Top 5 Coaches in College Football Today

As Alabama head coach Nick Saban just took home his third BCS National Championship in four years, and fourth overall, it is a good time to look at who might be the top five coaches who are in college football today.

With Saban climbing up the ranks of the best coaches of all time, where does he rank among current college coaches.

#5 – Chip Kelly, Oregon

Kelly runs his offense and he runs it well.  His up-tempo, stretch the field offense just physically and mentally wears out the Ducks’ opponents.  Kelly continues to turn out phenomenal athletes in the college ranks; they don’t always work out in the NFL.

Kelly has been the most rumored to make the jump to the NFL, he recently announced he would remain at Oregon, at least for this year.  It would have to be an ideal situation, with the right athletes already in place, for Kelly’s system to work at the next level.

#4 – Les Miles, LSU

There is probably not a coach with more guts in college football right now than Miles.  He thrives on making calls that other coaches would never make.  His sustained success in the SEC at LSU is only overshadowed by one coach.

#3 – Chris Petersen, Boise State

Every year, college football fans wait for the year Boise State seriously stumbles.  Yet every year, Boise State is competing on the national stage, and often in the running to make a BCS game as an at-large bid (a.k.a. the same exact way Northern Illinois got in).

Boise State obviously is not going to draw in the big name recruits, but Petersen continues to coach the teams to top finishes every year.

#2 – Urban Meyer, Ohio State

It shows what type of coach Meyer is when he can lead and motivate the Buckeyes, a team banned from postseason play in 2012, to the only FBS team with an undefeated record.  His offenses at Florida, especially with Tim Tebow at quarterback, were magical, and Ohio State fans hope that success is duplicated with Braxton Miller.

While Meyer has had to deal with a number of off-the-field issues, there is no denying that he is one of the brilliant coaches in college football today.

This space indicates how far ahead the #1 coach on this list is ahead of the previous four and all of the other coaches in college football.

#1 – Nick Saban, Alabama

What Saban has been able to do at Alabama is just unbelievable.  The Crimson Tide were just better in all aspects of the game against Notre Dame.

There is not another coach in college football right now, that if there was one game to win, that I would want roaming the sidelines and preparing my team.

Outback Bowl Pick: Gamecocks Just a Little Better

The 2013 Outback Bowl should be a great match-up between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Michigan Wolverines.  Both teams have a lot of similarities, but one is just a little better.

Michigan had a tough season at times.  The Wolverines did have to face both teams who are playing in the National Championship, plus an undefeated Ohio State team.

For the Wolverines, it was supposed to be a dual threat attack with the running ability of QB Denard Robinson and RB Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Toussaint suffered a gruesome ankle injury late in the year, while Robinson developed a nerve injury in his throwing arm, that has relegated him to an all-purpose player, lining up at both quarterback and running back at times.  Devin Gardner is the quarterback for Michigan.

Michigan also has a top-20 defense in terms of points against, ranking 16th in the country.

Meanwhile, for the Gamecocks, this was supposed to be the season that everything was put together, making a run for an SEC Championship.

After being on top of the world with a statement win against then 5th-ranked Georgia, South Carolina lost a tough one on the road against LSU, before having their fate sealed with an embarrassing loss against Florida.

However, for a team that does not have a long history of winning football, a 10-win season still is not too shabby.

The Gamecocks’ offense has had moments of greatness, followed by moments of inconsistent play.  A late season injury to RB Marcus Lattimore also hurt the offense.

This was supposed to be the year that the quarterback position would be stable for South Carolina.  Injuries to starter Connor Shaw opened the door for Dylan Thompson to see some action.  Thompson helped to lead the Gamecocks to two wins, including rival Clemson the last week of the season.

Shaw is the runner with passing ability.  Thompson is the passer, with running ability.

The key to the Gamecocks’ offense is going to be the running game.  South Carolina has to be able to run the ball against Michigan, to take the pressure off the quarterbacks, to give them an opportunity to win.  Senior RB Kenny Miles has a knack for coming up big in significant games.

