Athlon Sports predicts SEC standings, records for all 14 league teams
One of the highlights of the college football offseason has arrived as the latest edition of Athlon Sports’ preseason magazine has been released.
If you haven’t yet ordered your copy, you can do so at the Athlon Sports online store. If not available already wherever you buy your magazines, Athlon’s 2020 preview magazine should be hitting shelves by early June.
This year, Athlon made two editions of the magazine, a national preview and an SEC specific preview in anticipation for the 2020 college football season.
While there are 224 pages of content to dive into when it comes to the 2020 SEC preview magazine from Athlon Sports, here’s one that many people will consume first — the outlet’s predictions for the upcoming SEC season.
Here is how Athlon Sports believes the 2020 SEC season will play out, as they have projected both divisions and provided predictions for overall records, SEC records and the 2020 SEC Championship Game.
SEC East
#1 Florida 11-2 overall, 7-1 SEC
#2 Georgia 10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC
#3 Tennessee 8-4 overall, 5-3 SEC
#4 Kentucky 7-5 overall, 4-4 SEC
#5 South Carolina 6-6 overall, 3-5 SEC
#6 Missouri 5-7 overall, 2-6 SEC
#7 Vanderbilt 3-9 overall, 0-8 SEC
SEC West
#1 Alabama 12-1 overall, 7-1 SEC
#2 LSU 10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC
#3 Texas A&M 9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC
#4 Auburn 9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC
#5 Ole Miss 7-5 overall, 4-4 SEC
#6 Mississippi State 6-6 overall, 2-6 SEC
#7 Arkansas 3-9 overall, 0-8 SEC
SEC Championship Game
Alabama over Florida
A&M will have more than 3 losses.
Jimbo can never be counted out. He has a certain way of attracting athletes that are diamonds in the rough. Usually overlooked or discarded to behavior or poor grades.
In three years recruiting, I haven’t seen any of Jimbo’s recruits with grade or behavior problems. I have seen a few diamonds in the rough like Sternberger and now Jalen Wydermyer and Ainias Smith.
why only look at 3 years? if you do that, he also doesn’t look like a very good coach
I honestly didn’t follow the details for any problems at FSU under Jimbo other than the Winston headlines. It seems from an outsiders standpoint, some of those FSU problems could have been more of a systemic problem with the program.
The only game that worries me for A&M outside of bama, LSU and Auburn, is traveling to USCe after traveling to Auburn. Classic trap game setup. I really like that we go to Auburn the week after they go to Athens for what is sure to be an extremely physical game.
Might wanna worry about coming to StarkVegas as well. Y’all don’t do well there.
Different Aggie team and different Miss State team than what was there 2018.
I worry that the records for all 14 teams could end up being 0-0/0-0, but if the season actually takes place at some time in the 2020-2021 academic year, I can see the division champions in both leagues going 6-2 with tiebreakers used to determine the championship game participants.
The East could really be interesting, and if the teams are not totally organized to start the season, an upset or two early could even lead to something like a 4-way tie at 5-3 between Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
I had this sneaky suspicion that 2020 was going to be Jimbo Fisher’s breakout year in College Station, so I still believe that the West could also be a multiple tie at 6-2 between 2 or 3 teams that include Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and A&M.
What happens if a full season is played, and the SEC champion has two losses, and there are four power conference champions with 0 or 1 loss? Does the SEC get left out? Clemson, Ohio State, and Oregon apparently have somewhat easier paths to 13-0 than any SEC team, and if Oklahoma, Notre Dame, or Penn State go 11-1 or 12-1, while the SEC champion is 11-2, imagine the stink if the SEC champ gets in.
