Alabama and LSU reminded the rest of the SEC what they're up against when they played for the BCS national championship Monday night.
The Tide and Tigers have emerged as the dominant programs in college football's most dominant conference. That's not based solely on their latest get-together.
In the last five years, the two programs have combined to win 107 of 133 games and play for four national titles. Both have succeeded in surpassing Florida, which began the SEC's run of six consecutive national championships in 2006.
And they should begin the 2012 season as the most likely teams to extend that streak.
Something else shouldn't change in 2012: The SEC West should be clearly superior to the East.
LSU will return so much talent — especially in the secondary, at running back and in the defensive line — you will hardly miss their outgoing players. Moreover, quarterback Zach Mettenberger, a former Georgia signee and junior college transfer, could be a better passer than the two seniors he played behind this season.
Alabama will lose more, particularly if its best juniors decide to leave early. But the Tide might have the nation's No. 1-ranked recruiting class, another testament to how coach Nick Saban keeps replenishing his talent. The program's usual areas of strength will remain strong: defense, offensive line and running back.
You can't rule out Arkansas against giving the West three top-10 teams. Tyler Wilson is the best quarterback in the conference, Bobby Petrino will develop another impressive receiving corps despite all the losses, and the return of injured Knile Davis will boost the running game.
Don't forget about 2010 national champion Auburn, either. The Tigers might have lost offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and running back Michael Dyer, but they have an abundance of young talent.
Georgia will be a clear-cut favorite to repeat as the East winner.
The Bulldogs have as accommodating of a schedule as a title contender could hope for in the SEC, quarterback Aaron Murray is back to run their offense, and there's depth at wide receiver and a wealth of talent at linebacker.
The anticipated addition of heralded high school running back Keith Marshall should aid a rushing attack that relied mainly on freshman Isaiah Crowell, whose durability is more of an issue than his talent.
Despite the loss of two prominent juniors (wide receiver Stephon Gilmore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery) to the NFL, South Carolina still looks most capable of challenging the Bulldogs. The return of injured running back Marcus Lattimore and the development of quarterback Connor Shaw as a running and passing threat will bolster the offense. The defense can build around pass-rushing ends Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney and big-hitting backs DeVonte Holloman and D.J. Swearinger.
Tennessee can't help but improve after winning only one of eight SEC games. A more favorable schedule and a healthy passing combination of quarterback Tyler Bray and wide receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers should have the Vols battling Missouri for third in the East.
Here's an early, early guess as to how the divisions will play out:
EAST
Georgia: The Bulldogs won't have to play Alabama, Arkansas or LSU from the West.
South Carolina: Former coach Lou Holtz used to talk about changing the culture in Columbia, but Steve Spurrier has actually changed it.
Tennessee: The Vols will return more starters than any other team in the East.
Missouri: The Tigers will have some offensive firepower, but the conference didn't do its rookie member any scheduling favors.
Florida: A disappointing 2011 season coupled with another highly ranked recruiting class should convince more Gators fans that Will Muschamp is the second coming of Ron Zook.
Vanderbilt: Back-to-back bowls aren't out of the question.
Kentucky: Back-to-back non-bowl seasons are likely.
WEST
LSU: Imagine the 2011 team with a better passing attack.
Alabama: The Tide's first five seasons under Saban haven't been much different from their first five years of the Bear Bryant era.
Arkansas: Will still have the SEC's most eye-catching offense.
Auburn: A porous defense should be much improved.
Mississippi State: Needs more consistent play at quarterback.
Texas A&M: Plenty of starters returning, but its first season in the SEC could be traumatizing.
Ole Miss: The Grove will continue to thrive under new coach Hugh Freeze.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns
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Comments » 34
madmax22 writes:
Time for Adams to quit goobersmooching the Tards and Tygers.
orangecountyvols writes:
His Tigers are an embarrassment tonight.
Miles and Chavis looked to be no shows..........along with Jefferson.
Why Miles never went with Jarred Lee is a puzzlement.
Hrockytop writes:
Bama is amazing tonight! The best prepared, motivated, hungry, well coached program. Probably the best college defense I've ever seen!!
I'm no bama fan but very impressive..
Thats how it's done.
GO VOLS
madmax22 writes:
Because has always been a dumbazz when it comes to coaching but has managed to get lucky. With no luck he just got his butt kicked.
underthehill writes:
Couldn't be more wrong about Chavis..The LSU defense on the field almost the whole first half held their own waiting for the offense who never woke up...Jefferson looked to me like he should have been drug tested.. I kept thinking Miles might listen to the LSU fans but it didn't happen..
DooleyNoted writes:
Because he had one TD and 7 ints in his four appearances against Bama.
givehim6 writes:
Maybe UT needs to get Smart as there DC.
RollTideJoe writes:
Thank you, Sir.
Biggie writes:
Georgia should be penalized for it's sissy schedule. I guess Richt thought if he was gonna keep his jov, he'd better soften up the competition
frblalack writes:
Good article, J. A. Hopefully you are incorrect in putting the Vols behind South Carolina, but I have to agree that Georgia is the team to beat in the East. I do believe our team will be light years better, especially with the addition of the best receiver in the country whose initials are J. H.
