August 2018 – The Bat Flip

College Football Preview: Big Ten

College football season is right around the corner and that means it is time to preview the year. The Bat Flip’s 2018 college football preview will feature several different conference previews along with a comprehensive preview looking at the entire season. If the past few seasons are any indication, 2018 should be filled with drama and chaos until the very end when Alabama wins another National Championship.

Check out our full college preview episode of the FlipCast right here.

Oftentimes, the Big Ten is the butt of a lot of jokes across the college football world. The conference has a long standing reputation of being more about playing hard nose, grind it out football than the splashy, fast paced modern version of the game.

For the most part, Big Ten teams have adapted to the modern game where the skill positions are more valuable than ever. On the flip side of that, the conference has done a great job at still holding on to aspects of the game that sets it apart from other conferences. While Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and even Wisconsin (to a point) move forward, there are still teams like Iowa and others who bring that certain charm to Big Ten football.

None of that is a knock on the conference or any of its 14 teams, it’s just a character trait that makes it more endearing to many college football fans and an easy target for its detractors.

Whatever your personal thoughts are on Big Ten football, it provides more than enough excitement to keep fans tuned in and produces perhaps the most difficult division in all of college football. Entering 2018, the Big Ten East will include FOUR teams ranked in the Top 15 of the preseason AP poll and all four could make a case to make the College Football playoff.

In the West division, Wisconsin still looks the favorite to reign supreme but several teams will be improved and licking their chops to knock the Badgers off their pedestal.

This is shaping up to be an incredible season of Big Ten football. You won’t want to miss a second.

The Teams

Fourteen schools makes up the Big Ten conference with teams being split into two divisions of seven schools a piece. The divisions are as follows:

East: Indiana Hoosiers, Maryland Terrapins, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

West: Illinois Fighting Illini, Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers, Wisconsin Badgers

Each team will play everyone in its division along with three teams from the opposite division for a total of nine conference games during the 2018 season. Once the regular season ends, the winner of the East division will take on the winner of the West division in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

East Division

Indiana Hoosiers

Official Name: Indiana University
Head Coach: Tom Allen (2nd season)
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Big Ten), 6th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Playing in the Big Ten East is not easy for any of the seven teams in the division and it is especially difficult if you are not one of the traditional powers. That’s the case for Indiana but these are not your grandpa’s Hoosiers. Consecutive bowl trips in 2015 and 2016 should have this squad hungry to make another postseason appearance after taking a step back last season.

Schedule

Maryland Terrapins

Official Name: University of Maryland
Head Coach: D.J. Durkin (3rd season), Matt Canada (acting head coach)
Location: College Park, Maryland
2017 Recap: 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten), 7th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Maryland was not supposed to be this bad in 2017 but such is life in the Big Ten East. To make matters worse, the Terrapins open the 2018 season in complete disarray. Head coach D.J. Durking is still on administrative leave while the school completes its investigation into the death of a player from earlier in the summer. An upset of Texas was the highlight of last season, but it is difficult to imagine Maryland doing much of anything this year.

Schedule

Michigan State Spartans

Official Name: Michigan State University
Head Coach: Mark Dantonio (12th season)
Location: East Lansing, Michigan
2017 Recap: 10-3 (7-2 Big Ten), 2nd in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: A disastrous season in 2016 was quickly forgotten by the Spartan faithful thanks to a bounceback 2017 season that saw Sparty win 10 games, including victories over Michigan and Penn State. Now back in the national conversation, Michigan State will be a major factor in the hotly contested Big Ten East division. Anything less than another 10+ wins will be seen as a disappointment for the Spartans, especially with Ohio State and Michigan both traveling to East Lansing.

Schedule

Michigan Wolverines

Official Name: University of Michigan
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (4th season)
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
2017 Recap: 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten), 4th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: For all the hype Michigan receives you would expect them to have a few Big Ten titles under their belt. That has not been the case through Jim Harbaugh’s three seasons as head coach and the task is not getting any easier. An opening test against Notre Dame will be a good measuring stick for a team looking to finally break through and win the Big Ten. Should they fall flat once again, a coaching change could be in store for the Wolverines.

