Mr. CFB: Five Weeks In, Both SEC East and SEC West Look Wide Open
Five Saturdays are now in the books and this much we know: If you are an SEC football fan you better buckle up your seat belt and tighten your chin strap because you are headed for a hellua ride.
This will be the final year that the SEC will be split into East and West Divisions, which have been in place since 1992. Texas and Oklahoma come on board for 2024 and then the top two teams in the 16-team SEC will advance each year to play in the conference championship in Atlanta.
Here is what I"m saying: Enjoy these two division races because both of them look like they will be going down to the final Satursday of the regular season.
Here is a quick breakdown with remaining conference games for all teams:
SEC EAST
As the caldendar turned to October, there were three undefeated teams--all in the SEC East: No. 1 Georgia (5-0), No. 20 Kentucky (5-0), and No. 21 Missoui (5-0) all play each other in the coming weeks.
Georgia, the two-time defending national champion, is clearly the frontrunner but looks vulnerable. The Bulldogs had to rally at home to beat South Carolina (24-14) and then rally on the road to beat Auburn (27-20). Maybe Georgia turns on the gas in the second half of the season. We'll see.
I picked Kentucky as my SEC darkhorse team this summer and the Wildcats sure looked impressive in dominating Florida 33-14. On Saturday Kentucky goes to No. 1 Georgia in a monster game.
Tennessee, whose only loss was to Flordia in the Swamp, knows that if it runs the table, which would include a win over Alabama, it will get a shot at Georgia on Nov. 18 in Knoxville. That could be for the division championship,
Missouri has played only one conference game (Vanderbilt) and the coming weeks will bring LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Georgia The run has been fun in COMO but now it is about to end..
REMAINING SEC EAST SCHEDULES
Georgia (5-0, 2-0): Saturday vs. Kentucky, Oct. 14 at Vanderbilt, Oct. 28 vs. Florida (Jacksonville); Nov. 4 vs. Missoui; Nov. 11 vs. Ole Miss. Nov. 18 at Tennessee.
Kentucky (5-0, 2-0): Saturday at Georgia; Oct. 14 vs. Missouri; Oct. 28 vs. Tennessee; Nov. 4 at Miss. State; Nov. 11 vs. Alabama; Nov. 18 at South Carolina
Missouri (5-0, 1-0: Saturday vs. LSU; Oct. 14 at Kentucky; Oct. 21 vs. South Carolina; Nov. 4 at Georgia; Nov. 11 vs. Tennessee; Nov. 18 vs. Florida; Nov. 25 at Arkansas
Florida (3-2, 1-1): Saturday vs. Vanderbilt; Oct. 14 at South Carolina; Nov. 28 vs. Georgia (Jacksonville); Nov. 4 vs. Arkansas; Nov. 11 at LSU; Nov. 18 at Missouri.
Tennessee (4-1, 1-1): Oct. 14 vs. Texas A&M; Oct. 21 at Alabama; Oct. 28 at Kentucky; Nov. 11 at Missouri; Nov. 18 vs. Georgia; Nov. 25 vs. Vanderbilt
South Carolina (2-3, 1-2): Oct. 14 vs. Florida; Oct. 21 at Missouri; Oct. 28 vs. Texas A&M; Nov. 11 vs. Vanderbilt; Nov. 18 vs. Kentucky
Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-2): Saturday at Florida; Oct. 14 vs. Georgia; Oct. 28 at Ole Miss; Nov.. 4 vs. Auburn; Nov. 11 at South Carolina; Nov.. 25 at Tennessee
SEC WEST
When the season started I thought Alabama and LSU would decide the division championship when they met on Nov. 4 in Tuscalosa. And that could still be the case.
But LSU's 55-49 loss to Ole Miss Saturday and Alabama's uncertainties on offense have opened up some other possibilities,
Alabama (2-0 SEC), Texas A&M (2-0), LSU (2-1) and Ole Miss (1-1), all look capable of winning the SEC West,
Remember that Alabama's only loss was to non-conference Texas and one of LSU's losses was to non-conference Florida State.
Ole Miss posted what may turn out to be the biggest win of the Lane Kiffin era in beating LSU. The rest of the schedule, except for a Nov. 11 trip to Georgia and a Nov. 4 home game with Texas A&M. looks manageable.
Texas A&M's only loss was to non-conference Miami so the Aggies are still in it. We'll learrn a lot on Saturday when Alabama comes to College Station. A win would be huge for Texas A&M. For that matter it would huge for Alabama.
REMAINING SEC WEST SCHEDULES
,Alabama (4-1, 2-0): Saturday at Texas A&M; Oct. 14 vs. Arkansas; Oct. 21 vs. Tennessee; Nov. 4 vs. LSU; Nov. 11 at Kentucky; Nov. 25 at Auburn
Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0):Saturday vs. Alabama;Oct. 14 at Tennessee; Oct. 28 vs. South Carolina; Nov. 4 at Ole Miss; Nov. 11 at Miss. State; Nov. 25 vs. LSU
LSU (3-2, 2-1): Saturday at Missouri; Oct. 14 vs. Auburn; Nov. 4 at Alabama; Nov. 11 vs. Florida; Nov. 25 vs. Texas A&M
Ole Miss (4-1, 1-1): Saturday vs. Arkansas; Oct. 21 at Auburn; Oct. 28 vs Vanderbilt; Nov. 4 vs. Texas A&M; Nov. 11 at Georgia; Nov. 23 at Mississippi State.
Auburn (3-2, 0-2): Oct. 14 at LSU; Oct. 21 vs. Ole Miss; Oct. 28 vs. Miss. State; Nov. 4 at Vanderbilt; Nov. 11 at Arkansas' Nov. 25 vs.. Alabama
Arkansas (2-3 0-2): Saturday at Ole Miss; Oct. 14 at Alabama; Oct. 21 vs. Miss. State; Nov. 4 at Florida; Nov. 11 vs. Auburn; Nov.. 25 vs. Missouri
Miss. State (2-3, 0-3): Oct. 21 at Arkansas; Oct. 28 at Auburn; Nov. 4 vs. Kentucky; Nov. 11 @ Texas A&M; Nov. 23 vs. Ole Miss.