All Entries Tagged With: "2012 SEC Football preview"
2012 SEC Preview: Vanderbilt
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Last but not least: Vanderbilt.
2011 record: 6-7 (2-6 SEC)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
Year one of the James Franklin regime at Vanderbilt was a success, but then again, it doesn’t take much to be considered a success on West End. Franklin led the Commodores to a 6-6 regular season record and finished with a close bowl loss to Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl, which has Vandy fans about as excited as they’ve ever been for Commodore football.
But aside from the on-field product, Franklin has had just as much success off the field. He pulled in a top-50 recruiting class, according to 247 Sports, with limited time for his 2012 class, and his 2013 class is already listed as the 20th-best, with two four-stars already committed. The Commodores are certainly on the upswing from the dull days of Bobby Johnson.
Key returning starters: QB Jordan Rodgers, RB Zac Stacy, CB Trey Wilson
2012 outlook: 2011 was a banner year for Vandy football, but it remains to be seen whether the Commodores can sustain that success over multiple years. They caught a lot of teams by surprise last year and won’t have that element on their side this year.
On the flip side, the schedule actually shakes out well for a possible return to a bowl game for Vandy. The ‘Dores open the season at home against South Carolina in a Thursday night game that the whole country will be tuned in to to start the new season. Vanderbilt doesn’t play Alabama, LSU or Arkansas from the West and gets Florida, Auburn and Tennessee at home.
The only sure-wins for Vandy appear to be Presbyterian and UMass, but James Franklin’s team should have a fighting chance in the rest of its games. I like Vandy to take another step forward this year and finish the season 7-5 with another bowl game appearance.
Key games in 2012:
- August 30 vs. South Carolina
- October 13 vs. Florida
- November 17 vs. Tennessee
2012 SEC Preview: Tennessee
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Tennessee.
2011 record: 5-7 (1-7 SEC)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
The Volunteers shot out of the gate early last season with a 3-1 record. But then the Vols got into the meat of its SEC schedule and lost four straight. The Vols were able to win one conference game against Vanderbilt, but a loss to rival Kentucky put head coach Derek Dooley on the hottest coaching seat in the country.
The 2011 season was full of injuries and missed opportunities for the Vols. After making a bowl game in Dooley’s first year, the Vols took a step back in 2011. The Vols had the talent, but injuries derailed what could have been a decent season for Tennessee.
Key returning starters: QB Tyler Bray, WR Justin Hunter, WR Da’Rick Rogers
2012 outlook: This is a make or break season for head coach Derek Dooley and his staff. If quarterback Tyler Bray can stay healthy, the Vols will be able to compete with any team offensively. Bray will also get his top target Justin Hunter back from a knee injury and wide out Da’Rick Rogers has also emerged as a go to guy.
The Vols will have to find a running back to compete in the SEC and the defense will have to improve. The tough schedule and lack of running game could spell trouble for the Vols in 2012. Look for them to go 6-6 and barely make a bowl game, which may not be enough to save Dooley’s job.
Key games in 2012:
- September 15 vs. Florida
- September 29 @ Georgia
- October 27 @ South Carolina
Key matchups vs. Alabama (10-20 @ Tennessee)
- Tennessee wide receivers vs. Alabama secondary: Tennessee receivers caught a grand total of nine passes for 63 yards against the Tide last season. With Justin Hunter healthy, those totals should rise. But the Tide’s young secondary will be looking to make a statement against top receivers in the SEC.
- Tyler Bray vs. Nick Saban and Kirby Smart: Saban and Smart have made a career of terrorizing talented quarterbacks and will want nothing more than to make Bray’s time against the Tide a nightmare. Bray is supremely talented and a big game against Alabama would go a long way in helping his NFL draft stock.
2012 SEC Preview: Texas A&M
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Texas A&M
2011 record: 7-6 (4-5 Big 12)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
2011 was a serious, serious letdown for Texas A&M. The Aggies entered the season with one of the school’s highest preseason rankings, at No. 8 in the AP Poll, and was expected to make a legitimate run at the Big 12 Title, if not the national title. And for the first two weeks of the Aggies’ season, it looked like they were well on their way to that dream.
The following week, A&M suffered a heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma State, giving up a double digit halftime lead to lose 30-29. Then, something weird happened. The next week, the Aggies gave up another huge halftime lead to eventually lose the game, this time to the Arkansas Razorbacks. With the loss, A&M’s national title hopes were over.
