Liberty Bowl Preview

Kentucky (6-6) vs East Carolina (9-4)
Liberty Bowl
Memphis, TN
January 2, 4:00 PM
All Time Series: Kentucky 1-0
All Time Bowl Records: Kentucky 7-5, East Carolina 8-6
Monday’s Line: East Carolina -3

Total Offense, Scoring Offense (National Rank):
East Carolina: 336.0 ypg (86th), 23.8 ppg (78th)
Kentucky: 298.4 ypg (105th), 22.4 ppg (87th)

Total Defense, Scoring Defense (National Rank):
East Carolina: 334.8 ypg (43rd), 20.8 ppg (31st)
Kentucky: 327.0 ypg (34th), 21.7 ppg (38th)

Friday’s Liberty Bowl will be just the 2nd meeting between these 2 schools all time, the other a 6-3 game in Lexington in 1993. With both teams sporting mediocre offenses and decent defenses, this game may not be too much higher scoring than that one was. Kentucky has lost 3 games in a row and 6 of 8 while ECU has 6 of 7, including knocking off Tulsa in the CUSA Championship game.

Kentucky will be playing this one without their starting QB, true freshman Randall Cobb. Cobb took over for Michael Hartline after the ‘Cats offense began to sputter in conference play. While Cobb was not spectacular, he did bring a level of excitement to the offense with his ability to tuck the ball and run. That dimension will be missed against a solid Pirates’ D.

After 2 weeks of football, the Pirates were the talk of the nation after knocking off West Virginia and Virginia tech to open the season. While they hit a rough patch – lost 3 in a row to NCSt, Houston, and Virginia, they’ve rallied nicely in the late season. QB Pinkney is steady – 2379 yards, 12/7 TD/INT ratio – particularly considering the ineptitude of the Pirates’ 84th ranked ground game.

The talk at the beginning of the season was about the UK D that only gave up a total of 22 points to its 4 non-conference foes. Once the SEC slate began – and the injuries mounted – the ‘Cats struggle on both sides of the ball, knocking off only Arkansas (in a miraculous Cobb-fueled comeback) and Mississippi State. East Carolina certainly has the momentum headed into this one.

When this one’s all said and done, the ‘Cat will just be too inept offensively to win this game. While it’s been a good story that this is only the 2nd UK team to play in 3 straight bowls, the simple fact is that they’re average at best on both sides of the ball. While the extra bowl practices this year will certainly pay dividends next season, it’ll be another bowl loss for the SEC this year.

East Carolina 17, Kentucky 13

The Sporting News Rates the Bowls

The Sporting News has ranked the Bowl Games 1-34 and it’s a little different from Rivals' picks. Here’s how TSN sees the SEC games.

1. BCS Title Game
There’s major pressure on Florida’s young defense and Oklahoma’s banged-up group to make a handful of stops and force a turnover or two.

3. Cotton Bowl
A curious case here for erratic Tech, which could roll with 10 touchdowns or fold after a poor regular-season finish. Ole Miss, with road wins over Florida and LSU, won’t be intimidated by the Red Raiders.

10. Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Nothing like Paul Johnson’s triple option in the background to ring in the new year.

13. Sugar Bowl
Smell a barnburner? You’re not alone.

15. Capital One Bowl
This might be the last go-around for Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno at Georgia

22. Outback Bowl
The game’s a scout’s dream and a fan’s nightmare.

30. Liberty Bowl
Not much talent on the field for this one.

32. Music City Bowl
What time does Opryland close New Year’s Eve?

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Rivals ranks the SEC Bowl Games

Rivals has ranked the bowl games from 1-34 in terms of intrigue and interest. With 68 teams making the postseason these days, there are quite a few games that even alumni probably can’t get up for. Of the 8 SEC games, 5 rank pretty high (top 13). The other 3… not so much.

Here’s how Rivals sees it:

1. BCS National Championship Game, Florida (12-1) vs. Oklahoma (12-1):
It's for the national title, which makes it No. 1 on this list. The past two title games have been decided by a total of 41 points. That may be the number of points needed to win this one.

6. Sugar Bowl, Alabama (12-1) vs. Utah (12-0):
Utah has a lot to prove, despite its unbeaten record. Will Alabama suffer any kind of hangover from its SEC title game loss?

7. Capital One Bowl, Georgia (9-3) vs. Michigan State (9-3):
An intriguing Big Ten-SEC matchup. Michigan State can't pass, but TB Javon Ringer had a great season and Georgia's defense has had trouble against the run. And can Michigan State slow Georgia TB Knowshon Moreno? In their three losses, the Spartans' defense was run over.

9. Cotton Bowl, Ole Miss (8-4) vs. Texas Tech (11-1):
Ole Miss has a good front four, and if you can harass Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, he becomes an average quarterback. But only one team was really able to harass him this season. Watch Ole Miss junior DE Greg Hardy, who could declare for the draft. Hardy could make himself quite a bundle of money with a big game.

13. Chick-fil-A Bowl, Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. LSU (7-5):
This basically is a home game for the Yellow Jackets, who will be playing a few miles from their campus in downtown Atlanta. LSU comes in having lost three of their past four. If the Tigers' defense doesn't awaken from its season-ending slumber, LSU is going to finish 7-6 one season after winning the national title.

22. Outback Bowl, Iowa (8-4) vs. South Carolina (7-5):
Iowa runs well but can't throw. South Carolina runs poorly and would like to throw but can't. At least both play good defense.

26. Music City, Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6):
Vanderbilt comes in having lost six of its past seven. Yep, that sounds like a bowl team to us. BC, by the way, holds the nation's longest current bowl winning streak, at eight games.

27. Liberty Bowl, East Carolina (9-4) vs. Kentucky (6-6):
Kentucky comes in having lost three in a row, four of five and six of eight. Yep, that sounds like a bowl team to us.

While Chris Low (ESPN) doesn’t delve into all 34 games, he ranks the SEC games in that same order. From a neutral standpoint, that’s probably how I’d have to rank them as well. On a national scale, I think the Outback should be higher than the 22nd most interesting bowl, but I agree with its pecking order in the rank of SEC games.

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Week 13 SEC Bowl Projections

Here's a look at this week's SEC Bowl projections from a panel of "experts".

* Apparently NBC's Cary Estes was projecting Auburn to knock off Georgia as the Tigers have disappeared off this list completely.

