Alabama Crimson Tide (7-6, 4-4 in 2007, 5th place in SEC West)

The Nick Saban-era at Alabama looked as if it was going to push the Crimson Tide right back onto the national stage in a hurry. After pulling off a mild upset of #16 Arkansas with a late comeback in their third game of the season, the Tide were ranked #22 in the country, heading into their showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia won that tightly contested battled 26-23, but the Tide rebounded and found themselves 6-2 after beating Tennessee 41-17 in their best game of the 2007 season. A loss to LSU started a four-game losing skid, which included defeats to Mississippi State and most inexcusable, Louisiana-Monroe. Thirteen members of Tide return from their 7-6 team a year ago, and will hope to take the next step towards returning to SEC supremacy.

Offensive Outlook: It’s all about John Parker Wilson for the Alabama offense in ’08. The senior quarterback has had a career full of mixed results, and his inconsistency has made him a villain in Tuscaloosa at times. Incoming freshman Julio Jones could make a huge difference in the passing game, which should also open up more holes for the returning RB tandem of Terry Grant and Glen Coffee. Four of the five starters return on the offensive line, making Tide fans optimistic about their offense in 2008.

Defensive Outlook: Six starters return from last year’s stop unit, which could make for a year of learning for the Tide ‘D’. They’re not short on talent, but there are only two seniors projected as starters on the defense. Sophomore LB Rolando McClain will almost certainly be all All-SEC performer in ’08 as the catalyst in their 3-4 defense. Their secondary is thin, but does have an NFL prospect at safety in Rashad Johnson. Saban is high on sophomore cornerback Kareem Jackson.

2008 Preview: Alabama probably has the hardest schedule in the SEC West, and arguably has as difficult of a slate of games as Georgia does in the SEC East. There are cupcakes on the schedule, but games at Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU probably won’t make for a fun season away from Tuscaloosa. The Tide needs to take care of business at home this year, as they will be sizeable favorites in all six of their home games leading up to the “Iron Bowl” against rival, Auburn.

2008 will be a success if… Wilson makes himself a hero in Tuscaloosa as opposed to a goon. Football is a religion in Alabama, and having the fans behind you is of paramount importance. If Alabama is going to upset any of the big boys in the SEC this year, Wilson must play at peak level.

There’s plenty of talent on this Tide team, and it would be a shock to not see them in another bowl game this winter. McClain and Jackson will build that Tide defense up over time, but 2008 doesn’t look to be the National championship year for Saban and the Crimson Tide.

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

Arkansas Razorbacks (8-5, 4-4 in 2007, 3rd place in SEC West)

Plenty of change is coming in Little Rock in 2008. HC Houston Nutt has moved on to Ole Miss, setting the stage for Bobby Petrino to make his triumphant return to college football after a disastrous thirteen games with the Atlanta Falcons. RBs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were the pride and joy of Razorbacks football, but have both since departed for the NFL. In fact, only 11 starters return from last year’s team that pulled off the king of upsets in ’07, knocking off the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge in the final game of the regular season.

Offensive Outlook: Poor Casey Dick has to be looking around and wondering what he did to deserve what’s coming to him in 2008. His best options last year were turning around and handing the ball to either McFadden or Jones. Both are gone. When he did throw the ball, he had four major targets outside of his two running backs. They’re all gone. His old head coach used to ask him to manage football games. His new head coach needs him to win them. Dick and freshman wide receivers Joe Adams and Carlton Salters will have to become good friends in a hurry. It should be running back by a large committee for the Razorbacks in ’08. Three starters return on the offensive line, which might be the only reason that Arkansas ever finds the end zone this season. If Arkansas averages half of the 37.3 PPG they averaged a year ago, it might be a good season.

Defensive Outlook: Only five starters return from a defense which allowed opponents to score 26.5 PPG a year ago. All of them comprise the front seven, which was a big disappointment last season. LB Freddie Fairchild was a highly touted recruit coming into Arkansas, but he hasn’t panned out as of yet. The secondary has absolutely no returning talent, but there are veteran juniors and seniors back there to help ease the transition to a defense which is only going to get younger in the years to come. There will be a ton of pressure on safeties Rashaad Johnson and Walter Leandre to perform.

2008 Preview: The good news is that the Razorbacks should start 2-0 with games against Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe. The bad news is that there may not be too many more wins on the schedule. Games against Texas, Alabama, Florida, Auburn, South Carolina, and LSU are all well out of Arkansas’ league, and expecting more than one win from that bunch of games is absurd. Don’t be certain that games against Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Tulsa are “gimmes” either.

2008 will be a success if… Dick proves he’s a legitimate quarterback. Petrino’s past offenses at Louisville put pressure on the QB to take risks that turned into rewards. Dick has never had to do much in the Arkansas offense, which could make it a very long year for everyone in Little Rock.

