORRECT: Ole Miss won 23-3

3 Utah at USC (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

Personally I believe Utah is the best team in the country. They’ve faced some tough tests lately, and they’ve overcome every hurdle before them. The wins aren’t necessarily pretty, but they’re defeating some fairly hefty competition. Now, they face one of their toughest tests of the season. USC might not be ranked, but they are loaded, talent-wise, and they would love to take down the #3 team in the country. Utah needs this win to continue making their case for a playoff spot. That being the case, I think Utah comes ready fight and takes a close one over the Trojans. Utes win.

Final Score: Utah 31, USC 24
INCORRECT: USC won 42-24

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Two of my rankings comes with a new feature to the blog, showing which teams have moved in the poll, and what direction they’re going.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: Michigan, Florida

15. Texas A&M Aggies (-9)

14. Oklahoma Sooners (NR)

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NR)

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+3)

11. Florida State Seminoles (+3)

10. Iowa Hawkeyes (+3)- Iowa is quietly putting together one heck of a season.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (NC)- I still don’t think Ohio State is the best team in the nation.

8. Stanford Cardinal (+4)- Stanford may not have a chance to claim the title of best in the PAC-12 until a possible date with Utah in Levi’s Stadium on December 5.

7. Michigan State Spartans (+1)- Michigan State got the better of Michigan on a fluke play. The Spartans need to play better on the whole if they want to reach the playoff.

6. TCU Horned Frogs (-2)- TCU drops for no other reason than LSU and Alabama had better weeks than they did.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (+6)- Alabama steamrolled a Texas A&M team that just last week I said might be the best team in the SEC.

4. LSU Tigers (+1)- LSU overcame a feisty Florida team and, at least for now, has to be considered the best team in the SEC.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor distances itself from TCU this week, seeing as they have the better offense and are probably the frontrunners in the Big XII.

2. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson is still pushing to proclaim itself as the best team in the ACC. A November 7 date with Florida State looms large on their calendar.

1. Utah Utes (NC)- Utah faces the toughest test they’ve faced all year, and it’s a huge opportunity for them to prove they are the best team in the country.

Right Wing Playoff Prediction

This is not based off how the polls currently sit, but rather how I think the Playoff committee will decide the four teams that reach the playoff round.

Orange Bowl

#1 Ohio State  vs   #4 Utah Utes

Cotton Bowl

#2 Baylor Bears  vs   #3 Alabama Crimson Tide

Football Future-see 2014: Week Nine

Record
Week 1	8-2
Week 2	5-0
Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9	2-3 4-1 2-3 2-8 4-1 3-2 2-3
Total	32-23	0.582

Week Nine is upon us. Through 50 games, I’ve correctly picked 30. That’s not that good. I’m usually better. Then again, this has been the year of the upset. Some wild and wacky things have happened in college football this season. Mississippi State is currently #1 in the nation. Kansas State is currently the top team in the Big XII. The Big Ten is very nearly on life support when it comes to the playoff. Kentucky is ahead of South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee in the SEC East. And the funny thing is, things get even crazier next week. 

For the picks, I’m still using the AP Poll. No Georgia, as the Dawgs have the week off to prepare for the greatly diminished Florida Gators. (I’m no fan of using the Transitive Property in college football, but Georgia beat Missouri 34-0 and Missouri beat Florida 42-13…so obviously Georgia will beat Florida 76-13, right?). Instead we get an unranked ACC game, a ranked match-up of PAC-12 South teams, a ranked match-up of SEC West teams, and two ranked vs unranked cross-divisional games from the SEC. 

