The best-case scenario for every SEC team in 2022
Let’s be realistic.
Not every SEC team has national championship upside. I hate to be that guy, but even in a conference with 3 different national title winners in the last 3 years, there are only a handful of SEC teams who are capable of being the last team standing.
The majority of the conference, even in its wildest scenario, will fall short of the ultimate goal. That’s OK. There are still a ton of positives to be gained from a 10-win season. Go ask Kentucky about that. Go ask Arkansas fans what it meant to win 9 games, 4 of which were rivalry games.
It’s not all “national championship or bust.” There are extremely positive outlooks that couldn’t create that path. Talent level, development and coaching dictates that.
Because we’re about to begin fall camp, I thought now would be a perfect time to map out a “best-case scenario” for each SEC team. Essentially, what’s every 2022 squad’s upside? Can they compete for a national title? Or would 7 wins be considered a wild success?
Let’s dig into that (I’ll only map out regular season and bowl potential).
Alabama
Best-case scenario — 12-0, national champions
While I think it’s wildly overlooked that the AP preseason No. 1 only has 1 national title in the last 17 seasons (2017 Alabama), I do think a Nick Saban-coached team with Bryce Young and Will Anderson has that kind of potential. The Tide could be a unanimous preseason No. 1, and it wouldn’t surprise me. That’s not to say the Tide are flawless. Lord knows they have questions on the offensive line, and ideally, they’d figure out who the stud lockdown corners will be. But after a runner-up season and a bevy of significant transfer portal additions, it’s not breaking news to say the Tide could overcome those issues and join the 2009 and 2020 squads as Saban-coached unbeatens.
Arkansas
Best-case scenario — 10-2, New Year’s 6 bowl
That’s a 2-win improvement for a team that hung tough in every non-Georgia game it played. That included a 1-score loss at Alabama. There are questions about KJ Jefferson’s pass-catchers in a post-Treylon Burks world, but another step for the Arkansas signal-caller is part of any “best case scenario.” Ideally, Drew Sanders would be just what the doctor ordered as a much-needed pass-rusher, Jalen Catalon would stay healthy and Barry Odom would boast a top-20 defense. That formula, with an elite ground game, will be pivotal with what’s an extremely daunting schedule. Losing to Alabama and then at least 1 other time (at BYU, vs. A&M or at MSU) seems like a fair ceiling to set after the Hogs had their best season in a decade.
Auburn
Best-case scenario — 8-4, Florida bowl berth
Part of me would just love to say “well, screw it. It’s Auburn. A miracle run is always on the table.” Given the number of questions that are being asked about this team, an 8-4 ceiling is hedging against that possibility. Ideally, Zach Calzada would be a perfect fit in Bryan Harsin’s tweaked offense, Tank Bigsby would become one of the most electrifying players in America for a full season and Jeff Schmedding’s defense would out-perform some conservative expectations. Auburn would love to correct last year’s 1-5 mark in games decided by single digits. But there are too many questions on the line of scrimmage and at quarterback to put any logic behind a ceiling above 8-4.
Florida
Best-case scenario — 8-4, Florida bowl berth
Wait. Only 8-4? Dan Mullen and Jim McElwain both performed better than that in Year 1. Why couldn’t Billy Napier? I can be a Napier believer and still think his path to a 9-win season is extremely difficult because of how improved the East is and that nonconference schedule. And let’s be real. We’re talking about a program that’s 3-9 in its last 12 games vs. Power 5 competition. Best-case scenario is Anthony Richardson becoming a Heisman Trophy candidate who becomes must-see TV with a ground game that sees Florida produce a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time in 7 years. If Florida can flirt with mediocrity defensively, that’d be a positive sign. But the nonconference showdown against a historically good Utah team with a rotating crossover game at A&M has me thinking a New Year’s 6 Bowl in Year is unrealistic.
Georgia
Best-case scenario — 12-0, national champions
Repeating is tough. Darn tough. There’s a reason why it hasn’t been done in a decade and we’ve only seen 2 programs accomplish that feat in the 21st century. Of all the things Nick Saban has done as the greatest football coach ever, he has 1 repeat title. Unlike that 2012 Alabama team, which Kirby Smart was a part of, UGA is attempting to pull off that feat after losing 15 players to the NFL Draft. Is it realistic to assume UGA will repeat? No. But this is best case scenario. A team with UGA’s talent combined with a relatively similar staff and the same starting quarterback has national championship upside. Any UGA repeat scenario entails Stetson Bennett IV playing like he still has everything to prove, and Smart’s defensive line grows up in a hurry. But the Dawgs should be favored by double digits in every regular season game, and that’s about as much as they can ask for.
Kentucky
Best-case scenario — 9-3, New Year’s 6 bowl
I nearly put 10-2. I did. But then I remembered that the last time Kentucky had fewer than 3 SEC losses in a season was 1977. Do I think Kentucky has potentially its best team in nearly half a century? Not quite. Everyone is talking about the loss of Wan’Dale Robinson, but don’t sleep on losing leaders like Josh Paschal and Darrian Kinnard. The most stable thing about Kentucky is Will Levis, who has questions of his own (existing in a post-Robinson world, connecting on deep balls, new OC, etc.). But Mark Stoops has done a tremendous job elevating the floor of his program, and given the unknowns outside of UGA in the East, there’s certainly a world in which Kentucky posts a winning SEC record in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1976-77.
LSU
Best-case scenario — 9-3, New Year’s 6 bowl
If there’s 1 SEC team that I truly don’t know what to project, it’s LSU. Why? LSU has a new coaching staff, a new starting quarterback and new starters galore via the transfer portal. That’s after it had 10 players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, which is pretty stunning for a 6-win team. I have no idea what LSU’s 2022 identity will be. The Tigers have a phenomenal group of receivers — as long as Kayshon Boutte is on the field — with several capable quarterback options and defensively, I love the edge-rushing duo of BJ Ojulari and Ali Gaye. Outside of that? Your guess is as good as mine. In a best-case scenario, John Emery and Noah Cain live up to the hype they got as decorated 2019 recruits and LSU’s offense is one of the league’s best. But in the ever-humbling West, you don’t just step in and win 10 games from the jump.
Mizzou
Best-case scenario — 7-5, Mayo Bowl
Don’t get mad at me, Mizzou fans. South Carolina just showed the world that mayo can be fun. Don’t tell me that Mizzou or the SEC East are in the place they were in back in 2013-14 when the Tigers shocked the world and made it to Atlanta. Instead, tell me how many SEC road games Mizzou has won since then. It’s 7. And of those 7, 2018 Florida was the only one of those teams who went on to play in a bowl game. A 7-21 SEC road record in the last 7 seasons is why the Tigers played a conference game as an AP Top 25 team just twice in that stretch. Ideally, Brady Cook would develop into an above average SEC starter and an improved Mizzou defensive line would help the Tigers overcome their 3rd defensive coordinator in as many years. The Tigers are always ready to win 1 at home that they shouldn’t — the home game vs. Kentucky is one to keep an eye on — but it’s hard to envision anything more than Eli Drinkwitz getting a mayo dump at season’s end.