Arkansas fans shouldn’t expect much from their Razorbacks in 2008. There’s just too much change for Petrino to overcome to take this team bowling once again.

Prediction: 4-8, 6th place in SEC West

Auburn Tigers (9-4, 5-3 in 2007, 2nd place in SEC West)

Tigers HC Tommy Tuberville took a bold risk before their bowl game with the Clemson Tigers. He installed a new spread offense that would run the hurry-up, and did so from the end of the regular season in time for their bowl game. The end result was a 23-20 victory over Clemson, which should bring all sorts of momentum into the ’08 season for Auburn’s program. Sixteen starters return from last year, and hopes are high that the Tigers can once again be in contention for the SEC crown.

Offensive Outlook: QB Kodi Burns got his first look at the new spread offense in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl against Clemson, and showed that with some work, the scheme will fit his skill-set perfectly. The sophomore will have big shoes to fill, as three-year starter Brandon Cox has departed. The rest of the offense is intact, including all of the starters, and several role players. RBs Ben Tate and Brad Lester should have their production cut into with the new spread attack, but should still play big roles in the offense. The offensive line will start to reap the benefits of starting youth, as three sophomores that started as freshman will join the other two returning starters up front. Many think that this is one of the best offensive lines in the SEC, and should be that way for a couple more years.

Defensive Outlook: The Auburn defense has always been fantastic, and 2007 was no exception. They averaged giving up a shade under 17 ppg, and held the mighty offenses of Florida and Arkansas to a total of 24 points. DE Quinton Groves will be missed, but the seven returning starters on the defensive side of the ball should uphold the tradition of strong Auburn defenses once again in ’08. The key position will be safety, where the Tigers will turn to two sophomores, Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil to captain the secondary. The junior trio of DE Antonio Coleman, DT Sen’Derrick Marks, and LB Tray Blackmon are all NFL prospects, and should be the leaders of a young, yet talented squad.

2008 Preview: The biggest game of the season for the Tigers will come on September 20th when the LSU Tigers come to town. In all likelihood, the winner of that game will be the SEC West winner, as those two teams are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. If the Tigers can hold serve against LSU and Tennessee at Jordan-Hare Stadium in back-to-back weeks, we could have two unbeaten teams squaring off on October 23rd when Auburn travels to Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers. The season ends with games against #1 Georgia and at Alabama.

2008 will be a success if… Burns lives up to the hype. It’s going to be difficult, but Auburn has a chance to be a real threat for the National Championship this year. The pieces around Burns are all fantastic, but he will be the key in 2008.

Though Tuberville and the gang will probably slip up one too many times to win the National Championship, don’t be surprised if the Tigers still find themselves in a BCS game, whether it be as SEC champs, or as an at-large team. They can play with anyone in the nation.

Prediction: 10-2, 1st place in SEC West

LSU Tigers (12-2, 6-2 in 2007, 1st place in SEC West)

The defending National Champions were delivered a huge blow in their quest to repeat as BCS Champs in the offseason when QB Ryan Perrilloux was kicked off the team. Twelve starters return from last year’s team that survived a two-loss season, but there’s still plenty of talent on the field for the Bayou Bengals that could have them sniffing around for another run at the BCS in ’08.

Offensive Outlook: The quarterback position is still very much up in the air for the Tigers. Expect to see as many as four different players take snaps this season. Whoever it is under center will have a plethora of running backs to choose from that are all potential game-breakers. Keiland Williams, Charles Scott, and speedster Trindon Holliday are all amazing running backs with the ability to change a game when they touch the football. The top receivers are still intact, including Demetrius Byrd and Brandon LaFell. Four starters return on the offensive line, all of which are considered potential NFL prospects. The best of the bunch is senior LG Herman Johnson, who will likely be a first-day draft selection next year.

Defensive Outlook: Replacing Glenn Dorsey is going to prove nearly impossible, but the Tigers found ways to plug up holes when their stud defensive tackle was out of the lineup last season. Ricky Jean-Francois will do the honors filling in for Dorsey, but DE Tyson Jackson should help the transition. The secondary will be the biggest question mark, as the team will rely on three youngsters to fill holes. Freshman Patrick Johnson and sophomore Jai Eugene will be the starting corners, while sophomore Chad Jones is touted as the next in a long line of quality safeties to come out of LSU.

2008 Preview: For an SEC schedule, this isn’t so bad. The Tigers do have games in Auburn and in Florida to contend with, but they draw Georgia and Alabama at home, and don’t have Tennessee on their schedule. Their non-conference schedule is littered with cupcakes, including Troy, North Texas, Tulane, and Appalachian State, who likely won’t be pulling off another monumental upset again this season. If they can knock off Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium, there’s nothing stopping the Tigers from repeating as SEC West champs.

