Questions abound as conference hopes for seventh consecutive national title
This week, the league prepares for another season as the annual SEC Media Days take place in Hoover, Ala. The conference has dominated the college football landscape, winning the previous six national championships and placing two teams in last season's title game. As the league expands to 14 teams, these are the questions that surround the programs that will aim for Atlanta and an SEC crown:
Alabama:
Who will replace Trent Richardson in the Crimson Tide backfield?
Alabama rode Richardson to a national championship last season, but with Richardson now a member of the Cleveland Browns, head coach Nick Saban will need someone to step up and fill the void.
Arkansas:
Will a tumultuous off-season affect the Razorbacks on the field?
Between former head coach Bobby Petrino's motorcycle crash and new head coach John L. Smith's bankruptcy, it's easy to forget this team won 11 games last season and returns 15 starters.
Auburn:
How will the offense perform without Gus Malzahn and Michael Dyer?
The Tigers' featured running back and offensive coordinator have both moved on to Arkansas State, leaving Auburn to lean on Kiehl Frazier at quarterback, who attempted only 12 passes last season.
Florida:
Can the Gator offense become more consistent in Will Muschamp's second year?
Florida's defense kept the Gators in games last season under Muschamp's direction, but the offense sputtered for most of the season and must now find a quarterback to replace John Brantley.
Georgia:
Is Aaron Murray a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender?
The Bulldog quarterback led Georgia to a berth in the SEC championship game last season and is expected to produce even more in his junior year after the dismissal of running back Isaiah Crowell.
Kentucky:
Do the Wildcats have a few upsets in them this season?
Kentucky averaged just 16 points per game offensively last year and had a defense that ranked in the cellar of the conference, so the Wildcats will need to surprise some folks if they want to succeed.
LSU:
Does the Tiger defense have enough talent to return to the national championship?
The Tigers stingy defensive unit helped LSU capture the SEC title last season, but after losing five defensive players in the first four rounds of the NFL draft, LSU will need young players to step up.
Mississippi:
How will the Rebels rebound after going 0-8 in conference play last season?
Ole Miss went winless in the SEC in 2011 and the Rebels will have a new head coach in Hugh Freeze, who was at Arkansas State last season, hoping to bring some spark to the Ole Miss program.
Mississippi State:
Will head coach Dan Mullen be staying in Starkville much longer?
Mullen is the first Bulldog coach in more than a decade to win back-to-back bowl games, but he will be on the short list for coaching vacancies around the country, and State is in low in the SEC West pecking order.
Missouri:
Can Dorial Green-Beckham be a difference-maker in his freshman year?
The top high school recruit in the nation chose to attend Mizzou on signing day and the freshman wide receiver will be challenged immediately by some of the best defensive units in the country.
South Carolina:
Is this the year the one the Gamecocks finally win the SEC?
USC has just one appearance in the SEC title game since joining the league in 1992, but the Gamecocks are coming off the first 11-win season in school history and have stability at the quarterback position.
Tennessee:
Does head coach Derek Dooley survive another season in Knoxville?
Dooley inherited a mess after Lane Kiffin bolted to Southern Cal, but the Volunteers have just four conference wins in Dooley's first two seasons and finished last year in the bottom of the SEC East.
Texas A&M:
Who can make the Aggies forget about Ryan Tannehill?
The former A&M quarterback is now competing for the starting job with the Miami Dolphins, while the trio of Jamiell Showers, Matt Davis and Johnny Manziel will look to take the reins of the Aggies' offense.
Vanderbilt:
Do the Commodores have the momentum to continue to improve under James Franklin?
Vanderbilt made a bowl game last season and Franklin is working to change the culture in Nashville, but the Commodores still have to contend in the toughest conference in America.