* Tennessee and Mississippi State are already guaranteed losing seasons. Arkansas and Auburn are both mathematically alive for bowl eligibility, but both teams would need major upsets to go their way.

* I know Alabama fans are upset that they're being slighted - #1 in the country and not predicted to reach the title game - but the simple fact of the matter is that the Gators are the best team in the country right now. Both teams just need to stay focus and avoid pitfalls between now and December 6th.

* Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt are all about equal in the eyes of the 5 pundits listed. I've talked about this before in previous threads, but I don't think the Music City Bowl would take Kentucky for a third straight year unless their hand is forced by circumstance. And I doubt the Wildcats players or fans would be too excited either.

If the Chick-Fil-A Bowl (which chooses teams before the Music City Bowl) has the choice between a 7-5 Ole Miss team and a 7-5 Kentucky team, my guess is that they'd take UK to revitalize the CATlanta atmosphere so prevalent at the SEC Basketball tournament of years past. If Ole Miss knocks of LSU this weekend and finishes 8-4 and 2nd in the West though, the 'Cats may end up back in Nashville.

* Vanderbilt is in an interesting situation as the Music City Bowl is hosted (basically) just across the river from their campus. While the 'Dores certainly won't be picky about a bowl game after a 25 year drought, the coaching staff may prefer to travel to another city to be sure the players get the full bowl experience.

They could theoretically end up in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl with a win over UT this weekend and knocking off Wake Forest on the road next weekend. That would then send UK to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl and Ole Miss to Nashville for the Music City Bowl.

* UPDATED 11/18/08Mandel's picks are in from CNN/SI. Apparently, he thinks the Gamecocks are going to lose next weekend in Clemson, as he projects Ole Miss to take the Outback Bowl bid. While a Gamecock loss is certainly not out of the question, I'm not sure that would land Ole Miss in Tampa.

From the Bowl Tie-In Page on SECSports.com:

The Outback, Chick-fil-A and AT&T Cotton Bowls will work with the conference office to determine picks 3-5. The Cotton Bowl has the first preference of teams from the Western Division and the Outback Bowl has first preference of teams from the Eastern Division. The Cotton or Outback Bowl can select teams outside of its divisional preference, but must not select them before the opposite bowl selects from its divisional preference.

In his scenario, the Cotton Bowl selects LSU, which would seem to imply the Tigers beat the Rebels this weekend. The Outback Bowl takes Ole Miss, which they'd be allowed to do since the Cotton Bowl had already taken an SEC West team. To me, it seems that if the Rebels beat LSU and MSU, they'd be more attractive to the Cotton Bowl than LSU would be. If they don't beat LSU, it seems the Gamecocks would be more attractive to the Outback Bowl than the Rebels unless they get blown out at Clemson next week. Neither scenario has the Rebels landing in the Outback Bowl.

Random Bits

* There were 4 SEC baseball stadiums named to Rivals Top 10 list, though it may not be the ones you thought it would be. The site offers this disclaimer:

LSU and South Carolina were omitted from our list because both schools have ballparks that still are under construction.

As for the ones that did make the list:

Baum Stadium – Arkansas
Baum Stadium is the palace of college baseball stadiums. Though many schools now are building new stadiums, they still are playing catch up with the Razorbacks. When Baum Stadium was erected in 1996, it was the class of college baseball. Not much has changed, as the capacity currently is 10,500 and luxury suites extend from the left-field foul pole to the right-field foul pole. Arkansas fans also pack the house rain or shine and provide a premier home-field advantage for their baseball program. Everyone aspires to have a facility like the University of Arkansas.

Polk-Dement Stadium -- Mississippi State
No school blows out a postseason party in a regional or super regional quite like Mississippi State. While the Bulldogs struggle to fill the stands until the weather warms up, Polk-Dement Stadium is an excellent venue to watch a game. In addition to a roomy grandstand, the Bulldogs also have what is called the "Left-Field Lounge", where patrons line the outfield wall with barbeque pits, coolers and whatever else they can get in their possession. The official capacity for the stadium, including outfield seating, is 15,000. Those that watched the Starkville super regional two seasons ago know exactly what the Bulldogs are about at Polk-Dement Stadium.

Oxford-University Stadium -- Ole Miss
Ole Miss has one of the hidden gems in college baseball. Though observers in the Southeastern part of the country know about the great atmosphere at Oxford-University Stadium, people nationally just now are getting a taste of what the Rebels are about. O-U Stadium holds about 3,500 spectators in the main grandstand, but thousands of fans often line the grassy areas down the left and right field lines and the outfield. In 2005, a record 10,119 fans were in attendance as the Rebels played Alabama. Ole Miss currently is in the midst of a renovation campaign that will increase grandstand seating.

Plainsman Park – Auburn
When the Tigers decided to renovate their facility in 1996, many schools, including Baylor, took notice of the project. Plainsman Park is one of the nation's best stadiums and has a wonderful façade to go with a cozy atmosphere. Plainsman Park has a capacity of 4,096 fans. However, the record attendance for a single-game was set in 2002, as 4,715 fans packed the stadium to watch Auburn play LSU. Recently, the Tigers have installed a new drainage system for the playing surface and a state-of-the-art strength and rehabilitation center. Auburn certainly is a trendsetter.

* ESPN has their first Bracketology up for the 2008-09 season and Lunardi projects just 5 SEC teams to dance this year:

Florida (2-seed)
Tennessee (4-seed)
Kentucky (8-seed)
Alabama (11-seed)
LSU (13-seed)

I’ll throw out that Ole Miss will make the tournament in the form of an 8-10 seed as well. They’ve been on the bubble the last two seasons and will pull it through this year. Lunardi projected them back in April in his first post-tourney Bracketology listing, so I’m not sure why they dropped.

Hard to believe the season kicks off in earnest this weekend. I’ll get a preview up sometime next week.

Week 12 SEC Bowl Projections

My Thoughts:
* I added in Stewart Mandel's picks from CNN/SI, though his fall in line with majority consensus on every game.

* With Penn State's loss to Iowa, both Alabama and Florida control their own destiny to play in the BCS Title game. As long as neither slips up against their final 2 regular season opponents, the loser of the clash in Atlanta will receive a Sugar Bowl Bid as a consolation prize.

* Please disregard any posts I may have made in the past weeks stating that Tennessee would rally around Fulmer's departure and win out. What a horrid performance they put on Saturday.