Defensively, the Gamecocks must force the Wolverines to pass.  Michigan offers a lot of options running the ball, with the versatility of Robinson.  It will be important for the Gamecocks’ front-7, which includes All-American DE Jadeveon Clowney, not to over-pursue the run, and get pressure on the quarterback with the pass.

Despite some good plays, the Gamecocks’ defensive backs are not good enough one-on-one in coverage, without getting pressure on the quarterback to force bad throws.  South Carolina’s defense thrives on that pressure.

At the end of the day, while these two teams match-up well, the Gamecocks are just a little more battle tested, especially this year.

In 2012, the Big Ten Conference’s competition just did not seem up-to-par, as seen when a 7-5 Wisconsin team, only in the championship game because of penalties to Ohio State and Penn State, demolished the conference’s best team, Nebraska.

The SEC was as strong as ever in 2012, with two teams ranked in the top-3 to end the season.  While the strength of this conference is still in the Western Division, there are about 10-12 teams in this conference that could compete with anyone in the country.

Like last year’s Capital One Bowl, it is close for three quarters, but the power of the SEC pulls away late.

Gamecocks 34, Wolverines 24

2012-13 Bowl Game Picks

In past years, I have compared my picks to that of a coin flip.  This year, the coin won’t continue, but the picks will.

Overall, it was a great season picking games, and hopefully the bowl picks keep up the great work.

Last Week:  1-0  (1.000) [Navy beat Army]

Overall:  302-77 (.797)

Nevada vs. Arizona  (First bowl game of the year, should actually be a close one.)

Toledo vs. Utah State

BYU vs. San Diego State  (Essentially a home game for San Diego State.)

Central Florida vs. Ball State  (Essentially a home game for Central Florida.)

Louisiana-Lafayette vs. East Carolina  (Essentially a home game for Louisiana-Lafayette.)

Boise State vs. Washington

Southern Methodist vs. Fresno State  (June Jones gets a win in Hawaii, his old stomping grounds.)

Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky

Bowling Green vs. San Jose State

Duke vs. Cincinnati  (An upset special.)

UCLA vs. Baylor  (Essentially a home game for UCLA.)

Ohio vs. Louisiana-Monroe

Virginia Tech vs. Rutgers  (Virginia Tech tries to salvage an otherwise disappointing season.)

Texas Tech vs. Minnesota  (Essentially a home game for Texas Tech.)

Air Force vs. Rice

Syracuse vs. West Virginia  (Geno Smith has a great game in his final game.)

Navy vs. Arizona State

Oregon State vs. Texas  (Essentially a home game for Texas.)

TCU vs. Michigan State

North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt  (North Carolina State has been disappointing after the Florida State win.)

Georgia Tech vs. Southern California

Tulsa vs. Iowa State

Clemson vs. LSU  (Defense should win this game.)

Northwestern vs. Mississippi State  (Northwestern will lead for 3 1/2 quarters, only to lose late.)

Purdue vs. Oklahoma State

Michigan vs. South Carolina

Georgia vs. Nebraska

Wisconsin vs. Stanford  (Defense wins this game.)

Florida State vs. Northern Illinois  (Congratulations to Northern Illinois for making it to a BCS game, that will be about when the celebration ends.)

Florida vs. Louisville

Oregon vs. Kansas State  (The only other good BCS game match-up.)

Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma

Pittsburgh vs. Mississippi

Kent State vs. Arkansas State

Notre Dame vs. Alabama  (Game has the potential to be one of the greatest in college football history.  Alabama just has a little more offense than the Fighting Irish.)

Keep track of all of the bowl game results here.

Week 10 College Football Picks

This is another huge week in college football, with a couple of games that could shake up the National Championship picture.

For a look at the entire bowl picture, CLICK HERE.

Here are the picks in this critical week 10.

