[suedon70]

Originally Posted by desertrat

That excuse is old and worn out. It's too bad the SEC pads their records and stats with cupcakes like this and then tell us how good they are. Prove it by playing with the big boys out of conference. I personally think all games against Div1-aa opponents should be banned for BCS conference schools. They are mismatches, boring, and ridiculous to expect us as fans to pay to see such an inferior opponent. I realize that some SEC schools avoid the div1-aa, but instead pad their schedules with Sun Belt and Conference USA opponents. It's just a sore point for me, they shouldn't do it. Same for all conferences, but it's the SEC that plays the most Div1-aa opponents as a whole.

Let's not lump the entire SEC in this. Just a sample of this year's non-conference opponents for SEC teams:

LSU vs Virginia Tech
Alabama vs FSU
Auburn vs Kansas St (ehhhh....)
Miss State vs West Virginia
Ole Miss vs Mizzou (ehhh.....)
Georgia vs Oklahoma St
South Carolina vs Clemson (ehhh...not that great)
UF vs FSU (well, they always play them...)
UT vs Cal-Berkeley in California
Kentucky vs Louisville (used to be a dog opponent, but marquee now)
Vandy (no one of any significance)

I am with you on the Div 1-AA opponents - it's a joke, and my Gators are the worst offenders. At least they are adding the Canes back to their schedule I believe starting next year, but they haven't played outside of the South during the regular season in eons....very embarassing...

I would love for them to play a Pac 10 or Big 12 team, such as Arizona State or Nebraska....

[Tuck4Bama]

Alabama is improving slightly . Dropped Hawaii and picked up Florida State
Dropped Duke and picked up Houston for homecoming no less: Dropped Florida International and picked up Wester Carolina: Dropped Florida and picked up Georgia

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

Alabama is improving slightly . Dropped Hawaii and picked up Florida State
Dropped Duke and picked up Houston for homecoming no less: Dropped Florida International and picked up Wester Carolina: Dropped Florida and picked up Georgia

Maybe I'm nuts, but not all of those seem like upgrades. Hawaii's probably not as good as FSU, but they're close and unlike the Seminoles, they're a program on the rise not the decline. Dropping Florida and picking up Georgia looks like a definite step down in strength of schedule. Houston over Duke's a big improvement. I thought FIU was another up-and-coming program.

[Tuck4Bama]

The SEC is on a rotating schedule. As far as non confrence we had Note Dame for a while and Oklahoma And Penn State. i would like to see the Non confrence schedule get stronger but will just have to wait and see.

[Tuck4Bama]

2007 Preview: Mississippi State
Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com, Updated 1 day ago



Full Preview | Offense | Defense | Depth Chart


Since 2000, when Mississippi State won eight games and a snowy Independence Bowl over Texas A&M, the team has won three games in each of five years, and just two in 2003. However, if it's possible to be an impressive 3-9 team, MSU did that last season and provided just enough hope to think Sylvester Croom could eventually turn things around and make the program respectable again.

Over the final six games of last year, MSU won two, lost to Georgia, Kentucky and Ole Miss by three points each, and lost to Arkansas (no shame there). The Bulldogs displayed an improved but inconsistent offense, thanks to the emergence of Michael Henig and the passing game, and a defense that did the best it could when the offense bogged down.
While that's all well and good, MSU is still a million miles from being within sniffing distance of SEC West contention, and still has a long way to go before going to a bowl game. Even though the offense got a few big performances from Henig and has the potential for a strong 1-2 rushing punch with Anthony Dixon and new recruit Robert Elliott, it's asking a lot for a major jump in production after averaging around 280 yards and 16 points per game over the last two seasons.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Team Information
Head coach: Sylvester Croom
4th year: 9-25
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 23, Def. 18, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 22

Ten Best Players
1. FS/KR Derek Pegues, Jr.
2. DE Titus Brown, Sr.
3. RB Anthony Dixon, Soph.
4. TE Eric Butler, Sr.
5. LB Jamar Chaney, Jr.
6. LB Gabe O'Neal, Sr.
7. OT Mike Brown, Jr.
8. SS De'Mon Glanton, Jr.
9. DT Cortez McCraney, Jr.
10. WR Tony Burks, Sr. 2007 Schedule

Aug. 30 LSU
Sept. 8 at Tulane
Sept. 15 at Auburn
Sept. 22 Jacksonville State
Sept. 29 at South Carolina
Oct. 6 UAB
Oct. 13 Tennessee
Oct. 20 at West Virginia
Oct. 27 at Kentucky
Nov. 10 Alabama
Nov. 17 at Arkansas
Nov. 24 Ole Miss


Making matters worse, the defense, which has carried the team lately, has to replace far too many key contributors, especially on the defensive front, including heart-and-soul linebacker Quinton Culberson. In other words, the defense is going to slip a wee bit and the offense isn't going to make enough of a jump to pick up the slack.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, everyone will take them lightly. It'll be a shock if anyone picks them to finish any higher than last in the West, so they could jump up and surprise a team or two if everything breaks the right way. No matter what happens, MSU needs more production, more wins, and more hope for the future, or there will be a new head man trying to rebuild with Croom's decent recruits.