* And if anyone knows how to reach Cary Estes, the contributing writer for NBC.com, I'd love to hear if he thinks Auburn is going to knock off Georgia or Alabama to get their 6th win and wrap up an Independence Bowl bid.

* At least to me, it doesn't make sense for Kentucky to end up in Nashville for a 3rd straight season. The Bowl-Tie-In page on the SEC's site says:

In selections 6-7, the AutoZone Liberty and Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowls will make their selections, not in any specific order, but in consultation with the SEC Office. The Bowls will rank available qualified teams in order of preference. If there are no similarities in the order of selection, the bowls will be granted its selection. If the bowls rank the same teams in preference, the team involved in the process would get its preference of which bowl to participate.

If the Chick-Fil-A Bowl selects Ole Miss over UK, that's going to leave the 'Cats and (supposedly) Vanderbilt left as the 6th and 7th bowl-eligible teams. Obviously the Liberty Bowl would rank Vanderbilt ahead of Kentucky, but would the Music City Bowl rank Kentucky ahead of Vanderbilt on its list of preferences? And even if they did, would Kentucky really opt to head to Nashville again?

* I'm still not convinced that Vanderbilt wins another game this season to wrap up that Liberty Bowl bid. They're stuck in a pressure cooker at this point and with a shaky defense and shakier offense, win #6 is looking tougher.

* I like Bruce Feldman. I really do. He and Chris Low are the best two college football writers espn.com has. But there's no way that the Capital One Bowl deems LSU the most attractive non-BCS-Bowl-bound SEC team. Sitting at 3-3, they're going to have to work just to finish with a winning conference record. Ole Miss and Arkansas are certainly capable of knocking them off. Georgia is far and away the more attractive option there, especially considering the woodshed beating laid on the Tigers in Tiger Stadium.

Week 11 SEC Bowl Projections

After a weekend of games that helped solidify the pecking order in the SEC, projections (for the most part) are starting to be a little more consistent.

My Thoughts:

* Despite being #1 in the country and the only undefeated team left in conference, no one's projecting Alabama to hang onto that spot and make it to the BCS Title Game. After Florida's performances the last 2 weeks, it's hard to blame them.

* Ole Miss is seemingly the hardest team for the pundits to get a read on. The 5 projections here have them going to 4 different bowls. No other team has more than 2.

* I tend to agree with CBS and Scout that Tennessee finds itself back in a bowl game to send Fulmer out. The remaining teams on Tennessee's schedule - Wyoming, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky - are certainly all winnable games.

* I also tend to agree with Scout that Vandy won't be bowling this year. Their 5-0 start was an aberration and a forgotten one at that. They've got 4 games left, but this weekend's beatdown by Florida may drain what little life the 'Dores have left.

* Give credit to Petrino and the Hogs for turning around what was certainly a disastrous start to the SEC season, but I don't see them beating LSU or South Carolina, one of which they'll have to do to play in a bowl.

* Would the Music City Bowl really want Kentucky again? They're already the 2-time defending Music City Bowl Champs? Isn't that enough?

* Apparently they feel that if the Independence Bowl can't have Alabama, they don't want any SEC team. Only 1 projection for the Indy Bowl, and it's for Arkansas, which I just don't see happening.

Bowl Projections, Week 10

The most notable change is that only CBS has an SEC team in the BCS Title game. Two weeks ago, all 5 “experts” had either the Tide or the Gators playing for this year’s MNC. With PSU’s win in Columbus over the Buckeyes Saturday though, many feel that JoePa will make it back to a national title game. PSU certainly has the inside track now as the Big10 not only sucks, but has no championship game.

Most still feel that the SEC will get 10 teams in bowls, but I just don’t see it. Either Vanderbilt or Kentucky will go bowling, but not both.

• Kentucky needs just 1 win, but their remaining schedule and current injury situation doesn’t set up well for them. They play road games against weaker SEC teams in Starkville and Knoxville, but can you honestly say that UK is going to win either of those? They’ve got home dates with UGA and Vandy left. The UGA game won’t be close. The Vandy game seems to present the ‘Cats with the best chance to lock up a bowl bid.

• Vandy also needs just 1 win for eligibility, but it’s going to be tough. Kentucky seems to be their best shot at a win. Florida won’t be close. They host UT, but the Vols are too physical a team for the ‘Dores to handle, particularly now that their luck seems to have run dry. They close the season at Wake Forest, but the Deacons are a well-disciplined team who don’t turn the ball over much. VU will struggle in Winston-Salem.

• As poorly as they've played lately, I still feel Tennessee will end up in a low-level bowl. They need to finish 3-1... well 3-0 after they get beat in Columbia this weekend. Starting next weekend, they close with Wyoming, @ Vandy, and Kentucky. None of those teams are very good. It may not be enough to save Fulmer's job, but it will be a strong finish to the season.

• Auburn is 4-4 and still needs 2 wins. They’re possibly fighting for bowl eligibility this weekend in Oxford as 2 of their remaining games are against Georgia and Alabama. They’ve got a gimme against UT-Martin, but if they slip up in Oxford Saturday, they Tigers may be home for the holidays.

• I tend to think Ole Miss is fairly safe. They’re just 4-4 – like Auburn – but have games against UL-Monroe and Mississippi State left on the schedule in addition to Saturday’s Auburn game and a trip to Baton Rouge. They should be able to split those 4.

2008 Scoring Projections

One of the biggest stories in the SEC last year was the sharp increase in offense across the conference. As a whole, scoring was up more than 23%, with 9 teams increasing their PPG average from 2006 to 2007. Only Vandy, Auburn, and South Carolina took a step backwards.

It’ll be interesting to track the same stat this year. With the exception of Stafford and Tebow, the conference is basically bereft of proven QBs*. Sure there's talent - Snead and Crompton immediately come to mind - but they've yet to get it done on the field. With coaching and personnel changes from last season to this one, there are a handful of teams set to make big jumps – for better or for worse:
* Alabama fans, spare me the JPW emails please

ON THE WAY UP

Auburn:
The Tigers struggled early on last season and lost games to Mississippi State and South Florida at home before thing started to click. The Tigers were one of the three teams in the league to score less than they did in 2006, but 2008 will be just the opposite. With the implementation of the spread offense and nearly the entire offense back, the Tigers will definitely improve this season

Ole Miss:
The last 3 years in Oxford have not been pretty, and that’s being nice. The Rebels were actually one of the most improved scoring teams last year, despite ranking last in the SEC, scoring only 20.1 ppg. With the coaching changes and a stable of under-utilized talent though, the Rebels could make the biggest jump of any team in conference this season.

