SEC Blitz: Predictions, players to watch and can’t-miss games
(This story is part of The Kansas City Star’s Football 2015 special section that publishes Sunday, Aug. 30. Pick one up and check out more here.)
SEC East predictions
1. Georgia >> 10-2, 6-2
Top running back in Nick Chubb and great offensive line should mean division title.
2. Missouri >> 9-3, 5-3
For two years, MU has defied experts and won division. Don’t be shocked if it’s three.
3. Tennessee >> 8-4, 5-3
Offense should hum with QB Joshua Dobbs and a bunch of returning starters.
4. South Carolina >> 7-5, 4-4
After three straight 11-win seasons, Gamecocks fell to 7-6 and are in rebuilding mode.
5. Florida >> 6-6, 3-5
The SEC’s lone new coach, Jim McElwain, knows the SEC after serving at Alabama.
6. Kentucky >> 2-6, 5-7
The Wildcats’ season finale against Louisville could be for bowl eligibility.
7. Vanderbilt >> 3-9, 0-8
Another long season for coach Derek Mason, who made himself defensive coordinator.
SEC West predictions
1. Alabama >> 11-1, 7-1
The SEC’s best defense should carry the Crimson Tide back to SEC title game.
2. LSU >> 10-2, 6-2
Tigers fans were pointing toward this season a year ago.
3. Auburn >> 9-3, 5-3
Tigers entertain Georgia and Alabama this season, a scheduling advantage.
4. Mississippi >> 8-4, 4-4
The 7-0 start last season got the nation’s attention.
5. Arkansas >> 8-4, 4-4
Program takes next step, but tough preseason injury to RB Jonathan Williams.
6. Texas A&M >> 7-5, 3-5
John Chavis hired away from LSU to run the defense.
7. Mississippi State >> 6-6, 2-6
Dak Prescott is top returning SEC QB but one of just seven returning starters.
Bowl predictions
▪ College Football Playoff (Orange): Alabama
▪ Sugar: Georgia
▪ Peach: Auburn
▪ Citrus: LSU
▪ Outback: Missouri
▪ Music City: Tennessee
▪ Gator: Mississippi
▪ Liberty: Arkansas
▪ Texas: Texas A&M
▪ Belk: South Carolina
▪ Birmingham: Florida
▪ Independence: Mississippi State
Offensive player of the year
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
Last season, Chubb rushed for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt. He’s a strong back who operates behind what should be one of the nation’s top offensive lines.
Defensive player of the year
Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
Hargreaves called himself the nation’s top cornerback at SEC Media Days, and he could be right. He’s the top candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award that goes to the game’s top defensive back.
Three can’t-miss games
Sept. 19: Auburn at LSU
We’ll get an early look at what should be two of the top three teams in the Western Division.
Oct. 17: Missouri at Georgia
They’ve been the top two programs in the East Division over the last three years.
Nov. 28: Alabama at Auburn
Remember how Texas-Oklahoma used to set the agenda for the postseason? Now it’s the Iron Bowl.
To reach Blair Kerkhoff, call 816-234-4730 or send email to bkerkhoff@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @BlairKerkhoff.
SEC football schedules
ALABAMA
Sept. 5 | vs. Wisconsin* | 7 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Middle Tennessee | 3 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Mississippi | 8:15 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Louisiana-Monroe | TBA |
Oct. 3 | at Georgia | TBA |
Oct. 10 | Arkansas | TBA |
Oct. 17 | at Texas A&M | TBA |
Oct. 24 | Tennessee | TBA |
Nov. 7 | LSU | TBA |
Nov. 14 | at Mississippi State | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Charleston Southern | TBA |
Nov. 28 | at Auburn | TBA |
*at Arlington, Texas
ARKANSAS
Sept. 5 | UTEP | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Toledo* | 3 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Texas Tech | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | vs. Texas A&M** | TBA |
Oct. 3 | at Tennessee | TBA |
Oct. 10 | at Alabama | TBA |
Oct. 24 | Auburn | TBA |
Oct. 31 | Tennessee-Martin | TBA |
Nov. 7 | at Mississippi | TBA |
Nov. 14 | at LSU | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Mississippi State | TBA |
Nov. 27 | Missouri | 1:30 p.m. |
*at Little Rock, Ark.; **at Arlington, Texas
AUBURN
Sept. 5 | vs. Louisville* | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Jacksonville State | 11 a.m. |
Sept. 19 | at LSU | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Mississippi State | TBA |
Oct. 3 | San Jose State | TBA |
Oct. 15 | at Kentucky | 6 p.m. |
Oct. 24 | at Arkansas | TBA |
Oct. 31 | Mississippi | TBA |
Nov. 7 | at Texas A&M | TBA |
Nov. 14 | Georgia | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Idaho | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Alabama | TBA |
*at Atlanta
FLORIDA
Sept. 5 | New Mexico State | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | East Carolina | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | at Kentucky | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Tennessee | TBA |
Oct. 3 | Mississippi | TBA |
Oct. 10 | at Missouri | TBA |
Oct. 17 | at LSU | TBA |
Oct. 31 | vs. Georgia* | 2:30 p.m. |
Nov. 7 | Vanderbilt | TBA |
Nov. 14 | at South Carolina | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Florida Atlantic | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Florida State | TBA |
*at Jacksonville, Fla.
