We Got Games
There are four weeks where there will be six -- SIX, I say -- SEC games on in one week. Not just six games with SEC teams involved, but six games where SEC teams will play head-to-head. At this point, before one helmet strap has been strapped, 10/6 is looking like the big weekend. Georgia-South Carolina will play that weekend now rather than the second week of the season. Vandy and Missouri play that day as well. Crazy thought here, but those two games could be elimination games in the East. Vandy may be a contender, but then again, they may just be Vandy.
The other three weeks are 10/13, 10/27, and 11/10. Mingled in around those six-game weekends are five-game Saturdays.
I think I just peed a little.
Freshman of the Year
T.J. Yeldon and/or Dorial Green-Beckham
Based on the below video -- especially the 4:15 mark -- T.J. Yeldon is well on his way to holding a stiff-arming trophy.
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llSCTzj6Aco']
Newcomer of the Year
Deion Belue
Separation Saturdays
9/22 - Mizzou vs. SC and UGA vs. VU
10/6- UGA vs. SC and VU vs. Mizzou
It's highly unlikely that Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin will have the Commodores in position to win the East, but don't be surprised if they are good enough to decide the East in '12.
I already believe Missouri is good enough to win the East, so by October 6, we should have a good idea if I'm right or wrong.
Most Optimistic-worthy Stat of the Preseason
Florida's 2011 roster had a combined 51 freshman and sophomore Gators. The only year they had a higher combination was 2007 when they had a whopping 55 in Urban Myer's third season.
If Will Muschamp isn't superstitious, he may want to look into it. The year after Florida played with that many underclassmen on the roster, they won the national championship the following season. If you recall, the Gators actually only lost two games the next two seasons (Ole Miss in 2008 and Alabama in 2009 SEC Championship Game) for an overall record of 27-2, a national championship, an SEC Championship, and two consecutive SEC Eastern Division titles.
Most Pessimistic-Worthy Stat of the Preason
See the optimistic-worthy stat above? All that occurred with a guy named Tebow playing quarterback.
Controversy of 2012
The majority of 2011 talk centered around the post-November 5th matchup between LSU and Alabama. The ball had no more passed through the goalposts before the entire nation got out their collective calculators to figure out if an all-SEC rematch coming.
This season's controversy may stem from the lack thereof. The excitement of tradition-rich conferences like the SEC bringing in two new teams who also have a deep football history may give way to a not-sure-what-to-think-yet mentality.
The not-sure-what-to-think may turn into a wait-and-see for many fans. Reason being is although the SEC has added two teams, many people are waiting to see what the final college football product will be in 2014. For all intents and purposes, the big conferences will get bigger and grow to 16 teams. Not only that, but the fact that a playoff/final four/plus one has gone from 25 years of pundits murmuring "It will never happen in my lifetime" to "We're trying to decide which playoff format will work best" in a matter of months.
In essence, the controversy may be a two-year issue. 2012 and 2013 could easily become the most quickly and comprehensively forgotten seasons in the history of college football if a playoff is utilized in 2014.
Biggest Disappointment
LSU Tigers
Les Miles may be fresh out of magic dust. Then again, every time we do this same old song and dance about Les Miles' luck running out, LSU goes undefeated and doesn't lose until a rematch with Alabama in the BCS Championship Game.
SEC Championship Game
Alabama vs. Missouri
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