Florida Gators (9-4, 5-3 in 2007, 3rd place in SEC East)

Gator-nation had to be disappointed with Florida’s 9-4 campaign and a loss in the Capital One Bowl in 2007. QB Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy last season, but he also feels as though the Gators have unfinished business coming into the 2008 season. Florida had plenty of things to be proud about in 2007, including embarrassing both Tennessee and Florida State by a combined score of 104-32, but the four losses are placed squarely on the shoulders of a defense that allowed both Georgia and Michigan to put up 40+ points on the scoreboard. Sixteen Gators return from last season, and anything less than another national title will be a disappointment in Gainesville.

Offensive Outlook: Just between Tebow and do-it-all Percy Harvin, the Gators have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Add on a rushing game that includes Emmanuel Moody and Keastahn Moore, plus one of the biggest offensive lines in the country, and HC Urban Meyer has the perfect recipe for not only one of the best offenses in the land in 2008, but one of the better offenses that college football has seen in recent memory. If there’s a dark cloud looming over Gainesville, it’s that TE Cornelius Ingram is out for the season with an ACL tear. For an offense that averaged 42.5 PPG a year ago, it’s scary to think that the Gators could post even bigger numbers in ’08.

Defensive Outlook: This will be the key to whether the Gators are going to win the SEC East or not. The defense had way too many lapses last season, frequently putting the offense in holes that were difficult to work out of. Last year the unit only returned two starters, but this year, eight will be back. Florida is young in their secondary rotation, with two sophomores and a number of juniors, but they are incredibly deep with talent, and most of the players have gained some level of experience from previous seasons. The defensive line won’t be the same without DE Derrick Harvey, but both Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham should be able to fill in his production.

2008 Preview: Meyer has to have his sights set on four games that could spoil his undefeated season in 2008. Games at Tennessee and Florida State are always difficult, but there is no doubt that the Gators will be the better team on the field in both instances barring a rash of injuries. On October 11th, LSU comes to the Swamp for what should be a fantastic game, but if Florida gets past that, all eyes will be on the Cocktail Party in Jacksonville between the Gators and Georgia Bulldogs. There is a very legitimate chance that these two teams could be undefeated and ranked #1 and #2 in the country at that point in time.

2008 will be a success if… the defense doesn’t have any significant lapses. Though the Gators offense is phenomenal, the question marks are all on the defensive side of the ball. The Georgia running game blasted the Gators last year, and if the unit has too many games like that, Florida will be making another trip to the “lowly” Capital One Bowl this winter.

The Gators are for real this year, and though an undefeated season wouldn’t be overly shocking, don’t expect to see too many “L’s” on the schedule at seasons end.

Prediction: 11-1, 1st place in SEC East

Georgia Bulldogs (11-2, 6-2 in 2007, 2nd place in SEC East)

If you were to ask anyone affiliated with the Georgia Bulldogs what the one moment was in 2007 that stood out beyond all else, they will all give you the exact same answer. After scoring the opening touchdown against Florida, the entire team flew off the bench to celebrate in the end zone, setting a tone that would carry the Bulldogs to a 42-30 victory over their arch-rivals. Georgia rolled through the rest of their schedule, culminated by a 41-10 spanking of Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl.

Offensive Outlook: Eight starters return from a unit that put up 32.6 PPG in ‘07. There are two legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates on this unit. QB Matthew Stafford improved by leaps and bounds last year, and should improve upon his touchdown passes thrown. The better candidate might be sophomore RB Knowshon Moreno, who burst onto the scene when he ran for 188 yards and three TDs against the Gators last year. Moamed Massaquoi has had a productive career as a wide receiver, and will look to build his draft stock with an impressive ’08. A young offensive line looked to be strong coming into camp, but a season-ending knee injury to LT Trinton Sturdivant could be a huge loss.

Defensive Outlook: For as talented as the offense appears, the defense could be even better for the Dawgs. Nine starters return from their unit which held teams to a shade over 20 ppg in 2007. Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens are both forces on the defensive line. The secondary is young, but junior CB Asher Allen and safety Reshad Jones are both rock solid and should be able to keep the unit together. Obviously the more Moreno and the offense possess the football, the better shape these guys will be in.

2008 Preview: Without a doubt, the Bulldogs have the hardest schedule in the SEC and probably in all of college football. If Richt can pull off an undefeated season, the Bulldogs deserve to be named the national champions without playing in a title game. Difficult road games are all over the schedule, including dates in South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU, and Auburn. They also have to travel to Jacksonville for the annual Cocktail Party against Florida. They’ll have to protect their home turf against the likes of Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech. If by some chance Georgia gets all the way through that brutal stretch of games, their reward will be a spot in the SEC title game where they’ll likely have to fight off another stiff challenge from either Auburn or LSU.