MSU
Best-case scenario — 9-3, New Year’s 6 bowl
I think I was higher on MSU than anybody at SEC Media Days. I had the Bulldogs finishing 4th. As we know, a 4th place team in the West has New Year’s 6 Bowl upside. History is working against a program with 1 winning record in SEC play this century, and I have my concerns about Will Rogers’ blindside in a post-Charles Cross world. But nobody in the SEC returns more production than MSU. Couple that with the coaching staff stability entering Year 3 with Mike Leach and Zach Arnett, and yeah, I don’t think 9 wins is out of question. It would take faster offensive starts and fewer grenade games from Rogers, but outside of games against Alabama and Georgia, there really aren’t any other obvious hurdles. MSU will be better than people expect if their pass-rushers stay healthy this year and if they can find a way to replace Cross.
Ole Miss
Best-case scenario — 8-4, Florida bowl berth
The crazy thing is this is supposed to be a “floor” season for Lane Kiffin. The “portal king” was extremely active in recruiting transfers. The additions of Zach Evans, Ulysses Bentley, Michael Trigg and Jaxson Dart have many assuming that the offense will rebuilt overnight behind an offensive line who returns 4 starters. Defensively, though? I have more concerns, and not just because DJ Durkin got poached by A&M. Maybe I’m just so used to seeing horrendous run defenses the majority of the last 5 years at Ole Miss that I picture this new-look front will have issues. I worry about the depth of that group with a back-loaded schedule with latter half games vs. Tank Bigsby, Devon Achane, Jahmyr Gibbs and Arkansas, who returns almost everyone from the No. 1 Power 5 rushing attack last year. That’ll limit Kiffin’s Year 3 upside.
South Carolina
Best-case scenario — 8-4, Florida bowl berth
South Carolina entered the offseason as the ultimate good vibes team in college football. That’s a credit to Shane Beamer and how he weathered the storm with a 7-win Year 1. Adding a quarterback as talented as Spencer Rattler only added to the notion that the Gamecocks are on the rise. The best case for South Carolina is Rattler looking like the 2020 version of himself when he earned Big 12 Championship MVP honors and finished with a quarterback rating better than Trevor Lawrence. Him becoming a 1-and-done would mean he elevated an offense that struggled for much of 2021. A best-case scenario is South Carolina getting better in the trenches on both sides and having former 5-star recruits Zacch Pickens and Jordan Burch turn around a porous run defense. That schedule, which features crossovers at Arkansas and vs. A&M with a nonconference clash at Clemson, is why I can’t put a 9-3 ceiling on Beamer’s squad.
Tennessee
Best-case scenario — 9-3, New Year’s 6 bowl
Tennessee’s ceiling has always been limited by the 3 rivals on the schedule. In the post-Phillip Fulmer era, the Vols are a combined 4-35 against Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Anybody saying they have 11-1 upside would be ignoring that. I’m acknowledging that while also saying with how explosive that offense should be, the Vols can hang with anyone. Running it back with Hendon Hooker, Cedric Tillman and Jabari Small means that Tennessee has a best-case scenario of finishing with the No. 1 offense in America. The last Power 5 team to win 10 games with a non-top 90 defense was 2018 Oklahoma, who reached the CFP but ultimately couldn’t slow down the Alabama offense. Tennessee doesn’t have that type of potential playing that schedule, but reaching the program’s first New Year’s 6/BCS Bowl since the 1999 season would be a monumental feat just 2 years removed from the Jeremy Pruitt fallout.
Texas A&M
Best-case scenario — 10-2, New Year’s 6 bowl
Three things have to happen in order for A&M’s ideal season to unfold. One is that whoever starts at quarterback at least has an argument for All-SEC at season’s end. The other is that Evan Stewart becomes Jimbo Fisher’s best true freshman receiver ever and he gives the Aggies that go-to outside threat that they’ve been lacking since he arrived in College Station. Last, but certainly not least, would be A&M’s extremely young but promising defensive line grows up in a hurry. They don’t all need to look like the next coming of Myles Garrett, but A&M’s youth cannot be an excuse if it wants a path to a New Year’s 6 Bowl. I still don’t think that gives A&M, who hasn’t played in a conference championship this century, Playoff upside. But being in that conversation in late-November would halt those Kevin Sumlin comps that Fisher’s been getting since the end of last season.
Vanderbilt
Best-case scenario — 4-8
I disagree with Clark Lea that in time, Vandy will be the best program in America. Not in football. In 2022, Vandy having a shot at bowl eligibility involves Mike Wright picking up where he left off in November and taking another step in the offense. It would be him making plays when his protection breaks down and keeping defenses on the field. Lea’s offensive line, which lost Tyler Steen to Alabama, will limit that potential. But the road to hitting 4-5 wins would include Lea’s defense starting to show the identity we saw at Notre Dame. It would’ve been nice to have seen be more active in the transfer portal. Instead, a team who has yet to win a conference game in the 2020s is still facing an uphill climb to win multiple games against Power 5 competition in 2022.
Right now, every team’s best case scenario is in play. Then the season starts, and WHAM! Crushed dreams all around. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
Prepare for the worst and you can’t be disappointed. Good policy for my fan base.
We will know where UF stands for the season after week two.
You’ll know after week 4. A loss to UT or KY still keeps you in the hunt but loss to both will be tough to overcome. The SEC East will be a show this year.
I agree. The East is going to be a blast to watch unfold.
It will come down to the Cocktail Party. If UGA slips up it’s not terribly difficult in my opinion to see both with a single SEC loss by Jacksonville and if it gets there, that means Anthony Richardson is rolling.
Tennessee just has too tough of a road with respect to getting Bama and LSU should they come out as strong as the GWhite’s of the world think they will.
I’d have Kentucky as my dark horse but within the realm of possibility and more.likely than the Vols.
I’d say:
1. UGA
2. Florida or Kentucky
4. Tennessee or SC
6 Mizzou
7. Vanderbilt
76 I like what you have but I’m really not feeling the Florida vibe. Cupboard was pretty bare and Napier is going to have to learn folks will be coming after the Gators
You might be right, but I feel the same about Tennessee. I have yet to see them play at any kind of level against an even mediocre team other than Kentucky. They run it up against bad teams which causes people to talk. If they were half as good as National Media makes them out to be Purdue would have never been in that game.
If you made me.pick I’d have the Gators over Florida and SC and Tennessee as a Toss up for 4 and 5. I still think Florida beats Tennessee. It’s just what they do.
I meant Kentucky over Florida
@Kirkm – KY most definitely has the easiest path to 2nd in the East. They got the best cross conference draw in ole miss and miss st. Here are what the other teams in line for second drew
TN – Bama/LSU
FL – LSU/TAMU
USCE – TAMU/Arkansas
I think TN can get some decent wins this season and make a run for second. Second in the East will probably finish 9-3.
Kirkm, sorry Dawg but you’re just way too high on Florida in your predictions.
They just ain’t gonna be in the East race this year. I’d say a more realistic pick would be…
UGA
TENNESSEE
KENTUCKY
FLORIDA/SOUTH CAROLINA
MIZZOU
VANDERBILT
The great news is we’ll all see soon!
Week 4 is what I was thinking.
Ditto for the Vols.
For UF, it’s Kentucky. For Tennessee it’s a road trip to Pitt.
I’m not so sure that basing your season on playing Pitt is correct.
Pitt won’t be the problem they were last year. I hope. Kenny Pickett wrecked us with his legs. He’s gone and so is their #1 receiver. Biggest hurdle now is that it’s an away game. I think TN can get a good outlook on their season in week 4 and then how they play LSU in Death Valley following the bye week.