ON THE WAY DOWN:

Kentucky:
Fans in Lexington won’t recognize the ‘Cats offense this season. With Woodson, Johnson, Burton, and Little gone, UK will spend much of the season looking for an identity on offense. The dismissal of QB-heir-apparent Pulley certainly didn’t help their cause.

Arkansas:
While Petrino has a reputation for being an offensive genius, he’s just not working with a lot this season in Fayetteville. With no DMac or Felix Jones, the Hogs have no proven offensive weapons. It could be a long year offensively for Arknasas.

2008 SEC East Predictions

I wanted to pick UGA to win it, I really did, but I just couldn't. With injuries, an apparent lack of focus, and that schedule, I think they're fighting an uphill battle this season. Here's how I see it shaking out:

1. Florida
Coming off something a disappointing season (in their eyes), the Gators seem to have all the pieces in place for another MNC run this season. Assuming the defense has improved, Tim Tebow and the Gator offense will be on the field more often this year, which can be only mean good things for a team that averaged 42.5 ppg last year. With a more balanced attack planned, the Gators could be even more dangerous offensively this year, particularly with a softer schedule than Georgia.

Best Case Scenario:
The offense gels early and the defense has learned from its ups and downs last season. The Gators go 14-0 bringing home a 3rd straight BCS title for the SEC.

Worst Case Scenario
The defense is still soft, their injury situation catches up with them, SEC coaches figure out ways to contain Tebow and Co., and the Gators drop to 2nd or 3rd in the East.

2. Georgia
Yes, they’re preseason #1 in both polls and the most talented team in the best conference in America. The problem – of course – is the other things: the arrests, the injuries, and that brutal schedule that includes road games to LSU, South Carolina, and Auburn. Also, I’m not as enamored with Stafford as many people are. All the tangible skills are there, but good decision making is not always there. UGA was the best team in the country at the end of the season last year, and while they’re certainly capable of carrying that over to 2008, I’ll need to see it before I believe it.

Best Case Scenario:
This one’s fairly obvious – they pick up where they left off and obliterate everything in their sight. A BCS Title is a real possibility here.

Worst Case Scenario
The “bad” Stafford shows up in big games, the shenanigans continue to run wild, they fold under the mounting pressure and drop to 8-4 or even 7-5. Can’t see that happening though.

3. Tennessee
The surprise winner of the SEC East last season is back for more in 08. They’ll have to replace OC Cutcliffe as well as their QB, but HC Fulmer’s been around the block a time or two. Their schedule includes tough road games to Auburn, Georgia, and South Carolina, but they get Florida and Bama at home in two major payback games for blowouts last season. The Vols have a real chance to surprise some folks this season.

Best Case Scenario:
Crompton steps in and the offense doesn’t miss a beat. They knock off Florida at home, UGA falters and the Vols return to ATL for the SEC CG.

Worst Case Scenario:
Offense sputters with Ainge and Cutcliffe gone, the 4-week span with vs UF, @UGA, vs NIU, @AU goes badly and the Vols fold up shop for the year.

4. South Carolina
I was guilty of jumping on the Gamecock bandwagon last year, predicting them to win the SEC East. I looked like a genius for 7 games… not so much for the last 5. This year I’m not buying it. Too much uncertainty at the QB spot and I’m not convinced that the Ol’ Ball Coach really has it in him anymore. I think USC will be good, but it’ll only be enough for a 4th place finish in the East.

Best Case Scenario:
Spurrier rediscovers the magic touch, DC Ellis Johnson rejuvenates the D, someone steps up at the QB position and the Gamecocks make it to the Outback or Liberty Bowl.

Worst Case Scenario:
Team plays like it did the last month of last year, no consistency from QB, Stephen Garcia continues to dominate the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and Clemson again knocks the Gamecocks out of bowl contention.

5. Kentucky
The Wildcats were ranked for the first time since 1985 and won bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1951-52. But the key pieces to that team – QB Woodson, RB Little, and WRs Burton and Johnson – are gone. The defense should actually be better, as they’re “only” having to replace LB Woodyard, but the offense will take a big step back, particularly without QB Pulley. They get Arkansas and Vandy at home, but they’ll need to pull an upset to even reach a bowl game.

Best Case Scenario:
The defense lives up to its potential, they find a QB who can get the ball to Dicky Lyons, and RBs Dixon and Locke improve as the season goes along. Even then, I can’t see a bowl game for the ‘Cats.

Worst Case Scenario:
If the defense doesn’t play like it’s capable and no one steps up at QB, it could be very ugly for UK this year.

6. Vanderbilt
Last year was supposed to be most recent “the year” that Bobby Johnson finally gets Vanderbilt to a bowl game. As usual, Vandy was sitting at home come bowl season. They had an established QB, an All-SEC WR, and a proven defense. Now they have none of that. With a killer schedule to boot, this could be a less than enjoyable year for the ‘Dores.

Best Case Scenario:
Jay Cutler, Earl Bennett, and Hunter Hillenmeyer are all mysteriously awarded extra years of eligibility and Florida and Georgia forfeit their games.

Worst Case Scenario:
With that schedule, 2-10 is not outside the realm of possibility…

Not too much going on these days...

Other than what seems to be a twice-weekly occurrence of players being booted off teams, all's quiet for now. Well, except for Urban Meyer. Most of you have probably heard about this...

Simply calling Tim Tebow the best quarterback in college football apparently isn't enough. Gators coach Urban Meyer told a Miami audience that Tebow ''is the greatest player of our era.''

Tebow certainly has the potential to be the greatest player of this era, but I think it's premature to bestow that honor on him just yet. The MNC ring as a freshman and the Heisman as a sophomore put him in a class by himself, but he's got at least one year in college. SEC coaching staffs have had another full offseason to work on defensive schemes to slow him down. And, there are plenty of defenders across the SEC who will take a little extra joy popping the defending Heisman winner.

* ESPN loves to make up new statistics and shove them down our throats - OPS anyone? Their latest is to come up with (in their mind) the definitive way to measure the prestige of all college basketball programs since 1984-85, the year the tourney went to its current format. They've listed #s 41-50 here and #s 51-300 here.

