2001 Story of the SEC

The Southeastern Conference begins 2001 in a spot that is very unfamiliar, number two.  No offense to a conference that obviously has strength from top to bottom and a very strong national title contender, but the Big 12 is just a bit better.  However, with the exception of the pitiful duo of Kentucky and Vanderbilt, every team in the conference begins the season with a bowl game in their sights.  Here's how it shakes up.

Florida will be back in the SEC championship game yet again and will go to the Rose Bowl to play for the National Championship on January 3.  As it appears now Rex Grossman will be the man behind center, but Brock Berlin will definitely have a chance at some point and could take over.  Jabar Gaffney could be the best receiver in the country and Earnest Graham may be the best running back in the SEC.  Defensively Jon Hoke is no Bob Stoops, but has been better than what was before Stoops.  He has one of the best defensive ends in America as well as one of the best cornerbacks in the land in Lito Sheppard.

Tennesse looks to be much improved from a "dissapointing" 8-4 mark in 2000 that ended in a 14 point thumping by Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl.  Casey Clausen returns and has high hopes off of an up and down freshman season, but must hope that someone can emerge to fill the void left by the Vols all-time leading rusher Travis Henry.  Defensive tackle John Henderson returns from his Outland Trophy Award winning season, giving the Vols a much needed defensive leader.

The rest of the Eastern Division holds Georgia, who will begin the Mark Richt era and South Carolina who will take another step forward and two steps back with the lovable outlaw, Lou Holtz.  In an effort to give everyone their due I will now mention the names of Vanderbilt and Kentucky.  Thank you.

The West Division is wide open with the one exception that Arkansas cannot and will not win the title.  The frontrunner is LSU, who improved its defense by hiring Gary Gibbs to perform the same success he had at Georgia in only one season.  Gibbs has stuff to work with in possibly the best linebacker duo in the country with Trev Faulk and Bradie James.  If Rohan Davey can be successful under center, look for the Tigers to be in Atlanta for the SEC title game.

Now, just point and pick.  Alabama has almost the same talent it had a year ago when it was in most preseason top 5 polls and has one of the best gameday coaches in America with Dennis Franchione.  Mississippi has one of those guys with the name "Manning" on the back of his jersey and is being said to be the best one yet.  Mississippi State returns talent once again to Jackie Sherrill who knows exactly what to do with it.  Auburn is almost in Arkansas status of no shot of winning the division title, though some said that last year.

Florida looks to be in the elite of the country once again and the top of the SEC again.  Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, Mississippi, and Mississippi State are looking to break back into the top of a conference that is consistently the best or second best in college football.  The SEC is here now and has the groundwork to be the best for a long, long time.  Steve Spurrier, Phillip Fulmer, Lou Holtz, Mark Richt, Tommy Tuberville, Dennis Franchione, Nick Saban, Jackie Sherrill, David Cutcliffe, and Houston Nutt are primed for battles over the next decade that will be the envy of the country.