2008 will be a success if… the youngsters in the secondary can step in and keep the LSU defense dominant. The offense is going to be very vanilla with no experience at the quarterback position, so HC Les Miles is going to lean on his defense to win games. Johnson, Eugene, and Jones will have the weight of the world on their shoulders from the outset of the season, and will be tested against the spread attacks of Florida and Auburn in their two biggest games of the season.

With Perrilloux, LSU was head and shoulders above everyone in the SEC West. Without him, they’re still in the top-two, but their chances of repeating as National Champions look bleak.

Prediction: 9-3, 2nd place in SEC West

Mississippi Rebels (3-9, 0-8 in 2007, 6th place in SEC West)

Ed Orgeron is out as HC of the Rebels. Houston Nutt will replace him after a successful tenure at Arkansas. The good news for Nutt is that 16 returners should ease his transition to Ole Miss. The bad news is that the team went 0-8 in the SEC last season, and really wasn’t competitive in quite a few of those games. Nutt and the Mississippi fans expect much better from the Rebs in ’08.

Offensive Outlook: QB Jevan Snead has transferred from Texas to take over the Ole Miss offense. He’s a dual threat quarterback, and could be a terror on opposing defenses with his legs and arm. He’ll be helped by true freshman RB Enrique Davis, who was a top recruit this off-season. Seven starters will provide the supporting cast for Snead and Davis, including four starters on an offensive line that is one of the best in the SEC. The tackle combination of Michael Oher and John Jerry could pave a lot of holes for the rushing game this season.

Defensive Outlook: The defense surrendered 28.5 PPG a year ago for the Rebels, so the nine returning starters must step up their level of play if Mississippi believes they’re a bowl team this year. Six of the front seven in their 3-4 scheme return, including all four linebackers. Nutt is encouraged with the play of senior DT Peria Jerry. There isn’t a lot of depth behind the starters in the front seven, so keeping these guys healthy is very important. Perhaps the best player on the defense last year was safety Jamarca Sanford, who returns for his senior season.

2008 Preview: The SEC schedule will once again prove difficult, but the Rebels shouldn’t have another donut in their win column again this year in conference play. Games against Vandy, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Mississippi State are all winnable, and the non-conference schedule isn’t overbearing. A bowl game isn’t totally out of the question in Nutt’s first season.

2008 will be a success if… Snead and Davis live up to the hype. With Auburn switching to a spread offense, Ole Miss may have the best running game in the SEC West. Davis needs to have a 1,000-yard season. Snead will inevitably have ups and downs, but much like Vince Young did at Texas, expect to see him put the team on his shoulders and win games by himself if that’s what needs to be done.

Things should change in a hurry for the Rebels, and for the first time since the days of Eli Manning, expect to see Ole Miss competing in the SEC West.

Prediction: 7-5, 3rd place in SEC West

Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-5, 4-4 in 2007, 4th place in SEC West)

After a long few years of criticism, HC Sylvester Croom finally quieted his critics by leading the Bulldogs to an 8-5 season and a victory over UCF in the Liberty Bowl. For the first time since 1999-2000, Mississippi State will be out to reach back-to-back bowl games. Fourteen starters return to help Croom achieve that task.

Offensive Outlook: Wesley Carroll had a successful first year under center in limited duty for the Bulldogs, throwing for almost 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns. Once again, he won’t be expected to do much, as RB Anthony Dixon should carry the load for the offense in ’08. None of the wide receivers that are returning made a significant impact on the squad in 2007, but not much was expected out of them either. The offensive line will be crucial this season, as they return only two starters after LT Mike Brown was dismissed in the spring. If the OL can’t open up holes for Dixon and the running game, there’s no way that Mississippi State is improving on its 21.5 PPG average a year ago.

Defensive Outlook: After opening up the season with a brutal 45-0 loss to LSU, the Bulldogs turned it around at the end of the season, holding Kentucky, Alabama, Ole Miss, and UCF to a combined 43 points. Eight starters return from last season, and the unit must be productive to help out an offense that could struggle in ’08. There are two NFL prospects on this defense, LB Jamar Chaney and FS Derek Pegues. Both defensive tackles return, but both defensive ends must be replaced. Croom doesn’t have a lot of depth on his D-Line, so finding replacements at DE might be a difficult task. The secondary is intact after being the strongest piece of the defense’s puzzle last year.

2008 Preview: If the Bulldogs hope to go to another bowl game, they’d better win the games they really should win. Games against Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, Middle Tennessee, and Vanderbilt are must-wins. There are plenty of other potential wins on the schedule, but the offense may not be good enough to stick with the middle-of-the-road teams in the SEC.

2008 will be a success if … the offensive line is as good in ‘08 as they were last season. If not, Mississippi State won’t average 20 PPG, and the team won’t stand a chance of competing in the rugged SEC.

The “Egg Bowl” between the Bulldogs and Ole Miss may be the game that decides whether or not Mississippi State goes bowling or not. Don’t be surprised if they get left home this winter.

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