Ohio St and Oregon play this year out west. it wont be the worst loss in the world but i have a feeling that the Pac-12 will get left out if Oregon loses that game. Clemson you can bet on 13-0. Ohio St will probably make it but i think with one loss. OU should make it if Spencer Rattler is as good as advertised. That leaves room for potentially 2 loss Oregon, Notre Dame, maybe a Big 10 squad, or an SEC champ. There’s plenty of room for the SEC.
i did just realize that the Oregon schools may not be playing football this year even with the positive news coming in recently. according to the Wall Street Journal the Oregon schools (Ducks and Beavers) want to reopen but the governor wont let them.
My post above was probably a little ignorant as I didn’t stop to think of the actual climate of the country rn. Oops…
Worry is a useless emotion. You should let that go.
I don’t see SCar winning 3 SEC games with LSU, aTm, Fl, Ga, Ky and Tenn on their tough SEC Slate, plus a date with Clemson. I see them as 2-6, 5-7
They have decent talent and some pretty good recruits who could play right away. Best chance for an upset is Tenn or at Ky. I see them as 2-6, 5-7.
This is the hottest coaching seat in SEC and team has a chance to check out if they get discouraged early or suffer more key injuries as their depth isn’t as good as other teams.
Kentucky will be a dangerous team to play early with that veteran team and linemen. They could upset Auburn.
I favor GA over Fla because game is late in season. Early game and Fl takes it.
Things like injuries due to no Spring Training/limited S&C and sudden quarantine of players could lead to some surprising upsets.
Gamecocks also have to adjust to a new offensive system without much of a spring practice to begin learning it. They were awful on that side of the ball as it was.
Don’t think UT is an 8 win team yet but close. I really do not seeing us having a loss until maybe SEC game with Bama. For us all hinges on off-line play and continuity. CDM has the pieces in place to make a run but 2021 looks a much better chance.
You think UF is going to be undefeated in the regular season?
Off-line play? That doesn’t usually work out in the SEC.
Those are some good predictions. I’d have Kentucky above Tennessee, otherwise I’m generally in agreement. Interesting that Athlon has no team going unbeaten in the conference. With practice schedules interrupted, most teams will be on somewhat shaky ground to start the season, and we could see some sloppy games. Hopefully no injuries, but that will be a concern.
This could be a crazy year with the teams with a lot of returning talent, especially in the trenches and at QB possibly shaking up the predictions. Haven’t studied other team rosters so not sure who that is. UT has pretty good experience and depth in the trenches for a change but a big ole ? At QB. If we get good QB play we could surprise some. The only other teams I know a little about are UGA who I have said all along I think will struggle with all the system and personnel changes, Florida who has a lot of their O line returning if I remember correctly (not sure about the D line after losing those two studs they had) and I think ky returns a lot of depth in the trenches but like us have a pretty big ? At QB too. Florida with task returning seems to be in the best shape.
I see Alabama, Auburn, ATM all ahead of LSU this season in the west. Georgia then Kentucky with the reVOLs and the Gutters fighting it out for third and an all expenses paid trip to Shreveport this bowl season.
you drinking a lot of kool-aid my guy if you think UF is a smokescreen. that or you just aren’t paying attention
Chief Smokescreen expressing own opinion. Hype will get the Gutters and another Trail of Tears will lead to Shreveport!
He doesn’t seem to know much. I don’t think it’s kool-aid he’s been drinking.
Oh now Big Chief Wig realizes heap big mistake. Ruffled feathers of the tribe of LSU. But obvious FLA beats LSU in battle of initials on battlefield but not that big of a deal this year.
come on man i defended UF. i really couldn’t care less about what you say about LSU cuz there’s a good chance that your prediction is just another bad hot take
Ole miss better record than MSU… yea sure thing
It will be downright catastrophic if both Floirda and Georgia lose 0 games. I still have my doubts that there will be games in September or October. Or, it could be like the Big East Basketball Tournament at MSG between St. John’s and Creighton.