What to watch for on offense: A steadier dose of running. The weapons just aren't there to get the passing yards MSU needs to compete in the SEC, and the more the offense can control the ball and keep its defense off the field, the better. In Dixon and Elliott, the Bulldogs have two talented backs with the potential to make MSU look like Arkansas when it comes to hitting home runs. With four starters returning up front, averaging 150 rushing yards a game might be a must.

What to watch for on defense: Bending, but not a whole bunch of breaking. This isn't going to be a defense that brings players from a variety of angles to generate pressure. The hope is for the front four to get into the backfield, and the back seven to get the job done. With several big personnel losses, this defense won't gamble too much, but it should be decent at limiting the big plays.

The team will be far better if ... there's more production from the punting game. The last thing a struggling offense and a tired defense needs is bad field position, and while punt returns aren't a problem thanks to Derek Pegues, punter Blake McAdams has to get more boom on his kicks. MSU finished last in the SEC, averaging 31.7 net punting yards per game, and once in a while, there must be a game-changing type of kick that bails the team out of a jam.

The Schedule: There are only six home games, an interesting mix of nasty games (but chances to make a statement) against LSU, Tennessee and Alabama and three must-wins against Jacksonville State, UAB and Ole Miss. Beating Tulane on the road is a must, given the tough away games (including a non-conference date at West Virginia). On the plus side, MSU misses Florida and Georgia from the East, but it has to deal with Tennessee, Kentucky and South Carolina.

Best Offensive Player: Sophomore RB Anthony Dixon. With 240-pound size, breakaway speed, and decent moves, he can be the type of workhorse running back to carry the offense and add more pop to the ground game. He came on at the end of last year, and now should be a 100-yard runner waiting to happen early on.

Best Defensive Player: Junior FS Derek Pegues. One of the team's most dangerous players with the ball in his hands, Pegues has scored two career touchdowns off interceptions and will be the team's lock-down corner on everyone's number one. He's also a tremendous kickoff returner.
Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Michael Henig. He's not accurate, he's not a winner quite yet, and he doesn't have much in the way of skills, but he's the quarterback the coaching staff will go with, hoping he can do just enough to give the Bulldogs some semblance of a passing game. If he's awful, the MSU offense will be, too.

The season will be a success if ... MSU wins five games. That might not sound like much, but considering the program hasn't won more than three games since 2000, getting five would be a nice step forward. It's an attainable goal, with likely wins over Tulane, Jacksonville State and UAB to count on, to go along with the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss at home. An upset along the way against a possible bowl-bound team is also a must.

Key game: Nov. 10 vs. Alabama. By mid-November, MSU's young team needs to be fully jelled on both sides of the ball, and after pulling the upset over the Tide last year, could use a win at home to show that things are still improving and involving in the Croom era.

2006 Fun Stats:
First quarter scoring: Opponents 90; Mississippi State 28
Average yards per rush: Opponents 3.4; Mississippi State 2.9
Penalties: Opponents 75 for 657 yards; Mississippi State 66 for 623 yards

[Tuck4Bama]

2007 LSU Preview

By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 19, 2007

Loaded and ready for a run for the national title, LSU has everything in place on both sides of the ball to once again be one of the nation's best teams. Tyson Jackson is just one of the defensive stars, while the offense will be fine even without a certain big-armed quarterback.


LSU Tigers

Preview 2007

ByPete Fiutak- 2007 LSU Offense Preview | 2007 LSU Defense Preview
- 2007 LSU Depth Chart | 2006 CFN LSU Preview

Nick Saban might have gotten the ball rolling, but it’s time to officially acknowledge that Les Miles has nudged LSU into one of the consistent elite of the elite programs, and more importantly, one with staying power.

It’s easy to forget that while Saban had one mega-year in Baton Rouge, he also had a lot of merely above-average ones, with only one double-digit win season. Miles has won 11 games in each of the last two years, weathered the storm of concern over his hiring and the storm of Katrina, and has recruited well enough to keep the momentum going.
Head coach: Les Miles
2nd year: 11-2
6th year overall: 39-23
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 24, Def. 20, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 21

Ten Best Tiger Players
1. DT Glenn Dorsey, Sr.
2. DE Tyler Jackson, Jr.
3. CB Chevis Jackson, Sr.
4. LB Ali Highsmith, Sr.
5. OT Ciron Black, Soph.
6. WR Early Doucet, Sr.
7. RB Keiland Williams, Soph.
8. QB Matt Flynn, Sr.
9. G WIll Arnold, Sr.
10. WR Brandon LaFell, Soph