Not the whole season. If Tennessee has any chance or hope of exceeding expectations, this is the first chance we have to find out. It’s an out of conference road trip against a decent opponent. (Heck, they won the ACC last year so there’s that.)
@CrankE @VFL_88
Y’all should win, I agree. All I’m suggesting is that I would be careful with how much stock I put into it.
FL @ TN is the first true contest I think TN will have. That’s going to be a complete air raid and tell a lot about TN. I say these things but the TN/GA State game I went to a few years ago tells me to just take it week by week.
Good call. Utah usually starts slow out of the gate but I think this Utes team can win in The Swamp.
I don’t disagree but I’m not sure I agree. It is hard to know how anyone in the PAC can actually stack up against real competition because, as a group, they have been so non-competitive for several years.
Utes are legit. Urban turned that team into a power.
I dunno. The heat and humidity is likely to hit them like a ton of bricks by the second half. Just can’t prepare adequately for that in SLC.
When was the last time Florida lost to both Kentucky and Tennessee in the same year? I know since 1974 UK and UT have both only beat Florida 7 times each.
Media group think.
100%
Best comment of the bunch!! Bingo!! The sports world is the echo chamber of all echo chambers! There are no dissenting voices!
Frankly, without a proven starting QB, I’d be fine with Mizzou at 7-5. Retaining an excellent receivers room and developing Sam Horn for 2023 is my expectation. If we can do that, the 2023 year upside should be much better.
For Mizzou the real standard for this season is Defense, consider that with just an AVERAGE run D, last season Mizzou would have won 9 games. The back breaker for 3 of the MU losses was simply watching the other team(none of them great offenses) run at will vs the D.
Mizzou returns enough at EVERY position and improves enough at most of them to simply need the defense to be at least average, and with the same SOS, the same 9 wins are not out of the question at all.
Zero coaching on defense every since the Pinkel gang left
You had a really good haul in recruiting and the transfer portal. Should be improving quite a bit over the next few years. I also think you were probably better this past year than most Mizzou fans think.
Tigurr is spot on regarding the defense, it lost us a bunch of games last year. And as I’ve said before, it tainted everyone’s view of Mizzou. I think this year’s team will be night and day difference.
My primary concern is QB. One of Drink’s downfalls is he is slow to trust his players. I remember when he was nervous about Badie stepping in full time, but all the fans already knew Badie was a dominant player. He stuck with Bazelak way too long because he was afraid to try another option. He needs to show a little more confidence in his guys this year. I think he will. The team is now mostly his players, and everyone has bought in.
“I’d be fine with Mizzou at 7-5.” 7-5 is what Connor is saying is Mizzou’s BEST-CASE SCENARIO. I would expect any fan would be “ok” with your best-case scenario. Don’t get too excited though, the Magic 8-ball says “Signs point to No.”
Drink = smart young coach. Jury is out on his DC however. Versatile line/corner-backers are probably the key. Media is greatly underestimating the quality of this roster, particularly at three positions, QB/RB/Receiver. Missouri’s defense will improve at least 10 to 40 % in every statistic. Georgia is the only opponent I would give Missouri less than an even chance to win and they are only slightly more likely to win. K-State is one of their best opponents and Missouri is going to squeak out Of the Little Apple likely as winners.
2013/2014 are not the last years Missouri will win a Division. They’re back as contenders in 2022/23/24/25. Get used to it SEC. Missouri does not hire the nice guy assistant every time. In this case they hired a sharp mind who will start being a destination for asst. coaches this year!
Drinkwitz says transfer OG Bence Polgar will be ineligible this season. That is shocking news! That could hurt the OL depth.
That’s some good sarcasm, Mizzou is stacked in the Oline position.
Tigurrr Bence Polgar very well could have been Mizzou’s starting center this year à la Michael Maetti, he was Buffalo’s starting center last year on a solid O-Line. The only really talented OL Mizzou has this year playing is Javon Foster, the rest of our OL is just slightly above average starters across the board and then some quality backup depth. It’s no world beater though.
If Hyrin White returns early, and it sounds like he might, then the Oline will be returning 4 of the late season starters. Case Cook and Maieti will be the one’s gone but the team already had good depth at that position including Ndoma Ogar and Tollison among others who should be ready to compete as starters. The idea Polgar was actually needed for anything other than depth is pretty much absurd.
Wolf you’re being too biased again lol. Mizzou should improve and if Drink finds a reliable QB then we could see a significant change. You’re still a ways off from competing for the division. I think it’s possible if you can tap into the plethora of quality players in your state from going elsewhere.
I think you underestimate how much Wilks held them back last year.
Missouri’s highly mobile Oline will be even better at that tech. And it’s possible they learn to block both ways on the same play, if so their running game will be deep and devastating. It was often good last year in Drinks’s creative debut with whole line left and right.
Now I don’t mean to say nobody else will sharpen up, but I’ll be surprised if Arkansas improves as much in 22 as they did in 21. Thats no insult they took a fair step forward last year.
I wish I had Wolf’s confidence. Realistically I just want to see improvement this year, and I’d like to get a decent bowl game. Mizzou has a bright future and I expect a highly competitive team in 2023, but let’s not pretend like we’ve arrived yet.
I agree, that defense should be substantially better and looking forward to Drink’s use of RB if line can show growth. QB play battle is where I’m most interested currently. Your thoughts on who will start the season and who may finish as starter?
Tiger I’m optimistic about the Defense being better and capable of getting off the field. Really killed momentum last year when nobody could create for themself but Burden should shine. I think we finally see what Drink offers as an offensive minded coach with him. Just like Arkansas and Briles used Burks I can only imagine the different way Drink will incorporate him into the play book and make mismatches with him. It should be fun to watch this offense evolve into what it can be with quality play.
I really think Brady Cook will start the year at QB. Drink tends to stick with his guys, even when he shouldn’t, so unless he gets injured or just is absolutely awful, he should finish the year as starter. But I wouldn’t place any bets on Cook, Im just going with my gut.
I am big on coordinators, and that’s where Sam Pittman has overshadowed Drinkwitz. Briles and Odom and outstanding and, in my opinion, are the biggest reasons for Arkansas’s success. But of course those decisions are made by the HC and Pittman deserves the credit. Drink has whiffed on his DC hires and he refuses to hire an OC. So far, I haven’t been impressed with Drink’s offense despite the success of the running game.
Hopefully, Missouri won’t lose Sam Horn in the portal.
I wish we would lose you to the portal. Go be a Debbie Downer on another team’s page, please.
If we are going to give best case scenarios, heck, I am going to go UK to win the east, win the conference championship game, win the national semifinal and then win the national title. Its ok for a guy to dream big.
It doesn’t cost anything, so you might as well.
9-3 is a pretty conservative best case scenario for UK. With UK’s schedule, I’d argue 10-2, maybe even 11-1, is within the realm of possibility. Definitely a trip to Atlanta is possible, although not likely.
11-1? Lol, no. What realm are you in? Narnia? Hyrule? 10 wins is pushing it, big time.
I think we’ll win at Florida. UK benefits from getting them early, and it’s right after a tough Florida game vs. Utah.
That’s entirely possible, but I don’t think beating Florida is going to become the foundation towards a 11-1 regular season for Kentucky.
The last few years, you’ve played an overconfident Florida, to some extent. Beware of the Florida team that is not overconfident. The talent may shine.
Maybe, but I think this year UK has better overall talent than Florida. Feels weird to say that, but UK has stacked some good classes and obviously develops very well.
