Each year, SEC Media Days bring fans a number of different things to look forward to. The most important part comes at the very end when we see how the assembled media think the SEC will play out in the coming year.
Let's take a look at one team from each division that the media are overrating, one that's being underrated and one that looks pretty spot on. First, here’s the order the media picked for each division:
SEC West
1) Alabama
2) LSU
3) Ole Miss
4) Texas A&M
5) Arkansas
6) Auburn
7) Mississippi State
SEC East
1) Tennessee
2) Florida
3) Georgia
4) Kentucky
5) Vanderbilt
6) Missouri
7) South Carolina
Overrated SEC West Team: LSU
LSU is the only team in the SEC that has comparable talent to Alabama as far as recruiting rankings are concerned. The only problem is LSU has struggled to find quarterback talent every year since signing Zach Mettenberger in 2011. My guess is Brandon Harris doesn’t progress out of mediocrity, and Les Miles is fired after another disappointing season.
Overrated SEC East Team: Kentucky
Kentucky being picked to finish fourth in the SEC East shocked me. This team will be lucky to win two SEC games. They draw Alabama and Mississippi State from the West, have to play at Tennessee and Florida and catch Georgia late in the season when the Bulldogs could be peaking. The Wildcats only return four players on a defense that was lackluster, and the new starting quarterback has two collegiate starts. None of this adds up to a fourth place finish, but it may add up to the end of the Mark Stoops era.
Underrated SEC West Team: Texas A&M
Texas A&M has all the pieces in place to finish higher than fourth in the SEC West. They have Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight quarterbacking an offense filled with star players like Christian Kirk and Speedy Noil, while revered SEC defensive coordinator John Chavis enters his second year with an extremely talented defense that returns seven starters. Traveling to Alabama, South Carolina, Auburn and Mississippi State will be tough, but the Aggies get a bye week before Alabama and should win at least two of those other three games based on talent.
Underrated SEC East Team: South Carolina
South Carolina will by no means be a great team, but I am confident that they will be better than dead last in a weak SEC East. Brandon McIlwain (who I believe will be the starter) has some of the best film I’ve ever seen from a high school quarterback. I think his flashes of brilliance, along with Will Muschamp’s savvy on defense, will earn the Gamecocks at least two SEC wins to finish above Kentucky and Missouri. It may even earn them an upset over one of the conference's stronger teams.
Just Right SEC West: Alabama
Alabama is the premiere college football program led by arguably the greatest coach in college football history. Who cares that they haven’t named a starting quarterback yet? This is the third year in a row this has happened. In the past two years, that has only gotten them two playoff berths and a national championship. The Tide keeps right on rolling through 2016.
Just Right SEC East: Tennessee
If Butch Jones and Tennessee can’t win the SEC East this year, then I’m not really sure when they can. They have a dynamic, veteran quarterback in Joshua Dobbs and return both primary running backs and four linemen from the third-best rushing attack in the SEC last year. Not to mention eight defensive starters for newly hired defensive coordinator Bob Shoop to use in his highly aggressive scheme. If Tennessee survives a stretch of Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama with only one or two losses, then it is hard to see the Volunteers not winning the SEC East.