#seceast

The SEC East race is wide open once again and will be a photo finish just as it has the past couple of years. With Georgia’s loss at home to Missouri there are four teams who are still in the hunt for the East title Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and South Carolina. Injuries have hurt each of these teams but Georgia and now Missouri, with the news that starting quarterback James Franklin is out 3-5 weeks with a separated shoulder, have suffered the most significant losses. 

Florida has one of the best defenses in college football but their offense is unbearable to watch. The most points they have scored all year is 31 against a bad Tennessee team. They have, like most of the teams in the East, been hurt by injuries this year. They lost starting quarterback Jeff Driskel and star defensive line Dominique Easley in that game against Vols.  Neither loss seemed to hurt them against Kentucky or Arkansas.  But the injuries continued to pile up when this past weekend they lost running back Mac Brown for the season. In that game against LSU they only gave up 17 points in Death Valley but their offense could only manage two field goals. They control their own destiny in the East and with back-to-back games against Missouri and Georgia they need their offense to start performing.

After week two it was Georgia’s to lose and they have. Georgia is a shell of what it was at the start of the season. They have lost two of their top 3 wide receivers for the season and the third is out indefinitely.  Michael Bennett might be back for the Florida game. Their top 2 running backs are out, Keith Marshall is out for the year and Todd Gurley has missed the past two with an ankle injury. Gurley is still listed as questionable and right now might not even play against Vandy. Their defense is abysmal.  They are last in the SEC in total defense and have given up 33.7 points per game.  Without Gurley in the game to keep the defense off the field they have no chance to win the East. They should beat Vanderbilt because of Aaron Murray who needs 3 more touchdown passes to have the most touchdowns in SEC history. Their next game is the big one against Florida in Jacksonville. This game could be close, Florida’s defense is first in the SEC and third overall nationally.  Georgia’s defense is so bad that even Florida’s offense might be able to put up points. If Gurley doesn’t come back as the same runner and the young players on defense, specifically Damien Swann, continue to regress, Georgia’s hopes for a third straight SEC East title could be in real jeopardy. 

Missouri has been the biggest surprise in the SEC so far this year. They are 6-0 and coming off a huge win at Georgia that puts them in the drivers seat for the SEC East. Unfortunately, they lost starting quarterback James Franklin for at least 5 weeks with a separated shoulder. This is huge blow to their high-powered offense that put up 41 against Georgia and averages 45.7 points per game this year.  It will be up to Maty Mauk to fill Franklin’s shoes for the next two weeks when play Florida and South Carolina. They might be able to beat Florida with Mauk because of Florida’s inept offense. But he will not be able to beat South Carolina because of their balance on offense and the improved play of its defense.  If they can come away with one loss out of those two games they could still be in good shape but would need South Carolina to lose another game.  Missouri plays Texas A&M and Johnny F---ing Football in the last week of the season.  If Franklin comes back this could be the highest scoring game in the SEC this year.  I’m holding off on this game until it is certain that Franklin will return for that game.  The injury to Franklin will most likely derail any hope Missouri had for its first ever SEC East Title.

  South Carolina probably has the best chance to win the SEC East because they are the healthiest of the four that are still in contention.  They lost to Georgia in week 2 of the season but are coming off its most complete all-around game of year against Arkansas. They racked up 537 total yards of offense and only allowed 30 passing yards.  They travel to Tennessee this week in a game they should win but Tennessee is coming off a bye and in its last game it took Georgia into OT. The week after they finish their 3 game road stretch at a James Franklinless Missouri. If they can come out of Missouri with a win they will be in great shape to win the East.  With the final two SEC games at home against Mississippi State and Florida, the Gamecocks will be in great shape (barring any injuries) because Connor Shaw has never lost at Williams-Brice.