Last Week:  16-9 (.640)

Overall:  205-47 (.813)

#1 Alabama vs. #5 LSU (Tiger Stadium at night just isn’t enough for LSU)

#24 Oklahoma State vs. #2 Kansas State

Pittsburgh vs. #3 Notre Dame

#4 Oregon vs. #17 USC (However, Oregon will get the last laugh in the Pac-12)

Ole Miss vs. #6 Georgia (Closer than people think)

Missouri vs. #7 Florida

Temple vs. #10 Louisville

Arizona State vs. #11 Oregon State

#12 Oklahoma vs. Iowa State

#13 Clemson vs. Duke

#14 Stanford vs. Colorado

#16 Texas A&M vs. #15 Mississippi State

#23 Texas vs. #18 Texas Tech

San Diego State vs. #19 Boise State

#20 Nebraska vs. Michigan State

TCU vs. #21 West Virginia

#22 Arizona vs. UCLA

UTSA vs. #25 Louisiana Tech

Virginia Tech vs. Miami (FL)

Georgia Tech vs. Maryland (Painful game to pick, but when you are out of quarterbacks, it makes it easier)

Virginia vs. North Carolina State

Boston College vs. Wake Forest

Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky

Troy vs. Tennessee

Tulsa vs. Arkansas (I want to believe that SEC supremacy rises up)

New Mexico State vs. Auburn (I want to believe that SEC supremacy rises up)

Week 8 College Football Picks

Not a bad week last week, much better than picking NFL games.  Just three losses, one was a shocker, one was a shocker in how poorly one team played, and another was a toss-up game.

Don’t forget after checking out the picks, to check out the 2012-13 College Football Bowl Projections.

Last Week:  20-3 (.870)

Overall:  167-34 (.831)

#3 Oregon vs. Arizona State (This one will be closer than people think)

#1 Alabama vs. Tennessee

#7 South Carolina vs. #2 Florida (I don’t think Florida is the 2nd-ranked team in the country)

#4 Kansas State vs. #13 West Virginia (Sorry, Kansas State, West Virginia has rebound on the mind after last week’s dismal performance.  A win by Kansas State puts them in the National Championship picture.)

BYU vs. #5 Notre Dame

#6 LSU vs. #18 Texas A&M (After benefiting from the home crowd against South Carolina, LSU finds out what it is like to play as a visitor at Tiger Stadium)

Utah vs. #8 Oregon State

Kansas vs. #9 Oklahoma

Colorado vs. #10 USC

#11 Georgia vs. Kentucky

Middle Tennessee vs. #12 Mississippi State (Though Georgia Tech isn’t as good as Mississippi State, remember that Middle Tennessee beat them earlier this year)

#14 Florida State vs. Miami (FL) (Could be an ACC Championship Game preview)

#15 Rutgers vs. Temple

South Florida vs. #16 Louisville

#17 Texas Tech vs. #23 TCU (Closer than people think)

Virginia Tech vs. #19 Clemson

#20 Stanford vs. California

#21 Cincinnati vs. Toledo

UNLV vs. #22 Boise State

#24 Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State

Baylor vs. #25 Texas

Wake Forest vs. Virginia

Boston College vs. Georgia Tech

North Carolina State vs. Maryland

North Carolina vs. Duke

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

Week 7 College Football Picks

Not the best week in picking college football games, as it was a rough go for a couple teams.

Congrats to North Carolina State on that upset of Florida State.  I’m not sure anyone saw that coming.  I think it’s time for me to get off the Auburn and Virginia Tech bandwagons, as those teams keep disappointing me.

Also, be sure to check out the 2012-13 Bowl Predictions.  Click here or on the tab at the top of the page.

Last Week:  16-9 (.640)

Overall:  147-31 (.826)

#1 Alabama vs. Missouri

#3 South Carolina vs. #9 LSU (If the Gamecocks win, they’re as good as anyone in the country.  But it will take a better performance than they put out against Georgia, to beat LSU, at night in Death Valley, against a team coming off a loss)

#4 Florida vs. Vanderbilt (No let down, but will be closer than people think, because Florida is highly over-rated.)

#5 West Virginia vs. Texas Tech (The correct second-best team in country might actually be No. 2 by end of the weekend)

#6 Kansas State vs. Iowa State

#17 Stanford vs. #7 Notre Dame (This could be the game that actually demonstrates that Notre Dame is legitimate)

#8 Ohio State vs. Indiana

#10 Oregon State vs. BYU

#11 USC vs. Washington (Washington always plays USC tough.)

