By Jordan Hansen
Part three of The Daily Iowan’s NCAA Conference previews: SEC
1) Alabama
A no-brainer. The Crimson Tide are the returning national champions and will again have a great defense and running game. Alabama has won four of the last seven national championships, and the train isn’t anywhere near done rolling yet.
2) LSU
Here’s a side prediction: Leonard Fournette is the 2016 Heisman winner. Beyond him, the Tigers do need to figure out some semblance of quarterback play (they were 11th in the conference in passing yards per game last year), but it has been proven a team can win in the SEC with a mediocre player under center.
3) Tennessee
After a strong end to the 2015 season, which included an impressive 45-6 win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl, the Volunteers seemed poised to return to the SEC elite. Running back Jalen Hurd should be among the best in the nation on a team that returns 18 starters.
4) Ole Miss
While the school is still under investigation by the NCAA for various alleged rule violations, the Rebels should put a decent product on the field this year. Chad Kelly will probably be the best quarterback in the SEC this year, though that isn’t exactly saying a whole lot.
5) Florida
The Gators had one of the best defenses in all of college football last year but stumbled down the stretch and were trounced by Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. Can they pick up the pieces and right the ship? Only time will tell if they can return to contender status.
6) Georgia
Running back Nick Chubb is nearing full-health, and with new head coach Kirby Smith, there seems to be renewed faith in the program. That said, this is still Georgia, so the choking will have to come at some point.
7) Arkansas
Are the Razorbacks on the rise? There were some great moments from Bret Bielema’s squad last season but some fairly bad ones as well. Bielema hasn’t found quite the success he enjoyed in Wisconsin yet, but things seem to be headed in the right direction.
8) Texas A&M
It’s the Trevor Knight show in College Station now. The Oklahoma transfer will likely start Day 1 and has potential to be one of the better passers in the SEC. Add in a defense that was near the top of the SEC last year, and there’s a recipe for success. Unless, of course, it all falls apart. That seems to happen often at A&M.
9) Auburn
The Tigers regressed last year in a major way from their 12-2 campaign in 2014 and seem to be headed further in the wrong direction. Head coach Gus Malzahn’s seat is hot and getting hotter.
10) Mississippi State
Replacing quarterback Dak Prescott will be incredibly difficult, and it may be several years before the Bulldogs are again near the top of the conference. Playing in the ridiculously tough SEC West doesn’t help matters.
11) Kentucky
Head coach Mark Stoops needs a winning season. The Wildcats have been known to start fast over the past few years but seem to fizzle out as the season wears on. Another disappointing year, and changes could be coming.
12) Vanderbilt
Last year was promising for the Commodors and in a weak SEC East; the team might stand to pick up a few more wins. Who knows, a bowl game might even be in the future.
13) Missouri
To start off, the Tigers defense was really quite good last year — far better than its 1-7 conference record would show. Offensive inconsistency sunk this team and very well could send it to the bottom again.
14) South Carolina
Will Muschamp is in for a challenge during his first year at the helm of the Gamecocks. Not only does he inherit a roster that needs some serious work, he has to follow the legendary Steve Spurrier — not easy.