Now that Georgia finally broke through and got that NCG win. Someone has to step up into the SEC East field and claim preseasons results without the trophy case to back it up.
Appears so.
Nothing is more entertaining than watching TAMU and UK get overhyped year in and year out.
You’re @ the swamp, neyland, and the grove. You did manage a very favorable draw from the West. Probably best case scenario. I will say 9-3 with losses to Georgia, Ole Miss, and TN. I think Ole Miss and TN are similarly talented to KY but them being away games might get the best of you.
Well … I’d say UK has at least a 40% chance to win each game on its schedule except for the UGA game, and I think we have as good of a shot as anyone on UGA’s schedule to beat them this year. I’d say 11-1 is UK’s best case scenario. If I had to predict an actual outcome, I’d say 9-3.
I think between the 4 teams in competition for 2nd in the east, KY has the greatest chance to go 9-3. The other 3 have some tough cross conference games.
TN – Bama,LSU
FL – LSU,TAMU
USCE – Arkansas,TAMU – Plus Clemson to close it out
This is Kentucky’s year to take full advantage. You don’t have GA until the end of the year. I think it would be awesome if that game in week 12 decides the East. Plus it’s in KY.
Agreed.
This year’s Ole Miss will take a step or two back. I think Kentucky wins by 10.
It’s Tennessee. We could fly both teams to Mile High Stadium and let a wooden indian coach the vols and UT would still find a way to win. That’s just the way it works for UK football, unfortunately.
I wouldn’t call OM and MSU a favorable draw from the West. Typical banter from someone who doesn’t have to face Bama, TAMU and LSU every single year. Although if history tells us anything UK stands a good chance at taking this year’s game.
UK has needed every bit of God to win a few games in the east the last few seasons. The east is growing up. Beware.
Minus God, clearly some SEC East historically stronger teams (looking at UF and UT) have been down which coincided with Kentucky’s ascendancy.
The challenge for UK is to keep up if (as?) UF and UT regain strength.
That will be a tough chore.
I’m not saying we’re going 10-2, especially with our brutal schedule this season, but for it to even be in the conversation is unreal considering our recent past.
We’ll have some setbacks, but it’s so nice to be excited about our program again and I can’t think Pittman enough for this turnaround.
Fayetteville is going to be rocking when Cincy comes to town.
Can you imagine Fayetteville on October 1st if, and it’s a big if, if we are 4-0 and Alabama is 4-0?
Talk about rockin!!!
Your schedule is lined up nicely, Bammer, Ole Miss, LSU all at home.
Sakeralina at home too. It’s a good year for games in Fayetteville
Sounds like a road trip to Fayettenam from NashVegas. Dodging dead armadillos along I-40 and a bump north on 49. Watch out for Hogzilla!!
Lots of talk about Tennessee’s defense, but one of the things that must happen for Tennessee to take a step forward is for this offense to find another gear to slow it down. Play Real, Grown Man football in the fourth quarter when it matters most. Play keep away and make your opponent try to hit the gas when he’s tired.
Do THAT on offense, and you’ve provided immense support to your defense.
7 we should win: Ball State, Akron, UTM, Kentucky, MIZZ, Carolina, Vandy.
2 we won’t win: Georgia, Alabama.
3 we could win: Pitt, Florida, LSU.
I’m thinking 8 wins. Get one win in the “could” group. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a 7 win season either.
2nd place in the East? Doubtful. Since Tennessee faces Alabama and LSU, they’d need to defeat all divisional opponents except Georgia just to have a chance.
Weird you put Pitt as could win and left Kentucky and Carolina as should win.
Tennessee didn’t exactly have a stellar 2021 and aren’t expected to take bigger strides in 2022 over Kentucky and South Carolina.
UK In the should win is a little aggressive
The South Carolina “should win” is also a bit pretentious since we were a debacle at QB last year. Tennessee owned SC in the first quarter last year but South Carolina outscored Tennessee in the final 3 frames. Now, a former 5-star QB takes the reins who can run the ball. We shall see.
Yes we shall. I like our chances with a stud QB and WR combo. Good luck to all
Pretentious? What’s the series record for Carolina vs. UT?
Last 15 years? Basically 50%
And how many times has Carolina beaten a Tennessee team that finished with a winning record?
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2. 1992, 2016.
Nice cherry picking. But for losses to South Carolina in 2005, 2008, and 2010-2012, Tennessee would have had an even record at 6-6 or winning record in 2005 at 6-5.
Don’t blame South Carolina for such a dismal stretch in Tennessee football. It’s not like South Carolina was dominant in the East either for most of that period.
Accuses commenter of cherry picking for stating actual reality. Makes case with “But for…”
How about we see if Tennessee can beat a decent team before we make any predictions on them. Becaus so far I see 1 lone win against a quality opponent (Kentucky) and a lot of talk based on running up stats against bad teams.
The writer of this article should look up on merriam-webster what “based-case” means. These are not the best case scenarios unless his intention is to say that it is impossible for Texas A&M to go 11-1 or it is impossible for Ole Miss to go 9-3.
I think that is what the author is implying….but again….it’s just opinion.
Here let me fix that for you then: It is IMPOSSIBLE for Texas ampersand M to go 11-1
Questions on both sides of the line of scrimmage for Auburn? That’s when I just quit reading anymore. Auburn will have the most experienced offensive line possibly in all of college football history! Three starters will be 6 year guys. Our center will be starting for his 5th year!! There is a battle at right tackle between a 6 year guy and a 5 year guy. And the other starter is a 4 year guy. And the backups are all juniors and seniors! The d line returns one of the best defensive ends in the nation in Wooden, one of the best edge guys in Hall, guys with tons of experience at tackle and nose and a couple incomer M’Bai and Jaylen Jones that could be game changers!! So questions upfront? Not even close. We will have a QB battle and the wide receivers aren’t settled yet but there are no questions upfront. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again! Auburn will be the surprise of the conference!! War Eagle!
Like I said in another article, I love the positivity of fan bases on August 1. Yes, the O line has experience, but you could throw my fat a s s out there for 4 years and I would have experience but still stink. Even with a mobile quarterback Auburn’s o line could do nothing last you. Why do you think one more year makes them that much better? 4-8 or 5-7 is my guess.
The o line wasn’t bad last year. It looked bad when TJ became the starter because he has zero mobility. Before Bo got hurt it was pretty good. But bottom line is we will have grown men on that oline this year. And I actually have a good recipe for crow! When the season is done I’ll give it to ya! Lol! War Eagle!!!
I’d say that this group of linemen has stuck around so long because they aren’t NFL material. I could be wrong, but the o-line is just average and that’s all they’re going to be.
That said, I think Harsin is smart enough to know what he’s working with and he’ll fit the offensive around the strengths and weaknesses of the team. If he knows the o-line needs help blocking in the run, he’ll pull a tight end in as an additional blocker. Same for the pass game. He’ll make sure Calzada or Robby aren’t relying on the o-line to block indefinitely while the pass play develops.
I do think 8-4 is probably the outcome we’ll see at the end of November. We play an incredibly tough schedule, so 8-4 is nothing to be ashamed of. I think we start the season 5-0 and then we lose to UGA, Bama, Ole Miss, and take your pick for the 4th loss.
But, Harsin staves off the dark clouds of booster-driven drama long enough to reel in an impressive recruiting class and we can go into 2023 with a lot more optimism.