.2007 Schedule

Aug. 30at Mississippi St
Sept. 8Virginia Tech
Sept. 15Middle Tennessee
Sept. 22South Carolina
Sept. 29at Tulane
Oct. 6Florida
Oct. 13at Kentucky
Oct. 20Auburn
Nov. 3at Alabama
Nov. 10Louisiana Tech
Nov. 17at Ole Miss

Nov. 24Arkansas

2006 Schedule

CFN Prediction:

10-2

2006 Record:

11-2Preview 2006 predicted wins
9/2UL Lafayette W 45-3
9/9Arizona W 45-3
9/16at Auburn L 7-3
9/23Tulane W 49-79/30
Miss State W 48-17
10/7at Florida L 23-10
10/14Kentucky W 49-0
10/21Fresno State W 38-6
11/4at Tennessee W 28-24
11/11Alabama W 28-14
11/18Ole Miss W 23-20 OT
11/25at Arkansas W 31-26
1/3Sugar Bowl
Notre Dame W 41-14

LSU has done it with speed, speed, athleticism, and more speed, with backups that have more raw talent than the starters for about 100 other teams. This year’s version is no exception, and with a schedule that’s far more manageable than last year’s (only two road games against a 2006 bowl team, Kentucky and Alabama), an SEC title is a demand, and a national championship is certainly possible.

How loaded is LSU? It lost JaMarcus Russell, and likely will replace him with Matt Flynn, who has starter’s experience, or eventually Ryan Perrilloux, the super-recruit of a few years ago with next-level skills and more running ability than Russell. The track team of NFL receivers that left is being replaced by another track team of NFL receivers, and veterans are waiting in the wings to replace the starting safeties … who are also off to play in the big league.

Can LSU win the really big game? It proved it could at the end of last year. Is LSU able to reload rather than rebuild? 11-2 and a Sugar Bowl win gave the answer. Can LSU win the national title under Miles? This year, anything less will be a disappointment.

What to watch for on offense: Don’t expect much of a change in the offensive production with Gary Crowton, who replaces Jimbo Fisher (who left for Florida State), but that doesn’t mean things won’t be different. Crowton’s spread offense bogged down at times at Oregon, but he’s fantastic at developing quarterbacks and should use backs Keiland Williams, Jacob Hester and Alley Broussard to give the offense more balance. Expect more option use and more running from the quarterbacks than Tiger fans are used to.

What to watch for on defense: More of the same. With eight starters returning, including future NFL millionaire tackle Glenn Dorsey, the nation’s number three defense of last year should be every bit as dominant. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini will keep the D aggressive, the sacks will come in bunches, and the front seven will be a brick wall to run on.

The team will be far better if … the penalties are reduced. The Tigers weren’t killed by the errors, but there were just enough, 83 on the season, to be annoying. They were mostly the ticky-tack, five-yard variety, but it is one of the few areas that could use improvement.
The Schedule: The schedule last year had four brutal road games and eight manageable home dates. This season, the scheduling gods are much kinder, with the five away games at Mississippi State, Kentucky, Tulane, Alabama and Ole Miss. Any team that thinks it can win the national title should be able to get through those five without much of a problem. The early home game with Virginia Tech should be as good as any BCS match-up in January, while the showdown with Florida will be as good as whatever the national title game turns out to be. Missing Georgia and Tennessee from the East is a plus.
Best Offensive Player: Sophomore OT Ciron Black. A 314-pound rock on the left side, he turned in a great freshman season and a top pro prospect from day one. With potentially four returning starters up front, the line should be a strength in time as long as Black plays as expected.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DT Glenn Dorsey. An almost-certain first-round pick had he left early, and a possible top-15 selection, the 300-pound All-American will be the anchor of one of the best lines in America. He missed spring ball with a leg injury but is expected to be more than fine by the time the season starts. As long as he keeps his weight in check, he’ll be a sure-fire All-American.
Key player to a successful season: Senior WR Early Doucet. Is this the year he puts it all together and becomes the superstar, All-America-caliber target everyone’s been waiting for? The speed is peerless and he has decent size; now he has to be consistent as a number one, instead of as a second or third option behind Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis.
The season will be a success if ... LSU plays for the national title. The defense will be among the five best in the nation, the offense will be more than fine no matter who’s at quarterback, and the schedule is tailor-made for a title. Of course, if all goes well there will be an SEC championship game first, and the Tigers will be more than happy to worry about that when the time comes.
Key game: Oct. 20 vs. Auburn. LSU can afford a loss to someone like Florida or even Virginia Tech (but not both) and can still get to the national championship (since those two games are relatively early on the slate). However, winning the West might be tough if Auburn wins in Death Valley for the first time since 1999.
2006 Fun Stats:
- First half scoring: LSU 240; Opponents 87
- Fourth down conversions: LSU 13-17 (76%); Opponents 8-20 (40%)
- Fumbles: LSU 22 (lost 12); Opponents 21 (lost 5)

[Stoney]

LSU needs a good teeth kicking and a dose of humble pie.