GEORGIA
Sept. 5 | Louisiana-Monroe | 11 a.m. |
Sept. 12 | at Vanderbilt | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | South Carolina | 5 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Southern | TBA |
Oct. 3 | Alabama | TBA |
Oct. 10 | at Tennessee | TBA |
Oct. 17 | Missouri | TBA |
Oct. 31 | vs. Florida* | 2:30 p.m. |
Nov. 7 | Kentucky | TBA |
Nov. 14 | at Auburn | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Georgia Southern | TBA |
Nov. 28 | at Georgia Tech | TBA |
*at Jacksonville, Fla.
KENTUCKY
Sept. 5 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | at South Carolina | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Florida | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Missouri | TBA |
Oct. 3 | Eastern Kentucky | TBA |
Oct. 15 | Auburn | 6 p.m. |
Oct. 24 | at Mississippi State | TBA |
Oct. 31 | Tennessee | TBA |
Nov. 7 | at Georgia | TBA |
Nov. 14 | at Vanderbilt | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Charlotte | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Louisville | TBA |
LSU
Sept. 5 | McNeese State | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | at Mississippi State | 8:15 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Auburn | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | at Syracuse | TBA |
Oct. 3 | Eastern Michigan | TBA |
Oct. 10 | at South Carolina | TBA |
Oct. 17 | Florida | TBA |
Oct. 24 | Western Kentucky | TBA |
Nov. 7 | at Alabama | TBA |
Nov. 14 | Arkansas | TBA |
Nov. 21 | at Mississippi | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Texas A&M | TBA |
MISSISSIPPI
Sept. 5 | Tennessee-Martin | 11 a.m. |
Sept. 12 | Fresno State | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | at Alabama | 8:15 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Vanderbilt | TBA |
Oct. 3 | at Florida | TBA |
Oct. 10 | New Mexico State | TBA |
Oct. 17 | at Memphis | TBA |
Oct. 24 | Texas A&M | TBA |
Oct. 31 | at Auburn | TBA |
Nov. 7 | Arkansas | TBA |
Nov. 21 | LSU | TBA |
Nov. 28 | at Mississippi State | TBA |
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Sept. 5 | at Southern Miss. | 9 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | LSU | 8:15 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Northwestern State | 3 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | at Auburn | TBA |
Oct. 3 | at Texas A&M | TBA |
Oct. 10 | Troy | TBA |
Oct. 17 | Louisiana Tech | TBA |
Oct. 24 | Kentucky | TBA |
Nov. 5 | at Missouri | 8 p.m. |
Nov. 14 | Alabama | TBA |
Nov. 21 | at Arkansas | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Mississippi | TBA |
MISSOURI
Sept. 5 | Southeast Missouri | 3 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | at Arkansas State | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Connecticut | 11 a.m. |
Sept. 26 | at Kentucky | TBA |
Oct. 3 | South Carolina | TBA |
Oct. 10 | Florida | TBA |
Oct. 17 | at Georgia | TBA |
Oct. 24 | at Vanderbilt | TBA |
Nov. 5 | Mississippi State | 8 p.m. |
Nov. 14 | vs. BYU* | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Tennessee | TBA |
Nov. 27 | at Arkansas | 1:30 p.m. |
*at Arrowhead Stadium
SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 3 | vs. North Carolina* | 5 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Kentucky | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | at Georgia | 5 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Central Florida | TBA |
Oct. 3 | at Missouri | TBA |
Oct. 10 | LSU | TBA |
Oct. 17 | Vanderbilt | TBA |
Oct. 31 | at Texas A&M | TBA |
Nov. 7 | at Tennessee | TBA |
Nov. 14 | Florida | TBA |
Nov. 21 | The Citadel | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Clemson | TBA |
*at Charlotte, N.C.
TENNESSEE
Sept. 5 | vs. Bowling Green* | 3 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Oklahoma | 5 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Western. Carolina | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | at Florida | TBA |
Oct. 3 | Arkansas | TBA |
Oct. 10 | Georgia | TBA |
Oct. 24 | at Alabama | TBA |
Oct. 31 | at Kentucky | TBA |
Nov. 7 | South Carolina | TBA |
Nov. 14 | North Texas | TBA |
Nov. 21 | at Missouri | TBA |
Nov. 28 | Vanderbilt | TBA |
*at Nashville, Tenn.
TEXAS A&M
Sept. 5 | vs. Arizona State* | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Ball State | 6 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Nevada | 11 a.m. |
Sept. 26 | vs. Arkansas** | TBA |
Oct. 3 | Mississippi State | TBA |
Oct. 17 | Alabama | TBA |
Oct. 24 | at Mississippi | TBA |
Oct. 31 | South Carolina | TBA |
Nov. 7 | Auburn | TBA |
Nov. 14 | Western Carolina | TBA |
Nov. 21 | at Vanderbilt | TBA |
Nov. 28 | at LSU | TBA |
*at Houston; **at Arlington, Texas
VANDERBILT
Sept. 3 | Western Kentucky | 7 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | Georgia | 2:30 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | Austin Peay | 3 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | at Mississippi | TBA |
Oct. 3 | at Middle Tennessee | 6 p.m. |
Oct. 17 | at South Carolina | TBA |
Oct. 24 | Missouri | TBA |
Oct. 31 | at Houston | TBA |
Nov. 7 | at Florida | TBA |
Nov. 14 | Kentucky | TBA |
Nov. 21 | Texas A&M | TBA |
Nov. 28 | at Tennessee | TBA |
This story was originally published August 31, 2015 at 1:09 PM with the headline "SEC Blitz: Predictions, players to watch and can’t-miss games."