SEC conventional wisdom, 2008 edition

I did this last year. It’s one brief last look back at the past season for the conference based on my personal perspective of what I heard and saw in the media and from fans.

SEC EAST

Florida

• Preseason: Defending national champs rule! The young defense doesn’t matter.
  
• Midseason: Tebow is Superman. The young defense doesn’t matter.
  
• End of season: How ’bout that Heisman.

Georgia

• Preseason: Can you win nine games in the SEC without an offensive line?
  
• Midseason: Please, God, not again.
  
• End of season: What got into these guys? And will it get into them again next year?
  

Kentucky

• Preseason: This could be the year.
• Midseason: Down goes LSU!
  
• End of season: This wasn’t the year.
  

South Carolina

• Preseason: Spurrier’s a genius.
• Midseason: Spurrier’s a frickin’ genius.
  
• End of season: Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

Tennessee

• Preseason: They should contend for the SEC East title.
  
• Midseason: Fulmer sends Richt a thank you box of doughnuts.
  
• End of season: When you play in the SECCG despite giving up more points in the conference than you scored, it’s safe to say you’ve gotten a few breaks.

Vanderbilt

• Preseason: A bowl game – maybe.
  
• Midseason: Is there enough in the tank?
• End of season: They’ll always have Columbia.

SEC WEST

Alabama

• Preseason: There’s a new sheriff in town, brotha.
• Midseason: 8-0, babee!
• End of season: A lot of money for a one game improvement over Shula.
  

Arkansas

• Preseason: MacFadden plus the second weakest schedule for any BCS conference school = 10 wins.
• Midseason: No Marcus Monk = 8 wins.
  
• End of season: Did you hear about the new coach?
  

Auburn

• Preseason: Senior quarterbacks mean good things for Auburn.
  
• Midseason: Gator chomp, my ass.
• End of season: Doing the coordinator shuffle. Again.
  

LSU

• Preseason: Absolutely loaded. Decent chance to go undefeated.
• Midseason: You could see it coming.
  
• End of season: With a couple of breaks, they get over the hump. When healthy, the nation’s best team.

Mississippi

• Preseason: Coach O can recruit, but can he coach?
• Midseason: Coach O can recruit, but can he coach?
  
• End of season: No.

Mississippi State

• Preseason: That’s one bad looking offense.
• Midseason: Don’t turn the ball over to this team, or you’ll pay for it.
  
• End of season: The man can coach a little.