SEC Preseason Preview: Can LSU overcome the loss of Tyrann Mathieu?

Tyrann Mathieu really screwed up this time. In fact, he screwed up so much that he’s now in rehab, and he’s off the LSU team. Last year he was suspended for drug use, while in the off-season he entertained everybody by wanting to change his ‘Honey Badger’ nickname for ‘King’. Wow, there’s nothing like a bit of humility, is there? We can only hope that a reformed, drug-free Tyrann Mathieu is back in FBS Football and his bravado is pitch only. But will Mathieu’s expulsion from the team cost the LSU Tigers a shot at the National Championship? LAST SEASON As you all know, LSU was not only shut out of the National Championship by Alabama, but they were embarrassed,

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SEC Preseason Preview: Can Florida return to old glories?

The Florida Gators are a National Power. Sure, they may have sucked pre-Spurrier, but in the last three decades, they’ve been almost always extremely competitive (if you ignore the Ron Zook years). Since 1991, Florida has won eight SEC titles, and three National Titles. They also haven’t missed a bowl game since 1991, either. That’s a pretty great record. But 2011, after Urban Meyer’s decision to leave the Florida family and go to ESPN (for the year, as it turned out, because he managed to recover sufficiently to take up a role at Ohio State), the Muschamp era started with a sputter. Sure, the Gators got into a bowl game, but they ended the season without a National Ranking….and losing

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SEC Season Preview: Can The Joker take Kentucky from the SEC basement?

Joker Phillips’ job at Kentucky can’t be easy. After all, they seem to always live in the shadow of their band of basketball brothers, and never seem to come out. Even when they posted relatively successful numbers in 2006 – 2009, no-one particularly appreciated them, and even now it’s as though Randall Cobb went straight from high school to Green Bay without playing for Big Blue in between. Well, Joker wants to make right on all of that, and have a team that can not only own hated rival Louisville, but do some damage in the SEC East. Can this be his year? LAST SEASON Last season the Kentucky Wildcats were pretty awful, finishing the year 5-7. That might not

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MSU receivers coach resigns over NCAA investigation

Mississippi State wide receivers coach Angelo Mirando has walked out – allegedly over an ongoing NCAA investigation into recruiting violations in Starkville, a number of news sources have reported – and a former Big Ten head coach has been hired to take his place! The wide receivers coach is being investigated into the recruitment of defensive back Will Redmond and possible other players, the report from ESPN said. Mirando – who stressed that he was leaving due to ‘unforeseen personal issues’ said in a statement: “I have enjoyed my time at Mississippi State as a graduate assistant and as an assistant coach. I have made friends that will last a lifetime; however, due to unforeseen personal issues, I believe it

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Aggies News: Brandon Williams will not play for Texas A&M this year

Incoming backfield transfer Brandon Williams will not play for Texas A&M this year, the NCAA has ruled. On Wednesday night the powers-that-be at the NCAA ruled that sophomore full-back Brandon Williams, who transferred over from Oklahoma to College Station in an effort to see more playing time (and play in the SEC, obviously!), will not play in 2012, despite a waiver application being sent to the ruling authority. That’s a blow to an Aggies offense that’s hoping that Christine Michael – who was a top tandem player with Cyrus Gray last season before he got injured – can stay healthy for 12 games. BOTTOM LINE: This isn’t a major blow for Aggies Athletics, but it’s a blow nevertheless. In the

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Rogered: Tennessee WR Da’Rick Rogers suspended indefinitely

Huge news in Tennessee: Standout wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers has been suspended indefinitely by coach Derek Dooley for an unspecified violation of team rules, according to ESPN. It is not known what he did to gain such a suspension, although Bruce Feldman, college football reporter at CBS was told that it was a string of troubling incidents that prompted the staff to make the move. In one tweet he said: “After what I’d been told by sources inside Vols program last yr, was surprised Dooley allowed Da’Rick Rogers to stay w team.” He added: “In 2011 Da’Rick Rogers had a series of incidents, incldg a complete meltdown at UK gm that sources say COMPLETELY crossed line w UT staff.” And

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SEC Preseason Preview: Can Auburn roar in the SEC West?

There is no school out there that could have had a more horrible off-season than the Auburn Tigers. And only one incident capped it: Two former Auburn Tigers – Ladarious Phillips and Ed Christian – and sophomore offensive linesman Eric Mack were shot at a pool party in mid-June. Phillips and Christian lost their lives. The news rocked the University to the core – and it’ll be interesting to see what effect – if any – it has on the Tigers are the start of the year. In less important news, brilliant running back Michael Dyer was dismissed from the team and is now playing FCS football, and Auburn can still roll the Toomer’s Oaks for the 2012 season (although

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SEC Preaseason Preview: Georgia Bulldogs: A second straight SEC title game?

Georgia goes into this season – again-  as SEC East favorites – simply because of the talent that the school is bringing back all over the field, but especially defensively, where some people have said that the Bulldogs could have one of the best Ds in the conference. Having said that, Mark Richt has had disciplinary problem after disciplinary problem this year, and that might undermine is progress. Nevertheless, see what we think below… LAST SEASON  The Georgia Bulldogs may have won the SEC East and gone 10-4 this year, but it’s not exactly blasphemy in the House of Dog to say that they underperformed, is it? After all, of the four ‘quality’ teams that they played last year (Boise

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SEC Preseason Preview: Will Vanderbilt continue moving on up?

A lot of people are very excited about the Vanderbilt Commodores this year. After all, they’ve been making a lot of noise on the recruiting front lately, and James Franklin put together a team that doesn’t just give up – hence why they lost four desperately close games (one in overtime), and this could be a season when Vandy puts together a winning regular season record for the first time in a decade. People are saying that they could upset South Carolina on the first game of the season… Anyway… LAST YEAR Vanderbilt fans may have celebrated going bowling, but really, it could have been so much more than that if they hadn’t broken their fans’ hearts over and over

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SEC Prediction: Will Arkansas ‘Hog’ The SEC West?

Between Bobby Petrino and Houston Nutt, the Arkansas Razorbacks have put together winning seasons for seven years out of the last 10, including a pretty wonderful 11-2 run in 2011. This year, many people are expecting nothing to change except the fact that Bobby Petrino’s out (penalized for his philandering ways), and beloved John L. Smith’s in with a 10-month contract. If Arkansas is half as a good as Smith is as a soundbite, they might make a run for the title! In fact, the AP and USA Today like the Hogs so much that they have a Top 10 ranking to start the 2012 season. But can they be better than that, or will the John L. Smith roadshow fall by

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