CFN's preseason 2014 SEC rankings

[Coach34]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1368514.html

West:
1. BAMA
2. LSU
3. Auburn
4. Texas A&M
5. MSU
6. Ole Miss
7. Arky

[smootness]

No mention of Chris Jones or De'Runnya Wilson. Seems like a well-researched piece.

I won't blame anyone for not having us high in the preseason rankings, and I don't really care. But it is funny to see things like a mention of the Eulls/PJ Jones tackle combo as 'solid' without any mention of the guy who could end up being one of the top few tackles in the country by the end of next year.

[rabbitthedawg]

Is this the year dawgs beat LSU and Auburn in the same season? Wouldn't that be exciting!!

[Maroons]

LSU and A&M are both too high.

[dawgs]

auburn should be at least #2, probably #1 tbh, because unlike bama, they aren't replacing the most important position on the field. i know freshman QBs have been having great success in recent years (manziel, winston, mariota, etc.), but it's still a huge question mark.

[defiantdog]

I guarantee everyone (ESPN) will be talking about Chris Jones by this time next year.... the talented freshmen at OM won't be freshmen anymore. No more excuses for youth and inexperience.

[engie]

auburn should be at least #2, probably #1 tbh, because unlike bama, they aren't replacing the most important position on the field. i know freshman QBs have been having great success in recent years (manziel, winston, mariota, etc.), but it's still a huge question mark.

FSU's backup is tranferring and will likely be their starter. He will be a Jr and is rumored to be a stud.

[CadaverDawg]

I guarantee everyone (ESPN) will be talking about Chris Jones by this time next year.... the talented freshmen at OM won't be freshmen anymore. No more excuses for youth and inexperience.

Another bad ass pic, nice work. Posted it on twitter, ha, hope that's cool with you?

[PMDawg]

LSU will be fine. Top 15 at a minimum.

[Johnson85]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1368514.html

West:
1. BAMA
2. LSU
3. Auburn
4. Texas A&M
5. MSU
6. Ole Miss
7. Arky

I don't understand the A&M love. They weren't that great last year with Manziel and Mike Evans. I understand giving Bama, LSU, and Auburn the top three spots until they prove they ahve dropped off, but it doesn't seem like A&M has done anything that would merit getting the benefit of the doubt like that.

[smootness]

FSU's backup is tranferring and will likely be their starter. He will be a Jr and is rumored to be a stud.

I just don't see how anyone would project Coker as a stud right now. I guess it's possible, and maybe he's just lit up FSU's practices, but he wasn't highly rated coming out of HS and in his actual game experience (admittedly limited), he hasn't done anything.

I would be worried if I were Alabama.

[dawgs]

FSU's backup is tranferring and will likely be their starter. He will be a Jr and is rumored to be a stud.

still a big question mark to rely on a guy that hasn't done anything with his playing time. i know he's been behind manuel (a 1st rounder) and winston (heisman winner and future 1st rounder), but he's never displayed any stud-like tendencies in games and there hasn't been a ton of talk about him standing out in practice. most people think the only reason there was a QB controversy at f$u as long was there was, was to keep winston from getting too much hype/pressure/ego too soon.

[chef dixon]

You guys forget that the last two times Bama had a new starting QB, they won the national title. They will be fine.

Also don't understand the A&M love either. Even if you have Manziel returning, which was almost their whole team, they would STILL likely be 4th on that list.

[Coach34]

Auburn has a much tougher schedule this year:

SC at home
at Bammer
at State
at Ole Miss
at Georgia

In spite of the team they have- they could lose every one of those games

[smootness]

You guys forget that the last two times Bama had a new starting QB, they won the national title. They will be fine.

Also don't understand the A&M love either. Even if you have Manziel returning, which was almost their whole team, they would STILL likely be 4th on that list.

I don't think anyone denies that Bama will still be really, really good. They will always be loaded with talent, and their running game should be good enough to make the QB far less important than on most teams. As always, they just need a game manager in there. But this situation will be different than they've had in the past. McCarron was definitely more highly regarded than Coker, and McElroy was fairly similar, though still more highly rated by most sites. And both those guys had spent time in that system and could be trusted to run it. We'll see for them next year.

They do have Bateman as well, who was more highly regarded than any QB Saban's brought in, but he'll just be a redshirt freshman, which is also different than any situation they've had in the past as well.

Bama certainly has the ability to win the national title, as they always do. But I think next year is the least certain anyone has been about one of their teams since about Saban's 3rd year.