Our SEC roundtables come to an end today as TSS Associate Editors Bart Doan and Terry Johnson join staff writer Kevin Causey and a special rotating guest in our weekly roundtable discussing all things college football.
Earlier this week we discussed which SEC coaches have the toughest job this season and the most anticipated SEC games of the season. For the final part of our SEC roundtable we look at who will win the conference as we are joined by Senator Blutarsky of Get The Picture.
Question: Who wins the SEC in 2015 and will they go on to win the National Championship?
Senator Blutarsky
On Twitter @MummePoll
If you could prove to me that LSU solved its biggest problem, the gaping hole at quarterback, and would get merely competent production at the position, I’d be sorely tempted to choose the Tigers to win the conference. But that’s a big if right now.
Auburn doesn’t have a quarterback problem, but I’m not sold on the idea that Muschamp will magically transform that defense overnight.
Georgia looks to be a year away from boasting a top ten defense. That, plus breaking in a new quarterback, costs the Dawgs the chance to win the conference.
Alabama isn’t without its flaws, but it’s still the most talented team in the SEC with the best coach. The Tide is my pick to win in Atlanta.
As far as the national title goes, I’d be shocked if any team besides Ohio State gets the trophy this season.
Bart Doan:
On Twitter @TheCoachBart
Seeing as an article just appeared on this site about a week ago brazenly claiming Arkansas would win the SEC, I suppose I’m all in with the Hogs and will just double down on that. Yeah, their schedule sucks too, but so does everyone’s in the SEC West. You need stability at quarterback and a good running game to win on the road, and the Hogs have both of those. They’ll need to find pass catching speed downfield, but no team is a finished product right now. They all have kinks in the armor.
Arkansas defense is quietly emerging and getting better as well. They return much of the spine of their defense and have one of the best defensive backfields in the conference. I just sort of think it’s time for them. But to answer the second part of the question, no, I don’t think Arkansas wins a CFB Playoff title, but I do think they get in. After that, it’s pretty much a free for all, I suppose.
Kevin Causey:
On Twitter @CFBZ
I really want to pull the trigger on Georgia but that’s probably the homer in me. I think the Bulldogs will beat Alabama this year….in the regular season. I also think that game will be the re-match in the SEC Championship Game and I think Bama comes out on top in that one.
I’d love to come out here with a crazy pick like Arkansas (sorry Bart) or Ole Miss (not as crazy as Arkansas) but I just don’t think that the glass ceiling will be broken this year. I like Alabama to be the SEC Champ. If they don’t win it, then I think it will be Georgia.
Will Bama win the College Football Playoff? I don’t think they will although I do feel that the SEC representative will get to the finals this season.
Terry Johnson
On Twitter @SectionTPJ
I’ve got to give everyone credit, they all got the first letter correct.
In other words: Auburn will win the SEC Championship this year. While the offense loses Nick Marshall at quarterback, Jeremy Johnson has a stronger, more accurate arm. If opposing defenses load the box to try to stop the Tigers vaunted ground game – which averaged 5.8 yards per game in SEC play last season – he’s got the touch and precision to beat them with the deep ball.
Although the offense will get all of the headlines, it’s the Auburn defense that will help the team win the conference championship. Unlike the good senator, I think Will Muschamp will transform the Tiger defense into a top-notch unit right away. After all, in his previous two seasons at Auburn, the defense never finished lower than seventh nationally in points per game.
It’s tough to argue with those results.
Will the Tigers win the national championship?
We’ll find out on January 11, when Auburn faces the Ohio State – Baylor winner for all the marbles.
