SEC appears to be stacked from the bottom to top this season.SEC PRE-SEASON RANKINGS Pt. 1 OF 4.
Article By: 13. SOUTH CAROLINA – Let’s be real, it’s just nice to say Cocks without offending someone. Coach metrodee loved the Cocks so
much that he accepted the position as their new head coach. I’ll call it blind ignorance from the
new coach as he’s playing with the big boys in the SEC and he had to know writeups involving
his team were going to be all cock inclusive. In all seriousness, SC does have some talent on
their roster spearheaded by their DL with DE’s Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard – add in DT
Tonka Hemingway, and good luck running between the tackles. Then there’s the hidden gem on
O with WR Nyck Harbor. The young WR is the fastest player in the SEC so it’s paramount he
gets his touches within the offense. It won’t be easy but this team has the talent to get to bowl
eligibility.
Player to Watch: Senior RB Raheim Sanders. This impact player for the Cocks can devastate
defenses. His issue will be whether his OL can hold up to the rigors of the SEC.
Prediction: 5-7 (I like the D here, unlike the famous saying I’m going against “defenses win
championships”).
14. ARKANSAS – I’ll be the first to say the Razorbacks are probably a bit low on the pre-
season rankings with coach texasfan4444 at the helm. TF did guide Vandy to a 6–7-mark last
season, and Arkansas has a much better roster. However, the conference isn’t the same coaches
so we’ll see if TF can compete for another bowl game. TF has won a lot of games (197 – 170
overall record) in his 26 seasons. One underrated aspect of Ark is their speed at the WR
position. While they’re not overall pass catchers they can get by you and hang some points on
the board and it will fall on TF to make that happen.
Player to Watch: Junior QB Taylen Green. Green is a gifted scrambling QB whose blazing
speed and ability to break tackles will give the Razorbacks life against some fierce SEC
defenses.
Prediction: 4-8 (this could easily be a six-win team and we at the SEC network reserve the right
to amend.
15. VANDERBILT – When you hear the cupboard is bear you think “I don’t have any food.”
In a football context, you don’t have the players to compete consistently. Coach Quest4Gold
knew this going in and he’s been around long enough (16 seasons with an overall record of 116 –
114) to know the uphill battle he’s about to embark on. He led Arkansas State to a bowl last
season and finished at 6-7. He opted to dive into the deep end this season but with very low
expectations (zero wins predicted in the conference) comes an upset or two. We at the SEC
studios expert Vandy to pull one out and rattle the cages of the conference heavies.
Player to Watch: Junior TE Eli Stowers. Stowers is a big target at 6’4” with top TE speed.
He’ll be able to cause matchup problems for any LB or safety trying to cover him.
Prediction: 2-10 (there won’t be many wins but don’t expect many routes either).
16. MISSISSIPPI STATE – We like to keep it real here in the SEC, so saying the Bulldog
roster doesn’t meet the “SEC standard” is an understatement. We haven’t sniffed week one and
coach beercop has his work cut out for him. No sweat, the coach is a 19-season vet (72 – 178
overall record) who has two prior stays at MSU (4-20 record). He’s familiar with the team, the
culture, and he loves hearing those ringing cowbells (legend has it a wandering Jersey cow
became a good luck charm in the mid-20th century after having strolled onto the field during an
ultimately victorious home football game). This is a loaded conference so we here in the SEC
studios don’t expect much out of the Bulldogs but the opening weeks will tell us if this team is
ready to compete (at Tulsa and home against USF). Good luck coach!
Player to Watch: Senior QB Blake Shapen. The vet takes over for record setter Will Rogers but
will need to keep the O on the field and move the sticks and limit mistakes.
Prediction: 1-11 (the www,firebeercop.com is already up with 74,321 signatures).
-TStep
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