Boston College vs. #12 Florida State

#15 Texas vs. #13 Oklahoma (Very close, but Texas is just a little better, and I’m not a believer of Oklahoma yet)

#18 Louisville vs. Pittsburgh

Tennessee vs. #19 Mississippi State

Syracuse vs. #20 Rutgers

Fordham vs. #21 Cincinnati

#22 Texas A&M vs. #23 Louisiana Tech (This may end up being the closest game of the week)

Fresno State vs. #24 Boise State

Illinois vs. #25 Michigan

Duke vs. Virginia Tech (I clearly still haven’t learned from my mistakes [See above])

North Carolina vs. Miami (FL)

Maryland vs. Virginia

Auburn vs. Ole Miss (As crazy as it sounds, Ole Miss is not a bad team)

Kentucky vs. Arkansas

Week 6 College Football Picks

Only a couple of hiccups and under-estimating a couple teams cost me a couple of games, but overall, a good week 5.

This could be a rough week for picking college football games, because this weekend has the best match-ups of this season.

Last Week:  18-6 (.750)

Overall:  131-22 (.856)

Week 6 Picks:

#13 USC vs. Utah

#23 Washington vs. #2 Oregon

#3 Florida State vs. North Carolina State

#4 LSU vs. #10 Florida (LSU hasn’t really proven that they are a good team, and Florida could state that they are back in the SEC)

#5 Georgia vs. #6 South Carolina (So evenly matched, and when in doubt, go with the home team)

Kansas vs. #7 Kansas State

#8 West Virginia vs. #11 Texas (First to 100, wins?  Probably not.  Texas will keep up for a while, but just too much offense from West Virginia)

Miami (FL) vs. #9 Notre Dame

#21 Nebraska vs. #12 Ohio State

Washington State vs. #14 Oregon State

Iowa State vs. #15 TCU

Georgia Tech vs. #15 Clemson

#17 Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech

Arizona vs. #18 Stanford

#20 Mississippi State vs. Kentucky

Connecticut vs. #22 Rutgers

#24 Northwestern vs. Penn State

#25 UCLA vs. California

Boston College vs. Army

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina

Virginia vs. Duke (As painful as it is to say, Duke is good, so far)

Wake Forest vs. Maryland

Arkansas vs. Auburn (Both these teams thought this would be the top-10, top-5 matchup, instead it is about getting win #2)

Vanderbilt vs. Missouri

Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss

2012 Gamecocks’ Football Predictions

After a very impressive 2011 season, the South Carolina Gamecocks hope to improve over its 11-2 season.

So can the Gamecocks duplicate or even improve on last season, here is a little glimpse into South Carolina’s 2012 season.

August 30th – at Vanderbilt

Yet again, the Gamecocks find themselves opening the season on a Thursday night.  This time it’s against a team that has given the Gamecocks problems year after year.

Vanderbilt coach James Franklin has changed the attitude of the Commodores’ football program, so will it be the difference?

Not this year.  The Commodores will prove to be a tough foe like normal for the Gamecocks, but Heisman Trophy candidate RB Marcus Lattimore will want to prove that the knee injury from last year did not slow him down at all.

This game will be close for three quarters, but the Gamecocks will prove late in the game why they open the season ranked No. 9.

Gamecocks 31, Commodores 21

September 8th – vs. East Carolina

The Gamecocks face the team they opened the season in 2011 in its home opener in 2012.

East Carolina starts a stretch of three consecutive home games for the Gamecocks.

However, the Pirates don’t pack the same punch that they did last season, so South Carolina should easily handle East Carolina.

Gamecocks 37, Pirates 24

September 15th – vs. UAB

This game is simple.  It’s a warm-up game for the Gamecocks before jumping into the meat of its schedule.

UAB scores points late as the Gamecocks’ spread playing time around.

Gamecocks 45, Blazers 17

September 22nd – vs. Missouri

The first ‘Battle of Columbia’ is the Gamecocks’ second conference game of the season.

The Tigers will be a tough test for the Gamecocks, as Missouri competes in its first season in the SEC.  There is a natural adjustment period as Missouri moves from the Big 12.

This game will be a closer game than many people would anticipate.  Even with all the scouting equipment around, there is no comparison for being on the same field.