The Kevin Sumlin comps to Fisher are interesting. I get that the numbers are similar on the surface but not so much when you consider that Sumlin was gifted one of the best college QBs of all time his first year, and his scattershot recruiting left the cupboard disorganized and nearly bare on his way out. I see incremental improvement in the Aggies’ recruiting, overall talent, and performance each year since Jimbo’s been here. Last year was derailed by depth at QB that cost multiple W’s.
This is the first year we’ve had quality depth at all positions. I’m not sure I’d say that 10-2 is the best-case scenario. I’d say that’s the expectation, allowing that no one can go into Tuscaloosa expecting a win, and allowing an unexpected loss somewhere along the way in the SECW. No one’s going to put Jimbo on the hot seat for not hitting 10-2, but that’s a realistic expectation more than a best-case scenario. A realistic best-case this year is probably 11-1 with a NY6 bowl game.
11-1 with a CFP game. FIFY
Yup, agree, actually. That would depend on what happens in the SECCG, but isn’t totally out of the realm of reasonability. That would be the reasonable best-case.
Those first few games are key. Get by Miami, Arky and Miss State without a loss and get the young, talented guys some experience.
1939. Enjoy that Hope Chick though
I think 10 wins is fair for a best case scenario. QB play is the great unknown. Bama and Arky are the two toughest games on the schedule IMO.
Texas 8&4
Should be a fun year.
Best case scenario has to include press conferences without lightsabers, a run defense, and unthrown shoes.
And no smelly fat bastard slob posing as a defensive coordinator.
You have exorcized yourselves of Grantham. Trust me, Dawg fans understand that feeling of relief.
Yes! Lol.
I’m glad Mullen is no longer in this conference. Never could stomach him.
A brilliant offensive mind, but a lousy coach overall. He’s best suited as a Group of 5/lower tier Power 5 coach or an offensive coordinator at a big-time Power 5 school.
And I disagree @FlaGators. OC’s are still expected to recruit. He should work himself up the NFL ranks if he’s that brilliant.
“A brilliant offensive mind”
Brilliant?
I’m not gonna lie…I was hoping Dan the Man would stay at Florida for 100 years or so.
I’m guilty of this thought, too.
As much as I have no love for the Gators, their performance over the last few years have been cringeworthy even for me to watch. I can’t imagine what it has been like for rabid UF fans.
Lol great comment. Best of luck to the Gators this year.
It’s funny how the UF fans vehemently defended Mullen’s behavior to the end while he had the job and then threw him under the bus as soon as he was fired. Same with Muschamp and Sharkhumper. LMAO at that.
Yep. Pull up discussion from this time last year and you’d see Cojones and his ilk proclaiming him to be second in the conference to Saban and ending every post with a 1980 or 44-28. Dan didn’t need to recruit remember, his scheme would carry them and he coached em’ up.
What a difference a year makes.
All good coaches on paper. Mullen’s performance was solid until his loyalty to Grantham and Emory got in the way of winning. The staff consistently shot themselves in the foot, failed to create a winning culture, and this resulted in another losing season. That’ll do it.
Arrow, you are correct. After the Bama loss and Mullen sticking with Todd Exotic and Diabate called out Exotic in the press conference it was all but over.
I understand the pessimistic view of Auburn’s season. But, you can never count out my Tigers. The ceiling will always be 12-0 and the floor will always be 3-9. Any prediction is pointless.
The pessimism is coming from fake news! Which is completely detached from the reality of what is happening with this football program inside that locker room! There has been a culture change for the better and we have much more talent than people that aren’t paying attention realize. I’m extremely excited about what Harsin is doing and the possibilities for this year and beyond! A lot of people will need to figure out how to make a crow taste good! War Eagle!!!
Heck you should be happy. When people are.talking them up is when Auburn usually stinks. It’s when nobody thinks they are going to do anything that they end up rolling.
I am happy that the rest of the country thinks we will be a pushover. It’s the internal negativity and outright lies about Harsin that has bothered me. But that will all be put to rest soon as well!
“When people are.talking them up is when Auburn usually stinks. ”
Auburn is great at letting fans down. I remember how Finebaum hyped up Jeremy Johnson. What a mess.
Never underestimate the stopping power of an Auburn team with extremely low expectations. It can strike fear in the hearts of any Dawg or Bama fan.
Yep. Double if you have to go to Jordan-Hare.
If I’m not mistaken, Auburn probably has the best record of any team against Bama in the last 10 years
It should since you have 8 home games and 4 away can anyone explain that to me
“The pessimism is coming from fake news! ”
The pessimism stems from reality.
No it doesn’t. And I don’t compare Harsin to Dye lightly. I loved Pat Dye. And if he were alive today I am more than confident he would be a huge Harsin fan. They are cut from the same cloth so to speak. Pat developed great players. They didn’t necessarily come in great. A couple did. Like Vincent Jackson and Tracy Rocker. But even Vincent wasn’t highly recruited. Bama offered him, but to play linebacker. And told him he wouldn’t play for at least 2 years. Nobody knew who Bo was until he took the field. The hot shot running back that year that came to Auburn was Allan Evans.Now everybody knows Bo. I bet you have never heard off Allan Evan’s. If there were recruiting rankings back then Dye’s classes would have never been ranked ahead of Alabama or Georgia or Tennessee or LSU. But he took the kids they overlooked and turned them into great players. Now Bo was great to begin with but most of the others were not. What I’m saying is how do you know Harsin’s recruits won’t be great? They haven’t even seen the field yet! And even going by the rankings his class last year wasn’t bad. 17th I believe and that was with less than the full 25. So how about just give the man a chance? Harsin is a winner. He is a winner because he works his tail off and demands the same from his players and coaches. So did Patrick Fain Dye.
Then you better not let ZOU come and steal one early
C’mon. Who are you kidding. This year the ceiling is a tad lower than 12-0. Just being real. Don’t get your hopes up. They are just laying in wait to fire Harsin with cause so they don’t have to pay another $20M buyout. They will be looking in every nook and cranny to find something on him. Auburn needs to get their boosters under control.
The ‘they’ you speak of is actually only one man. Yeller Feller has orchestrated this entire bunch of lies because he wanted Kevin Steele and Allen Green did what a great AD should do and hired the best man for the job. Don’t believe all the fake news. Good will win out over evil when this is all said and done! War Eagle!!!
I think Harsin seems like a good man and a good coach. Hopefully he gets a real chance to succeed.
And some recent history for those that laugh.
1992 Auburn 5-5-1
1993 Auburn 11-0
2003 Auburn 6-5
2004 Auburn 13-0
2012 Auburn 3-9
2013 Auburn 13-2
But I prefer to compare this to the early Pat Dye years because Harsin reminds me of him more than any coach we have had since. Dye went 5-6 his first year. With close loss after close loss. But he had a huge culture change. The next year he went 9-3 and the next he went 11-1 and we really should have been National Champions that year. The difference is back then we didn’t have social media and the backstabbers didn’t have a microphone!!! Harsin will win this year, Green will get his extension and the backstabbers will be exposed after this season! War Eagle!!!
I’d worry far less about Auburn if they were coming off a good year. Bad 2021+ no Bo Nix…I wouldn’t write them off. You don’t sleep on Auburn or the Gators.
But you can sleep on Tennessee lol. They suck
“You don’t sleep on Auburn or the Gators.”
Sleep on AU. They aren’t doing anything remotely good this season.
