5thTiger

At least give the defense the credit they deserve. Only losing one player and bringing almost everyone back, including Brantley, who was out all last year. Had a Top 10 defense in the country last season, and somehow we drop to 4th in the East, while bringing almost everyone back? Doubt it.

It means they weren't as good as their ranking suggested, which is kind of the point. Like when South Carolina was a preseason Top 10 team last year. Definitely not a Top 10 team, but should you get to claim them as a Top 10 team when they aren't? Preseason rankings are stupid. End of the year are the only rankings that should matter.

Please let this happen! I love watching the worst of fan bases during CFB season!

Tim Tebow the football player has always rubbed me the wrong way with some of his personal stuff...similar to Michael Sam. Not the same, but similar. Tim Tebow the analyst is great. One of the best the SECN has to offer, although that isn't saying much. But glad he is back. Between Timmy and Greg, should be able to put together a decent show.

I'll take Oklahoma's RB 10/10 times. They are easily better than the vols backs. I get that this is an SEC website, but you have to call a spade a spade.

I've never been a fan of a permanent conference championship site. Should rotate to give each fanbase a chance to get to the game and reap economic benefits. Certain schools will always get an advantage in Atlanta.

Didn't realize the vols secondary was that banged up. Interesting.

This should be real fun. Greeks vs Non-Greeks. Greek Life was great to me. I really enjoyed my time as an undergrad.

The only bet I would think of makinig would be the Auburn to play in a NY6 bowl. Pretty solid bet given they get a name boost in the polls. Good team too. Win 10 and they are in.

What are you even talking about? Harpos is far and away the best college bar in CoMo. Best tradition, gameday experience, excellent specials, nice rooftop, great decor. Harpos is the beacon of tradition.

meant auburn vs georgia.

3 Alabama games and 0 Missouri games. I understand Alabama will likely be in the race, but surely you could find a few games that will be just as imporant...perhaps Georgia vs Missouri instead of Georgia vs Alabama, considering one is a division game, and the other is not.

I don't find this surprising in the slightest. I had heard so much about "southern hospitality" and such, but haven't really got that impression in my visits to SEC country. It felt more disingenuous....like "faux hospitality." I do know that midwestern states have a history of being called "genuine," so that might be what Shelley is experiencing.

Couple error, but nothing too big. Boehm played LG his freshman year. Moved to Center starting Soph. Most around Columbia expect Cuellar to be the starter at LT and McGovern moves back to RG, but that all depends on how Cuellar adapts. I'm surprised you didn't mention the number of returning starts with the offensive line. Starting line on the depth chart right now have like 97 starts between them. That is crazy experienced.

As for restaurants...all the best stuff is downtown (right next to campus). Most of the iconic places are around there. Can probably give you a list when it gets closer to the game.

As for seats...the Hill is just the grass area around the Rock M. If you want to stand/sit on the ground the entire game...it is ok...but I would get actual seats. The visitor sections are usually the SW portion....and the corners of the upper decks. I'm not sure how many hotels will still be available. Best 2 downtown (which literally bumps into campus) are the Tiger Hotel and DoubleTree on Broadway. Sadly we don't have alot of hotels on campus. Most of the hotels at the intersection of Interstate 70 and highway 63 are pretty nice. Any Holiday Inn or Hilton named place is going to be nice.

"17. How many players on Missouri’s roster not named Maty Mauk can you name?" Perhaps the most accurate Mizzou in the SEC question out there. Hilarious.

I want to say preseason polls don't matter, but they do. In terms of perception, and helping with end of the year rankings. It is a lot easier to start high and end high, than it is to start unranked and climb into a Top 5 slot. Which is important in the CFP era. Also, I did notice all the ACC coaches mirroring Pinkel's statements on ND. Thought it was funny how Pinkel got the heat, but everyone agrees with him.

Glad you didn't put mizzou in top 25. Our fans aren't that great. Pretty fair weather. Great when we are good though. But Nebraska is a no doubt Top 5 fanbase. Maybe #1.

We all know what Cowherd is....but I think he is hitting the nail on the head. The SEC is so tough, especially the West, that no one comes out unscathed anymore. Especially not with 2 additional games past the SECCG. Other conferences will thrive in this playoff system. College football is cyclical, and while the strength is still with SEC for now, that won't last forever.

Only Alabama and Auburn have won the conference since 2012. Conference championships are not the end all be all of college football. As for the entire analysis, I think alot of these things can be attributed to coaching and experience rather than luck.

Yeah...The facts finally speak. But don't let that affect your preseason polling.

I'm not quite sure that things like this are "coin-toss" issues, as much as they are things that cannot be accurately portrayed. Experience, coaching, and momentum are definitely a part of the game, and are some of the biggest contributors in close games. Since we used the Mizzou vs Arky from last season- It was obvious that Brandon Allen was hurt, especially in the 2nd half. He was obviously hampered. Bilema stuck with him, and it cost y'all the game. That isn't a coin flip, that was a conscious decision. Obviously the wrong one, but it wasn't luck.

The past 5 years of the SEC might be the best by a single conference ever. Last season was a bit of a down turn. Conference power is cyclical in nature, but it does seem that some have really gone down hill. The ACC and Big 12 in particular. The Pac is getting better...and the top of the B1G is on par with the SEC. The depth isn't quite there, but the gap is essentially non-existent. The whole 5 power conferences for 4 CFP spots just doesn't work out. 10 years will be alot of fun for expansion.

