The schedule is never going to be easier

[ImperialOrange]

Mississippi State and Ole Miss are better teams than LSU. Also, LSU's QB situation, by Mile's own reckoning, isn't that great. LSU is beatable. But the boys will have to play mistake-free football.

Everyone is beatable but their defense is going to be filthy and they may not need a QB for large chunks of the year with Fournette totting the rock. Hope our offense is in gear the first 3 games to take some pressure off out defense to carry us all day.

 

[CanadianSU]

The crazy thing is, they could finish 6th or 7th in the SEC West and still be in the Top 25.

That's pretty crazy.

 

[anomander]

SEC West is legit. The SEC as a whole isn't as deep until Florida and Tennessee come back. The SEC East hasn't been as good as the West since Saban came to Bama. Urban had Florida up, but since he left the West has owned the SEC East.

SEC West has won the last 6 SEC Title games and look poised for 7 in a row.

The division balance in that Conference is totally out of whack. Florida going in the tank the same time as Tennessee is down really hurts that division. I really think if Mississippi St was in that division they would come in 2nd behind Georgia. The East really needs a bounce back year from South Carolina as well.

Miss state isn't coming in 7th. No way with Dak.

Who are they going to finish ahead of? They lost 17 starters, and have finished towards the bottom in the SEC recruiting rankings the past 5 years.

 

[Alsacs]

The division balance in that Conference is totally out of whack. Florida going in the tank the same time as Tennessee is down really hurts that division. I really think if Mississippi St was in that division they would come in 2nd behind Georgia. The East really needs a bounce back year from South Carolina as well.



Who are they going to finish ahead of? They lost 17 starters, and have finished towards the bottom in the SEC recruiting rankings the past 5 years.

I think any of the preseason top 4 in the SEC West: Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU would be favored in the SEC East.

I don't think the East will be much better this year. UNC could beat South Carolina in the season opener in Charlotte this year. Missouri and Tennessee will likely be battling behind Georgia. UGA is the East favorite, but they have question marks to replace this year.

 

[CanadianSU]

The division balance in that Conference is totally out of whack. Florida going in the tank the same time as Tennessee is down really hurts that division. I really think if Mississippi St was in that division they would come in 2nd behind Georgia. The East really needs a bounce back year from South Carolina as well.



Who are they going to finish ahead of? They lost 17 starters, and have finished towards the bottom in the SEC recruiting rankings the past 5 years.

They were also #1 for a while, I like em.

 

[Alsacs]

They were also #1 for a while, I like em.

Mississippi State were fraudently put at #1 because of SEC bias. They played nobody in non-conference games.

Then upset LSU on the road, and LSU was down last year. Then beat an overrated Texas A&M and Auburn squads at home.

Their was a chaos and because of SEC hype they were pushed up to #1. Miss State was probably a top 15 team that rode momentum up to #1.

The problem I have with the SEC is whenever their teams lose they don't get punished. I have no problem when that respect is given to Alabama, Auburn, Florida teams that have won NCs, but their bottom teams get treated like they are elite when its just ESPN hype for the SEC.

Mississippi State is an example of SEC bias. They went 10-2 beat nobody good outside of LSU last year and they get a berth in the Orange Bowl. Clemson goes 9-3 and doesn't get the same hype. Thus Clemson playing Georgia actually hurt them last year.

 

[CanadianSU]

Mississippi State were fraudently put at #1 because of SEC bias. They played nobody in non-conference games.

Then upset LSU on the road, and LSU was down last year. Then beat an overrated Texas A&M and Auburn squads at home.

Their was a chaos and because of SEC hype they were pushed up to #1. Miss State was probably a top 15 team that rode momentum up to #1.

The problem I have with the SEC is whenever their teams lose they don't get punished. I have no problem when that respect is given to Alabama, Auburn, Florida teams that have won NCs, but their bottom teams get treated like they are elite when its just ESPN hype for the SEC.