“Harsin reminds me of him more than any coach we have had since.”
Coach Dye was mentored by Coach Bryant. Harsin…not so much.
Coach Dye brought in awesome players.
Please do not compare Harsin to Dye.
If they are 3-9, I have no doubt the 3 would be Bama, UGA and some FCS school.
I hate playing them when they have nothing to lose.
Vols best-case scenario is 11-1, an upset of Georgia, and getting to Atlanta for the first time since I was in preschool. Now do I think that will happen? No, and anybody who does has unrealistic expectations. The Realistic best case scenario for TN is 11-2 and win the Sugar Bowl, and a top-15 ranking.
Looking at the schedule, you guys won’t be winning more than 9 games and could be as low as 4 or 5 wins. The depth and talent just isn’t there and it’s possible you’ll be trying to climb back to .500 by the time Kentucky comes to Knoxville.
4 wins means a loss to either Vandy or Missouri, and that’s not gonna happen. Bad take.
Agree, I think 8 wins. Georgia is going to be tough later in the year when TN gets them. Game is in Athens and the defense will have had time to gel. Plus, playing teams with a ton of depth is easier at the beginning of the year, not towards the end. Injuries.
If you say so. I could see you guys going 6-2 in SEC play as easily as I could see 1-7.
I don’t blame you for being confident after the Tennessee v Missouri game last year but that score proved to be an anomaly looking at alll the common opponents games
Isn’t Bama a more likely upset? It’s like when a baseball player is in an 0-34 slump or something. You worry because “he’s due”. I mean at some point they have to beat Bama or this is going to become some Navy vs Notre Dame lopsidedness.
Yeah, but an upset of Georgia would mean that Tennessee would go to the SEC championship.
Not necesarily. If you knock off Bama too, sure but barring that you’d have to run the table on the rest of your SEC slate. Florida, LSU and Kentucky are far from sure wins.
We are of course talking about a fluke upset. Yeah, it goes without saying that if the Vols are just that good and beat everyone, they’ll go to Atlanta but gWhite is the only one predicting that. The most likely scenario is you’d have to beat UGA and hope someone else does too.
Well, that’s what I’m saying, this is all still in the best-case-scenario universe. In that universe, Tennessee wins out except for Bama. In this universe, ours, I don’t think that’s gonna happen.
“Vols best-case scenario is 11-1, an upset of Georgia”
HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAH gasp HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH.
That was the best joke I’ve read in weeks. Thanks for the laugh!
Like I said, It’s not gonna happen. We’re talking unrealisticness here.
UT is certainly unable to stop UGA in the trenches, but can the UT offense get a jump on the Dawgs?
Seems to me even if UT uptempo offense can score heavily on UGA, that the UT defense would get totally gassed, giving UGA a free field?
That’s the problem
I don’t see why 8-4 is best case for UF. In fact, I think that’s probably the most likely record at the end of the regular season. Best case should at least be 10-2. Shouldn’t take much suspension of belief to think that UF beats UK, USF, Tenn, Eastern Washington, Mizz, LSU, Vandy and FSU as we beat, or nearly beat all of these teams last year in a historically and comically bad season. Then beating Utah and Scar who whooped us last year wouldn’t also be that surprising in a best case scenario. Texas AM and UGA are the only ones that we seemingly can’t compete with talent wise right now. I’m a realist though, and realize that worst case scenario can be very very bad for UF
I think what the author is saying is that it would be really really really hard for you guys to get to 9 wins. The more I looked at the schedule the more I had to start making excuses for you guys to get to 9 wins.
I don’t see a team I listed that we can’t reasonably beat. I’d argue none of those teams would win 8 games out of ten against us.
Utah. It would be the upset of the year for you guys to beat Utah. I just don’t see that being the case
Florida fans have said “that was an historically bad season for us” like 5 times in the last decade – its not really historical if it just keeps happening. Let’s just assume you lose the games to the teams you lost to last year cause you have a new coach and talent is just about the same – so Kentucky, Mizzou, LSU
I’ll fix that by saying historically bad defense, which it was. Not a historically bad team overall last year. You can assume that if you want and I have no quarrel with it but I don’t think “best case scenario” is losing again to a less talented Mizzou who won an evenly matched game in their stadium last year. UF also practically gave the Kentucky game away with penalties and LSU was a shootout. Not saying we should have won any of those three last year or taking away from the other teams. But those games were very very close and they were all away. So best case scenario I would think we can win.
That’s fair
Historically speaking that was a typical Gator year.
I love optimism but sometimes it morphs into delusion.
I am on record saying the Gators will be number 2 in the East. I’d give them an outside shot at the East if they could pull off a stunner in Jacksonville (wouldn’t be the first time the lower ranked team has wrecked someone’s season in Jax), but I don’t see them running the table with A&M on the schedule nor do I see UGA dropping 2 in the conference. But thats why you play the games.
That is to say even if they beat Georgia because sometimes stuff happens in Jacksonville (not that I think they will), I still see them dropping 2 others in conference play. A&M, LSU, Tennessee and Kentucky…hard to see winning 3 out of those 4. Throw SC in that mix if the QB situation works out.
Harder not to see TN winning 3 out of those 4 games. They will be favored in all but probably two games unless Bama and UGA have issues. And lately, it hasn’t been scary for any team to play in Death Valley. When is the last time a top ten offense went there and lost? Que the crickets. Places are only scare to play at if the team is good and right now, all we know about LSU is they have been bad.
LOL Of course you’d say that, your not very bright. lol. UF has zero advantage in any position over TN. Not giving reasons and just saying amounts to stupidity..lol.
* you’re
As in “you’re not very bright.”
Not sure if being intentionally ironical?
” your not very bright.”
Irony. Sheer irony.
Easy Cat,
Gwhite ain’t none too gud at that grammer stoof.
I keep beating this drum, and I feel like I am the only one, but Florida’s offensive success rests largely on the backs of the oline, which has under-performed for years. Napier’s offense is built around a power running game. Guess what? No run blocking, no running game.
I am not encouraged by the fact UF has been touting this line as the biggest in this SEC. I remember two recent seasons this was their claim to fame. Unfortunately, big turned out to be a euphemism for fat and out of shape. They couldn’t push a stroller and were routinely stonewalled week after week.
Hopefully, the new line coach and strength coach have been able to bring about changes not just in their bodies but in their minds, which were just as soft as their bellies last year.
I think injuries are what’s going to make or break UFs success. O line, as with most positions has good or even great first team players. After that, not so much.
Best case scenario for any team not named Vandy is 12-0.
Perhaps the author should have titled the article “Best case realistic scenario . . ”
I think only 2-3 SEC teams really have a realistic chance at 12-0.
SC should finish somewhere in the 6-6 to 9-3 range.
Isn’t everyone’s best case scenario before a game has even been played 12-0?
Well, if you aren’t Tennessee I guess
And you were going to win the national championship over the last 41 years..lol.
Wow. What an original comeback.
They did win it over the last 41 years. They won it last year. For the Vols…
1998
But congrats on that exciting 7-6 season and your big win over Kentucky and that whole almost winning the Music City Bowl thing lol.
All teams are tied for first place 8-1-22
Except Vandy. They already have a losing record penciled in, we just haven’t traced it with ink yet
Vandy is 1-6 as of today
There are only 2 things you can be confident of this time of the year:
1. Texas is BACK!
2. Miami looks to have that swagger back!
Neither usually are the case after week 2 or 3.