Still, the Aggies seemed to rebound over the next three weeks, with wins over Texas Tech, Baylor and eventual Heisman winner Robert Blake Griffin III, and Iowa State. That was about the last good thing to happen to the Aggies that season. The Aggies lost three of their next four games. Even worse, two of the losses featured, yet again, blown leads on the part of the Aggies (two 14-point leads against Kansas State and nine-point lead over Texas.)
The Aggies ended up making and winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl over Northwestern. Even with the win, it was an ultimately disappointing season for Texas A&M.
Key returning starters: RB Cyrus Gray, WR Ryan Swope, LB Sean Porter
2012 outlook: Much like their SEC East counterparts, the Texas A&M Aggies are going to have an interesting year finding out they do in the SEC. The Aggies should have a manageable first month to figure that out, with three cupcake teams and a manageable first game in the SEC in the Florida Gators.
The next month will show how well A&M will fare in the SEC. The Aggies will take on two of the best three teams in the SEC West, in Arkansas and LSU, a decent Auburn team and the Ole Miss Rebels. Two weeks later, the Bryant Bowl will get underway in Tuscaloosa visits the Crimson Tide. A&M will close out the season with a manageable final two games against Sam Houston State and Missouri.
My take on the Aggies? Another good-not-great season. The Aggies have the talent, just not on the level of the SEC, at least yet. And, assuming the Aggies have learned how to not blow their lead, look to see them win seven games in the regular season and make a bowl game.
Final line: 8-5 with a bowl win.
Key games in 2012:
- September 29 vs. Arkansas
- October 20 vs. LSU
- November 10 at Alabama
Key matchups vs. Alabama (11-10 @ Tuscaloosa)
- A&M linebackers vs. Alabama running backs: Texas A&M brings back its top three tacklers at the linebacker position, a unit that helped the defense hold opposing offenses to a paltry 118 yards per game in 2011, ranking them No. 2 in the Big 12. Alabama is a run-first team, so the A&M is going to have to slow down Eddie Lacy, Jalston Fowler and T.J. Yeldon if they want to have a shot at the win.
- A&M receivers vs. Alabama defensive backs: A&M is also bringing back its top three receivers from last year, one of whom had over 1200 yards receiving. And although they no longer have Ryan Tannehill throwing to them, these receivers are used to getting open. And for an Alabama secondary that’s breaking in new starters at three positions, these guys will pose a serious threat.
2012 SEC Preview: South Carolina
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: South Carolina.
2011 record: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)
Final AP ranking: 9
2011 was a successful season by South Carolina standars, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t plenty of drama off the field.
The season started off with four straight wins before Auburn pulled off an upset, defeating South Carolina on a touchdown pass with 1:38 left. The Gamecock offense struggled to find any sort of offense against a struggling Tiger defense, and Steve Spurrier made the brash decision to bench quarterback Stephen Garcia in favor of then-sophomore Connor Shaw.
Shaw threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns the following week vs. Kentucky, and Garcia was dismissed from the team for what ESPN called testing positive for marijuana and alcohol. South Carolina’s only loss the rest of the way was to the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.
Key returning starters: QB Connor Shaw, WR Ace Sanders, DE Jadeveon Clowney
2012 outlook: The SEC East is shaping up to be a two-horse race between South Carolina and Georgia, so October 6 could be the day the East is decided. But before South Carolina can look ahead, it has a tough stretch of games to begin the season, starting with an SEC showdown against Vanderbilt to kickoff the 2012 college football season. After the Georgia game, South Carolina goes on the road for two weeks to face LSU and Florida before coming home to take on Tennessee and Arkansas.
The Gamecocks’ success in 2012 will be largely dependent on the development of Shaw and seeing if he can continue to progress. He certainly showed a lot of potential, taking over for Garcia in 2011, and could be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC.
I think Georgia will win the East, but South Carolina will have another successful season, finishing with a 10-3 record and a bowl victory.
Key games in 2012:
- August 30 @ Vanderbilt
- October 6 vs. Georgia
- November 24 @ Clemson
2012 SEC Preview: Missouri
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Missouri.
2011 record: 8-5 (5-4 Big 12)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
Missouri certainly had an interesting 2011. The Tigers started off the season 1-1, with an unimpressive win over Miami (Ohio) and a tough loss to Arizona State in Tempe. The Tigers followed up with a 69-0 thrashing of Western Kentucky, entering the meat of its season at 2-1.