Schedule

Ohio State Buckeyes

Official Name: The Ohio State University
Head Coach: Urban Meyer (7th season)
Location: Columbus, Ohio
2017 Recap: 12-2 (8-1 Big Ten), 1st in Big Ten East, Big Ten Champion

2018 Outlook: Ohio State is another Big Ten program under heavy scrutiny as the 2018 season kicks off. Head coach Urban Meyer is suspended the first three games of the season for his involvement in the Zach Smith scandal and once he returns questions will still linger. As always, the Buckeyes have the talent to win a national championship but it remains to be seen how the scandal effects the players going forward.

Schedule

Penn State Nittany Lions

Official Name: The Pennsylvania State University
Head Coach: James Franklin (5th season)
Location: State College, Pennsylvania
2017 Recap: 11-2 (7-2 Big Ten), 3rd in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Consecutive 11 win seasons have Penn State back in the upper echelon of college football and in the discussion to make the College Football Playoff. Saquon Barkley is gone along with a host of big time playmakers from past years, but Trace McSorley returns with Heisman aspirations. A turnover at the offensive coordinator position has some worried, but there is still enough talent to push the Nittany Lions to another double digit win season.

Schedule

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Official Name: Rutgers University
Head Coach: Chris Ash (3rd season)
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
2017 Recap: 4-8 (3-6 Big Ten), 5th in Big Ten East

2018 Outlook: Overall, Rutgers finished with a worse record than Indiana but ahead of them in conference. Don’t let that fool you however, Indiana blasted Rutgers 41-0 in their meeting last year and Rutgers was still badly outscored for the whole season. This year’s schedule actually works in their favor to begin the season but turns into a nightmare with the final four games being against Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. Expect a return to the Big Ten East basement for the Scarlet Knights.

Schedule

West Division

Illinois Fighting Illini

Official Name: University of Illinois
Head Coach: Lovie Smith
Location: Champaign, Illinois
2017 Recap: 2-10 (0-9 Big Ten), 7th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: The Big Ten West is much less daunting that its counterpart to the east but that won’t matter much for the Illini this year. Bowl-less since the 2014 season, the Illini are still in a full on rebuild under Lovie Smith and appear to be a year away from sniffing the post season once again. It’s a young squad who should improve and even break its conference losing streak.

Schedule

Iowa Hawkeyes

Official Name: University of Iowa
Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (20th season)
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
2017 Recap: 8-5 (4-5 Big Ten), 3rd in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: There have been few teams as consistent as Iowa over the years but that consistency usually results in between six or eight wins every year. Twelve wins in 2015 sent the Hawkeyes to the Rose Bowl but for the most part Kirk Ferentz has delivered slightly above average performances. A relatively favorable schedule means they only face Penn State out of the East and an upset over Wisconsin could put them in the West drivers seat. You can easily conceive a scenario where Iowa wins nine or ten games this season and plays in a New Year’s Day bowl game.

Schedule

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Official Name: University of Minnesota
Head Coach: P.J. Fleck (2nd season)
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Big Ten), 6th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: A 3-0 start last season quickly turned to 3-3 then worse for the Golden Gophers in P.J. Fleck’s first season as head coach. A tough three game stretch in October sees Minnesota play Iowa, Ohio State, and Nebraska but if they can walk away still in one piece a bowl could be waiting for them in December. Still young in terms of experience, the biggest goal this season will be showing positive improvement from last year.

Schedule

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Official Name: University of Nebraska
Head Coach: Scott Frost
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
2017 Recap: 4-8 (3-6 Big Ten), 5th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: A once proud program, Nebraska has gone through some lean years since joining the conference but looked poised for a rebirth under new head coach Scott Frost. An immediate turnaround may be a little too much to ask (schedule features Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Michigan State) but fans will just be looking for any hope that the future is as bright as its past once was. Simply returning to bowl play should be the target for Frost and Co. this season.

Schedule

Northwestern Wildcats

Official Name: Northwestern University
Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (13th season)
Location: Evanston, Illinois
2017 Recap: 10-3 (7-2 Big Ten), 2nd in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: Northwestern ended 2017 on an eight game winning streak* that featured victories over No. 16 Michigan State and SEC foe Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. This also marked the second time in three seasons that Northwestern won 10 games in a season, quite a feat for the former basement dwelling side. The schedule will not be easy but the Wildcats are an experienced team and could be a real threat to win the West division.

*Northwestern defeated Purdue 31-27 on Thursday night to extend its winning streak to nine games.