Forgot, there are 3.
3. Notre Dame is in the championship discussion
you are 100% correct on all three predictions. Some “sports writer” throws them out every year.
So much desperation for these teams to be good
This was a fun discussion top to bottom. Everyone just talked football. No insults. Great way to start the month of August!
I agree! Hopefully we’ll have more like this. I enjoy reading others’ takes and seeing which hold at the end of the season.
I insulted myself. Called myself a fat a s s. Does that not count?
“Best-case scenario — 8-4”
I like that, but it ain’t happening.
We need to have a beer sometime.
A repeat has only happened once this century. The BCS championship game determined the champion. USC did not win that. LSU did. USC has won one natty this century. 2004
For UGA the best I see is 14-1. Losing 5 first rounders on one side of the ball and best WR to Bama. I would say lower but the East isn’t great but UGA still hasn’t won the SEC since… ‘17? Beating Bama twice, which is what we’re all thinking is gonna have to happen is gonna be even more rough than last year IMO. Not impossible tho.
We lost our best receiver to the NFL and gave Burton away because he was no longer a starter by seasons end. Pickens was the best wr, Bowers was the leading receiver, and McConkey and Mitchell were the starters even in stats with Burton. The news really cherry picked Burton’s stats and relevance just because he transfered to Bama
I am in the they’ll be fine without Burton camp as well…especially if Erik Gilbert has his head on right.
8-4? Id take that this year! Coach might keep his job with that. L’s to UA, A&M, UGA.. and one from the (ARK, MISS, MS, LSU bunch)?
I just wanna beat PSU at home at 2:30 in Sep. Conditions cant be any more in our favor for that one. Gives us momentum with Mizzou right before UGA dashes our little hopes to the ground…
Nice we get you after Penn st game sweet and before Georgia
It’s actually before the LSU game then Georgia my bad
Sorry but Arkansas and A&M should at minimum have a best case as a playoff berth!!!!! After all we are saying ” BEST CASE SCENARIO!!! ”
Arkansas has another year under Pittman. A potential elite set of receivers. ALL SEC/ALL AMERICAN QB WITH EXPERIENCE!!!! A&M has a top 5 roster in blue chip percentage and a coach who has won a national championship and beaten Saban!!!!
I would also put Ole miss and South Carolina at 10 wins at least as their absolute ceiling!!!! In fact maybe more if Jackson Dark is anything like Matt Corrall. They just added maybe one of the top running backs in the country in Zack Evans!!!! He will be dangerous at Ole miss!!!! South Carolina could win 10 as well if Spencer Rattler stays healthy!!!! Now both teams could win way less to!!!!!
I’M JUST SAYING THEIR CEILING SHOULD BE HIGHER. BECAUSE IT MEANS THE VERY LEVEL BEST SOMEONE CAN POSSIBLY ACHIEVE!!!!! With any luck on there side A&M, Arkansas,and Ole miss could potentially win the west!!! I would say the same thing for South Carolina. I’m not expecting it, but if they had any luck they could win the east!!!! But I have Georgia in the east!!!!!
With any luck both Kentucky and LSU could easily win 10 games if not more!!!! Both have solid rosters with few holes and both now have solid coaches!!!!!
Tennessee could win 10 with any luck but I’m afraid the hype bug is going to bite them. They may end up in regression!!! But this is supposed to be absolute ceiling!!! With good luck, the right bounce of the ball and the right mindset Tennessee has the potential for big things. But if I were betting I would bet they stay about the same or regress!!!!!
This should be a bad season for auburn. But they have some experience in key areas. I think they have one of the nation’s premier running backs. Owen Papo could be as good of a linebacker as is anywhere in the country. I hear big things about their D line. Personally I believe their QB situation will at least be solid!!!! All of this going along with all the doubt usually stirs auburn up to be sneaky good!!!!! The kind of sneaky good a refer to is better than 8-4!!!
But……
Those sneaky good auburn teams were under the Gus bus!!!!! I do not personally believe in Brian Harsin!!! He can make me a believer in his coaching by simply winning!!! Still his RECRUITING is what bothers me the most. If he can’t recruit better than last in the SEC. HE CAN’T WIN CONSISTENTLY IN THE SEC!!!!!
THE GUS BUS RECRUITED HIM LOTS OF SOLID PLAYERS. NOW HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN PUSH THEM TO THE PORTAL!!!!
PREDICTION TIME…..I’m making a prediction. If Tank Bigsby can’t run behind this auburn Or line. And if auburn takes off looking like they want to be the auburn after Can Newton left. I predict you’ll see Tank Bigsby transfer before mid season!!! If I were Georgia I would hold a spot just in case!!!! Or if auburn and Tank take off badly I would make room for him!!!!
No we don’t need him but it would be nice to add him!!!!! LOL
I don’t believe in Harsin but based upon talent alone. Everyone who plays auburn needs to be careful. As Alabama nearly found out. Auburn can beat anyone with any luck!!!!!! But they can also lose 7 or even more again!!!!!
That said I think auburn’s 8-4 ceiling is way too low!!!! But their floor may not be low enough!!!! Personally I think it will be the season of high hopes dashed!!!!!
MY AUBURN PREDICTION IS 5-0 TO OPEN THE SEASON…
Mainly because of where they play Penn State and LSU!!!! No they won’t have Bo Nix to go all Manzel against LSU this season. But that auburn stadium can be magic when fired up. And you know they are going to be just on fire to get revenge on Penn State and I think they will!!! After that they are likely 4-0 with LSU coming to town. A TIGER VS TIGER FIGHT, BUT, ITS UNFAIR BECAUSE THAT WAR EAGLE IS GOING TO POKE HIS BEAK IN AND YOU KNOW IT. THUS GIVING AUBURN THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE!!! They use it to go 5-0 heading straight for trouble.
AS THEY GO INTO THE BADLANDS OF ATHENS GEORGIA!!!!!! © Negan
Yes after much thought I’ve officially adopted a new name for the dawgs stadium!!! I thought about the dawg-pound but Cleveland has that. Nobody had THE BADLANDS!!!!! So now it belongs to THE GEORGIA BULLDAWGS host of THEBADLANDS!© Negan
Junkyard dawgs also need a YARD right???
From now on its welcome to ” THE YARD ” ladies and gentlemen as you have entered into enemy territory. A place called ” THE BADLANDS! “© Negan
Those who enter THE YARD in one piece, leave in pieces!!! Hence the Junkyard aka THE YARD! © Negan
ATHENS GEORGIA IS THE BADLANDS AND THE YARD MIGHT AS WELL BE THUNDER-DOME minus the lid! LOL
So Auburn probably heads into THE BADLANDS on a high unbeaten! Yet they end up leaving THE YARD holding all the little pieces of their broken heart in their hands!!!! And social media again explodes with FIRE HARSIN everywhere!!!!!
I just thought about Tank Bigsby and he would have to either leave the SEC or sit out the season in order to transfer. Unless he got a quick waiver to return to his home state. So Tank B is likely staying at auburn this season!!!! Otherwise he would transfer before camp opens and try for the waiver!!!! So he probably stays!!!!
FINAL PREDICTION…..
If auburn is not at least 4-1 heading into that Georgia game. Harsin may get fired before he ever sees Georgia again!!!! Still if they are 5-0 as I predict to open the season….
GEORGIA IS WHERE THESE TIGERS GET DE-CLAWED, AS THEY ENTER THE YARD. DEEP INSIDE THE BADLANDS!!!!!
