These 8 comics perfectly illustrate the 2016 SEC East race
Let’s be honest. The 2016 SEC East race has been pretty forgettable.
When it’s all said and done, either Florida or Tennessee will have the honors of facing Alabama in Atlanta in a couple weeks. In all likelihood, the Crimson Tide will be a 17+ point favorite against the SEC East champ.
Throughout the season, we’ve documented the race for the East crown. From Tennessee’s early miraculous wins, to Florida jumping into first place, to Kentucky’s unexpected rise, to the potential six-way tie at 4-4, and ultimately to the two-team race it’s turned into, we’ve documented the ride with some humorous comics. If you can’t have fun with this, what’s the point?
Here are 8 comics that illustrate the journey we’ve been on in the SEC East during the 2016 season:
The Vols’ early-season magic…
Early on, the Tennessee Vols had some dramatic comebacks. Most notably the Hail Mary win over Georgia. Well, as we expected, the magic ran out when the Crimson Tide came rolling into Knoxville. Since then, the Tennessee season has had more ups and downs than most in the conference.
The door is open for the Gators …
Despite a fairly lackluster start the year, including a loss to Tennessee, Florida got back into the East race when Georgia and Tennessee began dropping games in October.
The East gets a win …
The SEC West continues to dominate the SEC East. The West is 9-2 against the East, with three games remaining (Florida vs. LSU, Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt, Arkansas vs. Missouri). Kentucky was the first East team to register a victory against the West when the Cats beat Mississippi State in late October.
Nickname issues …
The Florida-Georgia rivalry is one of the most iconic weekends in the SEC East. What’s been dubbed “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” has been called all sorts of other nicknames in recent years in an attempt to move away from the name that, ahem, encourages over-consumption. Let’s just say that the “River City Showdown” didn’t stick this year.
The Cats win three in a row …
In October, Mark Stoops and his team rattled off three consecutive wins over SEC teams (Vanderbilt, Miss. State, Missouri). That streak put Kentucky squarely into contention for getting to a bowl game. Sitting at 5-5, Kentucky has Austin Peay, then Louisville.
A year of ups and downs hits a low after South Carolina …
The Tennessee hype train slowed pretty early in the 2016 campaign, but it completely de-railed after the lowly Gamecocks knocked off the Vols on Oct. 29. Needless to say, Tennessee fans were questioning everything after this loss.
Somebody has to win the division!
As we moved into November, the East remained a complete mess. In fact, there was a plausible scenario in which the season concluded with a six-way tie in the SEC East. Drawing straws seemed like a decent way to determine a champion.
And then there were two …
Six-way tie averted! After Florida and Tennessee victories last week, the SEC East race is officially down to Florida and Tennessee. Though, we’re not sure either team is looking forward to the game in Atlanta.
We’ll see you in Atlanta.
