🏈 Rank the toughest opponents for Alabama in 2014

[252BAMA]

1. Ole Miss
2. MSU
3. barn
4. LSU
5. UF
6. atm

 

[planomateo]

Interesting 252, is Ole Miss number 1 due to location?

Here is mine...

LSU
MSU
UF
Auburn
Ole Miss
TAMU

 

[252BAMA]

Location is a very small factor in this case. I just believe that Ole Miss is going to be the second best team in the west.

Of course, with your pick, I would be inclined to ask the same question of you. They are certainly a tougher nut to crack in BR.

 

[planomateo]

Miss State always plays Bama tough, Mullen is a better coach than Freeze, and Miss State returns 8/8. I think Miss State will finish higher than Ole Miss in the SEC this year. Plus we play Miss State the week after LSU...Ole Miss is after a bye. Bama will be rested against Ole Miss.

Mine is on toughest opponents, not how the SEC West rankings will be at the end of the season. LSU always plays Bama tough. UF because I think they finally put it together this year and Muschamp.

 

[bama alum]

I agree with everything you're all saying about the barn. The fact is that in both 2010 and 2014...Choke jobs. Sorry, I don't want to be that particular poster, but if Bama would have not blown leads in these games, the barn wouldn't have come in at this position.

Actually, I tend to agree with plano's ranking.

 

[TerryP]

Location is a very small factor in this case. I just believe that Ole Miss is going to be the second best team in the west.

Of course, with your pick, I would be inclined to ask the same question of you. They are certainly a tougher nut to crack in BR.

Mark my words here. Ole Miss will be in ATL this season!

 

[PhillyGirl]

LSU, Barn, Ole Miss, MSU, UF, TAMU

 

[bamaraider]

@LSU

Cow college- We can convince ourselves that last year was all a fluke, which in some cases it was; however, they still return a good deal of talent and still have enough offensive firepower compete for the SEC West. They'll be a good team.

Ole Miss- would put MSU here if it wasn't for the fact that we're playing them at home

MSU

A&M

Florida

Tennessee- they replace their entire o-line and d-line and are still questionable at QB. Alabama rolls by 31+ again this year

 

[TerryP]

At home, Ole Miss' offensive productivity dropped in year two of Freeze's era at Ole Miss by over five points per game against SEC teams.

At home, in conference play, they're 4-4 under Freeze. Two of those for wins came against teams that didn't win a single conference game—Auburn and Arkansas at 0-8. They beat a 4-4 Mississippi State team. They beat a 5-3 LSU team assisted by Mett throwing three INT's in the game and still won the game on a last second kick by inches.

If a team hasn't won consistently at home, and when they have won have done so against very poor teams in three of their four wins, there is no home field advantage.

:computerdestroy:

 

[bama4life]

• LSU - It is like playing a mirror image. They are normally fast and play very physical.
• Barn
• UF - Defense (although now both their lb's and secondary are question marks) and I believe they improve a bit on other side of the ball this year.
• A&M
• Ole Miss

 

[planomateo]

Mark my words here. Ole Miss will be in ATL this season!

Peach Bowl?

 

[TerryP]

Peach Bowl?

No.

My word on that statement is absolute.

 

[mhardiman]

^ there opener with Boise State

 

[planomateo]

How in the hell did I miss that...smh

 

[TerryP]

How in the hell did I miss that...smh

I asked myself that very question.

 

[MissingRing]

• LSU
• Barn
• UF
• Ole Miss
• A&M

 

[psychojoe]

Ranking them is not easy. My early assessment of these teams-I don't see any of the six mentioned in the lead post as being much better than the others.

1. LSU (more because of where we play them than anything else.

2. Barn (they have the best f the returning QBs).

3. MSU (though if their injury prone QB goes down they slide down the list).

4. Ole Miss (if they had even an SEC average QB they would rank higher).

5. Aggies (Johnny is gone. Lots of questions still on defense.)

6. Florida (until proven otherwise their offense still sucks. The D should be good, but it will be on the field a lot.)

A question for you guys: No one listed Arkansas or Tennessee, and IMO neither belong on a list of our toughest games. Of those two, which one makes the most progress towards being competitive in the SEC this season.

 

[TerryP]

@psychojoe UT. I believe they'll be bowl eligible this season and that's with a trip to Norman as one of their four OOC games.