South Carolina might struggle early, but will show off the power of the SEC late.

Gamecocks 27, Tigers 17

September 29th – at Kentucky

You don’t have to go too far back to look at Gamecock disappointments in Lexington.  Just two years ago, after a upset of Alabama, the Gamecocks were upset by the Wildcats.

There is no question the Gamecocks will have revenge on the mind in 2012.  However, this game might be close early on, as South Carolina looks ahead to potentially the SEC Eastern Division Championship Game the following week against Georgia.

At the end of the day, the Gamecocks will just be too much for the Wildcats.

Gamecocks 38, Wildcats 24

October 6th – vs. Georgia

This is going to be the most important game for the Gamecocks in 2012.  It could come down to this game to determine who plays in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game.

Gamecocks’ head coach Steve Spurrier added fuel to this rivalry earlier this year, when he commented that the later game date would allow Georgia’s suspended players to be back in time.

Both teams are very even, and this should be one of the best games in college football this season.  The difference, is where this game will be played.

Gamecocks 24, Bulldogs 17

October 13th – at LSU

LSU has dealt with a lot this off-season.  The biggest came just a few weeks ago when Heisman Trophy finalist CB Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the program.

Also, QB Jordan Jefferson is gone, and QB Zach Mettenberger takes over for Les Miles.

Fans of the SEC know that it is about impossible to go to Baton Rouge and expect to win on the road.  This trip for the Gamecocks will be no different.

The difference in this game will be its location, giving the Tigers the edge.

Tigers 23, Gamecocks 16

October 20th – at Florida

There is nothing like following up a trip to LSU, with a trip to Gainesville.  For the Gamecocks, that’s how this season shapes up.

Florida is still a year or two away from being serious contenders in the SEC East, but will prove to be a tough battle for the Gamecocks in 2012.

But Steve Spurrier knows how to win in Gainesville.  A week after losing to LSU, the Gamecocks will come out slow, but ultimately find a way to win.

Gamecocks 23, Gators 20

October 27th – vs. Tennessee

This game screams ‘trap game’ for the Gamecocks in 2012.  However this game might be critical in the Gamecocks pursuit of winning the SEC.

Tennessee could be the surprise of the SEC this season.  They probably won’t make it to Atlanta, but they might surprise some teams.  This could be one of those surprises.

If the Volunteers can stay healthy, this might be a tougher game for South Carolina than anticipated.

But the comforts of Williams-Brice Stadium prove to be the difference again, as the Gamecocks pull out the victory.

Gamecocks 24, Volunteers 14

November 10th – vs. Arkansas

If there is one question that the Gamecocks’ fans would like answered, it is how on earth do you win against Arkansas?

This is the year this might get answered.  For all of the off-field issues that the Razorbacks have faced since last season, it might be a struggle at times for John L. Smith and Arkansas.

Arkansas still gets to a bowl game, but dreams of winning the SEC West might be extreme.

This will be a very even game, and high scoring again.  But Williams-Brice Stadium will make the difference.

Gamecocks 45, Razorbacks 38

November 17th – vs. Wofford

There is no secret that the Gamecocks struggle against the triple option.  There is also no secret that the Gamecocks struggle against in-state rival Wofford.

Most of the time, this would be viewed as an easy game.  However, the Gamecocks don’t play well against Wofford.

This year will be different.  It won’t be pretty, but the Gamecocks prove that they can handle Wofford.

Gamecocks 32, Terriers 10

November 24th – at Clemson

What is there to say about this game, except that it’s a rivalry game.  Georgia is the most important game this season, but this one is a close second.

Georgia makes the difference in whether the Gamecocks get a 13th game in Atlanta.  This game could make the difference whether you play a bowl game before, or after January 1st.

This game has the potential to be a Top-10 match-up, and both of the teams are very evenly matched.

But the team that is battle-tested, the Gamecocks, ultimately win this ‘Battle of the Palmetto State.’