The Tigers had a tough stretch during the middle of its season, losing four of its next six games, including losses to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State, all ranked teams. On Nov. 5, the Tigers added another loss to their record, this time to Baylor and eventual Heisman winner RGIII. Two days later, The Tigers were announced as the 14th member of the SEC.
Apparently the Tigers wanted to impress its future conference with a good showing for the rest of the year, and finished the regular season with three-straight wins and a bowl victory against North Carolina in the Independence Bowl. A slow start, a rough patch in the middle, and a smooth finish for the Tigers.
Key returning starters: QB James Franklin, RB Henry Josey, LB Andrew Wilson
2012 outlook: Missouri will enter its first year in a new conference as a mid-tier program, at least for SEC standards. Still, the Tigers are bringing in an impressive resume from the Big 12, landing near the top of the conference in a few key categories: rushing offense (229 yards per game) scoring defense (26 points per game) and total offense (459 yards per game).
The Tigers are going to have difficult games this year in Georgia, South Carolina Alabama and Florida. That first game against the Bulldogs will set the tone for the season, one way or another. And those games against Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama? Yeah, you can count those up as losses. However, Missouri will have manageable ‘tweener games from Southeastern Louisiana, Arizona State, UCF, Vanderbilt and Kentucky to maintain some semblance of a reasonable schedule.
My take on the Tigers: 9-4 with a bowl win. Welcome to the SEC, Missouri.
Key games in 2012:
- September 08 vs. Georgia
- September 15 vs. Arizona State
- November 03 at Florida
Key matchups vs. Alabama (9-13 @ Missouri)
- Missouri receivers vs. Alabama secondary: The Missouri Tigers’ passing offense was pedestrian last year, especially for Big 12 standards. Still, the Tigers are returning their quarterback, as well as two of their top three receivers from last year. Of course, the arrival of the top overall prospect in the nation, Dorial Green-Beckham, should be a boost for Missouri. Alabama’s secondary should be up to speed this far in the season however, so it should be an interesting matchup.
- Missouri rushing attack vs. Alabama front seven: Missouri will bring in a 1000-yard rushing from last year: running back Henry Josey. Should Josey remain bottled up, however, Missouri may rely on quarterback James Franklin, who had 981 yards rushing last season. Still, Alabama under Saban has been historically good against dual-threat quarterbacks.
2012 SEC Preview: Mississippi State
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Mississippi State.
2011 record: 7-6 (2-6)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
The Mississippi State Bulldogs came in as the team with an outside chance to win the SEC. But a last second loss to Auburn in week two and a week three loss to LSU turned the Bulldogs season upside down.
The Bulldogs only managed two conference wins and finished fifth in the division. It was a disappointing season for head coach Dan Mullen, with the only bright spot being a regular season finale victory over in-state rival Ole Miss.
The Bulldogs ended their season with a 23-17 victory over Wake Forest in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.
Key returning starters: QB Tyler Russell, WR Jameon Lewis, CB Johnthan Banks
2012 outlook: The good news for the Bulldogs is that the team is returning a lot of talent from last year’s team. The bad news for the Bulldogs is that they are still in the SEC West. The Bulldogs have been the classic underachieving team under Dan Mullen. They come in with a lot of preseason hype, but always end up finishing 8-5 and in fifth place in the division.
The first half of the Bulldogs season is very manageable, but the second half includes a brutal four-game stretch against Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas. If quarterback Tyler Russell can lead the offense and play at a high level, the Bulldogs could have an outside chance at winning the SEC. But realistically, I’ll predict the underachieving Bulldogs to finish 8-5.
Key games in 2012:
- November 3 vs. Texas A&M
- November 10 @ LSU
- November 17 vs. Arkansas
Key matchups vs. Alabama (October 27 @ Alabama)
- Dan Mullen vs. Nick Saban: It’s the classic offensive versus defensive coach when Mullen and Saban matchup. Saban has had Mullen’s number since he arrived in Starkville, but Mullen a win against Alabama could change the nation’s perception of the Bulldogs.
2012 SEC Preview: Ole Miss
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Ole Miss.
2011 record: 2-10 (0-8)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
To put it simply, Ole Miss was bad in 2011. Really bad.
A crushing loss to BYU started the season, but everything spiraled out of control from there. Southern Illinois and Fresno State were the Rebels’ only wins of the season, while teams like Vanderbilt and Louisiana Tech were able to dispatch Ole Miss with relative ease.
