College Football Preview: SEC Predictions

SportingNews.com

TRUE OR FALSE?

We took our predictions to those who know the league the best

WE SAY: Mississippi will win its first SEC West title -- and possibly much more.

CBS color analyst GARY DANIELSON says: "The odds are that's not going to happen. They may get up in those two games where they'll face superior talent (against Alabama and LSU), but really, anyone else could knock them off, too. It's a big jump to take from being the team who knocks off the big teams to being the team everyone is coming after. They have the talent to do it; they're at the elite level. But they've never done it -- they've never experienced being there."

WE SAY: Alabama will take a step back this year after its surprising resurgence in 2008.

Tide guard MIKE JOHNSON says: "It would be easy for people to see that we've lost our quarterback and a great running back and some guys in key spots and think we're not going to be the same team. But we've got young guys who are unbelievably talented and ready to play. We've got Coach (Nick) Saban pushing us day after day. We are not the team that lost those last two games last year. We are the team that won those first 12."

WE SAY: Florida will repeat as national champion.

Tennessee coach LANE KIFFIN says: "I think there's going to be a million articles written after Tim (Tebow) has a great year, and I would think with all the great players, they'll win another national championship and he'll win another Heisman . That wasn't a joke. I was serious about that. I really believe that. "

WE SAY: Steve Spurrier will never win big at South Carolina.

South Carolina linebacker ERIC NORWOOD says: "Expectations haven't dimmed, and neither has the talent. Our talent is up there with every other team in the SEC. We're looking forward to winning and winning big. We hear that stuff all the time: Same ol' South Carolina. They're just not good enough. That's crazy talk. Every team is different, every season is different. Why can't it be us this season? It's going to happen. It's just a matter of time."

WE SAY: Lane Kiffin will further irritate one of the league's heavyweights with a shocking upset.

Former Georgia coach and 2009 College Football Hall of Fame inductee JIM DONNAN says: "False. I just don't believe they have enough players to beat any of those teams. They're in a rebuilding mode. They don't have an established quarterback. Regardless of how strong the coaches are, it's a different deal in this league."

----------------------------------------------

SN SEC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Offense

QB: TIM TEBOW, Sr., Florida
RB: CHARLES SCOTT, Sr., LSU
RB: MICHAEL SMITH, Sr., Arkansas
OL: CIRON BLACK, Sr., LSU
OL: JOHN JERRY, Sr., Mississippi
OL: MAURKICE POUNCEY, Jr., Florida
OL: JOSH MCNEIL, Sr., Tennessee
OL: MIKE JOHNSON, Sr., Alabama
WR: A.J. GREEN, Soph., Georgia
WR: JULIO JONES, Soph., Alabama
TE: AARON HERNANDEZ, Jr., Florida

Defense

DL: GREG HARDY, Sr., Mississippi
DL: TED LAURENT, Jr., Mississippi
DL: TERRENCE CODY, Sr., Alabama
DL: CARLOS DUNLAP, Jr., Florida
LB: BRANDON SPIKES, Sr., Florida
LB: RENNIE CURRAN, Jr., Georgia
LB: ROLANDO MCCLAIN, Jr., Alabama
DB: JOE HADEN, Jr., Florida
DB: ERIC BERRY, Jr., Tennessee
DB: AHMAD BLACK, Jr., Florida
DB: TREVARD LINDLEY, Sr., Kentucky

Specialists

K: JOSHUA SHENE, Sr., Mississippi

P: CHAS HENRY, Jr., Florida

----------------------------------------------

Projected finish

EAST

1. FLORIDA
2. GEORGIA
3. SOUTH CAROLINA
4. TENNESSEE
5. KENTUCKY
6. VANDERBILT

WEST

1. MISSISSIPPI
2. LSU
3. ALABAMA
4. AUBURN
5. ARKANSAS
6. MISSISSIPPI STATE

Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer, Florida

Player of the Year: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

Copyright 2009 by SportingNews.com