It is then that 4-1 or 5-0 Auburn quickly becomes 5-1 or 4-2 for auburn!!! As they like many others will find out. Georgia is still elite!!!!!!
BRIAN HARSIN WITNESSES FOR HIMSELF WHAT ELITE RECRUITING DOES FOR A PROGRAM!!!!!!!!
Auburn will be sneaky good to open the season. What they are after Georgia is up to them!!! I predict 6-6 or a game better or worse. Flip a coin!!! Unless Harsin really picks it up in recruiting I think he’s gone either way!!!! If he doesn’t pick it WAY UP and still manages to keep his job another year. Auburn will sink into the toilet in 2023!!!!!!
Brian Harsin better get it through his head. It’s not just about coaching in the SEC. It’s about RECRUITING FIRST AND THEN COACHING!!!!!!! If his RECRUITING stays the same. I think a good season for auburn is actually a really bad thing to have happen!!!!! Because that would likely mean. That Just like Dan Mullen, he was able to coach up the Gus bus recruits. The way Dan coached up coach Mac’s guys for 1 season when Georgia was down because of mass injuries!!! Dan managed to back into the EAST CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! And lose 4 games the same season. Including losing to OU by 5 touchdowns exactly as I predicted!!!!
I would hope nobody at auburn would want Harsin to win this season and stay. Not the way he’s recruiting!!!! Like it or not Dan Mullen was an ACE RECRUITING MACHINE compared to Harsin at the moment!!!! It’s as if he believes he can recruit the same as he did at Boise state and win in the SEC!!!!! He can’t and recruits know it!!!! He’s not recruiting as well as he did at Boise state!!!!
It’s this simple. Thanks to Gus he might be 4-1 or 5-0 heading into THE BADLANDS!!!! Georgia will quickly end that Harsin parade!!! But if he continues to recruit like he does now. Everyone back in auburn should cheer for a huge Georgia victory!!!! Because Harsin is quickly leading you down a trail to a very deep ditch. He’s even shoveling the dirt over you with this recruiting!!!
No reason why he shouldn’t have grabbed 5 star Clay Webb to play center for auburn or guard!!! The kid was the #1 ranked center in high school and the #1 or #2 player in Alabama. He was already super strong in high school. Stayed healthy for the most part and has been developed by Georgia since 2017 I think??? How does Harsin allow him to choose Jacksonville State in Alabama???? He should have shown up at his door with candy and flowers!!!!!!!! LOL
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TIGER THE SECOND HE HIT THE PORTAL!!!!!!! BAD MOVE HARSIN!!!! REALLY BAD MOVE!!!!!!!
PS. It’s just that reason that Brian Harson ain’t my idea of an SEC COACH!!! SEC IS A LINE OF SCRIMMAGE LEAGUE!!!!!!!
Negan
Your keyboard called. He wants a raise
Longest post I’ve ever seen on SDS. I didn’t read most of it, and I had to ice the blister on my thumb after I scrolled down this far.
I did read the part about the hogs or aggies having potential of a playoff berth. Sure, its possible, maybe not probable, but definitely possible…any given Saturday
“Tennessee could win 10 with any luck but I’m afraid the hype bug is going to bite them. They may end up in regression!!! But this is supposed to be absolute ceiling!!! With good luck, the right bounce of the ball and the right mindset Tennessee has the potential for big things. But if I were betting I would bet they stay about the same or regress!!!!!”
Where do I begin with this insanity? LOL. For one, your saying this about a team with a better offense than yours, by the data. lol. Two, if you think TN lucked into being that good offensively, you need to give up football and take up female softball.. lol smh. Regress? How exactly? Both sides of the ball look better after last season with much needed added depth and talent. Plus, it’s year two in CJH’s system. Few teams regress when they are good offensively and bringing nearly everyone back and than some.
The offense is coming and you should probably worry more about TN’s D being improved. And yes, we are going to score more on you this season without your great ground D.
“For one, your saying this about a team with a better offense than yours, by the data. lol”
TN, by the data, had a better offense than Georgia last year. Result? 41-17 Georgia. You do realize you have to play defense as well right?
Vandy will win 4 games when Nashville changes from country to rap.
Mizzou winning 7 ? What conf teams will they beat? Prob an underdog to all but Vandy. To me 5 wins is ceiling for them
I hope Tenn and Fla hit best case scenario. I may be only Dawg fan on the planet who wants Tenn and especially Fla to be great again. It makes for better rivalries .
You and me both.
Best case scenario: Negan will never ever post again.
Worst case scenario: his caps key gets stuck and he posts even more in all caps.
lol. True
Calling out the crazies? Pot, meet kettle.
Sure 4-35 for TN can be explaing with a long novel about coaching hires and booster worship that led the school over a cliff. Throw in a good ole boy network that kept things from going anywhere over the last 16 years. But the writer is ignoring two things about those 3 rivals? One, none of them are what they were offensively, and a all three have question marks on D. During the 4-35 time frame, did TN ever have even a top ten offense? No. Top 20? No. Top 30, nope. Nor did they have a D that was anywhere close to top 30. How many proven offended minded coaches did TN have in all that time? 0. How many of TN’s past 5 coaches had top ten offense before they came to TN? Zip. How many coaches were QB Heisman runner up, or even Heisman contenders? One, CJH. Yeah, so this is no mystery and certainly can see why TN was 4-35 against those three teams. Lastly, of those teams never caught TN for the overall SEC #2 spot in SEC winningest SEC team. What does that mean? It means the 4-35 means nothing unless one of them would have beaten TN for that #2 all time spot.. lol
I think it is better explained by them sucking for the last 20 years.
Great responses everyone I really liked reading this thank you.
BUT……
I’m still stuck on this sorry y’all lolol
Unless I counted wrong,
Auburn has 8 home and 4 away games this year can anyone explain this to me it seems Georgia had bias recently as well. It seems like ZOU is on the road every week lol. They aren’t but boy. Any thoughts
All teams play four home and four away conference games. The schedule difference comes from OOC games. The schools control those. If Missouri has too many road games, that’s totally your AD.
Georgia hasn’t had 8 home games in their stadium in my lifetime, and I am 51.
I’ve had season tickets for 46 years. 7 home games is most ever. Prob 75% of those years or more we only had 6.
Does anyone besides me remember when the home kickoffs were 2pm? Long before every game was on TV. I think they got away from that in the early 80s.
Missouri has 7 home games… So one less than Auburn and it’s because you’re traveling to the great state of Kansas…
Just my opinion but I’m in favor of the home-and-home power 5 matchups. I think the games should be played in your place or their place unless it’s a playoff or bowl game.
I know bama usually doesn’t travel but aren’t they going to Austin this year? That’s going to be an incredible game day despite the early kickoff.
The gamecocks ceiling is undefeated but y’all can continue to keep sleeping that’s fine with me. Make it past the first three weeks and there’s no Telling how far we can get
Not sure what the point of this article is as the “best” case scenario for every team would be 12-0, maybe “most hopeful scenario” would’ve been a better title.
Anyway, I agree our ceiling is 9 wins but I honestly don’t see the WRs or RBs on the roster it’ll take to make that happen unless we still have a bit of that magic from 2014 leftover. We’re just not there. As I’ve said before, 6-6 this year would be about as big a deal as 9-3 any other year if our schedule holds up to its initial valuation.