The Games: 

Miami(FL) at Virginia Tech (Thursday, 8:00pm, ESPN) 
Miami has played one ranked opponent (on the road at Nebraska) and lost by 10. The Canes also lost to Louisville and Georgia Tech. Virginia Tech has played one ranked opponent (on the road at Ohio State) and won by 14. The Hokies followed that up by losing to East Carolina and Georgia Tech. They just lost to Pittsburgh. Neither team has been has impressive as they once were. Virginia Tech looked like a team that could make a run, but their recent losses have solidly halted their momentum. Miami is basically Duke Johnson and 21 other players. I think the Hokies win here, because it’s in Blacksburg. Move this game to Miami and that’s a different story. 
Final Score: Virginia Tech 28, Miami 21 
INCORRECT: Miami won 30-6

3 Ole Miss at 24 LSU (Saturday, 7:15pm, ESPN) 
The last time LSU faced a ranked team they gave up 41 points to Auburn. They barely squeaked by Florida. Ole Miss, meanwhile, just obliterated Tennessee to the point that Hugh Freeze actually apologized to Butch Jones for his team scoring a late TD. Ole Miss has the better QB in Bo Wallace. LSU has a good freshman RB in Leonard Fournette. Ole Miss, though, has what I believe is the best defense in the country. This game might be close for the first half, but I think Ole Miss will walk away with it in the second half. Rebels win. 
Final Score: Ole Miss 30, LSU 17 
INCORRECT: LSU won 10-7

South Carolina at 5 Auburn (Saturday, 7:30pm, SEC Network) 
Auburn is good. I actually think Auburn is better this year than they were last year. South Carolina, though, isn’t. The Gamecocks have stumbled. They’ve lost to TAMU, Missouri, and Kentucky. Last weekend, when Georgia played Arkansas, Alabama played TAMU, and the Gamecocks hosted Furman, it was South Carolina’s 21 point halftime lead that was the closest game among the three. Auburn is going to roll in this game. I’m calling for a 21-point Tigers win, but it could be worse. South Carolina is looking for answers. 
Final Score: Auburn 35, South Carolina 14 
CORRECT: Auburn won 42-35

4 Alabama at Tennessee (Saturday, 7:30pm, ESPN2) 
Some people complain about the cross-division rivalries in the SEC being unfair. After all, Ole Miss plays Vanderbilt every year and Mississippi State plays Kentucky every year…meanwhile, Florida plays LSU, Georgia plays Auburn, and Tennessee plays Alabama. But, college football is cyclical. Kentucky is up this year, but so is MSU. Vandy is down this year. Alabama is a team that almost loses to Arkansas one week, then blows out the Aggies by 59 the next week. Tennessee is a team that is still about a year away from contending in the conference. Hopefully they put up a better fight against the Tide than they did last week against Ole Miss. Alabama will win this one, but I’m curious to see what the Vols bring to the table. 
Final Score: Alabama 31, Tennessee 17 
CORRECT: Alabama won 34-20

20 USC at 19 Utah (Saturday, 10:00pm, Fox Sports 1) 
Show of hands: who here realized that Utah was ranked? Keep those hands up if you realized that Utah was ranked ahead of USC. The Utes have been quiet. Very quiet. USC lacks the ability to be quiet. When you’re the highest-profile school in your area (sorry, UCLA) and you’ve basically served as the de facto NFL team for Los Angeles for the last decade, there is no such thing as quiet. USC needs a win to remain in the PAC-12 South race. If Utah wins, the game next week between the Utes and Arizona State will likely decide the PAC-12 South winner. I look for USC to win this one, but don’t be surprised either way. Trojans win a close game. 
Final Score: USC 24, Utah 20 
INCORRECT: Utah won 24-21

The Right Wing Top Ten 
The Associated Press Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll both feature a Preseason version. I even posted a “Preseason Top Ten,” or something to that effect, a while back. I never intended to use that poll as a basis for the Right Wing Top Ten, though. 

15. Ohio State Buckeyes (last week: NR) 
14. Arizona State Sun Devils (last week: 15) 
13. Baylor Bears (last week: 4) 
12. East Carolina Pirates (last week: 14) 
11. Kansas State Wildcats (last week: 12) 
  
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (last week: 5) 
Why: The Irish pushed the envelope on the pick play and the refs finally broke and called them on it. Otherwise, Notre Dame would’ve beaten Florida State. 

