The Florida Gators are a shaky 10-1 this season, but nonetheless still involved in the College Football Playoff discussion.

But someone has to win the East Division. And, even if the Gators get plastered by Florida State and then Alabama in the championship game, it’s been a great season in Gainesville.

Still, the rest of the SEC East is a combined 32-34 this year. Four of the seven teams hold losing records. It’s even possible that the division goes 1-6 this weekend, with the only win coming in the Tennessee-Vanderbilt game.

Florida is the only ranked team in the division this year. It’s theoretically possible that the Gators lose three consecutive games, including a bowl, to finish the season and the East Division could go without a single ranked program in the final Associated Press Top 25.

But the musical “Annie” has some good advice to SEC East players, coaches and fans depressed with the state of the division:

Just thinkin’ about tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow
’til there’s none

When I’m stuck with a day that’s grey and lonely
I just stick up my chin and grin and say, oh

The sun will come out tomorrow
So you gotta hang on
’til tomorrow, come what may!
Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow
You’re always a day away!

For many of the East teams, “tomorrow” begins Sunday.

Here are five reasons that 2016 will be better for this lagging division.

1. Out with the new, in with the old

Let’s assume that Tennessee beats Vanderbilt and Arkansas beats Missouri. That would mean that four SEC East teams finished at 2-6 or 1-7 in conference games this season.

The outlook for each of those teams doesn’t get all that much better in 2016:

  • Missouri — Replacing a relative legend in coach Gary Pinkel. Recruiting never has been easy here. Huge talent drain the last 2-3 years. Keeping defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski seems unlikely.
  • Kentucky — Mark Stoops can recruit well. But his defense remains a huge liability. The team can’t seem to figure it out at quarterback despite some decent talent. And UK gets beat at the line of scrimmage by most every SEC team.
  • Vanderbilt — It’s hard to imagine the Commodores playing any better defense. But where is the offensive savior on this football team? Will it be true sophomore Kyle Shurmur? Coach Derek Mason has done nice things this year. But the ceiling for 2016 is limited.
  • South Carolina — Bye bye, Steve Spurrier. Like Mizzou, the Gamecocks have experienced a big talent drain in the last few years. It’s hard to imagine a new head coach (Kirby Smart?) turning this team into more than a fringe bowl-eligible squad in 2016.

That leaves the Big Three at the top: Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. They should get the recruits, the hype and the wins. And that’s a good thing for the SEC East. The Gators and Vols are trending up, and the Bulldogs are hanging around.

2. “Wish that I was on ol’ Rocky Top…”

Tennessee led in all four of its losses this season, including against Associated Press No. 2 Alabama, No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 10 Florida, a trio of one-loss teams.

That’s despite youth, a barrage of injuries and some curious play-calling by coach Butch Jones.

This team wins with defense and a sound running game. Get the performance of the offensive line closer to the top of the SEC and stabilize an unpredictable passing game and UT should be a legitimate contender.

This team’s 2016 schedule is very favorable. The Vols should be favored against Virginia Tech at Bristol, as the Hokies will be breaking in a first-year head coach with lesser talent. Team 120 gets Florida and Alabama at home. Then the last six weeks of the regular season: bye, at South Carolina, home against Tennessee Tech, Kentucky and Missouri, at Vanderbilt.

The floor for next year’s team should be 9-3.

3. Chomp returns to Gators offense

Will Grier should miss six games in 2016 due to his continued suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

Still, Treon Harris (or perhaps Feleipe Franks, who recently decommitted from LSU and has been hanging out in Gainesville almost every weekend) should be at least serviceable through the first half of next season.

The Florida offensive line can only get better from here as it returns to health and gains experience.

And Franks, if he does sign with the Gators as a member of the 2016 class, will be joining an offense-heavy group that already includes four-star receiver Freddie Swain and four-star running back Mark Thompson.

The “land of misfit toys” description should give way to a cohesive pro-style machine, if McElwain’s offensive track record is any indication.

4. SEC West trending down

There’s a case to be made that Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Arkansas all will be worse in 2016.

The Bulldogs and Razorbacks each lose quarterbacks that are terrific by SEC standards in Dak Prescott and Brandon Allen (not to mention Alex Collins at Arkansas, with three 1,000-yard seasons).

Here’s a list of the players from the Rebels alone who could or will be gone:

  • LT Laremy Tunsil*
  • DT Robert Nkemdiche*
  • WR Laquon Treadwell*
  • DB Tony Connor*
  • QB Chad Kelly*
  • TE Evan Engram*
  • RB Jaylen Walton
  • LB C.J. Johnson
  • DB Trae Elston
  • DB Mike Hilton
  • WR Cody Core

*Eligibility remaining

Alabama still could be at the top. Texas A&M may (finally) be a legitimate contender. Auburn should be better. But LSU appears to be going sideways, and the SEC West should be relinquishing its stronghold on the top 4 or 5 spots in a theoretical power ranking.

That bodes well for the East Division.

5. Influx of new coaches

Missouri and South Carolina are garbage teams in 2015. And Georgia isn’t scaring anyone.

The first two programs will feature new coaches, maybe even of the young and hungry persuasion. It’s possible Georgia makes a change as well, and given the team’s relative talent level, it’s hard to foresee UGA doing much worse than 9-3.

I’ll include Jim McElwain in this category as well. It’s early yet, but there are several reasons to believe he represents an upgrade over Will Muschamp as a head coach. And in his second season, Derek Mason has Vandy playing much more respectable football.