🏈 Which SEC team projected to fall in 2014? Hint: It's not Bama.

[BAMANEWSBOT]

All good things must come to an end, right? Well, according to our faithful readers, Missouri's special second year in the SEC won't have much of an encore, as the Tigers were picked to be the SEC team poised to fall in 2014.

With more than 14,300 votes cast in our SportsNation poll, Missouri took home 39 percent of the vote. Auburn was second with 23 percent, and Alabama was third (16 percent). South Carolina was fourth (15), and LSU was fifth (seven).

Missouri is missing some key elements from last year's team. Quarterback James Franklin, receivers L'Damian Washington and Marcus Lucas, defensive ends Michael Sam and Kony Ealy, and cornerback E.J. Gaines are all gone. That's a lot to replace, but the Tigers should have enough bodies all around to help soften the blow.

Nowhere is that more true than quarterback and receiver, where the Tigers could still have quite the explosive showing in 2014. Maty Mauk, who filled in for Franklin for a month and lost just one game as a starter last season, is back and showed flashes of being a star when he was in. Mauk has the moxie, athletic ability and the arm to be one of the SEC's best quarterbacks in 2014. No one should be sleeping on him.

All eyes will be on receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who has the ability to be an All-SEC or even an All-America performer. He has to get his off-field life taken care of, but if he can keep his head on straight, he'll be a nightmare for defenses.

The defensive line still has a lot of talent and experience coming back, starting with ends Markus Golden and Shane Ray.

The toughest obstacle will be replacing three starters in the secondary, including both corners. The Tigers have bodies, just not a ton of experience in the back end.

ESPN's Edward Aschoff

 

[PhillyGirl]

I hope Auburn crashes and burns.

 

[sean]

i think auburn will be the odds-on-favorite to at least win the west. that doesn't mean they will, though. with their showing last year and making it to the big game (despite 2 miracle plays and the loss in the big game), they should be one of the favorites if not the favorite to win the west.....and maybe even the sec.

with all that said, i do think that makes them vulnerable for an upset. and while an upset of auburn is always a good thing, i'd love nothing more than for it to come late in the season to, hopefully, ruin their chances of repeating as sec champs and/or even making the "playoffs".

and if you ask any BAMA fan, any true 'BAMA fan, about last season, it was a letdown. even though we went 11-2, it was a letdown because of those 2 losses; considering when and to whom they occurred. to most BAMA fans, we have a long way back to climb. to the outside world, it's obviously not that far. but when you expect and crave perfection, it seems like a world away.

i do think we'll fall a bit farther than is comfortable. and for us BAMA fans, it will seem like a free-fall into nothingness. but i do think we'll have a better season than a lot of people think. it may take us a few games to figure things out on the offensive side of the ball, but i do think we'll be OK in the end.

 

[bama alum]

I think Mizzou will be just fine with Mauk at QB.

So, more than 1 in 5 voters think the barn is a flash in the pan...Marshall to Coates is a good weapon to have. I hope the barn is the preseason West winner; the fall will be fun to watch.

 

[bamaraider]

Probably Mizzou. Good portion of that team is now gone and also they won't be sneaking up on anyone this year.

Would love it to be Auburn, but I think Gus is a good HC, they have talent coming back, and I believe Marshall will improve off of last year as a passer. BUT, like Mizzou, they will be the hunted now and not the hunters. Playing @Kansas State, @Ole Miss, South Carolina, LSU, @Georgia, and here at the Capstone where the atmosphere will be even better and more intense than it was last year.

 

[bamaraider]

Surprised LSU got so few of votes. Maybe cause they weren't as good last year, making a regression not as dramatic, or just people wanting to see Alabama, Auburn, and Mizzou fail. Either way, they break in a new QB, replace Landry, Hill, Beckem, their giant FB, and their TE.

 

[planomateo]

Lots of new QB's in the league.

 

[jdpas29]

Lsu has been on a steady downward trajectory since being processed a few years back. They will continue to decline and likely the evidence of this decline with be more apparent this season. my vote is for the bungle tigers.

 

[252BAMA]

Surprised LSU got so few of votes. Maybe cause they weren't as good last year, making a regression not as dramatic, or just people wanting to see Alabama, Auburn, and Mizzou fail. Either way, they break in a new QB, replace Landry, Hill, Beckem, their giant FB, and their TE.

Vanderbilt will fall more than LSU. They were 9-4(4-4) and fourth in the East. With only 10 starters returning and the HC gone, they are back to 4-8 (0-8) and last in the East. LSU was 10-3 (5-3) and third in the West. They would have to fall to sixth in the West to match Vandy. LSU will not be sixth in the West.

 

[TerryP]

[MENTION=20125]sk33tr[/MENTION]

The question that will be asked, and rightfully so, is if the defense at Auburn is going to remain where it was or improve. They are losing almost half of their starters on a defense that ranked 12th in the conference last year in total defense. (Pass 13th, rush 10th.)

 

[252BAMA]

In SEC play I have MO minus 5 wins (7 to 2), *u minus 4 wins (7 to 3), and VU minus 4 wins (4 to 0). I don't have any other teams with more than one less win than in 2013.

 

[bamaraider]

Vanderbilt will fall more than LSU. They were 9-4(4-4) and fourth in the East. With only 10 starters returning and the HC gone, they are back to 4-8 (0-8) and last in the East. LSU was 10-3 (5-3) and third in the West. They would have to fall to sixth in the West to match Vandy. LSU will not be sixth in the West.

Yeah, Vandy should have been included too. My point was that LSU should probably also get their fair share of votes also based on what they've lost also.

 

[bamaraider]

*u minus 4 wins (7 to 3).

Thank you for reminding me never to spell out their whole name.

 

[TerryP]

In SEC play I have MO minus 5 wins (7 to 2), *u minus 4 wins (7 to 3), and VU minus 4 wins (4 to 0). I don't have any other teams with more than one less win than in 2013.

I'd take the over in all of those. IE: MO, at least two with UK and Vandy—should be able to grab a third with either UArk or UT.

 

[ElephantStomp]

I think Bama will be better than what some think. New QB or not. I think we win the west.

Auburn I think is going to stumble. Is Gus a good HC? I'm not sure. Losing Mason is going to hurt, you don't lose half your offense and get better. They're going to have to figure out defense or it'll be a drastic fall because I almost guarantee defenses have the HUNH figured out in terms of Auburb and without defense it's going to be hard for them to win games

 

[silvermetalflake]

Let's keep this latest poll in the file with last year's record-breaking zinger, Voter's poll for which SEC team will reach the National Championship.

But for the record. Disagree on Missouri. There QB position seems relatively solid and that's a major bonus. Maybe now that Johnny Manziel has left.... Texas A&M?
Who knows?

"That's the point dumb-ass. We don't." - silvermetalflake's Mom.

 

[BamaCore]

I would peg Auburn to be an 8 or 9 win team. I don't think Mizzou makes it to the SECCG, but I don't think it'll be Mizzou being worse more than it is the SEC East being a tad bit more competitive than last year.

 

[psychojoe]

Vandy is my candidate for biggest fall. Their recruiting collapsed when Franklin left. They lost some key playes as well. The Boogs will not win as much. Replacing Robinson will not be easy, and they caught all the lucky bounces.

 

[252BAMA]

I'd take the over in all of those. IE: MO, at least two with UK and Vandy—should be able to grab a third with either UArk or UT.

I would agree with ut except that the game is at ut. Although the Ark game is at MO, it is the last regular season game and at that point I see two teams going in different directions, with MO in a free fall, having lost to every one but UK and Vandy since the end of September. And having lost to Toledo, UCF, and SC in September.