9. TCU Horned Frogs (last week: 13) 
Why: Those Horned Frogs are making some noise in the Big XII. 

8. Georgia Bulldogs (last week: 9) 
Why: Again, Gurley who? Georgia has actually played better football without Gurley than they did with him. They just handed the SEC West their first non-SEC-West-opponent loss this year, and the beating of Arkansas was not as close as the score indicates. 

7. Auburn Tigers (last week: 8) 
Why: Auburn is quietly putting together a nice little run after faltering against Mississippi State. 

6. Oregon Ducks (last week: 7) 
Why: Oregon looks to be on a collision course with Arizona State for the PAC-12 title. 

5. Michigan State Spartans (last week: 6) 
Why: Sparty looks to be the top dog in the Big Ten. A later-season date with Ohio State will tell the tale, though. 

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (last week: 10) 
Why: You beat the Aggies by 59 points and you’re bound to jump up a long way in the polls. 

3. Florida State Seminoles (last week: 3) 
Why: Okay, Florida State beat Notre Dame, but really Notre Dame beat themselves. There is no one standing in the way of Florida State and reaching the playoff. 

2. Ole Miss Rebels (last week: 2) 
Why: Ole Miss has, without doubt, the best defense in the country. They just shut down a Tennessee team that will probably be an SEC contender next year. 

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs (last week: 1) 
Why: Mississippi State begins their defense of the top spot. 

If the Playoff Started Today 
I started this section last year, knowing that the College Football Playoff was coming. This is what I think the selection committee will do. This has nothing to do with my Top 15 poll, or with the current AP or Coaches Poll. If the playoff started today, who would the committee select? 

The Four Teams In 
These four teams would make up the playoff field if it all started today. #1 would play #4, #2 would play #3. I’ve ranked them as such, because I believe the Selection Committee will move to limit two teams from the same conference reaching the championship game. Of course, the Egg Bowl later this year will sort out the Mississippi schools. 
1 Mississippi State 
2 Florida State 
3 Michigan State 
4 Ole Miss 

The First Four Teams Out 
5. Alabama 
6. Oregon 
7. Georgia 
8. Notre Dame 

Breaking Down the SEC

It’s pretty clear from reading this blog that I’m a huge fan of the Southeastern Conference. I’ll watch any SEC game that’s on, even if it’s Kentucky vs Mississippi State, a game that’s not very likely to impact the conference championship. 

Here’s a rundown of predicted order of finish (reverse order, starting with the bottom of the standings) of how I think the SEC will play out this year. It’s basically the Right Wing guarantee that these predictions will go horribly wrong. 

SEC West 
Arkansas Razorbacks 
It’s easier to tell you what games Arkansas wins, rather than what games they lose. The Razorbacks will beat Nicholls State, UAB, and they’ll win on the road over Mississippi State. Bret Bielema hasn’t yet instilled Big Ten values into an SEC program. The Razorbacks are the punching bag of the SEC West this year. 
Predicted Record: 3-9 (1-7) 

Texas A&M Aggies 
Losing Johnny Football means a huge step back for the A&M program. Sure, I think they’ll play .500 football, just not in the conference. They’ll probably go to a bowl, just because they’re in the SEC and they have a rabid fan-base. 
Predicted Record: 6-6 (2-6) 

Mississippi State Bulldogs 
Mississippi State was, just a few years ago, talked about as a team on the rise. The other Mississippi school has surpassed them. Going 7-6 last year was alright. They played Auburn tough, A&M tough, never really let Alabama run away, and they beat Ole Miss. Things go differently this year, though the record is the same. 
Predicted Record: 6-6 (2-6) 

Ole Miss Rebels 
The SEC West will see a big disparity between the bottom three and the top four. This is the cut-off point. Ole Miss will be a solid three games better than Mississippi State overall. The Rebels have the most experienced QB in the conference. They were 8-5 last year, including a domination of traditional powerhouse Texas. Once they beat Boise State to start the season things will go well. Ole Miss will even beat 'Bama. But it won’t be enough to break into the 10-win club in the regular season. 
Predicted Record: 9-3 (5-3) 

