At the beginning of the summer, the clear-cut favorites to win the SEC East were the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators. After two weeks though, a lot of things have changed, including the opinions on these two teams. From having two front-runners to what now has become about five by adding Tennessee, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt to the mix, the SEC East seems like a wide-open race.
South Carolina
Why they can win:
The Gamecocks have started the season with back-to-back impressive wins over North Carolina State and Missouri, as well as showing that Will Muschamp can, in fact, put a competent offense together. People all over are very impressed with the quick development of Jake Bentley, as well as emerging star Deebo Samuel. These two will no doubt be the linchpins the Gamecock offense going forward. The defense is also improving and showed some signs of that by shutting down Missouri’s high powered offense. While their defense is still a work in progress, they have shown some promise early on.
Why they can’t:
As stated earlier, their defense is still not all the way there yet, as it was also a weakness down the stretch last year. So far it appears that they made improvements, but they still have plenty of challenges left with match ups that include: Tennessee, LA Tech, Texas A&M, and Clemson. They also have yet to play any teams that have defense as a their main strength. Teams like Florida, Georgia, and Vanderbilt are all teams that could put a halt to their early offensive success with their stingy defenses. While they seem on the rise there is still plenty to prove for this team.
Vanderbilt
Why they can win:
Vanderbilt has been a very stingy team and Derek Mason has this team moving in the right direction. They are known for their defense, but overall they are just a scrappy team that can hang with anyone. Their key to success is what it has been for the last few years, strong running game and defense. Ralph Webb is without a doubt one of the more underrated running backs in the country. He rushed for back-to-back 1000 yard seasons and has scored 18 touchdowns as well–13 in 2016. If Vanderbilt can finally get their passing game going, they could have all they need to clinch the SEC East for the first time.
Why they can’t:
Vanderbilt has never been able to keep up with the other teams in the SEC as far as recruiting goes. They have finished dead in each of the last three cycles. Also, they have finished no higher than 12th since the SEC expanded to 14 teams in 2012, according to 247. This really limits the team’s potential, as they have never seemed to bring in a star studded classes. The stars they do have right now were diamonds in the rough, such as Ralph Webb, who at the time of his commitment only had six offers, Vanderbilt being the only Power 5 team. While they can hang around for a while and be known as the stingy team, they don’t have enough stars who can take them across the finish line.
Tennessee
Why they can win:
Much like last year, they will simply have to put up the points in bunches. Through two games, the Vols have put 42 points in each contest against Georgia Tech and Indiana State. They will have to continue to do that if they want to make it to Atlanta. There were a lot questions surrounding the offense from losing a lot of key players entering the season. The Vols have answered the bell with great performances by John Kelly and Marquez Callaway, as well decent quarterback play by Quinten Dormady. There is a lot of football left, but it looks like the offense will carry this team for the second straight season.
Why they can’t:
Butch Jones, plain and simple. I think everyone can agree that last year was his best chance at a division title. After winning back-to-back conference games over rivals Florida and Georgia, everyone thought the division was his. Yet, he still found himself on the couch in December. Losing to teams like South Carolina and Vanderbilt, as well as getting blown out at home to Alabama last year, shows that Butch Jones is more than likely not the guy who is meant to bring the Vols to Atlanta. The defense was also atrocious last year, as they allowed 28 points or more in seven of their last 10 games. This issue is attributed to the aforementioned coach whose days seem numbered.
Florida
Why they can:
They have a lot of talent on the defensive side, as well as the skilled positions on offense. Florida is branded as a defensive dynasty, and even though they struggled versus a underwhelming Michigan offense, I still believe this defense will be the backbone of Florida’s success. They have a strong defensive front and have shown a lot of promise from the back seven. As for the offense, they have no shortage on outside talent, and have good depth at running back. Despite the struggles they had against Michigan, as well as other teams from last year, you were able to see flashes from most of them. If Felipe Franks can gain some chemistry with these guys, they can be dangerous.
Why they can’t:
There are a lot of things that will prevent from Florida from winning the division for the third straight season. For example, losing their cupcake game could prevent the offense from gaining both chemistry and confidence that they desperately need. Another issue could be that the offensive line will not progress as expected and have already proven they are not the strength of the offense, like McElwain had boasted they would be. Also, you can’t forget losing their top offensive play makers Jordan Scarlett and Antonio Callaway indefinitely. Poor play calling and halftime adjustments from offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and head coach Jim McElwain will make it tougher to score points. All of these factors from the offense could once again take something out of the defense, resulting in a very noticeable decline in performance by the end of the season. out on their own defense and by the end of the season will be a very noticeable decline in performance.
Georgia
Why they can:
On the offensive side of the ball they have Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, forming possibly the best backfield duo in the county. These two are a crucial part of Georgia’s offensive success. This will help out with the passing game, which is not their strong point at the moment. Along with the dynamic duo is a very aggressive offensive line, which will definitely help out their star backs. They have one of the best defenses in the country coming back, which has always been their strength.
Why they can’t:
The coaching is still an uncertainty as Smart has yet to get a signature win…and no, Notre Dame is not a signature win. It will be interesting to see if there’s any improvement as far as coaching. Next, and most importantly, is the quarterback position. Last year, Jacob Eason did not play very well, but there was hope heading into this season. With his injury, Georgia will once again have to rely on a true freshman, Jake Fromm. I won’t put too much on one bad performance, as it was on the road in a tough environment, however, I don’t see many true freshman leading their teams to overly successful seasons. I could be wrong, and I’ll admit it if I am, but I don’t believe I will be.