Mississippi State is an example of SEC bias. They went 10-2 beat nobody good outside of LSU last year and they get a berth in the Orange Bowl. Clemson goes 9-3 and doesn't get the same hype. Thus Clemson playing Georgia actually hurt them last year.

They were light years better than Clemson.

 

[Alsacs]

They were light years better than Clemson.

I disagree, but I know you don't like Clemson.

Mississippi State and Clemson would have been an even game. The SEC went 0-3 in New Year's Six Bowls last year.
TCU embarrassed Ole Miss in the Chic-Fil-A Bowl.
Georgia Tech beat Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl.
Ohio State beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Does the SEC lose hype? No, instead we get the idiotic from Guz Malzhan that the SEC doesn't get enough respect and is at a disadvantage for the CFB. Give me an break. ESPN loves two things Lebron James and the SEC College FB conference.

 

[rrlbees]

That's a solid prediction. Ole Miss could be better then LSU this season, but definitely not Miss St. They basically lost everyone but Dak, and they don't reload like some of the other SEC West schools do. If Ole Miss didn't lose Bo, and Treadwell is healthy I'd have them up there. That insane recruiting class they had in 2013 would be entering their Jr seasons, and 4 of them are bonafide stud all-Americans; Tunsil, Nkemdiche, Connor, Treadwell. If they can find a qb watch out. Right now I'd go 1. Auburn 2. Arkansas 3. LSU 4. Bama 5. Ole Miss 6. Texas A&M 7. miss St Imagine if you had that schedule? And people wonder why they schedule cream puffs OOC

1. Auburn
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Arkansas
5. Mississippi
6. Texas A&M
7. Mississippi St.

 

[anomander]

1. Auburn 2. Alabama 3. LSU 4. Arkansas 5. Mississippi 6. Texas A&M 7. Mississippi St.

Really can't argue putting Bama up there they just have so much damn talent. Obviously they would be 1 of the other 4 or 5 programs that just reload. I do think it will be interesting to see how Coker does this year. He really didn't look good at all last season, which was kind of shocking, and everybody behind him is really young. Otherwise they have NFL talent all over the field as always.

I think Texas AM can surprise some people. Offense is never their issue and they have been accumulating defensive talent. Plus getting Chavis from LSU could be one of the most important moves in the country. Not only does it strengthen their defense, but it could negatively effect a divisional opponent.

 

[rrlbees]

Really can't argue putting Bama up there they just have so much damn talent. Obviously they would be 1 of the other 4 or 5 programs that just reload. I do think it will be interesting to see how Coker does this year. He really didn't look good at all last season, which was kind of shocking, and everybody behind him is really young. Otherwise they have NFL talent all over the field as always. I think Texas AM can surprise some people. Offense is never their issue and they have been accumulating defensive talent. Plus getting Chavis from LSU could be one of the most important moves in the country. Not only does it strengthen their defense, but it could negatively effect a divisional opponent.

2nd, 3rd, and 4th are tough. Many have Arkansas 2nd. But they go to both Bama and LSU. That made a big difference to me.

 

[CuseHulk]

We don't need to be playing LSU.

Those 4 non conference games should every year be something like Tulane, Rhode Island, Central Michigan, and South Florida.

We don't need to be playing LSU or USC, Notre Dame or Penn State.

Get's us one win closer to a bowl game.

 

[CuseHulk]

In football lets have 4 guarantee or should be wins every season.

 

[TexanMark]

A great chance at 3-1 OOC is all I ask for. I enjoy having one Big Boy OOC each year on the schedule...it is the yardstick to measure our progress. I swear we'll win of these games...one of these years.

Additionally, we need a team like LSU to drive ticket sales for our bandwagon, event driven fanbase.

 

[shandeezy7]

We don't need to be playing LSU.

Those 4 non conference games should every year be something like Tulane, Rhode Island, Central Michigan, and South Florida.

We don't need to be playing LSU or USC, Notre Dame or Penn State.

Get's us one win closer to a bowl game.