Schedule

Purdue Boilermakers

Official Name: Purdue University
Head Coach: Jeff Brohm (2nd season)
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-5 Big Ten), 4th in Big Ten West

2018 Outlook: Back in the postseason after four years away, Purdue exceeded expectations under first year coach Jeff Brohm in 2017. They may find the road back to the postseason a little more difficult in 2018 with a difficult schedule but most major matchups will on their home turf. If the Boilermakers can pull a few upsets like last season, a second straight bowl trip may be on the horizon.

Schedule

Wisconsin Badgers

Official Name: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Head Coach: Paul Chryst (4th season)
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
2017 Recap: 13-1 (9-0 Big Ten), 1st in Big Ten West, Big Ten runner-up

2018 Outlook: No team better encapsulates Big Ten football than the Wisconsin Badgers and they make it work in a way that produces results. A loss in the Big Ten Championship game kept them out of the playoff but they took their frustrations out on Miami in the Orange Bowl. The schedule is a little more difficult for the Badgers this season but they are a safe bet to notch a fifth consecutive double-digit win season and book a return trip to Indianapolis for the third time in four years.

Schedule

All schedules courtesy fbschedules.com

Five Games to Watch

Michigan v. Notre Dame (September 1st): If Michigan wants to be considered a national contender then they will need to make a statement on opening weekend with a victory in primetime against the Fighting Irish.

Penn State v. Ohio State (September 29th): A game that could very well decide the Big Ten East division and it will be a White Out night in Happy Valley. This will mark Urban Meyer’s first road game/Big Ten game following his three game suspension.

Michigan State v. Michigan (October 20th): This game is always a fun inter-state rivalry but it carries more importance than ever given the national implications at play. This matchup is a sandwich game between a showdown with Penn State for both sides.

Penn State v. Wisconsin (November 10th): By the time this game rolls around, the Big Ten picture should be taking shape. Depending on how things fall as the season progresses, this showdown could very well be a preview of the Big Ten Championship scheduled to take place just three weeks later.

Ohio State v. Michigan (November 24th): Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany would love nothing more than for this game to have conference and national implications riding on it. One of the biggest rivalries in all of college football could decide much more than just bragging rights.

2018 Big Ten Predictions

It would not be a preview post without making some season predictions that will surely be wrong before the calendar hits October. Here is the Bat Flip’s official 2018 Big Ten football predictions.

Projected Order of Finish

East: Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers

West: Wisconsin, Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois

Big Ten Championship Game

Penn State def. Wisconsin, 38-30

Individual Awards

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year: Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa, DL, Ohio State

Big Ten Coach of the Year: James Franklin, Penn State

That’s a wrap on our 2018 Big Ten football preview. Stay tuned for more college football coverage throughout the 2018 season and you can check out our full college football preview episode of the FlipCast right here.

College Football Preview: Pac-12

Our college football preview continues with the Pac-12 taking its turn through the preview lineup. Shutout of the College Football Playoff last season, the Pac-12 features a trio of teams looking to represent the conference on the game’s biggest stage at the end of the season. Based on the preseason polls, Washington is the early favorite to win the conference and potentially make the playoff but Stanford and USC also have title aspirations.

Based strictly on the eye test, the North division of the Pac-12 looks to be the stronger of the two divisions especially if Oregon continues to rebuild its program. Down in the South division, defending conference champion USC will be the preseason favorite but all told the division appears to be wide open for the taking. If a team like Utah or Arizona can put it all together it is entirely possible we see a non-traditional power playing for the title.

Everything you could possibly want to know about the Pac-12 in 2018 is included in our conference preview, beginning with a breakdown of all twelve schools.

The Teams

Twelve schools makes up the Pac-12 conference with teams being split into two divisions of six schools a piece. The divisions are as follows:

North: California Golden Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars.

South: Arizona State Sun Devils, Arizona Wildcats, Colorado Buffaloes, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Utah Utes.

Each team will play everyone in its division along with four sides from the opposite division for a total of nine conference games during the 2018 season. Once the regular season ends, the winner of the North division and the South division will face off at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara for the Pac-12 Championship.

North Division

California Golden Bears

Official Name: University of California, Berkeley
Head Coach: Justin Wilcox (2nd season)
Location: Berkeley, California
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Pac-12), 5th in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: A solid start last season had California dreaming of a bowl appearance but a bad showing in conference play derailed its season and left them on the outside looking in. Justin Wilcox now enters his second season with 18 starters returning and eyes on taking the Golden Bears bowling for only the third time this decade.

