College Football
2011 SEC West College Football Preview
The SEC is without question the best conference in college football. It has produced the last five National Champions with four different schools winning it (LSU, Florida (twice), Alabama and Auburn). This is a league that has gone 15-8 SU vs. BCS Conference teams each of the last two regular seasons and has produced the most NFL draft picks over that time.
This year, the league will have two teams (Alabama and LSU) in the preseason top five. There will be four in the top 15 with South Carolina and Arkansas checking in. Georgia is the darkhorse in the East while the West Division is so tough that many are predicting a last place finish by last year’s BCS Champ Auburn. Florida is almost an afterthought.
Need help making
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The Golden Nugget in Las Vegas has already posted
college football lines
for many of the key games for this upcoming season. We will use those and make some free picks if possible for each SEC team!
Up first is the 2011 SEC West Preview
Alabama will be the favorite to win the entire SEC this season. They will be ranked no lower than #2 in the preseason Top 25. The schedule is much easier than last year’s, which had almost every key opponent coming in with a week of rest. They get both LSU and Arkansas at home this year. Nick Saban probably has the best defense in the nation. Our free pick for Alabama is to lay the points in the regular season finale in a revenge spot vs.Auburn. At the Golden Nugget, this line opened at -8 and quickly moved to -12.
LSU will also be a top five team in the first Top 25 poll. The only difference between the Tigers and Alabama is that Les Miles’ team’s schedule is brutal. They play Oregon, West Virginia and Alabama all away from Baton Rouge. It is difficult to see the Bayou Bengals going undefeated this season. We do like them as a small dog on a neutral field vs. Oregon in the season opener though.
Arkansas is a real darkhorse in the SEC West. They will be favored in 10 games. The other two are road trips to Alabama and LSU. They have to replace QB Ryan Mallet, which is an issue, but the Petrino system allows for you basically to “plug someone else in there.” The Hogs might be worth a look in the finale at LSU, plus the points, as the last six meetings have all been decided by a TD or less.
Mississippi State surprised everyone last year. They do get South Carolina, Alabama and LSU all in Starkville in 2011. They should be favored in every other game. We love them laying one point at Auburn in Week 2.
Speaking of Auburn, the defending National Champs are in for a rude awakening this season. Their six returning starters are the fewest in the country. This is definitely a play against team early in the season and they are very likely to go from 14-0 to no bowl game.
It was a very disappointing season for Houston Nutt and Ole Miss last season. They should be improved this year and could surpass defending National Champion Auburn in the division. Alabama, Arkansas and LSU are all on the home schedule. A bowl game is possible.
2010 College Football Regular Season Plays of the Year
