Why do we obsess over how the nation views our conference. Just win all your games and everything else will fall into place.
Photo by Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports Images
Texas A&M Football
SEC Round-up: Conference supremacy on the line in Week One
Outside of the Southeast chants of “SEC, SEC” are interpreted as “We’re better than you.” Quite frankly, that’s how those chants are supposed to be interpreted.
The SEC has five chances to prove it this weekend with opening games against five “Power Five” conference opponents and BYU, a major independent.
But the suggestion that SEC, which posted seven consecutive national championships from 2006-12, needs to prove itself is almost alarming. Fans of SEC football have frequently touted their superiority. The conference even adopted the slogan: “It just means more.”
Consequently, rivals seem to revel in big SEC losses — like the ACC’s Clemson defeating Alabama in last season’s national championship game or the Big 12’s Oklahoma blowing out Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. In fact, the vaunted SEC West went 1-4 in bowl games against “Power Five” opponents last season.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Alabama was the only Southeastern Conference school to reach double-digit victories last season. The Crimson Tide finished 14-1 on the year.
Detractors will point out that last season Alabama was the only SEC teams to post at least 10 wins. Every other major conference had at least three teams with double-digit victory totals.
That data has empowered those in other conferences to claim football equality with the powerful SEC, which is blasphemy in the southeast.
“The SEC deserves everything that it has gotten,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said on a Birmingham radio interview this week. “I coached in that league a long time. The ACC has come a long way. The Big Ten is a great league. So is the Big 12 and the Pac-12. They’re all great leagues.
“Right now, I’m not saying anybody’s better. But my point this whole offseason, we’re right there with everybody. Any given week, our teams feel the same way.”
SEC fans — and really, the SEC itself — surely bristle at the suggestion that theirs is no longer the dominant league in college football.
However, this weekend the SEC can put the rest of the country in its place in non-conference games matching Alabama against Florida State, Tennessee against Georgia Tech, North Carolina State against South Carolina, LSU against BYU, Florida against Michigan and Texas A&M against UCLA.
The SEC can reassert its dominance with a strong showing.
However, an unsuccessful weekend may be interpreted that the SEC just means more… mediocrity.
Who’s hot: LSU running back Derrius Guice closed out the 2016 season by gaining 758 yards in the final four games. That was more than half of his season total. Don’t count on his production to decline in the opener against BYU. Unless, of course, he cannot play. Stories surfaced this week about an undisclosed injury. His availability is uncertain, though he did return to practice.
Keep an eye on: Colton Jumper, who will replace injured middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland in the Tennessee defense. Widely considered the Vols’ best defensive player, Kirkland sustained a knee injury in practice last Friday and will likely miss the entire season. Jumper is suddenly a key figure, especially against Georgia’s Tech’s run-oriented triple-option offense.
Best matchup: Obviously, the most anticipated clash is No. 1 Alabama against No. 3 Florida State. However, the best matchup within the best matchup is the Crimson Tide tackles against the Seminole edge rushers. Brian Burns and Josh Sweat, who combined for 16.5 sacks last season, will pose a major challenge for Alabama left tackle Jonah Williams and either Matt Womack or true freshman Jedrick Willis on the right side.
The pressure is on: South Carolina’s offensive line faces a huge test in providing protecting against the North Carolina State pass rush, which produced 37 sacks last season. In 2016, the Gamecocks ranked 119th in the nation with 41 sacks allowed. The offensive line has been reshuffled, and four starters return, so South Carolina expects to be improved up front. The Gamecocks must prove they can protect sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley.
This week’s games: Texas A&M at UCLA (Sunday); Florida A&M vs. Arkansas at Little Rock (Thursday); Missouri State at Missouri; NC State vs. South Carolina at Charlotte; Michigan vs. Florida at Arlington; Kentucky at Southern Mississippi; Charleston Southern at Mississippi State; Appalachian State at Georgia; Georgia Southern at Auburn; South Alabama at Ole Miss; Florida State vs. Alabama at Atlanta; Vanderbilt at Middle Tennessee State; BYU vs. LSU at New Orleans; Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech at Atlanta
The SEC has five chances to prove it this weekend with opening games against five “Power Five” conference opponents and BYU, a major independent.