Schedule

Oregon Ducks

Official Name: University of Oregon
Head Coach: Mario Cristobal (1st season)
Location: Eugene, Oregon
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-5 Pac-12), 4th in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: A few lean seasons may be a thing of the past for the Ducks as they look primed for a breakout season under first year head coach Mario Cristobal. Starting quarterback Justin Herbert is healthy and ready to lead a potent offense that averaged over 50 points with him behind center. Washington and Stanford will be the preseason favorites, but this Oregon side could turn a few heads in 2018.

Schedule

Oregon State Beaver

Official Name: Oregon State University
Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (1st season)
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
2017 Recap: 1-11 (0-9 Pac-12) 6th in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: Safe to say things could not have gone much worse for the Beavers last season as bowl dreams quickly evaporated following a 1-5 start. First year head coach Jonathan Smith faces some hurdles in taking over the Beavers but expectations will be low so he has time to rebuild the program without too much pressure on his shoulders.

Schedule

Stanford Cardinal

Official Name: Stanford University
Head Coach: David Shaw (8th season)
Location: Stanford, California
2017 Recap: 9-5 (7-2 Pac-12), 1st in Pac-12 North, Pac-12 Runner-up

2018 Outlook: One of the most consistent teams in college football is back and has another 10 win season, and perhaps more, on its mind in 2018. Heisman favorite Bryce Love returned for his senior season and should put up massive numbers on the ground once again. The schedule does Stanford no favors (away to Oregon, Notre Dame, and Washington), but The Cardinal have the talent to get the job done on any given Saturday.

Schedule

Washington Huskies

Official Name: University of Washington
Head Coach: Chris Petersen
Location: Seattle, Washington
2017 Recap: 10-3 (7-2 Pac-12), 2nd in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: Coming off a slight backwards slide following a playoff appearance in 2016, Chris Petersen and the Huskies are ready for a return to national prominence. They will enter the 2018 season as co-favorites with Stanford to win the North. If things go plan, Washington should be playing in its third straight major bowl game with hopes of playing for much more come the new year.

Schedule

Washington State Cougars

Official Name: Washington State University
Head Coach: Mike Leach (7th season)
Location: Pullman, Washington
2017 Recap: 9-4 (6-3 Pac-12), 3rd in Pac-12 North

2018 Outlook: A lot of talent left the Cougars program in the offseason so Mike Leach will have his hands full trying to replicate the success of 2017. Pac-12 career passing leader Luke Falk has moved on but expect more Air Raid from the Cougars regardless of who replaces him. If you want to watch some enjoyable late-night college football, Washington State is a pretty safe bet.

Schedule

South Division

Arizona State Sun Devils

Official Name: Arizona State University
Head Coach: Herm Edwards (1st season)
Location: Tempe, Arizona
2017 Recap: 7-6 (6-3 Pac-12), 2nd in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Don’t let their Pac-12 South finish fool you, the Sun Devils were a very much flawed team who just so happened to play in a very week conference division last season. First year head coach Herm Edwards was one of the most interesting college hires in a long time. It will be worth keeping an eye on Tempe to see what he has cooking for his first college coaching stint.

Schedule

Arizona Wildcats

Official Name: University of Arizona
Head Coach: Kevin Sumlin
Location: Tucson, Arizona
2017 Recap: 7-6 (5-4 Pac-12), 3rd in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Arizona will be worth watching just to see what quarterback Khalili Tate does for an encore after bursting onto the scene last year. Tate is a potential Heisman finalist and playing in new head coach Kevin Sumlin’s system should help him put up some major numbers. The South division could be a wide open race and the Wildcats have a chance to make some noise in 2018.

Schedule

Colorado Buffaloes

Official Name: University of Colorado Boulder
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (6th season)
Location: Boulder, Colorado
2017 Recap: 5-7 (2-7 Pac-12), 6th in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: A rebuilding year in 2017 saw the Buffaloes fall just a win shy of bowl eligibility. With a year of experience under their belt, Colorado will look to return to bowl play this season. Playing in a wide open division should play to their advantage where a few minor upsets could see them making a return trip to the Pac-12 championship game.

