Reviewing preseason picks for SEC East: Florida, Tennessee worse than expected
While the East is still vastly inferior to the West top to bottom, Georgia just defeated Auburn on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game.
Back at Media Days in July, I predicted the Bulldogs to live up to the hype and win the division. Even if I had Alabama holding on to the conference crown, my confidence in second-year coach Kirby Smart was on display.
As for the rest of the East, I was higher on South Carolina and Kentucky than most of the print, radio and television personalities in Hoover. I was also lower on Tennessee than just about everybody, too. For the most part, I was proven to be correct on the Gamecocks, Wildcats and Volunteers, although I had no idea of such impending doom on Rocky Top.
RELATED: Reviewing preseason picks for SEC West
Of all the things I’m asked to do in this job, making predictions is my least favorite. Nobody remembers or gives any credit when you’re right, but everyone has a long memory and criticizes accordingly when you’re wrong.
Nevertheless, let’s review the Crystal Ball series picks I made before the start of the 2017 campaign and see how I did.
FLORIDA
Prediction: 8-4 (5-3 SEC), 2nd in East
Performance: 4-7 (3-5 SEC), 5th in East
To be honest, I wondered right before kickoff on opening weekend if not picking the Gators to win the East again was a mistake.
Needless to say, it wasn’t. Fairly predictable was Feleipe Franks (below) not being the answer at quarterback and UF continuing to have trouble on the offensive side of the football. Quite unpredictable was coach Jim McElwain getting handed a midseason pink slip for reasons both on and off the field. It sure was a strange season in Gainesville.
The future is bright after stealing Dan Mullen from Mississippi State, but the roster he’s inheriting isn’t what we’re used to seeing in those orange and blue uniforms.

Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
GEORGIA
Prediction: 10-2 (7-1 SEC), 1st in East
Performance: 12-1 * (7-1 SEC), 1st in East
The more games that the Bulldogs played with Smart on the sideline, the more Athens started to resemble Tuscaloosa East.
I believed that UGA would be the best team in the division, although nobody could’ve predicted what a difference it would make once Jake Fromm took over for Jacob Eason at QB. Smart used an Alabama-like formula that revolved around a strong running game and suffocating defense to wrap up the East without much of a fight.
Even if the Dawgs were the class of a mediocre division, they dominated West champ Auburn on Saturday in Atlanta and are going to the College Football Playoff.
* includes win in SEC Championship Game
KENTUCKY
Prediction: 7-5 (4-4 SEC), 4th in East
Performance: 7-5 (4-4 SEC), 3rd in East
It took him four seasons to get to his first bowl game, but coach Mark Stoops now has the Wildcats going to a second.
While Stephen Johnson was far from a prolific passer, he earned the full faith of his teammates and made enough plays with his arm. Benny Snell shouldered quite a load with Stanley “Boom” Williams leaving early for the NFL, but he is clearly the league’s most underrated ball carrier. The defense finally began to make some strides, as well.
If it hadn’t blown the Florida game at home in September, UK could’ve had a magical year and ended that losing streak once and for all.
MISSOURI
Prediction: 6-6 (2-6 SEC), 6th in East
Performance: 7-5 (4-4 SEC), 4th in East
I thought the Tigers would be a shade better in 2017 than they were in 2016, but it sure didn’t look that way early.
Mizzou was a mess for the first month and a half, as the offense wasn’t consistent against quality competition and the defense couldn’t get off the field, but second-year coach Barry Odom refused to quit and finished the schedule on a six-game win streak. Drew Lock was prolific through the air, plus the D showed some signs of life.
This is a program that would’ve been in big trouble had it failed to reach bowl eligibility. Instead, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Prediction: 7-5 (4-4 SEC), 3rd in East
Performance: 8-4 (5-3 SEC), 2nd in East
He won’t get much consideration, but Will Muschamp gets my vote for SEC Coach of the Year for what he’s done in Columbia.
Statistically, the Gamecocks didn’t bring much to the table running it, throwing it, stopping the run or stopping the pass. But they were 5-1 in one-score games, including big wins over Tennessee and Florida, which speaks to coaching. USC was also opportunistic with 11 fumble recoveries and 12 interceptions, leading to a turnover ratio of plus-9.
Not to mention the fact that the ‘Cocks lost Deebo Samuel, their No. 1 receiver and ace return man, in Week 3.
TENNESSEE
Prediction: 7-5 (3-5 SEC), 5th in East
Performance: 4-8 (0-8 SEC), 7th in East
As far as I was concerned, if the Volunteers couldn’t capture the East in 2016, then they may never ascend to the top of the division again.
So many of the key contributors on that team were long gone, which is why I didn’t expect much for UT this year. There were simply too many questions to be answered at the same time, plus now-departed coach Butch Jones (below) was his own worst enemy in the past on game day. On offense in particular, the Vols were an absolute disgrace.
An ugly year on the field has only been made worse by an uglier search for a new coach, so a quick turnaround in 2018 isn’t very likely.

Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
VANDERBILT
Prediction: 4-8 (1-7 SEC), 7th in East
Performance: 5-7 (1-7 SEC), 6th in East
Coming off a bowl, there was reason for optimism with the direction the Commodores were heading under coach Derek Mason.
However, I wasn’t so optimistic. Specifically, a defender as talented and productive as Zach Cunningham doesn’t wear a Vandy uniform often. I felt that his early departure for the NFL Draft would leave a gaping hole in the middle of Mason’s unit, and that turned out to be the case. The ‘Dores took a big dip defensively.
Credit Kyle Shurmur for showing some real growth as a signal caller, but he didn’t have enough talent around him to win a bunch of shootouts.
* * *
In the end, my picks for the East turned out to be fairly accurate. Getting Georgia right at the top was the first step.
Also, my belief in South Carolina and Kentucky was justified. I had them finishing third and fourth in the division, respectively, and they actually both did me one better at second and third. They were more competitive than Tennessee by far.
Where it fell apart for me was not just underestimating how bad the Volunteers would be, but maybe not appreciating how flimsy Florida’s grasp was at the top. The Gators were my biggest miss by picking them to finish second, as I was off by a full three spots since they came in fifth. That being said, I was hardly alone.
For the most part, I had the contenders and pretenders correct. In terms of overall record, I was within one game for five of seven teams. When it came to records in SEC play, I got three of seven exactly right.
The orange-tinted ridicule ran rampant when I set my over/under for UT at 6½. It turns out that even I gave the Vols too much love.
1. Georgia
2. South Carolina
3. Florida
4. Missouri
5. Kentucky
6. Vanderbilt
7. Tennessee
We beat #2 (4 years in a row) & #4 (3 years in a row)
Hope you enjoyed it. I doubt you’ll beat either of them again anytime soon.
Basketball on.
DD2 Troll on.
And you’re obviously trying to make up for that mistake.
Why is it so difficult to accept the fact that your team sucks right now? My team also sucks, and I’m no less of an alumnus for admitting it. Win some games, and I’ll comment accordingly like I always do.
Tennessee gonna Tennessee
Troll DD2 gonna troll.
I’m glad I’m not on ole Rocky Top……………
I have said they stink many times. I gave never claimed they were good, well after a couple games into the season. You claim you gave the vols too much love and I claim you have been doing your best to berate and insult the entire fan base ever since.
I was referring to my predicted win-loss record for them in the preseason. Seemed pretty obvious at the time. Perhaps not.
This is the clown that believes that Alabama and Georgia will “soon be eating crow” when his beloved Viles (Head Coach: TBD) will rise up and strike down two playoff teams.
Like Crist said, if the Viles couldn’t win the SEC Least in 2016, you have to wonder if they will EVER win it again.
I don’t know who you are talking to but I never said that. But don’t let the truth interfere with your BS.
The truth is that the Viles are the worst football program in the conference, and won’t be heard from for at least 5 years.
Based on the predictions, Missouri was the biggest overachiever while Tennessee was the biggest underachiever. That is probably pretty universal. Nailing Vandy was probably the most impressive prediction. I thought they were going to be a little better than that.
You were fairly accurate on the predictions, but next time quit being so humble and boast a little more. I guess that is just your style. Most people also figured out quite awhile back that the Vols were not too good this year, but thanks again for replying to your own column and reminding us.
How else could he pay for his upside down pogo stick lessons?
These were “preseason predictions,” not “midseason oh-my-god-we’re-not-as-good-as-I-thought-we-were-going-to-be predictions.” I couldn’t find anyone at Media Days who had Tennessee lower than third. Most of the readers here genuinely thought the Vols were going to compete for the East. And you know what they say: “It’s not bragging if it’s true.” Am I supposed to apologize for being right more than the foam-finger types tend to be?
Buddy, no intelligent sec fan honestly though Tennessee was going to do d!ck this year. Quit acting like you struck gold, but don’t let all us low-class fans distract you from your ego-grooming, there is a reason you have to keep defending your column, it’s callrd “little man syndrome.”
Us low class fans? Speak for yourself.
This dreadful author has penned a truly surreal piece about how he was wrong 6 out of 7 times?
You were not within 1 for 5 of 7 teams. The conference games are what mattered. As you were projecting conference rankings.
You were within 1 for 3 teams. You got ONE team right.
Yes, it’s so easy to predict these things with 100-percent accuracy, so why even play the games at all?
Jake Fromm is amazing, especially for a true Freshman. With that said, I think he gets too much credit as far as comparing his freshman year to Eason’s.
Georgia’s O-line went from one of the worst in the SEC to one of the best. There’s no telling what Eason could have accomplished with that same benefit.
Overall I think Georgia exceeded expectations. The vast improvement of the O-line had a lot to do with it. And Sam Pittman is just getting started.
Those were pretty good predictions. I’m a diehard Dawg fan and thought they would go 10-2 to 11-1 and lost in the SEC Championship. Nobody could have predicted such a total collapse by Tennessee.
Oh look, you got one right…
Lots of bitter, angry Vol fans out there really battling with truth…
Our eyes are set on that field of roses. Ignore those who wander in the wilderness.