Auburn Tigers 
From 0-8 in conference play to national championship runner-up to third place in the division in a three year span. That’s a rollercoaster ride if ever there was one. Auburn will reach 10 wins in the regular season. They’ll win a close one at Georgia. But they’ll lose to the two teams ahead of them in the standings, keeping them from returning to the SEC Championship Game. 
Predicted Record: 10-2 (6-2) 

LSU Tigers 
A boatload of freshmen players does not daunt Les Miles. He has the best freshman running back in the country. The LSU defense is usually quite good. LSU will have a shot, but back-to-back losses to Ole Miss and Alabama will keep the Tigers from the SEC Championship Game. 
Predicted Record: 10-2 (6-2) 

Alabama Crimson Tide 
Alabama will stagger out of the unholy three-way scrum atop the SEC West to play for the SEC Championship. Sure, the Crimson Tide are breaking in a new QB, but by the end of the season it will be business as usual for Alabama. The Tide should roll in most of their games. The early games might be nerve-wracking, as Jacob Coker gets into the swing of the offense. 10 wins, including wins over Auburn and LSU, will get the Tide back to Atlanta.
Predicted Record: 10-2 (6-2) 



SEC East 

Kentucky Wildcats 
Kentucky went 2-10 last year, so I think they’ll actually be better this year. They still won’t win a conference game, though. Stick to basketball, Wildcats. Football may just not be your thing… 
Predicted Record: 3-9 (0-8) 

Vanderbilt Commodores 
9-4 was the high-water mark for Vanderbilt last year. They’ll take a step back, seeing as the architect of their rise, James Franklin, departed for the Penn State job. They brought in Stanford DC Derek Mason to be the new head coach. They have an easy go of things, since they don’t have to play ‘Bama, Auburn, or LSU, and their toughest road test is at Georgia. Still, I think Vandy alternates wins and losses all season, leading to a 6-6 record. 
Predicted Record: 6-6 (2-6) 

Tennessee Volunteers 
Tennessee very nearly knocked off Georgia last year. They did knock off South Carolina. Things won’t go that well this year. I think Tennessee has “mark ‘em down” losses to Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina. They’ll win 6 games, but they’ll only be 2-6 in conference play. 
Predicted Record: 6-6 (3-5) 

Florida Gators 

Anything less than .500 means Muschamp will be looking for a new job. The Gators have to finish with more wins than losses. They have to, and I think they will. Florida will lose to Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, and Florida State. The one that will hurt the most, though, is when Georgia hands them a 4th consecutive loss in the World’s Largest Outdoor Non-Alcoholic Fun For The Whole Family Football Game in Jacksonville. Can Muschamp survive 4 straight losses to rival Georgia? 
Predicted Record: 7-5 (4-4) 

Missouri Tigers 
Missouri surprised everyone last year by winning the SEC East and reaching the conference title game. This year, though Missouri comes back down to earth a bit. They’ll still be good, and still win 9 games. But there are only two teams involved at the top of the SEC East… 
Predicted Record: 9-3 (5-3) 

South Carolina Gamecocks 
The looming battle between Georgia and South Carolina for control of the SEC East is going to make for some great television. The Gamecocks open with Texas A&M at home. On September 13, the Dawgs come to Columbia for an early season power struggle. The winner of that game takes control of the division. I think Georgia wins a close game. The Gamecocks will stumble in late October at Jordan-Hare, but should finish 10-2. 
Predicted Record: 10-2 (6-2) 

Georgia Bulldogs 

Last season Georgia opened at #8 Clemson, home for #6 South Carolina, and home for #6 LSU. That’s an ugly opening schedule if I ever saw one. This season things are better. Clemson is not as dangerous as they were last year. Georgia gets a week off to prep for South Carolina while the Gamecocks have potential spoiler East Carolina at home. The biggest threat to UGA this season is Auburn, and the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is always a close game. Georgia, though, should play well enough to go 11-1 and face Alabama for the first SEC Championship of the College Football Playoff Era. 
Predicted Record: 11-1 (7-1)