I try to be as logical as possible when I post. 1. East is Down myth: Is the East down because Missouri won it? If that is the reason, you are ignorant. Just because traditional powers are down does not mean the entire division is down. 2013 was one of the strongest years in conference history. Two Top 5 teams in Mizzou and SC, Georgia with aaron Murray, Vandy with their greatest season ever. 2014 was down across the board, but 2013, absolutely not. The West just happens to be at a peak right now. There is no other time that all 7 teams in a division go to a bowl. 2. SECCG's: 2013/14 was a very good game, despite the score not indicating that. A no defense game. I think there were only a few turnovers and like 2 punts the entire game. 2014/15 was a whipping. No doubt about it. But considering last season was our "down" year, 11 wins overall seems pretty good. I understand that traditional SEC teams dont see the stock in winning your division, but it does have a bit of weight for a team who just joined the conference. Now that we have won the division twice, I won't be satisfied until we actually win the SECCG. But look at it through our fans eyes, a new experience across the board, of course your going to brag about any little thing. 3. Weak Schedule: Well, relatively weak. The West is a meat grinder, no doubt. Mizzou got the most favorable draw, all things considered. OOC is pretty weak, although don't sleep on BYU with Taysum Hill returning. But as I say "strength of schedule don't count as wins." I'd take Florida States 13-0 season any day. But don't hold our conference slate against us, we didn't make it. 4. Old Guard: Sorry to bust your balls Big 6, but Missouri has been doing the same thing under GP for over a decade. So long as he is around, we will be a 8+ win team. We don't have the distant history to point to, but that doesn't mean we aren't a legit threat now. It is a bit funny to see different fan bases get their feathers ruffled due to our success. We do it our way. We won't get the 5* kids and such, and that is fine, because it isn't our model. Our state is always overlooked, it provides us a nice chip on our shoulder. Call it what you want, but we are here to stay.

There is a bit of difference between Power Rankings and Predictions. I'll go with predictions 1. Auburn- Live and die by the system. Apparently Johnson can throw, which opens up another part of Gus' offense. Boom should have the defense rocking with great recruits. 2. Alabama- Lost alot of talent, brought in a lot of talent. The usual at Alabama. But uncertain QB situations are always a downer for me. Might be a Manziel, might be garbage. 3. Georgia- Weird here, because I think they lose to their West opponents, and beat all the East teams. QB thing is a worry spot here. Rough schedule draw for these guys 4. Missouri- Almost exactly where they were last year. Replacing 2 NFL caliber DE's and an entire WR corps. Gary Pinkel breeds consistency, and that is what I think happens here. Easy schedule also helps. 5. Miss St.- There is no doubt one position on the field that can make and break games is QB. State has the best one in the conference. He won't carry them all the way, but he can take them pretty far. That and Mullen is pretty salty. Super easy non-con and pretty favorable home-away splits 6. Arkansas- Brandon Allen might be the most reliable QB out there, unfortunately, he isn't the guy who can go out and win you a game when everyone else is sucking. I see improvement, but not division-winning improvement. 7. Ole Miss- Time for that prized class to show what they are worth. Can't wait to see Swag Kelly in action, but i'm not holding my breath over him. Make or break season... 8.Tenn- Young and promising is one thing, actually translating it to wins is another. I'll believe it when I see it. East schedule should help though. 9. A&M- LSU and A&M are basically the same on talent, but A&M has 1, wait 2, legit QB's while LSU does not. 10. LSU- The West is brutal, and those sophomores had better learn to take a beating. 11. Florida- You have everything, except an O-line. In a line of scrimmage league, that is the kiss of death. 12. SC- You lost your two most productive offensive players, I don't think it looks good this season. 13. Kentucky-I almost put you above Florida and SC, but you have to prove that you can beat them first. 14. Vandy-Well, at least James Franklin is doing well at Penn St.

Not 4 and 5 star recruits...

Maty struggles as his receivers struggle, just like any QB. two years ago, even the backups were solid (bud sasser, jimmie hunt). Last year, outside of those two guys, the receivers couldn't catch anything. The receivers got no separation from defense to even allow a good pass. That is what we are seeing this spring. Our corners are experienced, and they are preying on inexperienced receivers. I also think our defense will be very good this year.

Remember, we don't really count. As long as people continue to underestimate Mizzou, we always have the edge. I only question how many years it would take before they don't write us off.

I would have written it differently, considering you listed only 5 teams. But i'll address your 5 teams. 1. Georgia-no complaints. Just curious about the QB situation and loss of a few receivers. 2. Bama-Other than QB, its business as usual. 3. Auburn- Not sure if Gus gets enough credit, but they are my pick this year. 4. LSU- Young and promising doesn't exactly win the SEC West these days. Throw in a volatile QB situation, and you have a 9 win team at best. 5. Tenn- Sure, they are young and talented, but have you seen their schedule? Arkansas and Bama from the West, playing at Mizzou and the Swamp, and a surely salty Oklahoma team that is dreaming of a revenge season. Coming off a 3-5 conference slate, that is awfully big dreaming. As for my teams... Bama, Auburn, Georgia. No doubt here. Those 3 should be in everyones top 5. As for a 2nd East team, you have to go Mizzou. 2x defending East champs. Get SC, Florida, Tenn, Miss St all at home. Road games to Arky and Georgia are troublesome. As for my final team, I think you gotta go Arkansas. Experience everywhere. I'm not sure they can top the division, but I can see them making a run at it if Bama or Auburn falter.