I love the reasoning ESPN gives as to how these numbers are indisputable:

Normally when you see these rankings, they are the "expert" opinion of one or more people whose knowledge (and sanity) usually is questioned by those who disagree. But with ESPN's Prestige Rankings, there is no such argument. We let the numbers do the talking. We assigned point values for certain successes (win a national title, earn 25 points) and failures (get your program banned from the NCAA tournament, lose three points), put all the seasons through our big calculator and came up with the No. 1 program (and the No. 300 program) of the past 24 seasons.

But I digress.

So far, 8 of the SEC's 12 schools have shown up...
41. LSU
T-86. Mississippi State
T-90. Auburn
T-96. Vanderbilt
99. Tennessee
T-105. Georgia
T-185. South Carolina
T-192. Mississippi

...which leaves Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, and Alabama. Without taking the time to do the math, It'll be interesting to see if UF or UK comes out on top for the SEC. Each has 2 championships and a title game loss. I'd imagine Alabama will be in the next group, Florida in the 20s, and Arkansas somewhere in the teens. Even with mediocre play lately you gotta figure UK is in the Top 10.

In the end though, it's just another excuse for ESPN to fawn over ACC basketball. Once the top 10 is unveiled Friday, you can count on Duke Vitale to show up on Sportscenter and go crazy for Dook and UNC.

*UPDATE: 7/22*As expected, Alabama shows up at #35. More than any other SEC team, Alabama had the most opportunity to be higher than they are. While Florida had some painful early exits in recent years, the Tide made it routine in the late 80s/early 90s.
*UPDATE: 7/23*Florida checks in at #21
*UPDATE: 7/24*Arkansas shows up at #15
*UPDATE: 7/25*>Kentucky ranks #4, based almost entirely on Pitino's utter dominance of the SEC when he there.

* Next time you think you're doing well at the gym, try not to think of UT OL Jacques McClendon and how he benched 645 pounds. And no that's not a typo...

* Fairly interesting read on BleacherReport today: 30 Fearless Predictions for the 2008 season

* Off topic, but if you haven't see The Dark Knight yet, what are you waiting for? Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise is what all other superhero franchises wish they were. Superman Returns was mediocre at best and, after Spiderman 3, that franchise is dead. Iron Man was good, but Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are in a league of their own when it comes to Superhero movies.

Could the SEC have 10 Bowl Teams in 2008-09?

ESPN's Mark Schlabach believes that 10 SEC teams will be bowling at the end of the 2008 season. He predicts:

*Georgia vs Ohio State in the National Title Game
(Oh goody, tOSU vs the SEC in a bowl game... How exciting!)
*Auburn vs Texas Tech in the Sugar Bowl
(Would be interesting to see the contrast of styles)
*Ole Miss vs Houston in the Liberty Bowl
(OM from 0-8 in conference to a respectable bowl?)
*LSU vs Texas in the Cotton Bowl
(I'm sure Cotton Bowl officials are praying for this matchup)
*Florida vs Illinois in the Capital One Bowl
(Gee, I wonder what the appeal of this matchup is)
*Tennessee vs Penn State in the Outback Bowl
(Don't these two play every year somewhere in Florida?)
*Alabama vs Virginia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl
(Word is they'll move the Chick-Fil-A Bowl to Shreveport to make the transition easier on the Tide players)
*South Carolina vs Miami in the Music City Bowl
(Not the bowl game Gamecock fans have in mind for this year)
*Kentucky vs Rutgers in the Papajohns.com Bowl
(I'll be surprised if UK is in any bowl game this year)
*Mississippi State vs Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl
(See above notes)

Why you should love every college football team

The guys over at Cake Rocks the Party have put together a list of reasons to pull for every team in the country. Some are quite funny, some not so much. But in a college-football starved region of the country, it’s certainly worth a read.

For those interested only in the SEC teams, here ya go:

78. Vanderbilt: Here’s the thing about Vanderbilt. They always seem to have one or two good pro prospects, even if it is a lot more academic than athletic at Vandy. This year’s big prospect is Thomas Welch.

63. Kentucky: Now we all know about the magic quarterbacking that Andre Woodson perpetrated. But did you know that Curtis Pulley actually beat him out? It’s true! So maybe Andre Woodson went all Batman in the Summer of 2006. But by this analogy? Curtis Pulley is Wolverine. That’s all good sir.

54. Arkansas: We may get an opportunity to see if Bobby Petrino is nothing more than a licensed asshole. If Casey Dick (a.k.a. the Swiftboat Quarterback for Truth)** can become a good passer? Then Bobby Petrino is the truth in the college ranks.

53. Ole Miss: Good news for Michael Oher! The subject of The Blind Side finally has someone legitimate that needs his…blind side…protected in Jevan Snead. Sure, it’s year one of the Houston Nutt Oxford Era? But they have an offense and a defense of experience! Huzzah? Sure!

46. Mississippi State: Hey, did you know the African-American can coach college football? By the lack of black faces, you may not have noticed. But it’s true! And you know what else? They can take a small town in Mississippi and send them to Bowl Game excitement! I wonder why more Athletic Directors don’t consider going down this road?

27. South Carolina: I’m not too proud to be lazy, I’m going to crack wise on the comedy that is somebody with the last name of Smelley, especially when he plays for the Gamecocks. And during my time as a game show gadabout I asked for a smelley gamecock.

24. Tennessee: In a world with Percy Harvin, Tim Tebow, Knowshon Moreno, Matt Stafford, and even Michael Oher’s got some juice behind his name. It’s hard out there for an Arian Foster. He’s just a solid back from a school with a good pedigree. Maybe if he gets arrested, he’ll get the hype he needs

20. Alabama: The Saban is the devil. The Devil is a good recruiter. Julio Jones will be playing Sam to Nick Saban’s Ray Wise. All John Parker Wilson has to do is make a virgin sacrifice at the opening frat party where some white dude’s sporting Blackface. Yes, the one on Water Street.

13. Auburn: Can a system that allowed Troy to take down Brad Smith’s Mizzou or Zac Robinson’s Oklahoma State work in the big time? Auburn hired Tony Franklin to find out. It ruled for the Peach Bowl, but what happens when all the offensive players are new fish? That’s just intrigue.

7. LSU: Now, you and I love Glenn Dorsey. But here’s the thing. The Bayou Bengal’s D-Line may not lose the smooth now that Dorsey’s gone. Tyson Jackson’s a force, and Ricky Jean-Francois may be just one touch higher caliber than Glenn Dorsey. If they can avoid the shootout noid? They’ll be mighty.

