CULLMAN – Three more Saturdays. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how close we are to the start of the 2016 college football season. With pigskin play just around the corner, let’s take a look around the SEC.
TOP 25 (Coaches Poll)
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide
Sitting atop the 2016 pre-season coaches poll are the defending National Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide, and rightfully so. Alabama lost several players to the NFL draft as they do each year, but just like every other year, they have a tremendous amount of talent ready to take their turn in the spotlight. Returning for the Tide this year are key players, including Cooper Bateman (QB), Bo Scarbrough (RB), Cam Robinson (OT) and Ruben Foster (LB). No doubt the Crimson Tide have circled the Sept. 17 game at Ole Miss as they look to avenge their only loss of the 2015 campaign and forge their way to another college football playoff.
- Sept. 3 – Southern California @Arlington, TX
- Sept. 10 – Western Kentucky
- Sept. 17 – at Ole Miss
- Sept. 24 – Kent State
- Oct. 1 – Kentucky
- Oct. 8 – at Arkansas
- Oct. 15 – at Tennessee
- Oct. 22 – Texas A&M
- Nov. 5 – at Louisiana State
- Nov. 12 – Mississippi State
- Nov. 19 – Chattanooga
- Nov. 26 – Auburn
#6 LSU Tigers
Sitting in the sixth spot is the LSU Tigers. LSU is coming off a sub-par season by their standards (9-3) they are looking to reclaim their place as a dominate force in the SEC. Back to help the Tigers is superstar Leonard Fournette (RB) who is an early front runner for the Heisman Trophy. Jamal Adams (SS) hopes to make his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball. LSU has their eyes set on the SEC championship and beyond.
- Sept. 3 – at Wisconsin @Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
- Sept. 10 – Jacksonville State
- Sept. 17 – Mississippi State
- Sept. 24 – at Auburn
- Oct. 1 – Missouri
- Oct. 8 – at Florida
- Oct. 15 – Southern Miss
- Oct. 22 – Ole Miss
- Nov. 5 – Alabama
- Nov. 12 – at Arkansas
- Nov. 19 – South Alabama
- Nov. 24 – at Texas A&M
#10 Tennessee Volunteers
They are back. The Tennessee Vols have seen some lean years of late but Butch Jones aims to turn that all around. Tennessee is the only team in the top 10 coming off a four loss season in 2015. Returning from that squad is offensive standout Jalen Hurd (RB). Derek Barnett (DE) also returns to wreak havoc on opposing QB’s.
- Sept. 3 – Appalachian State
- Sept. 10 – Virginia Tech @Bristol, TN
- Sept. 17 – Ohio
- Sept. 24 – Florida
- Oct. 1 – at Georgia
- Oct. 8 – at Texas A&M
- Oct. 15 – Alabama
- Oct. 29 – at South Carolina
- Nov. 5 – Tennessee Tech
- Nov. 12 – Kentucky
- Nov. 19 – Missouri
- Nov. 26 – at Vanderbilt
#12 Ole Miss Rebels
Coming in at 12th are the Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebels are coming off of a 10-3 season that saw them hand the eventual National Champions, Alabama, their only loss of the season. Ole Miss will have a seasoned QB at the helm in the form of Chad Kelly. Defensive End Marquis Haynes will look to hold down the defensive side of the ball.
- Sept. 5 – Florida State @Orlando, FL
- Sept. 10 – Wofford
- Sept. 17 – Alabama
- Sept. 24 – Georgia
- Oct. 1 – Memphis
- Oct. 15 – at Arkansas
- Oct. 22 – at Louisiana State
- Oct. 29 – Auburn
- Nov. 5 – Georgia Southern
- Nov. 12 – at Texas A&
- Nov. 19 – at Vanderbilt
- Nov. 26 – Mississippi State
#16 Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs creep their way into the top 20, landing at 16, thanks on part to the returning Nick Chubb in the backfield. The Bulldogs have their sites set firmly set on the SEC Championship in Atlanta and earning their spot in the 2016 College Football Playoffs.
- Sept. 3 – North Carolina @Atlanta, GA
- Sept. 10 – Nicholls State
- Sept. 17 – at Missouri
- Sept. 24 – at Ole Miss
- Oct. 1 – Tennessee
- Oct. 8 – at South Carolina
- Oct. 15 – Vanderbilt
- Oct. 29 – Florida @Jacksonville, FL
- Nov. 5 – at Kentucky
- Nov. 12 – Auburn
- Nov. 19 – Louisiana-Lafayette
- Nov. 26 – Georgia Tech
#25 Florida Gators
Rounding out the top 25 is the Florida Gators. A 10-4 season was a disappointment in the eyes of the Gators and they are looking to improve on that record in 2016. Treon Harris is slated to take the snaps under center for the Gators.
