SEC Standings Predictions - SEC EAST

Undoubtedly one of - if not - the strongest divisions in all of college football. The defending national champions reside here, as well as other traditional powers UT and UGA. And the ol' ball coach Steve Spurrier. And Vandy and UK are both sporting improved squads. With brutal schedules all around, no team will survive undefeated and the division winner may even have two. So how will it play out?

1) South Carolina
Yup, the old ball coach works his magic and the Gamecocks win their first ever division title. Returning 17 starters, including a senior QB in Blake Mitchell, South Carolina has the pieces in place to survive the brutal SEC East schedule and make it to Atlanta in December.
2) Florida
Few teams are having to replace as much as UF - only 2 starters back on a ferocious D that was the key element of their title run last year - but with a favorable SEC East home schedule, the defending national champs should manage to finish second in the East.
3) Georgia
Talent-wise, UGA should finish ahead of UF. They've got 7 starters back on an offense that improved throughout the season and Stafford seems ready to take it to the next level. Unfortunately for them, Florida is still on the schedule, and a 2-15 record the last 17 years says that's bad for UGA.
4) Kentucky
Oh how the times have changed. While the fan base is still rabidly devoted to the hoops program, Rich Brooks has quietly built an exciting team. With 15 starters back from a team that won 8 games - including a bowl - last year, the triplets - QB Woodson, RB Little, and WR Burton - are poised to make some noise in the SEC.
5) Tennessee
Academic problems. Legal issues. Substance abuse. Not the things you want to surround your program with during the summer, but that's where HC Phil Fulmer finds himself. Sure the talent is there to win the SEC, but what about the discipline? With a brutal schedule including road games to UF, UK, and Bama, offseason distractions may cost them a few places in the standings.
6) Vanderbilt
A long time doormat of the SEC, Vandy has assembled a good team - one of the best in school history - and appears in the eyes of many prognosticators to be bowl-bound for the first time in 25 years. I'll have to see it before I believe it. They do return 10 starters on offense, but teams like Vandy find ways to lose games they should win, like Ole Miss last year. They also closed with 3 straight losses and lost 4 of their last 5. Unless their kicking game dramatically improves from last year, they'll be looking at another season in the cellar of the SEC East.