2008 will be a success if… Richt can keep the team’s intensity up week after week. There are a number of potential hazards on this schedule, and the Bulldogs will have a massive bulls-eye on their back for as long as they hold the #1 ranking in the land.

This could be the best team in the nation, but there isn’t a team in the state of Georgia that can get through this schedule unscathed, and that includes the Atlanta Falcons.

Prediction: 10-2, 2nd place in SEC East

Kentucky Wildcats (8-5, 3-5 in 2007, 5th place in SEC East)

Give Wildcats HC Rich Brooks a ton of credit for righting the ship in Lexington and putting a winner back on the field. The Wildcats have posted back-to-back 8-5 campaigns after several dismal seasons. The biggest problem that Brooks will face in ’08 is the loss of his star QB Andre Woodson to the NFL. At one point last year, the Wildcats were thinking about spoiling the party in the SEC East after upsetting #1 LSU 43-37 in an overtime thriller. Four losses in five games down the stretch ruined that thought, but the program will bring momentum from their Music City Bowl victory over Florida State into ’08.

Offensive Outlook: Replacing Woodson will prove to be a nearly impossible task for either Curtis Pulley or Mike Hartline. The good news is that Derrick Locke and Tony Dixon are both back in the backfield, and should both have productive seasons. The duo combined for 932 yards and nine touchdowns a year ago, and that’s with Rafael Little rushing for over 1,000 yards as well. The Wildcats are very thin at receiver, only returning one starter from 2007, but the good news is that the offensive line returns three starters and should be rock solid.

Defensive Outlook: For a unit that allowed 29.6 PPG a year ago, the Wildcats have plenty of room to improve. There are three legitimate NFL prospects on this defense in DE Jeremy Jarmon, LB Braxton Kelley, and CB Trevard Lindley. The three must step up and command that the other eight on the field bring their level of play up with them for UK to stand any chance of competing in the difficult SEC East. Look out for sophomore LB Micah Johnson to have a tremendous season playing next to Kelley.

2008 Preview: The schedule does set up very nicely for Kentucky to make a bit of a run at the beginning of the season. If they can survive their annual meeting with Louisville in Week 1, they should easily be 4-0 heading into the SEC schedule. The bad news is that there probably won’t be many wins once the Wildcats reach that point. Games with Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee are all almost certainly losses, so the team must look to win games against teams like Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt if they think they’re going bowling for a third consecutive year.

2008 will be a success if… Locke and Dixon do enough to take the pressure off of whichever quarterback is under center. Expect to see a lot of erratic QB play from the Wildcats this year, so if they stand a chance, the running game must be a rock.

Eight wins is almost certainly out of the question for UK in ’08, so a more realistic goal will be becoming bowl eligible. Unfortunately, that isn’t a guarantee.

Prediction: 5-7, 5th place in SEC East

South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 3-5 in 2007, 4th place in SEC East)

The Ol’ Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, is back for another season in Columbia, and his Gamecocks are quietly lurking around in the SEC East. Spurrier must demand more consistency in 2008, as his squad looked like world-beaters against Georgia and Kentucky a year ago, but also looked poor in games against North Carolina and Vanderbilt. There are 17 starters back, and if the rest of the SEC isn’t careful, the Gamecocks could sneak up on a lot of teams this year.

Offensive Outlook: Spurrier became famous at the University of Florida as being an offensive genius despite rarely having any real talent at the quarterback position. This year he needs to decide whether he will go with redshirt freshman Stephen Garcia, sophomore Chris Smelley, or junior Tommy Beecher as his man under center. Knowing Spurrier, all three will see plenty of action. All three will love throwing the ball to Kenny McKinley, who is one of the better receivers in the SEC. Four starters return on the offensive line, which should leave plenty of holes for the running back trio of Eric Baker, Brian Maddox, and Mike Davis.

Defensive Outlook: There aren’t many “names” on this Gamecocks defense, but ten members do return from the unit that surrendered 23.5 PPG last year. Those numbers are slightly skewed though, as only Arkansas and Florida eclipsed 28 points on this squad. LB Jasper Brinkley is the best NFL prospect on this defense, and he’ll be expected to be a leader as one of the two seniors. Junior CB Captain Munnerlyn excels at all phases of the game, and should be one of the top corners in the SEC in his third year as a starter. The South Carolina defense may be loaded with sophomores and juniors, but the Gamecocks should begin to reap the rewards of starting players as freshmen and sophomores in 2008.

2008 Preview: The Gamecocks should open up 2-0 with games against NC State and Vandy to open the season, but right after that, they’ll get to take their shot against #1 Georgia. Most SEC schedules are loaded, and South Carolina’s is no exception. They play five games against teams in the preseason AP Top-20, including ending the regular season with road games in Florida and Clemson.