Well, since the ACC requires it's members to play at least one power 5 team in their OOC schedule, that scenario would not work.

http://www.si.com/college-football/...cc-schedule-power-five-eight-conference-games

 

[CanadianSU]

I disagree, but I know you don't like Clemson.

Mississippi State and Clemson would have been an even game. The SEC went 0-3 in New Year's Six Bowls last year.
TCU embarrassed Ole Miss in the Chic-Fil-A Bowl.
Georgia Tech beat Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl.
Ohio State beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Does the SEC lose hype? No, instead we get the idiotic from Guz Malzhan that the SEC doesn't get enough respect and is at a disadvantage for the CFB. Give me an break. ESPN loves two things Lebron James and the SEC College FB conference.

We should have beat Clemson. An OK Offense beats them that game, our offense was a million times worse than bad.

Albeit with Stoud, but they sucked. Yes I hate Clemson. Always will . Nice. Glad you remembered that, I think the booing when our players where injured changed some people's mind about good ole Clemson.

Anywhays, state will prove you wrong! I don't like the sec, but they deserve all the hype this year. The west is so good, you cannot argue how good the sec west freakin is.

 

[CU44SE]

I don't care if USF is favored or not, their is no way we should walk out of the nonconfrence with more then 1 loss. USF is not a power 5 team, they are from florida so they will have some athletes but we should NOT lose to them. And Ill be honest, at the end of the day if we so happen to beat LSU and lose to USF and walk out of the nonconfrence with 1 loss I would still be pissed because we need to start winning games we are supposed to win. Syracuse, too often has given up games that they have no right in losing. Hopefully that changes this year and we take care of the games we need too. Toss up games to me are BC, Pitt, NC state, Louisville. I probably throw virginia in their as well, its at virginia and they came on towards the end of the year. so thats 5 toss up games, 4 deffinite wins, and 3 probable loses by my count. Thats why we need to take care of USF, CM, Rhode Island, and Wake. Don't have any room to waste those games away if were going bowling.

 

[Trueblue25]

I just wonder who we'll see in the playoffs

 

[donniesyracuse]

I don't care if USF is favored or not, their is no way we should walk out of the nonconfrence with more then 1 loss. USF is not a power 5 team, they are from florida so they will have some athletes but we should NOT lose to them. And Ill be honest, at the end of the day if we so happen to beat LSU and lose to USF and walk out of the nonconfrence with 1 loss I would still be pissed because we need to start winning games we are supposed to win. Syracuse, too often has given up games that they have no right in losing.

I just don't see how you can say an underdog should win.

 

[TheCusian]

I just don't see how you can say an underdog should win.

There is no way we'll be an underdog. Look at the past 2 years of results, and look at who they are playing before us.

I'd bet we'll be favored by 7+.

 

[donniesyracuse]

There is no way we'll be an underdog. Look at the past 2 years of results, and look at who they are playing before us.

I'd bet we'll be favored by 7+.

I'll take that bet.

 

[TexanMark]

Cuse should be 3-1 and USF should be 1-3 or 2-2. I think we'll be a 3-4 pt favorite. USF is kinda like us...many question marks and most experts saying under .500% for the season.

 

[donniesyracuse]

The two programs are recruiting at the same level (according to recruiting services). Both are coming off astonishingly bad seasons and have suspect coaching. They are essentially equal, which means the he team is favored.

 

[TheCusian]

The two programs are recruiting at the same level (according to recruiting services). Both are coming off astonishingly bad seasons and have suspect coaching. They are essentially equal, which means the he team is favored.

Yeah - except they will have more losses.

 

[Alsacs]

The two programs are recruiting at the same level (according to recruiting services). Both are coming off astonishingly bad seasons and have suspect coaching. They are essentially equal, which means the he team is favored.

You are making the point I tried making. I think we should feel good about beating USF but this is right.
I bet the point spread is within 3 points either way unless we do really well on offense.

HFA is worth 3 points in the point spread.