Can you imagine if thousands and thousands of fans from Alabama descend on Jerry World for the game against USC or TCU, and it’s 14-7 Bama at the half. Then, more than one of the players on the team registers a 102° fever in the locker and says he’s in a ton of pain. All of a sudden, the scoreboard announcement reads,
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this game has been cancelled due to illness. Please exit the stadium at once in single file line and stop at one of the CDC tents to have your Covid tests.”
The NCAA needs to grow a pair and come out and announce that for the good of all athletics, all Fall sports will be postponed until Spring. Allowing more time to find things that will destroy this microscopic combative enemy is the most rational way to go. On this Memorial Day in 2021, it would be just fine for New Year’s Day Bowls. A late May Rose Parade and Bowl would be the perfect start to Summer.
It would be better to cancel the season altogether than start the 2020 season in the spring of 2021. The incredibly shortened offseason would have a heavy negative impact on the 2021 season, loads of players would sit out a spring season and focus on preparing for the NFL, and traditional spring and summer sports would be heavily impacted as well.
No – it’s not a good idea to cancel all fall sports – OR CLASSES! It’s time to get back to LIFE! Young people can handle the Kung Fu Flu – I’m 67 and I did – knocked me on my butt, but I’m still here! Stop following the lead sheep!
No one was suggesting classes or sports should be canceled. Calling it a flu is wrong and shows willful ignorance. And calling people sheep for being cautious and mindful about the spread of coronavirus is plain stupid.
I agree with Boxster355.
agree with boxster here. people have their own opinions about this coronavirus situation and if they want to be cautious who are you to stop them?
not related at all to what i said above but the southeast states reopening early haven’t necesarily picked up like some thought they would be. not trying to be political here but it looks like the SEC could probably field a season in the fall if they be careful, even if its just SEC teams playing SEC teams
Man, I know Arkansas hasn’t earned anything, and I’m the first one to say you have to play the games, but 0-8 in the SEC is harsh. I mean there are 3 new coaches who are unproven in the SEC who were all out recruited by Sam Pittman and arguably Pittman has a better staff. I think Arkansas gets one SEC win, 3 non conference games (Nevada isn’t a given, they are a solid but I don’t think it will be a Chad Morris style loss if they don’t win).
So, while I know a lot of people are going to give me hell for this, I think Arkansas wins 1, maybe 2 SEC games this season. Even 3 isn’t outrageous. Would I bet my life savings on it? No. But I think it’s reasonable.
And for people arguing how? We have probably the top 5 back (at least in the SEC) coming back. A huge upgrade at QB. One of the best WR corps (yes, we do, those guys are studs). We are thin at TE finally after years. But Kendall Briles is a huge improvement over what we had. Our offense will be light years better. And anyone that doesn’t think our defense will be improved is nuts. Look at Barry Odoms record. He improves defenses.
Arkansas will be much better on offense, i agree. But overall getting a new team back on the ground after missing a good chunk of time will be tough for a first year coach like Sam Pittman. I agree that Arky will be much improved and maybe win one SEC game, but you can’t deny this missed time isn’t doing Arkansas any favors
I can’t argue with that and I think the missed time hurts the team a lot. But it’s got to hurt Ole Miss, Mizzou, Miss St. All teams Arkansas plays. So there’s likely a win in there and maybe two or three. At the same time if they went 3-9 would I be disappointed if they went out and just played watchable football every weekend? Absolutely not. I watched every single game the last 2 seasons and it was bad. So I believe whatever happens this season will be an improvement. I just think 0-8 is when they play 3 new coaches seems like a slap in the face. I guess you gotta earn it. I hope they want it.
Opinions are like a$$holes……..
Every single hot seat SEC coach has the Covid-19 excuse built in this season. “We needed spring ball to coach up our players, install new D or O”. Even though every team is in the same boat, some are in worst parts of it than others. The teams that deal with the crazy factor quickest will steam roll those who don’t.
“Every single”? You mean Muschamp and Mason? I don’t see anyone else on the hot seat. Even Malzahn looks quite safe through 2021 at the earliest.