SEC predictions: Alabama over Florida, but who's third?

Unless you're a tree-hugger, or eat granola bars and nuts for lunch, you realize the SEC is the best conference in the land. But it is a bit top heavy this season, punctuated by three new coaches. One of the toughest decisions is figuring out the third-best team in the SEC, behind Alabama and Florida.

Here are my predictions and explanations:

East
1. Florida 11-1
2. Georgia 9-3
3. South Carolina 8-4
4. Kentucky 7-5
5. Tennessee 5-7
6. Vanderbilt 5-7

West
1. Alabama 11-1
2. Arkansas 9-3
3. Auburn 8-4
4. Ole Miss 8-4
5. LSU 7-5
6. Mississippi State 6-6


While the Crimson Tide and Gators are the cream of the SEC, they won't be perfect this season. Bama will lose to either Arkansas or South Carolina. Florida will lose to either Bama or Georgia.

South Carolina, while it may look good early, and will probably be ranked in the teens, will fall off after a possible upset of Alabama at home. It's almost an annual rite in Columbia.

Georgia will be improved from last season, which will take the unnecessary heat off of Mark Richt. The biggest question marks, the new defense and new quarterback Aaron Murray, will be better than expected. Still, the Dawgs aren't without flaws, and that's why they'll lose three of these games: South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, Auburn or Georgia Tech.

Kentucky is a wild card because of first-year coach Joker Phillips' experience on staff and the dynamic play of Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke. The Wildcats have shown the ability to beat Georgia twice in recent memory, and could also be buoyed by a win over Tennessee to end their quarter-of-a-century drought.

Tennessee and Vanderbilt, with new coaches, will beat the built-in cream puffs on their schedules, and then tack on a win or two against another conference bottom feeder.

In the West, the biggest story beyond Alabama, is the transfer of QB Jeremiah Masoli from Oregon to Ole Miss, which should give the Rebels two or three more wins. The Rebels were picked last in the division in several preseason polls, but won't be quite as bad thanks to Masoli.

The Hogs have the most upside in the division, and possibly the league ahead of Georgia. Their biggest stretch is back-to-back games at Georgia and home against Alabama. Win those two, and their fans could book plans for Atlanta on Dec. 4. Even if they split those games, they'll still have tall orders at Auburn, at South Carolina and home against LSU.

Auburn's depth is helped by the influx of big-time recruits. But they're still freshmen. One of the season's turning points will come when the Tigers travel to Oxford, Miss. on Oct. 30 in a game they should win.

Because of uncertainty at QB with John Brantley in Florida, and the Gators' defensive youth, the pick here is the Crimson Tide. The loss, whenever it comes, will only help Saban and Co. look for motivation come BCS bowl time.