6. Florida: Umm, is it all right if I go for the photo and move on? Percy Harvin’s awesome pass-catching skills say it is.

1. Georgia: If you want one off the Knowshon Moreno-Matt Stafford path? There is a sleeper of potential emergence, if you believe that freshman defenders only grow? Then you need to feat your eyes on Rennie Curran. If not? I heard that Knowshon’s got a good shot of getting the Heisman.

College Baseball Brackets

The baseball regionals were announced yesterday and 9/12 (75%) of the league will be playing postseason baseball. While the conference was not as strong this year as it has been in the past, LSU (#7) and Georgia (#8) both managed to secure National Seeds and seem to represent the best SEC chances to reach Omaha. The 9 teams in the tournament were far and away the most of any conference, but the 2 1-seeds was only half the ACC's 4. Get a copy of the bracket here.

Speaking of LSU, their current winning streak is absolutely ridiculous. For those not into college baseball, the Bayou Bengals have pieced together an unbelievable 20-game winning streak, and have not lost a game since April 19, when they dropped a game in Athens to fall to 6-11 in conference. After tying UGA 10-10 in 12 innings on April 20, they’ve won their midweek games and swept conference series from USC, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Auburn. If they beat a 16-32 Texas Southern team, they’ll set a new conference record for consecutive wins.

Other SEC schools still playing:
Ole Miss: Headed to Coral Gables, FL as a #3 to be fed to the Miami Hurricanes
Kentucky: An 18-0 start turned into a #3 seed in Ann Arbor
South Carolina: I like the Gamecock’s chances in Raleigh
Arkansas: The Palo Alto Regional consists of #1 Stanford, #2 Pepperdine, #4UC-Davis, and the #3 Hogs. Losing that season-ending series to the last place MSU Bulldogs really put a damper on the season
Florida: Gators are visiting their good friends in Tallahassee in what should be a not-so-friendly atmosphere as the Noles’ p*nis envy tends to shine in matchups with the Gators
Alabama: The Tide head to an overlooked and underrated Coastal Carolina Regional that could get ugly
Vanderbilt: The ‘Dores have enough talent to play with anyone in the country. Tempe should be one of the most entertaining Regionals this year

Memorial Day Linkage

* Fox Sports has a good read up about the rivalry between Stafford and Tebow – who not surprisingly are the only SEC QBs listed in Rivals top 25 QBs in the country. You can argue until you’re blue in the face about which one is better, but the simple fact is each of them is perfect for the system they are in. No way Stafford could operate UF’s spread offense and no way Tebow thrives in a drop back, pro-style offense. Both figure to be in the spotlight all season long and their November 1 showdown – don’t call it a Cocktail Party – will undoubtedly be one of the biggest games of the regular season.

* At least someone’s being honest. Big East commissioner admits it: The BCS is about the almighty dollar, NOT what the fans want.

* I wish the media would leave Ryan Perrilloux alone and just let him disappear into obscurity in Jacksonville, AL. He’s a bad apple who just happens to be a remarkable athletic talent. It became obvious from the circus surrounding his recruitment that all Ryan Perrilloux cared about was Ryan Perrilloux. Now he’s taken the Herschel Walker way out, saying he’s been diagnosed with OCD, thus (apparently) giving him license to act like he did because he was restless. I don’t buy it for a second. Just because he wasn’t playing on gameday as much as Flynn and Russell doesn’t mean he wasn’t actively participating in drills at practice.

* Another testament to the strength of the SEC: 4 coaches rank among Rivals’ Top 10 College Football Coaches

* The good news for the Crimson Tide: Gee is officially coming back. The bad news: So is Mark Gottfried.

* CBS Sportsline rated the Hot Seat for all 120+ coaches in D1 football. By his estimation, the SEC coach on the hottest seat is Vandy’s Bobby Johnson. Vandy’s in for a rough season this year with so many key losses, but Johnson has had Vandy consistently competitive the last few seasons, which is more than previous coaches can say.

USC’s Spurrier is on the 2nd hottest seat in the conference, which makes more sense. The Gamecocks’ epic collapse last season was due in large part to key defensive injuries, but the USC brass didn’t bring Spurrier in to go to middling bowls. I don’t think they’d actually fire Spurrier, but I doubt that they’re especially pleased with the results he’s delivered so far in his tenure. If Stephen Garcia continues to run amok though, it will be interesting to see how the USC fans react if the Gamecocks finish 6-6 this season.

* Droopy-looking Pete Fiutak takes a crack at predicting all the bowls, including the BCS games for next season. So go ahead and book your hotel rooms.

* Thanks to anonymous reader for this one... NEPatriotsdraft.com lists 7 guys from the SEC as "Players to Watch" for the 2009 NFL Draft. No real surprises as it's Florida's Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, and Brandon Spikes, Georgia's Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, Ole Miss' Michael Oher and LSU's Tyson Jackson.

* And for those of you into YouTube and pop culture phenomena, take a gander at Weezer's new video for "Pork and Beans"

Links for a Friday

I've been out of the Blogosphere for a while, but I've still come across some interesting reads while on the road with work and family...

* Rivals has a look at the upcoming rules changes for the 2008-09 college basketball season, including emphasis on palming and illegal screening

* Former Baylor head basketball coach Dave Bliss is one of the biggest scumbags on the planet. How this asshat is not in jail for what he did at Baylor is beyond me. It is tragic that he is allowed anywhere near a basketball court. It is despicable that Athletes in Action would even consider hiring this guy. What a disgrace.

* ESPN's got a variety of interesting football reads up here and here and here and here.

In the first one, Mark Schlabach takes a look at the 25 biggest stories to come out of the Spring. Not surprisingly, 7 relate to SEC teams (The dismissals of Ryan "McLovin'" Perriloux and Michael "Big Gun" Brown, Ryan Mallet not being allowed to be destroyed by SEC defenses until next season, Chris Rainey's emergence at Florida, Jevan Snead's emergence at Ole Miss, and Stephen "How 'Bout Another One?" Garcia's continued run-ins with the Columbia PD) as well as former SEC QB (and precious snowflake) Mitch Mustain not winning the starting job at USC. The countdown is on until Beck Campbell makes a fool of herself again.

In the other 3, they break down the SEC by team by division, but offer no predictions on final standings.