2008 will be a success if… some combination of the three quarterbacks can take control of the offense. Most offenses need a leader to succeed, but Spurrier had no problem alternating quarterbacks on every single play back in his day with the Gators. As long as they get some sort of consistent productivity out of the quarterback position, it won’t matter which one is under center.

In any other conference in America, the Gamecocks would be a favorite. In the SEC, they’ll have troubles just becoming bowl eligible. Much like ’07, expect to see South Carolina play several games that make you scratch your head both positively and negatively.

Prediction: 7-5, 4th place in SEC East

Tennessee Volunteers (10-4, 6-2 in 2007, 1st place in SEC East)

In a year that HC Phillip Fulmer had his job on the line, the Tennessee Volunteers responded by winning the SEC East. Rocky Top responded by giving Fulmer a lucrative contract extension, but still expect big things in the future. Last season’s SEC Championship Game appearance was a success, especially considering the fact that they were crushed by both Florida and Alabama on the season. The Vols won six of their final seven games, with only a loss to eventual national champion LSU in the mix.

Offensive Outlook: Jonathan Crompton will be the man of the hour in Knoxville in ’08. He’ll have a heck of an offense around him, starting with RB Arian Foster, who was a 1,000-yard rushing a year ago. WR Lucas Taylor could become a first day draft pick in the NFL with a big season in ’08. Four of the five starters on the offensive line return, including RG Anthony Parker, another highly touted NFL prospect.

Defensive Outlook: The 2007 Vols defense had mixed results. They held strong opponents like Georgia, Wisconsin, and Arkansas under 20 points, but also gave up 40+ points to California, Florida, Alabama, and Kentucky. Replacing LB Jerod Mayo will be an incredibly difficult task, but Rico McCoy should step up and become the leader of the LB corps. Three of the six returning starters are in the secondary, a unit which must improve from a year ago for Tennessee to have success in the always difficult SEC.

2008 Preview: Tennessee does dodge LSU on its schedule, but has a murderous stretch in the middle of their season that includes games with Florida, Auburn, and Georgia. Don’t underestimate that season-opener in UCLA, as Rick Neuheisel’s bunch is good enough to spring the upset if the Vols aren’t careful. The rest of the non-conference schedule is very manageable, including games against Northern Illinois, UAB, and Wyoming.

2008 will be a success if… the defense can slow down the opposition’s passing game. Though the SEC isn’t known for its high-flying offenses, the Volunteers defense must contain opposing passing games if it hopes to give Crompton and the offense a chance to win games.

Tennessee probably isn’t good enough to repeat as SEC East champs again, but the squad is full of talented players and should post another respectable season.

Prediction: 8-4, 3rd place in SEC East

Vanderbilt Commodores (5-7, 2-6 in 2007, 6th place in SEC East)

The 2007 Commodores came incredibly close to reaching a bowl game for the first time since 1982. After opening up 5-3, Vandy lost close games to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wake Forest to keep them home for the winter. The Tennessee game was especially disturbing, as the Commodores held a 24-9 lead through three quarters, only to see the Vols roll off 16 unanswered in the 4th quarter. It will likely be a difficult season in Nashville this year, as the Commodores only return nine starters from 2008.

Offensive Outlook: Vandy ranked near the bottom of all of the offensive categories in the SEC last year, and things don’t look any better for 2008. The quarterbacking duo of Chris Nickson and Mackenzi Adams are back, but neither had any success last year. WR Earl Bennett set all sorts of SEC records in his four years at Vanderbilt, but he has now moved on to the NFL. George Smith and Sean Walker will need to replace his production. The offensive line could be in shambles, as the Commodores will feature five new starters.

Defensive Outlook: If Vanderbilt has any chance of competing in the SEC this year, it will be because of their defense. The unit held teams to 22.6 PPG in 2007, and returns six starters from that bunch. CB DJ Moore is the only legitimate NFL prospect on the unit, but there is plenty of talent with him in the secondary. Reshard Langford could make a big difference at safety. Patrick Benoist is the only returning linebacker, but a promising recruiting class from two years ago could make the difference for the ‘Dores.

2008 Outlook: There aren’t many winnable games in conference for the Commodores, but their non-conference schedule is manageable. If the team has any hope of going to their fourth bowl game in program history, they must win their games against Miami (OH), Rice, and Duke. Even then, their prospects are grim.

2008 will be a success if… flashes of talent can be seen from the youngsters. 2008 is probably a lost season for Vanderbilt, so if some of the younger guys can step in and show some promise, at least there will be a glimmer of hope for the Commodores in the future.

There’s no way Vandy is competing against a very stacked SEC East, and it’s entirely possible that they go the entire season without winning a game.

Prediction: 1-11, 6th place in SEC East