During the college football offseason, it seems almost everyone is an expert when it comes to predicting how the next season will shake out. So much so that people like the college football media and sports information directors (SIDs) get to cast their votes on who will win their respective conferences. The folks at AL.com/ Birmingham News SEC Preseason Football Report held their 69th annual vote consisting of all 14 teams’ SIDs for who will win both the SEC East and SEC West. The results have Georgia emerging from the East and Auburn from the West.
Now, let’s not get too carried away; these preseason polls are, as expected, usually wrong by at least one division each year. In the 2014 offseason, for instance, SID and media member voters alike had South Carolina and Alabama slated to reach the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Yes, the Alabama pick was correct, but South Carolina opened its season being thrashed by Texas A&M 52-28 at home, and finished the year going a disappointing 7-6.
As for this year’s picks, Georgia and Auburn seem pretty logical for 2015. Georgia’s offense will be led by sophomore workhorse Nick Chubb, who racked up 1,547 yards last season as a true freshman after subbing in for a suspended – and later injured – Todd Gurley. The Bulldogs have also got Sony Michel and Keith Marshall, who, if they can stay healthy, will provide a scary three-headed ground game along with Chubb. The defense returns just five starters total, but savvy defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt should do just fine in his second year in Athens.
At the beginning of the offseason, Auburn seemed to be an off-the-radar pick to make it to Atlanta, but the Tigers have become a popular pick in recent months. The defense, after giving up an abysmal 5,009 yards on the year, returns eight starters and will be led by former Florida head coach Will Muschamp. He’ll make an impact in year one, especially in the secondary. Junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson has a considerable amount of game experience despite only starting one game as a freshman. Experienced wideouts D’haquille Williams and Ricardo Louis will help Johnson, and running backs Peyton Barber, Roc Thomas and Jovon Robinson should take some pressure off the passing game.
What’s pretty unique about Georgia and Auburn meeting in Atlanta is that it would be a regular season rematch; Georgia and Auburn have been playing each other since 1892. Last year, Georgia blew out the Tigers at home, 34-7. The last time there has been an SEC Championship regular season rematch was in 2010, when Cam Newton and the eventual National Champion Auburn Tigers faced South Carolina for a second time.
These prediction polls always seem feasible on paper, but if we know anything about college football, it’s that nothing ever truly turns out like it’s supposed to.
[Source: AL.com]