After a 30-13 loss to Kentucky, the school announced that Houston Nutt would resign at the end of the season. The Rebels lost to in-state rival Mississippi State for the third time in a row to end the season, and nine days later Hugh Freeze was hired as the new Ole Miss coach.
Key returning starters: RB Jeff Scott, WR Randall Mackey, LB Mike Marry
2012 outlook: New head coach Hugh Freeze has the Rebel fan base excited about football once again and rightfully so. Born in Oxford, Freeze is an “Ole Miss man” through and through, even saying he wants to retire a Rebel in his introductory press conference.
Freeze comes from Arkansas State where he successfully installed an up-tempo, run-and-gun offense. The Red Wolves went from the bottom of the barrel in terms of offense in the NCAA to one of the highest-scoring teams in the country. In 2011, Freeze’s final season, Arkansas State finished with a 10-2 record and the school’s first Sun Belt conference championship since 2005.
The problem he faces at Ole Miss, however, is a massive talent deficiency and a losing mindset. The Rebels were the worst team in the SEC last year and didn’t add that much talent in the offseason. Freeze will figure it out eventually in Oxford, but this year, I’m predicting a 4-8 finish from the Rebels.
Key games in 2012:
- September 15 vs. Texas
- September 29 @ Alabama
- November 24 vs. Mississippi State
Key matchups vs. Alabama (September 29 @ Alabama)
- Jeff Scott vs. Alabama front seven: Jeff Scott will be a central focus of the Rebels’ new up-tempo offense, and it will be up to Alabama’s defensive line and linebackers to hold him in check. The Tide has never had trouble stopping speedy tailbacks and shouldn’t this year, as Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley are more than capable of running him down.
- Hugh Freeze vs. Nick Saban: This will be a classic case of offensive genius vs. defensive genius. Freeze will be throwing everything he has at Saban in hopes of possibly escaping Tuscaloosa with what would be one of the biggest upsets of the season. Teams like Georgia Southern have given Saban fits when running a complicated, new offense and only having a week to prepare, so it will be up to Saban to make the necessary adjustments.
2012 SEC Preview: LSU
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: LSU.
2011 record: 13-1 (8-0 SEC)
Final AP ranking: 2
Through 13 weeks, LSU was having one of the best seasons in college football history. The Tigers had defeated eight top-25 teams, including No. 2 ranked Alabama, were champions of the Southeastern Conference and were the favorites to win the BCS National Championship in New Orleans.
But it all fell apart when the Tigers faced an Alabama team with revenge on its minds. The Tigers were dominated by the Tide, moving past the 50-yard line just once in a 21-0 loss. Everything the Tigers worked to build in those initial 13 weeks came crumbling down on Jan. 9, 2012.
Key returning starters: RB Kenny Hilliard, CB Tyrann Mathieu, DE Sam Montgomery
Key Newcomer: QB Zach Mettenberger
2012 outlook: Last season, LSU took on one of the toughest schedules college football has ever seen. This season’s non-conference schedule, but the Tigers could have a tougher conference schedule with back-to-back games against Florida and South Carolina.
The Tigers have set a recent standard of winning and fans will expect another run at a national title from Les Miles and Co. The Tigers return a ton of talent from last year’s team and will be one of four teams with a legitimate chance to win it all.
But the big question will be the quarterback position. Transfer Zach Mettenberger looks the part, but has yet to face an SEC defense. If he can give the Tigers steady play under center, the running game coupled with the defense will give the Tigers enough to beat in anyone in the country. I’ll predict the Tigers will finish 11-1 with another chance to play in the national championship game.
Key games in 2012:
- October 6 @ Florida
- October 13 vs. South Carolina
- November 3 vs. Alabama
Key matchups vs. Alabama (11-3 @ LSU)
- Zach Mettenberger vs. Alabama secondary: In two games against Alabama last season, LSU passed for a total of 144 yards under Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee. With that two quarterback experiment under way, Mettenberger will be asked to lead the Tigers back to the promise land. The only way to do that is to be able to successfully throw the ball against the Crimson Tide.
- AJ McCarron vs. LSU secondary: McCarron shredded the Tigers in the BCS title game for 234 yards, completing 23-of-34 passes. If cornerback Tyrann Mathieu’s playmaking ability can translate into coverage skills, he’ll be able to fill the void left by Morris Claiborne.
2012 SEC Preview: Kentucky
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Kentucky.