Quite a championship game last nite! Alabama's defense was outstanding, and LSU's offense was pathetic. Still it was as hard-hitting as you will see in college football.
Volunteers will be back in that NC game before too long. We are solidly rebuilding, and we should win the East in either 2012 or 2013 if we can keep our players healthy.
Go Big Orange
CCLC writes:
The Honey Badger was suppose to "take what he wanted"....from the look of him on the sidelines he didn't want much!
CCLC writes:
Well Georgia did keep Can-tucky on the schedule---so there is that! And they play the same teams from the East that UT does. And Richt does have (7) ten win seasons to go with the 7-4 record against UT. I guess he is off the hot seat and you can relax now about Georgia stealing Son of Dooley (SOD) away from y'all. If we ever replace the hedges with "Bamboo" we know just where to get some advice.
just sayin'
spvol writes:
How's that "take a knee and kick on third down" thingy workin' out for ya?
SummittsCourt writes:
Alabama's defense was great last night no doubt, but LSU made it easy for them. When you're QB looks scared the whole game and most of this throws are behind the line of scrimmage and his option plays are well telegraphed you wonder if he wasn't given tons of money beforehand to play that bad.
I'm sorry, LSU fans deserved better than that effort last night. I like Les Miles, but he was completely outcoached last night. His players played afraid and Bama's players were highly motivated to get that one loss out of their memories.
This is really stretching here, but UT's average against that bama defense is 6.0, LSU's average is 4.5, 3.0 if you don't count the OT.
CoverOrange writes:
Schedule 4 OOC cupcakes and beat the bottom 3 teams in the east and the bottom 3 in the west, yeah that adds up to 10 and a thrashing in the SECCG.
Jovol642 writes:
Dooley has one more year and then he is out. Start looking for a new coach and then he will be out in 3 yrs. Just about time for Peyton to give up the NFL and come home to lead the Vols to victory. When a team quits at Lexington and can't beat a reciever @ QB it is time to realize that if Derrick's last name had been Jones or Smith (with a loosing record) he would never been considered. So there!!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I'm with you. If LSU's defense hadn't been mostly outstanding, the score could well have been about 42-0, given the no-show by the offense. I wondered all night about why Lee didn't play. At one point, the announcers said that he had had one TD and 7 INTs in his previous games against Bama, but watching Jefferson flounder, I think I would have given Lee a shot. How could he be worse than Jefferson was last night?
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well, still.... Looking at what was happening right before them, right then, how could it have been worse? Lee has had some good games. Putting him in would have at least convinced the players that the coaches were trying SOMETHING to change the way things were going. The sideline was looking pretty dejected while the game score was still manageable. Or maybe the PLAYERS didn't have any confidence in Lee. About the best you could say is that it just wasn't LSU's night and nothing they did would have changed the outcome, but, for me, I would hate to leave a national championship game as a loser, knowing I hadn't done everything I could to TRY to change it.
AncientVolFan writes:
underthehill, your post strikes me as reasoned logic not emotion. Nice.
ncvol17 writes:
so following your timeline UT will be back in the elite in 2017-18 range huh? I hope your a very young fan to be able to wait that long...
arkyvol writes:
the only things i'm looking for this season out of the vols are the new excuses for why the boy with the famous last name can't get us further from the bottom of the conference.
CCLC writes:
"Schedule 4 OOC cupcakes and beat the bottom 3 teams in the east..." Are you one o the bottom 3?
We haven't paid anyone so we didn't have to play them!Ga. State,Troy and Zips is a massive schedule addition I guess. Gosh. Have ya'll forgot where you store that jock strap or do you just not need it anymore without proper shower protocol.
So sad. UT won't be back this decade . You know that too.
CCLC writes:
How's that "take a knee and kick on third down" thingy workin' out for ya?
It sucks.... kicker didn't get it done. Reminded me of .... well you guys. Sooooooo.. hows that sitting home watchin bowl's on tv with back to back losing seasons "Thingy" workin' out for you?
just sayin'
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Further excuses will be for historical purposes only if the record doesn't improve. Don't worry about what Dooley or anybody else has to say if he doesn't get results, because it won't matter at all. He'll be gone and we will be starting over--again! A true Vol fan would hope this is merely the darkness before the dawn and brighter days are ahead. It is all pretty much out of the hands of us ordinary fans in any case.
mdlpc2154 writes:
Can you suggest a former VOL standout (or anyone equal to or better than Manning) to replace Dooley?
CCLC writes:
Manning has no equals sir!
just sayin'
John_10065 writes:
So tell us what you really think Sunshine!
huntined#565710 writes:
GA again does not play LSU-BAMA OR ARK. Easy for them to win the East...
johnlg00#206211 writes:
He's also WAY too smart to coach ANY football team.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Make that "too smart, too rich, and too busy." I could see him OWNING a team some day.
Go4Two writes:
We can't run the football. Does anyone think we will be better running the ball next year?
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Why not? Seems like we started and played a boatload of young guys on the O-line last year. Most players make big jumps in productivity from their freshman year to their sophomore year, and also from their sophomore to junior years
CCLC writes:
Seeing how you only play Bammer out of those dreaded three .....should be easy for you to be the runner up in the East!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I would take it! For 2012, anyway.
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