- Sept. 3 – Massachusetts
- Sept. 10 – Kentucky
- Sept. 17 – North Texas
- Sept. 24 – at Tennessee
- Oct. 1 – at Vanderbilt
- Oct. 8 – Louisiana State
- Oct. 15 – Missouri
- Oct. 29 – Georgia @Jacksonville, FL
- Nov. 5 – at Arkansas
- Nov. 12 – South Carolina
- Nov. 19 – Presbyterian
- Nov. 26 – at Florida State
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
As impressive as it is to have six teams in the top 25, three in the top 10, it always leaves someone on the outside looking in. Auburn, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Arkansas and South Carolina are all playing catch-up but in the wacky world of the SEC, anything can happen and usually does.
Auburn Tigers
- Sept. 3 – Clemson
- Sept. 10 – Arkansas State
- Sept. 17 – Texas A&M
- Sept. 24 – Louisiana State
- Oct. 1 – Louisiana-Monroe
- Oct. 8 – at Mississippi State
- Oct. 22 – Arkansas
- Oct. 29 – at Ole Miss
- Nov. 5 – Vanderbilt
- Nov. 12 – at Georgia
- Nov. 19 – Alabama A&M
- Nov. 26 – at Alabama
Vanderbilt Commodores
- Sept. 1 – South Carolina
- Sept. 10 – Middle Tennessee
- Sept. 17 – at Georgia Tech
- Sept. 24 – at Western Kentucky
- Oct. 1 – Florida
- Oct. 8 – at Kentucky
- Oct. 15 – at Georgia
- Oct. 22 – Tennessee State
- Nov. 5 – at Auburn
- Nov. 12 – at Missouri
- Nov. 19 – Ole Miss
- Nov. 26 – Tennessee
Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Sept. 3 – South Alabama
- Sept. 10 – South Carolina
- Sept. 17 – at Louisiana State
- Sept. 24 – at Massachusetts
- Oct. 8 – Auburn
- Oct. 15 – at Brigham Young
- Oct. 22 – at Kentucky
- Oct. 29 – Samford
- Nov. 5 – Texas A&M
- Nov. 12 – at Alabama
- Nov. 19 – Arkansas
- Nov. 26 – at Ole Miss
Missouri Tigers
- Sept. 3 – at West Virginia
- Sept. 10 – Eastern Michigan
- Sept. 17 – Georgia
- Sept.24 – Delaware
- Oct. 1 – LSU
- Oct. 15 – at Florida
- Oct. 22 – Middle Tennessee
- Oct. 29 – Kentucky
- Nov. 5 – at South Carolina
- Nov. 12 – Vanderbilt
- Nov. 19 – at Tennessee
- Nov. 25 – Arkansas
Texas A&M Aggies
- Sept. 3 – UCLA
- Sept. 10 – Prairie View A&M
- Sept. 17 – at Auburn
- Sept. 24 – Arkansas @Arlington, TX
- Oct. 1 – at South Carolina
- Oct. 8 – Tennessee
- Oct. 22 – at Alabama
- Oct. 29 – New Mexico State
- Nov. 5 – at Mississippi State
- Nov. 12 – Ole Miss
- Nov. 19 – UTSA
- Nov. 24 – Louisiana State
Kentucky Wildcats
- Sept. 3 – Southern Mississippi
- Sept.10 – at Florida
- Sept. 17 – New Mexico State
- Sept. 24 – South Carolina
- Oct. 1 – at Alabama
- Oct. 8 – Vanderbilt
- Oct. 22 – Mississippi State
- Oct. 29 – at Missouri
- Nov. 5 – Georgia
- Nov. 12 – at Tennessee
- Nov. 19 – Austin Peay
- Nov. 26 – at Louisville
Arkansas Razorbacks
- Sept. 3 – Louisiana Tech
- Sept. 10 – at TCU
- Sept. 17 – Texas State
- Sept. 24 – Texas A&M @Arlington, TX
- Oct. 1 – Alcorn State
- Oct. 8 – Alabama
- Oct. 15 – Ole Miss
- Oct. 22 – at Auburn
- Nov. 5 – Florida
- Nov. 12 – Louisiana State
- Nov. 19 – at Mississippi State
- Nov. 26 – at Missouri
South Carolina Gamecocks
- Sept. 1 – at Vanderbilt
- Sept. 10 – at Mississippi State
- Sept. 17 – East Carolina
- Sept. 24 – at Kentucky
- Oct. 1 – Texas A&M
- Oct. 8 – Georgia
- Oct 22- UMASS
- Oct. 29 – Tennessee
- Nov. 5 – Missouri
- Nov. 12 – at Florida
- Nov. 19 – Western Carolina
- Nov. 26 – at Clemson
