By
Doug Beacham
Well here we go. Welcome to an initial look at the SEC East:
1) Florida- With Tebow and Harvin returning the offense shouldn’t miss a beat. Add to that the addition of running backs Chris Rainey and Emmanuel Moody and the Gator offense could easily surpass the totals of last years team which led the SEC in total offense.The Gators play a pretty reasonable SEC schedule with the annual party in Jacksonville against UGA and road games against Tennessee, Arkansas and Vanderbilt. If this team can find anything that resembles a pass defense this prediction should be correct.
2) Georgia- The Dawgs are loaded, but their schedule is atrocious. Conference road trips to South Carolina, LSU, UF (Jacksonville), Kentucky and Auburn lurk ahead. Plus, potentially difficult home games against Alabama and Tennessee. Don’t be shocked if the Dawgs go 6-2 or even 5-3 in conference. If suspensions or injuries become a problem (see Brannan Southerland) the Dawgs could finish third, and the season of promise could become a season to forget. Go ahead Dawg fans and lay it on me.
3) Tennessee- Will this be the year Tennessee returns to the Tennessee of the late ’90’s? If Phil Fulmer and his volunteer navy can get off to a good start then it may be possible. The Vols must replace Erik Ainge and find a defense that can play for four quarters. The schedule is a killer up front. UT goes to Los Angeles week 2 to play the powder blue Bruins of UCLA, have Florida at home, travel to Jordan-Hare to play Auburn, then go to Athens two weeks later to play a UGA team with revenge on its mind. If the Volunteers can make it through the early conference slate of the schedule with only one loss, they may find themselves representing the East again in Atlanta.
4) South Carolina- I must apologize to my wife for this one. Yes, she’s a yard chicken who lives to see her birds win. We both thought it would happen last year. The poultry from Columbia were rolling along at 6-1, ranked the top 10 and then the power known as Vanderbilt rolled in. October 20th, 2007, another day that lives in infamy for the Gamecocks. That began a five game losing streak with which they enter 2008. Can they recover? The schedule certainly sets up for a chance at redemption. UGA, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas must all pay a visit to Williams-Brice. Road games to Vanderbilt, Ole Miss., Kentucky and Florida round out a pretty nice conference schedule. If this season is to be a success South Carolina must find a quarterback, a running game and a defense that can stuff the run. We’ll see...
5) Kentucky- Rich Brooks did the unthinkable last year. He turned UK into a winner and a team that at times looked like they belonged in the SEC. Can they continue? I’m not sold. Woodson is gone as well as Little and Burton. That’s about 95% or more of their offense and their defense wasn’t that good. The schedule for '08 sets up with trips to Alabama, Florida, Miss. St. and Tennessee. South Carolina, UGA, Arkansas and Vandy round out the home slate. If Brooks can win six to seven games with this team then he has another follower.
6) Vanderbilt- No athletic department = No Chance in the SEC. Sure, they play a few teams close every year and upset a few here and there, but this is their place. Learn to love it if you’re a Commodore. As for the schedule, Vandy must visit Ole Miss., Miss. St., UGA and Kentucky, while Auburn, Florida and Tennessee must all take a holiday in Nashville.
Next up- SEC West
SEC East Preview, June 30,2008
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