Gamecocks 28, Tigers 24

Final record:  11-1 overall, 7-1 in SEC East

Rapid Fire Picks for November 5th

College Football:

Last Week: 16-8
Overall: 180-51

Top 25, based on BCS Standings:
#2 Alabama over #1 LSU
#3 Oklahoma State over #14 Kansas State
#4 Stanford over Oregon State
#5 Boise State over UNLV
#6 Oklahoma over Texas A&M
#9 South Carolina over #7 Arkansas…I’m sticking with the pick from the beginning of the year, SC 49-17
#8 Oregon over Washington…could be a trap game for the Ducks
#10 Nebraska over Northwestern
#13 Houston over UAB
#15 Michigan over Iowa
#17 Michigan State over Minnesota
#18 Georgia over New Mexico State
#19 Arizona State over UCLA
#20 Wisconsin over Purdue
#21 Texas over Texas Tech
#24 West Virginia over Louisville
#25 Southern Miss over East Carolina

SEC:
Florida over Vanderbilt…close
Ole Miss over Kentucky…first to score might win this game
Tennessee over Middle Tennessee State
Mississippi State over Tennessee-Martin

ACC:
Virginia over Maryland
North Carolina over North Carolina State
Miami (FL) over Duke
Notre Dame over Wake Forest

Other Games:
SMU over Tulane
Troy over Navy
Air Force over Army

NFL

Last Week: 8-5
Overall: 77-38

Bills over Jets
Cowboys over Seahawks
Falcons over Colts
Chiefs over Dolphins
Saints over Buccaneers
49ers over Redskins
Texans over Browns
Raiders over Broncos
Patriots over Giants
Rams over Cardinals
Packers over Chargers
Steelers over Ravens
Bears over Eagles

SEC Power Rankings: Week 4

It usually takes fours games of a season to learn enough about a team to be able to form an accurate ranking.  Now let’s look at the SEC from top to bottom, starting with the defending national champions and 4-0 Alabama Crimson Tide.