2011 record: 5-7 (2-6 SEC)
Final AP ranking: Unranked
2011 was a kind of hit-and-miss season for the Wildcats. It seemed as if Kentucky would take one step forward one week, and one (or two) steps back the next.
Kentucky ended its season with a step forward, an improbable season-ending 10-7 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. But back-to-back losses against Georgia and Vanderbilt in the two next weeks slammed Kentucky back to square one.
The Wildcats rebounded against perennial punching back Ole Miss before, again, following up with another loss the next week to Mississippi State. And so the season went until Kentucky was finally able to muster wins in consecutive weeks against its final two opponents of the year: out-of-conference cupcakes Central Michigan and Western Kentucky. Unlike in Joker Phillip’s first year at Kentucky, there would be no bowl game for the Wildcats.
Overall, a disappointing season that ended on a semi-high note.
Key returning starters: RB Coshik Williams, QB Morgan Newton, WR La’Rod King
2012 outlook: Head coach Joker Phillips enters his third season at Kentucky a little hot around the collar. After all, an 11-14 record doesn’t bode well for any coach in the SEC. To help his team out, Phillips has brought in two new members to his coaching staff to help the Wildcats with their passing offense and defense, so we may see some improved play there.
Kentucky will also have a reasonable first three games on its schedule to provide the Wildcats with what should be 3-0 start: a trip to Louisville and a visit from in-state opponents Western Kentucky and Kent State.
After that, it’s a crap shoot. Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Georgia and Missouri, in that order, is a tough run for any team, and will certainly be a tough test for the Wildcats. Perhaps too tough to pass. Even after that stretch, the up-and-coming Vanderbilt Commodores could provide Kentucky with a seventh-straight loss.
Samford’s after that, and then Tennessee. Samford should be a win, and who knows about Tennessee with how they’ve played in recent years. Overall, however, this schedule looks to be too tough for the Wildcats.
Still, anything could happen- it just probably won’t. I’m giving Kentucky another bowl-less, 5-7 season.
2012 SEC Preview: Georgia
As the 2012 college football season draws nearer, Crimson White Sports will take a look at each team in the SEC, give our thoughts on how they will do in the league this year, and give some key matchups vs. Alabama, if they are on the Tide’s 2012 schedule. Up next: Georgia.
2011 record: 10-4 (7-2 SEC)
Final AP ranking: 19
Georgia started off the 2011 season doing the unthinkable for an SEC team: losing to Boise State. The Bulldogs fell 35-21 in Atlanta in the Chick-Fil-A kickoff, after entering 2011 with high hopes. They had Aaron Murray returning at quarterback, had just signed the top running back in the country in Isaiah Crowell and didn’t face Arkansas, Alabama or LSU from the West. But Georgia couldn’t put things together right out of the gate, losing their first two games to Boise and South Carolina.
Then things started clicking for the Bulldogs as they reeled off 10 straight wins, including a 24-20 win over Florida and a 45-7 drubbing of Auburn. But, the Bulldogs were the unfortunate team from the East that had to meet LSU in the SEC Title game where their losing streak came to an end in spectacular fashion, falling 42-10.
In the Capitol One Bowl vs. Michigan State, Georgia allowed a touchdown with 14 seconds left that tied the game, and ended up losing after three overtimes, 33-30.
Key returning starters: QB Aaron Murray, OLB Jarvis Jones, FS Bacarri Rambo
2012 outlook: Everything appears to line up perfectly for the Bulldogs in 2012. They have Aaron Murray back to lead the offense, who will be one of the top quarterbacks in the country and a heisman darkhorse, they have nine returning starters on a defense that will be much improved from 2011, but most importantly, they once again dodge Alabama, LSU and Arkansas from the West, setting them up with one of the easiest schedules in the SEC.
But last week, in one of the most Georgia things ever, with everything going so right for the Bulldogs, star running back Isaiah Crowell was arrested and sent to jail on felony weapons charges and subsequently dismissed from the team. Crowell, who rushed for 850 yards last season, could face up to five years in prison.
The Crowell news certainly put a damper on some of the hype Georgia was carrying into the 2012 season, but even still, the pieces are in place for a return trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. The leadership of Murray coupled with the extremely favorable schedule set up for what could be a memorable year. I think they’ll slip up eventually, but I’ll put the Bulldogs back in Atlanta and say they’ll finish the season with an 11-3 record.
Key games in 2012:
- September 8 @ Missouri
- October 6 @ South Carolina
- October 27 vs. Florida
- November 10 @ Auburn