2011 SEC Football Preview

Coach of the Year - Dan Mullen

This was a close decision because two of the best coaches in the country live in this conference in Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier. However, since Starkville has not seen an SEC Championship since 1941, which is their only one, who does more with less than Dan Mullen? He gets the maximum out of his team every week.

SEC East Champions - South Carolina

In a division that is anyone's for the taking, South Carolina has the talent and experience to win the East for a second time.

SEC West Champions - Alabama

It will come down to the LSU game, and since it is in Tuscaloosa, give the nod to the Tide. With 14 starters returning, they will be loaded.

SEC Champions - Alabama

The toughest game the Tide will play all year will not come in the SEC Championship, but against LSU so this one will be merely a tune-up for the National Championship game.

Darkhorse - Mississippi State

They do not have the talent of Alabama or LSU, but come to play every week. With that going for your team, anything is possible. Beside, they get both of those teams in Starkville.

SEC Champions.in 2012 - Auburn

The cupboard is bare after all those great players left after the National Championship season last year. But back to back solid recruiting classes, and a coaching staff that knows how to win, the Tigers will be tough to beat.next year.

Coach on the hot seat - Mark Richt

After a 6-7 record last season, another loss to Florida, and not being able to score a touchdown against a C-USA team, Mark Richt has suddenly gone from the second coming of Vince Dooley to the second act of Ray Goff. He had better beat Boise State, be in contention in the SEC AND beat Georgia Tech or there will be a new big dog in the house.

Upset of the year - Mississippi State over Alabama

Mississippi State has the team to win on November 12th in Starkville. And the thing that tips the scales in the Bulldogs favor is the Tide will have just finished a titanic struggle with LSU the week before, and it is difficult to get up emotionally for two weeks straight against teams that will give you their best shot.

Freshman of the Year- Jadeveon Clowney

Last year, it was Marcus Lattimore. This year it will be Jadeveon Clowney who becomes a legend in Columbia. At 6'6 245, this guy is going to be a monster.

Best Player - Trent Richardson, Alabama

After tearing up the SEC last year, Richardson also tore up his knee and missed two games. What did he do when he returned for the final two games of the year? Not much, just 700 yards and six touchdowns. This guy could bring Alabama its second Heisman winner in the last three years if he stays healthy.

Coach you love to hate - Les Miles

Even LSU fans hate this guy, so he has to win this category hands down. Every time he comes on TV, my Uncle Cliff throws his PRB at the screen. Good thing Aunt Mavis started buying his cans instead of bottles.

Team you love to hate - Florida

If you ask any SEC fan who they dislike the most, the overwhelming response is always Florida. Maybe because they have been one of the best teams in the country since the early 90's?

Best Mascot - UGA

Despite UGA VIII passing away last year, this is the best mascot in the conference. You just have to love that slobbery round face laying on an ice bag during the hot early season games.

Team Ascending - South Carolina

With an SEC East championship under their belts, and a division that is winnable, could this be the next success story that Steve Spurrier leads to a conference title?

Team Descending - Tennessee

Could you ever imagine that the Big Orange could be mired in mediocrity? Not having won the conference since 1998, and with a past littered with disappointment, fan alienation, and empty seats in Neyland Stadium, this is a program in trouble.

Best Tailgate - The Grove

Ole Miss might not have had the best team on the field in the SEC, but they sure have the best team off the field as The Grove stands out as the premier tailgate spot in the entire SEC.

Best Tradition - Tie

I could not decide on a winner, but here are some of the best traditions in the conference. In Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the end of the third quarter, Gator fans stand, lock arms, sway, and sing "We Are the Boys from Old Florida," in unison. The Vols run through the "T, to start things in Knoxville. Bear Bryant is seen every Saturday on the jumbotron in Tuscaloosa. At LSU, the cheerleaders "forget" to move Mike the Tiger's cage from outside the visiting team's locker room. Vanderbilt cheers it's loudest when the band plays Dynamite. Ole Miss has The Grove, while approximately 100 mils to the south, you can hear the sound of cowbells at Mississippi State. In Columbia, go to a night game at Williams Brice Stadium so you can see the Gamecocks rush on the field with Sprach Zarathustra from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" blaring on the loudspeakers. In Fayetteville, they call the Hogs. At Auburn, they roll the trees. In Athens, stop by the Vince Dooley statue and pay homage to a coach that not only put Georgia, but SEC football, in a higher place than when he started. In Lexington, they still talk about Cawood Ledford as the voice that symbolized Kentucky athletics. Ledford retired after the 1991 football season, but will always remain at the top of the hearts of UK fans.

Best uniforms - Ole Miss

Taking the colors of Yale and Harvard, who were the dominant programs in the college football at the time, Ole Miss has a navy blue and deep red color scheme that is stunning. Thrown in the double shoulder stripes, and wearing both blue and red jerseys, depending on the opponent, with dark gray pants, this is one beautiful uniform.

Best Game- LSU at Alabama, November 5th

The winner could be on the way to the SEC title game, and if lucky, a win could vault them into the National Championship. Besides, these are the two best teams in the conference, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Best Stadium - Neyland Stadium

Once the largest stadium in the country, Neyland Stadium is a picturesque setting on the banks of the Tennessee River. Renovations have curbed the seating capacity, which is good since the stadium was getting a little cramped and claustrophobic for those wanting to leave after the game. With the improvements such as wider concourses, more bathrooms, a statue of General Neyland, as well as paying tribute to former Vol legends, this is once again, a beautiful place to watch a game.

Here are links to full previews for each team in the SEC. We've listed them in the order we think they will finish.

The Southeastern Conference has a great opportunity to grow and add some great teams from the Big 12. Check out Time is now for SEC Expansion

What do you think?

We'd love to hear your comments and/or opinions. If you submit them here, other visitors can read them, rate them and comment on them. An e-mail address is not required.

Enter Your Title

Your comments go here.
[ ? ]

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional)[ ? ]

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional)

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(e.g., City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.

(You can preview and edit on the next page)

Click here to see the rest of the form and complete your submission.

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Tennessee Is On The Rise
Tennessee is a team on the RISE!!! They hit bottom already and will be in contention for the SEC championship next year!!! They are loaded with talented …

Vols Ascending; Dogs Descending Not rated yet
I think team descending Tennessee is crap. Last year they were rebuilding, even though they were inexperienced they were beating LSU on the road could …

Good Preview ... Not rated yet
Just don't agree with Miss State over Bama with the D-fence that is in T-town, other than that it looks good.

LSU: Best Tailgating and Stadium Not rated yet
Ole Miss a better tailgate than LSU? Hahahahahahaha, you lost all credibility on that one. Best stadium, Neyland? Another knock to the credibility, …

Who will win the SEC West in 2011? Not rated yet
That’s the question, who WILL win the West division in the SEC? Every football magazine and newspaper in the south is asking that …

Click here to write your own.

Top Of The Page

SEC Sports Fan -- "The Best Fans in the World" Not affiliated with the Southeastern Conference Thanks for supporting this site by purchasing high quality fan products from the sponsors we link to Click Here for AWESOME Sports Fan Products Click to view our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Like this Site

Like this Page

Visit Our Social Pages