1. Alabama (4-0, 1-0) – This is the most obvious choice in the entire list.  The Crimson Tide rank first in the SEC in scoring offense and defense, putting up 39.5 points per game, while only allowing 9.8 points.  They showcase the top running back tandem in the conference lead by 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and sophomore sensation Trent Richardson.  Also, as I’m sure everyone knows by now, quarterback Greg McElroy simply doesn’t lose.  He has not lost a game he has started since the eighth grade.
2. Auburn (4-0, 2-0) – Led by transfer quarterback and former Florida Gator Cam Newton, Auburn has the SEC’s top rushing offense, averaging 278 yards per game.  Newton leads the team, and conference in rushing with 485 yards in just four games.  And while he is not lighting up the passing game in yardage, he does have the highest pass efficiency, with a 182.5.
3. Arkansas (3-1, 1-1) – Head and shoulders above all other SEC pass offenses, Arkansas is led by one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Ryan Mallett.  Mallett is seen by many scouts as a dominant force and easy first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.  He leads the conference in passing offense, averaging 359.5 yards per game, which is over 120 yards more than Kentucky’s Mike Hartline who sits in second.  Arkansas pushed Alabama to the limit last Saturday, but Mallett’s three interceptions kept the Razorbacks from closing it out.
4. Florida (4-0, 2-0) – The story with the Gators’ season centers on quarterback John Brantley replacing the legend of Tim Tebow.  Unfortunately for him, he is not sitting at the top of statistics like Tebow did.  Brantley is currently eighth in the SEC in passing yards with 700, and tied for fourth with six passing touchdowns.  But another quarterback story has emerged, that of freshman Trey Burton, who was responsible for six touchdowns against Kentucky this weekend.  Burton also played some receiver, where he had five catches for 37 yards and one of his touchdowns.
5. LSU (4-0, 2-0) – While they have not been impressive in the eyeball test, LSU has established a setting in the top five teams of the SEC with quality wins and a stout defensive performance.  The Bayou Bengals are ranked second in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing only 12 points per game and first in total defense, allowing just 254 yards per game.  They may not be dazzling, but wins over North Carolina, Mississippi State and West Virginia cannot be overlooked.   Their road to Atlanta (or back to Atlanta if you count the game with North Carolina) only gets tougher as they travel to Florida and Auburn, and face Alabama at home before the trip to rival Arkansas to close out the regular season.
6. South Carolina (3-1, 1-1) – The Gamecocks have been impressive for the first 15 quarters of the season.  However, the fourth quarter in Auburn was, in a word, embarrassing.  Junior quarterback Stephen Garcia lost two fumbles and was replaced by freshman Connor Shaw.  Shaw then proceeded to throw two interceptions, both of which were caused by his inexperience in the SEC.  Inconsistency in the offensive line didn’t help matters either.  However, the bright side for Carolina is their young core of talent, including the freshman phenom running back Marcus Lattimore and the SEC’s leader in receptions and receiving yards Alshon Jeffery.  If they can toughen up in the trenches, the Gamecocks could push Florida for the top spot in the East.
7. Kentucky (3-1, 0-1) – Even after a 48-14 thrashing by Florida, Kentucky sits high in my power rankings.  They have two of the more dynamic offensive players in the SEC, running back Derrick Locke and wide receiver Randall Cobb.  The duo combines for 586 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, as well as Cobb’s 227 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.  While Kentucky hasn’t played a particularly difficult schedule, they have taken down rival Louisville and beat opponents Western Kentucky and Akron by a combined score of 110-38.
8. Mississippi State (2-2, 1-2) – Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs are a little better than most people, including myself expected.  They took Auburn to the end in week two, but fell short by just three points.  This was followed with another loss, this time at the hands of LSU.  However, they came roaring back with a 24-12 win over the Georgia Bulldogs.  This win gives them a few power points in my book.  While they won’t compete for the West crown, they will play spoiler down the road.  Don’t be surprised by a few upsets in conference play from the Bulldogs.
9. Georgia (1-3, 0-3) – The loss of wide receiver AJ Green has hurt Georgia.  We can all agree on that.  However, I am a firm believer that losing one player (except a veteran, proven winner at quarterback) cannot cost a good team three wins.  Losing a skill position player shouldn’t be a reason for losses.  By that, I mean Georgia is not a very good team.  They newly inputted 3-4 defense has been serviceable, but nothing stellar.  Quarterback Aaron Murray has had a good season, but can’t do everything on his own.  The rushing offense, the bread and butter of Georgia every year, is tenth in the SEC with only 124.2 yards per game.  Georgia, once thought to compete for the SEC East, has dropped to having to fight for a bowl bid.
10. Vanderbilt (1-2, 1-1) – The Commodores are an improved team.  But the loss of Coach Bobby Johnson didn’t help the progression, from a leadership perspective.  Vanderbilt will fight for a bowl bid with Tennessee and Georgia, and could make it on the shoulders of running back Warren Norman.  He is tenth in the SEC in rushing, averaging just 75 yards per game.  However, he is averaging 6.8 yards per carry.  If Vanderbilt can stay stern on defense and avoid having to air the ball out, Norman could lead them to a 7 win season and a respectable bowl bid.
11. Tennessee (2-2, 0-1) – We all expected Tennessee to be un-Tennessee-like in 2010.  But not one expected this.  The Volunteers hosted Pac-10 Elite Oregon in week two and held up with them for the first half.  But the second half featured an offensive “nuke” by Oregon, scoring 35 unanswered points (45 going back to the end of the first half).  However, the story of the season was what happened this past weekend in the disappointing win, if there is such a thing, over UAB.  It took overtime and a miracle catch for Tennessee to drop the Blazers, a team that should have been demolished in Neyland Stadium.  Tennessee will be lucky to pull out a six win season in 2010, as they still have trips to LSU, Georgia and South Carolina, as well as home games with Alabama and Kentucky, all which I think they will lose.
12. Ole Miss (2-2, 0-1) – This one was a little simple for me too.  The bottom line is this:  you can’t be an SEC powerhouse and lose to an FCS opponent, Jacksonville State and yearly bottom-of-the-barrel SEC team Vanderbilt AT HOME.  As surprising as the loss to Jacksonville State was, the Vanderbilt loss was officially a blowout (loss by 14 or more points).  Because of this, the Rebels have dropped to dead last.  Even the addition of expected Heisman contender quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss hasn’t proven a single thing to me.  The two wins over Tulane and Fresno State mean next to nothing when compared to the two glaring home losses.