* Meanwhile, Mike Organ at the Shreveport Times does predict final standings. While there's no big shockers in the way of final placement of the teams, he does predict 6-6 records for both Vandy and Kentucky. With what each team lost, there is no way either of those teams finish with more than 2 wins in conference. 6-6 would be nothing short of a miracle and would put either Bobby Johnson or Rich Brooks in the lead for SEC Coach of the Year. The 'Dores and the 'Cats will be fortunate to win 10 games between them.

A little bit of everything

Fox Sports has 20 burning questions about the 2008 college football season, including a few involving the SEC.

#5- Which teams will be the most disappointing?
Alabama- not quite there yet, but the fans are getting impatient. It takes time to build a great team.

I can’t imagine this will be the case anywhere outside of Tuscaloosa. I know the Tide won the recruiting national championship (and have the shirts to prove it), but few outside the Tide Nation really expect a whole lot out of that team this year. They’re certainly headed in the right direction under Saban, but they finished 7-6 and won the Indy Bowl last year. What expectations do they have that they’ll be so disappointed this year?

#6- Which BCS teams will be the sleepers this year?
SEC- Mississippi State

I think the Bulldogs will be closer to disappointing than the Tide will be. MSU is coming off an 8-win season and a bowl win. Seeing as how they were (quite possibly) the worst 8-win SEC team in history last season, their luck will most likely run out this season. Their abysmal offense was just that in their 6-0 (in OT) spring game. They get Vandy and Kentucky at home in conference, but no way they approach last year’s success.

8- Which BCS conference will prove to be the strongest?
yada...yada...yada...But this year looks like it will be the year of the Big 12.
The SEC will drop off a little bit this year. Kentucky doesn't have 'Dre, Tenn. doesn't have Ainge, Vandy is Vandy, Mississippi State is very mediocre, Mississippi and Arkansas have new coaches, Alabama has had strong recruiting classes, but still isn't there yet and South Carolina has so many question marks, you pretty much have to peg them as a .500 team. Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU are the big dawgs. The rest are puppies.

She’s right and wrong here. I’ll give her that Kentucky will be worse this year, MSU is mediocre and that Vandy is Vandy. I think the Hogs will struggle this year rebuilding under Petrino. But that’s where our agreement stops. Why is Tennessee disqualified because Ainge is gone? No way they win the East again this year, but the Vols are hardly a “puppy” as she claims.

Alabama will most likely improve over last season and they suffered a few painfully close losses. Ole Miss has a chance to be one of the most improved teams in the country under Houston Nutt. South Carolina was one of the top teams in the country before they suffered a collapse for the record books.

Sure, the SEC will be weaker than last year. Kentucky and Mississippi State won’t make bowl games this year after notching bowl wins last year, but Ole Miss and South Carolina could replace them if the cards fall right. I don’t think the SEC is ready to pass that torch off just yet..

12- Which new first year coach will have the most success?
You have to go with Bobby Petrino. …if the Hogs come out of this season with a winning record, then that will have been a huge success.

I guess that depends on your definition of the word success. If Petrino guides Arkansas to a 7-5 record and Houston Nutt does the same thing for Ole Miss, who’s had more success? My guess is that – at season’s end - Rebel fans are happier with Nutt than Hog fans are with Petrino.

20- Who will win the Heisman?
Tim Tebow of Florida is the obvious front-runner. But there are some others who will make a strong case; RB Noel Devine of West Virginia, QB Pat White of West Virginia, QB Chase Daniel of Mizzou, RB Beanie Wells of OSU, QB Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, RB Knowshon Moreno of Georgia, WR Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech, U Jeremy Maclin of Mizzou, QB Max Hall of BYU, and RB Joe McKnight of USC. Sleepers: PJ Hill of Wisconsin, WR/RB Percy Harvin of Florida and QB Colt McCoy of Texas.
My three way-too-early early picks are Knowshon Moreno (Georgia), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) and Chase Daniel (Mizzou)

Of course Tebow is the frontrunner. How could he not be with a collection of YouTube videos like he has?

As usual it’s a wide open race. Look for tOSU’s Chris Wells to get a lot of pub down the stretch as the Buckeyes roll through the directional school equivalents in the Big10+1. You can count on Homer Herbie to begin the season long fawning in July or August, whenever he and Corso start getting their worthless mugs on TV on a daily basis.

19- Can LSU repeat?
Heck yeah! A few things have to happen, but the odds are good they can repeat. If Miles can get his QB situation under control, then this could be a special year for the Tigers. Their schedule is what dreams are made of. They play eight games at home, and four on the road, including at Auburn, at Florida and at Arkansas to close out their campaign. If they don't slip up at South Carolina and beat Georgia in Death Valley, they have a solid shot at being undefeated. The Georgia game is the big question mark in terms of them being undefeated, but they can still win the division crown since Georgia is in the SEC East, and LSU is in the West. Playing in any BCS bowl is not an unrealistic expectation for the defending champs, and neither is getting to the Big Dance.

The Tigers certainly have as good a shot as anyone. Their non-conference schedule is a joke, so no worries there. No way they survive undefeated, but if they have just 1 loss and win the SEC Championship Game, no way they don’t deserve a hot to defend their title. Of course, that’ll all depend on QB play and whether or not Perilloux is even on the team this August...

R.I.P. Bill Keightly

I'm a day late posting this I realize, but whatever. Long time - 48 years to be exact - Kentucky equipment manager died yesterday in Cincinnati from internal bleeding caused by a previously undiagnosed tumor on his spine.

There are few people in or around the SEC that would have been more fun just to sit down with and listen to him tell stories. His career dates back to Adolph Rupp and included other SEC legends like Joe B. Hall and Rick Pitino. After nearly 5 decades as a fixture on the UK bench, he'll be missed by UK coaches, players, and fans as well as anyone who watches a Kentucky basketball game on TV.

A look at the SEC's Pairings in the Big Dance

Been away from the interwebs for the past few days, but I'm back now. But what a weekend in Atlanta. And, after back to back one-and-done performances, it's safe to - at least for now - it's no longer Catlanta. My SEC Tourney bracket was way off as I backed the wrong 6-seed making a run.

