Alabama
The Tide has some holes to fill and the odds aren’t good of a repeat of last season’s 10-win effort. The nation’s top-ranked scoring defense lost 7 starters, but the true test will be whether or not JP Wilson can replace prolific passer Brodie Croyle (who recently signed a 4-year deal with the Chiefs). The defense will likely be about as good as last year, but the offense really keys on the healthy return of Tyrone Prothro who suffered a gruesome, season-ending broken leg against Florida last year.
Also between the Tide and an SEC Championship run is their schedule, which is brutal even when you account for the patsies they’ve scheduled. ‘Bama will face all of its real opponents, save Auburn, on the road. Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, and LSU will all be tough games, but look for the tide to take at least two of them.
Predicted Record 9-3 (5-3 SEC)
Arkansas
A much improved team and a more favorable schedule will make for a better year for Hogs faithful, but they won’t quite muster the strength they need to make a showing in the SEC West. In 2005 Arkansas ended up 4-7 with only two conference wins. Look for that to improve. The closest the Razorbacks come to facing difficult opponents in back-to-back weeks is with South Carolina and Tennessee in early November.
There has been a lot of talk about the Razorback backfield, but without the help of a competent quarterback SEC defenses will shut down even the best backs more often than not. If Freshman QB Mitch Mustain redshirts (or takes too long to find his rhythm) the Hogs could struggle to break even. More likely, though, Mustain will show promise and hints of greatness while Sophomore RB Darren McFadden does most of the heavy lifting.
Predicted Record 7-5 (4-4 SEC)
Auburn
The Tigers have found themselves planted firmly in most prognosticators’ Top 5 coming into the season, but let’s not forget how Auburn usually handles such acclaim: by flopping right out of the gate. Washington State was a few breaks from a great season last year and could easily surprise Coach Tuberville’s boys if they don’t come to play.
Cox has a less talented group of receivers, but Kenny Irons will should be able to keep the defenses occupied so the receiver corps will have an easier time getting the ball. To win the SEC, though, Will Muschamp, Auburn’s new Defensive Coordinator is going to have to jump right in. Truth be told, though, Auburn is about as good as they were last year and the only challenging road game they’ll have will be against Alabama. Expect to see them playing in Atlanta. That is, if they can avoid reaffirming their reputation as amazing choke-artists.
Predicted Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)
LSU
Last year, LSU was a team that had the talent to beat anyone in the country, but didn’t have the consistency to survive a grueling SEC schedule. The schedule this year has gotten worse and the Tigers have some question marks that need answering. LSU has to travel to Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Florida. The number of teams that could walk through that without a loss are impossibly small, and LSU is not the team to do it.
On the bright side, if the defense stays healthy, DTs Alexander and Dorsey fill the big shoes of the men they’re replacing, and Les Miles makes sure that JaMarcus Russell knows that he’s the team’s QB, even when he makes his inevitable bevy of mistakes every week, LSU could be playing for the SEC Title if all of the other SEC West teams catch a loss or two.
Predicted Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)
Ole Miss
Ole Miss could win the conference’s “Most Improved” award this year but, frankly, that wouldn’t take much. The Rebels beat exactly two Division I teams last year (Memphis and Kentucky) and wasn’t impressive in either of those wins. Orgeron has done a respectable job of luring transfers and new recruits but, at the end of the day, this year’s Rebels are going to be, from the perspective of the SEC, basically the same as last year’s Rebels.
Any game on Mississippi’s schedule could be a loss, and a healthy number of them will, but look for the Rebels to expand their winnings this year by taking 3 of their first 4, splitting the games with Vandy and Mississippi State, and rounding out the wins with a beating of Northwestern State.
Predicted Record: 5-7 (2-6 SEC)
Mississippi State
There was a lot of belly-aching when Croom was passed over for the Alabama job and Mississippi State fans felt like they were the beneficiary of ‘Bama’s mistake, but two years into the Croom era the Bulldogs have picked up very, very little momentum towards an improved program.
The kicking game is about the only place where MSU will have an advantage over the teams they face. Blake McAdams is one of the top punters in the country and you can bet that his leg is going to get another work-out this year as SEC defenses pad their three-and-out stats on the Bulldogs’ miserable offense. That offense, though, will need to stay on the field and help their defense out if they expect to see a .500 season… so don’t count on it.
Predicted Record: 4-8 (2-6 SEC)
2006 SEC West Prediction
- Auburn
- LSU
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Ole Miss
- Miss. State
Filed under: Miss. State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Vandy, LSU, Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, SEC 
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