But the suggestion that SEC, which posted seven consecutive national championships from 2006-12, needs to prove itself is almost alarming. Fans of SEC football have frequently touted their superiority. The conference even adopted the slogan: “It just means more.”
Consequently, rivals seem to revel in big SEC losses — like the ACC’s Clemson defeating Alabama in last season’s national championship game or the Big 12’s Oklahoma blowing out Auburn in the Sugar Bowl. In fact, the vaunted SEC West went 1-4 in bowl games against “Power Five” opponents last season.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Alabama was the only Southeastern Conference school to reach double-digit victories last season. The Crimson Tide finished 14-1 on the year.
That data has empowered those in other conferences to claim football equality with the powerful SEC, which is blasphemy in the southeast.
“The SEC deserves everything that it has gotten,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said on a Birmingham radio interview this week. “I coached in that league a long time. The ACC has come a long way. The Big Ten is a great league. So is the Big 12 and the Pac-12. They’re all great leagues.
“Right now, I’m not saying anybody’s better. But my point this whole offseason, we’re right there with everybody. Any given week, our teams feel the same way.”
SEC fans — and really, the SEC itself — surely bristle at the suggestion that theirs is no longer the dominant league in college football.
However, this weekend the SEC can put the rest of the country in its place in non-conference games matching Alabama against Florida State, Tennessee against Georgia Tech, North Carolina State against South Carolina, LSU against BYU, Florida against Michigan and Texas A&M against UCLA.
The SEC can reassert its dominance with a strong showing.
However, an unsuccessful weekend may be interpreted that the SEC just means more… mediocrity.
Around the SEC…
Who’s hot: LSU running back Derrius Guice closed out the 2016 season by gaining 758 yards in the final four games. That was more than half of his season total. Don’t count on his production to decline in the opener against BYU. Unless, of course, he cannot play. Stories surfaced this week about an undisclosed injury. His availability is uncertain, though he did return to practice.
Since last season, the Rebels have come under further scrutiny from the NCAA, self-imposed a bowl ban and escorted ex-coach Hugh Freeze out of town.
Who’s not: Is any team on a worse streak than Ole Miss? The Rebels lost their final two games of last season to finish 5-7. Since then, they’ve come under further scrutiny from the NCAA, self-imposed a bowl ban and escorted ex-coach Hugh Freeze out of town. Their luck should turn with a season-opening clash with South Alabama. Except, South Alabama upset Mississippi State in last year’s season-opener, so that may not be an easy win.Keep an eye on: Colton Jumper, who will replace injured middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland in the Tennessee defense. Widely considered the Vols’ best defensive player, Kirkland sustained a knee injury in practice last Friday and will likely miss the entire season. Jumper is suddenly a key figure, especially against Georgia’s Tech’s run-oriented triple-option offense.
Best matchup: Obviously, the most anticipated clash is No. 1 Alabama against No. 3 Florida State. However, the best matchup within the best matchup is the Crimson Tide tackles against the Seminole edge rushers. Brian Burns and Josh Sweat, who combined for 16.5 sacks last season, will pose a major challenge for Alabama left tackle Jonah Williams and either Matt Womack or true freshman Jedrick Willis on the right side.
The pressure is on: South Carolina’s offensive line faces a huge test in providing protecting against the North Carolina State pass rush, which produced 37 sacks last season. In 2016, the Gamecocks ranked 119th in the nation with 41 sacks allowed. The offensive line has been reshuffled, and four starters return, so South Carolina expects to be improved up front. The Gamecocks must prove they can protect sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley.
This week’s games: Texas A&M at UCLA (Sunday); Florida A&M vs. Arkansas at Little Rock (Thursday); Missouri State at Missouri; NC State vs. South Carolina at Charlotte; Michigan vs. Florida at Arlington; Kentucky at Southern Mississippi; Charleston Southern at Mississippi State; Appalachian State at Georgia; Georgia Southern at Auburn; South Alabama at Ole Miss; Florida State vs. Alabama at Atlanta; Vanderbilt at Middle Tennessee State; BYU vs. LSU at New Orleans; Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech at Atlanta
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