SECOND QUARTER: STONE TABLET PRONOUNCEMENTS
Welcome to Week 1. It’s time for The Dash to tell you how this season is going to go.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE (11)
Game of the Year: LSU at Alabama, Nov. 4. Winner takes the SEC West, as usual.
Coach under pressure: Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri. He’s had some huge recruiting coups that could continue to buy him some time, but a 17–19 record in three seasons isn’t justifying his $6 million salary for this year.
Leading man: Brock Bowers, Georgia tight end. Forget the quarterbacks; this is the best football player in the conference.
Scene stealer: K.J. Jefferson, Arkansas quarterback. If the Razorbacks jump back up to nine wins after last year’s 7–6 dip, it will be on the arm and legs of Jefferson, the top returner in the league in total offense at 299 yards per game.
Candidate to be this year’s TCU: Texas A&M. All those blue-chip freshmen are now sophomores. If Bobby Petrino can fix the offense and improve the quarterback position, look out for the Aggies.
Overrated: Tennessee. Replacing a guy who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting (Hendon Hooker) probably won’t be that easy. Same with breakout receiving star Jalin Hyatt. Circle Sept. 16 in The Swamp as an early barometer on whether the Volunteers can replicate last year’s 11–2 season.
Dash first-year coach guarantee: Hugh Freeze will win a game he shouldn’t and say something he shouldn’t.
Dash team guarantee: Florida will again beat Utah to open the year, and it again will be a false positive indicator for the season to come.
Champ: Georgia.