As far as dance bids go, it's nice to see the league get 6 teams in, but none of the 6 got a favorable draw... at all. UT is easily the cream of the crop in the conference this year, but they're (somehow) paired with UNC, which garnered the #1 overall seed, meaning - in the committee's eyes - UT was the weakest of the 2 seeds. I understand the Vols being behind Texas, as the Longhorns won head to head, and possibly Georgetown, but Dook? The dookies again got about 2 seeds higher than they deserved, but when you have your own personal spokesperson on the World Wide Leader, that sort of stuff happens.

Overall, not a great March in store for SEC teams. Inexperience and bad matchups will be the undoing of most teams in conference, as the SEC will place just one team in the Sweet 16 and none in the Elite 8. Here are some initial thoughts about the SEC's chances.

EAST REGIONAL
#8 seed Arkansas: The Hogs are drew a favorable 1st round game against an Indiana team that has been in disarray since Kelvin "Can you hear me now?" Sampson was fired for being a dumbass. IU squandered a real shot a deep run, as they've got one of the top freshman guard int he country (Eric Gordon) and one of the top post guys (DJ White) as well. These guys were cruising before the poop hit the fan. Now, it's hard to see them being organized and focused enough to beat this Arkansas team. Next would be the Tarheels, and even though I feel that Tyler Hansbrough is the most overrated, overhyped college basketball player in years, Arkansas doesn't have much of a chance here. The Hogs will be 1-1.

#2 seed Tennessee: The Vols were done no favors. Not only did they end up in UNC's region, they're going to play a very good mid major team in the 2nd round, then a Rick Pitino-coached Louisville team in the Sweet 16. South Alabama (I think they upset Butler) will be playing in their home state and - having played Vandy and Ole Miss to the wire and beaten Mississippi State - will not be afraid of the Vols. Then, the matchup with tournament master Rick Pitino comes up. During the regular season, I'd give the Vols the advantage, but in March, give me Rick Pitino (or Tom Izzo) over any other coach in the country. I think the Cardinals clip the Vols in Charlotte. The Vols will be 2-1.

MIDWEST REGIONAL
#4 seed Vanderbilt: As good as Vandy was during the season - particularly at home - they're not built for tournament success. They rely to much on jump shots and don't play very good defense. A cold night from the floor and they don't have anything to fall back on. AJ Ogilvy - though a big body - doesn't play aggressively around the rim, and while it may not cost them against Siena, it will be their undoing against Clemson in the 2nd round. Clemson will pound them inside for 40 minutes and send the 'Dores home. Vandy goes 1-1.

SOUTH REGIONAL
#8 seed Mississippi State: As well as the Bulldogs played in conference, I expected them to be seeded higher than an 8 seed, probably a 6 seed. Shows how little the selection committee though of the conference this year. They'll take on the Oregon Ducks in round 1, which will be an interesting matchup. My gut tells me that MSU wins fairly easily in the first round as the Ducks have no inside matchup for Rhodes and Varnado. But then comes the Memphis Tigers, assuming the entire team isn't wearing prison sweats by then. MSU matches up well with Memphis and if the Bulldogs had a little steadier PG play, I'd think they stood a good chance of knocking off the Shelby County Penal League champs, but as it stands, I see the Tigers winning. MSU goes 1-1.

#11 seed Kentucky: A lot of griping nationally - and from fellow SEC fans - that UK got in despite a horrendous non-conference schedule. The 'Cats battled injuries and learning a new system before gelling in SEC play. Any team that wins 12 SEC games is NCAA-worthy. Period. Even without PatPat, I think they matchup well with Marquette, who can be a one-man show sometimes. I see the 'Cats exacting revenge for the Elite 8 upset a few years back, then being hammered by Stanford. No way the 'Cats play with a well-disciplined team that has that much size in the middle. UK goes 1-1.

WEST REGIONAL
#14 seed Georgia: One day, I'll figure out how in the world UGA won as many conference games in the SEC Tourney as they did all season long. The sad part is that they stand NO chance of being able to duplicate that magic in Washington, DC. The 'Dawgs are a remarkable story as it stands now, but come Thursday, they'll be the first SEC team knocked out of the Dance. UGA goes 0-1.

The Dead Guy's All-SEC Freshman Team

While the SEC was not as strong - as a whole - this year as it has been in years past, you'd be hard pressed to find another league in the country with as many dynamic freshmen as the SEC. Here's a look at the top 5 and my pick for SEC Freshman of the Year. Also here's a nifty stat-by-stat comparison from StatSheet.com.

Chris Warren, G, Ole Miss
KEY STATS:
15.7 PPG
4.59 APG
85 Made 3s

A starter from Day 1, Warren ranks 12th in the conference in scoring, 5th in assists, and 10th in A/TO ratio. Only one freshmen in the country has made more 3s. He was a key player in the Rebels' surprising 13-0 start and 20 win season. He's also the only freshman in the top 10 in the league in 3Pt% and total 3s made.

Nick Calathes, G, Florida
Key Stats:
15.9 PPG
6.1 APG
5.1 RPG

Gator coach Billy Donovan knew he was going to need contributions from his freshmen this year after replacing his top 6 players from last year. Calathes remained steady throught the Gators' up and down season and led the league in assists and ranked 3rd in A/TO ratio, 10th in steals, and 11th in scoring.

Anthony Randolph, F, LSU
Key Stats:
15.4 PPG
8.4 RPG
2.4 BPG

While firing a coach as early in the season as LSU is sometimes a recipe for disaster, firing John Brady couldn't come soon enough. Randolph has exploded under new coach Butch Pierre and currently ranks 3rd in the SEC in both rebounds and blocks, 11th in FG%, and 15th in PPG. He also shoots FTs very well for a big man - 70%.

Patrick Patterson, F, Kentucky
Key Stats:
16.4 PPG
7.7 RPG
1.2 BPG

Had PatPat not gone down last week with a season-ending injury, I think he was a lock for SEC Freshmen of the Year. Even when UK struggled at the beginning of the year, Patterson put up big numbers. He currently ranks 8th in PPG, 6th in RPG, and 11th in BPG. He could become the next in a long line of great Kentucky forwards.

A.J. Ogilvy, F, Vandy (Dead Guy's SEC FOY)
Key Stats:
16.7 PPG
6.7 RPG
1.4 BPG

What a 1-2 punch he and SEC POY-lock Shan Foster formed. The big man from Australia currently ranks 7th in PPG and BPG, 10th in RPG, and 4th in FG%, shooting 58.8% from the floor. His presence - both offensively and defensively - helped lead the Commodores to their current top 15 ranking.