Schedule

UCLA Bruins

Official Name: University of California, Los Angeles
Head Coach: Chip Kelly (1st season)
Location: Los Angeles, California
2017 Recap: 6-7 (4-5 Pac-12), 4th in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Chip Kelly makes his long awaited return to the college game as head coach of the UCLA Bruins. Kelly’s glory days from his time at Oregon are hard to forget but don’t expect an immediate return to glory for the Bruins under the new boss. The schedule is brutal and the team is adjusting to an entirely new system on both sides of the ball.

Schedule

USC Trojans

Official Name: University of Southern California
Head Coach: Clay Helton (3rd season)
Location: Los Angeles, California
2017 Recap: 11-3 (8-1 Pac-12), 1st in Pac-12 South, Pac-12 Champion

2018 Outlook: Replacing Sam Darnold will be a major factor is how much success the Trojans have in 2018. They will enter the season as the South division favorites but back-to-back road games against Stanford and Texas in September will show just how serious of a national threat this side really is. If they can survive to October, the schedule lightens up considerably and anything is possible.

Schedule

Utah Utes

Official Name: University of Utah
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham (14th season)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
2017 Recap: 7-6 (3-6 Pac-12), 5th in Pac-12 South

2018 Outlook: Drawing Washington, Stanford, and Oregon from the North almost seems unfair for Utah but they will have the talent to keep up with the heavyweights of the Pac-12 after a struggle last season. Pulling a few upsets along the way could put the Utes into their first Pac-12 title game in history.

Schedule

Five Games to Watch

Washington v. Auburn (September 1st): A meeting of two national title contenders on the opening week of the season in Atlanta. You cannot ask for much more than that.

Stanford v. USC (September 8th): This will be the first real test for either of these sides and very well could be a Pac-12 Championship preview regardless of the result.

Washington v. Oregon (October 22nd): If Oregon hopes to reign supreme in the North then this will be a game they have to win in order to do so.

Washington v. Stanford (November 3rd): This matchup could very likely be a Pac-12 Championship semi-final to determine which side wins the North and which side has to settle for second.

USC v. Notre Dame (November 24th): One of the oldest rivalries in college football has delivered some spectacular games in the past. If things break right, this contest could have national implications.

2018 Pac-12 Predictions

It would not be a preview post without making some season predictions that will surely be wrong before the calendar hits October. Here is the Bat Flip’s official 2018 Pac-12 football predictions.

Projected Order of Finish

North: Washington, Stanford, Oregon, Washington State, California, Oregon State

South: USC, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, UCLA, Arizona State

Pac-12 Championship Game

Washington def. USC, 38-20

Individual Awards

Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year: Bryce Love, RB, Stanford

Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Smith, LB, USC

Pac-12 Coach of the Year: Chris Petersen, Washington

That’s a wrap on our 2018 Pac-12 football preview. Stay tuned throughout the week for more conference recaps along with a special college football preview episode of The FlipCast coming later in the week.

College Football Preview: SEC

Depending on who you talk to, college football begins and ends with the Southeastern Conference, better known as the SEC. To many fans, the SEC is the premier conference in college football and it’s very hard to argue against that claim. Since 2003, 11 of the 15 schools who won the National Championship have come from the SEC. Led by Alabama (five titles since 2009), the SEC has produced a laundry list of great teams over the last few years.

As the 2018 season prepares to kickoff in the coming days, the SEC looks poised once again to have a team or two in the College Football Playoff come January. Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia lead the pack of early national title contenders from the conference but once the games begin, it becomes anyone’s game.

Most of the strength in the SEC comes from the West division that includes Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and LSU. Defending SEC champion Georgia enters the season the heavy favorite in the East division but everyone else will be gunning for the Bulldogs this year.

In this preview you will find a full breakdown of everything you will need to know about the SEC this coming season from the teams, to the players, to who will be crowned conference champion in Atlanta.

Let’s get started shall we.

The Teams

Fourteen schools comprise the SEC with the teams being split evenly into two divisions of seven schools a piece. The divisions are as follows:

East: Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores.

West: Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, LSU Tigers, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, Texas A&M Aggies.

Each team will play everyone in its division along with two sides from the opposite division for a total of eight conference games during the 2018 season. Once the regular season ends, the winner of the East division and the West division will face off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.

East Division

Florida Gators

Official Name: University of Florida
Head Coach: Dan Mullen (1st season)
Location: Gainesville, Florida
2017 Recap: 4-7 (3-5 SEC), 5th in SEC East

2018 Outlook: A turbulent 2017 season saw Florida change head coaches and bring in Dan Mullen from Mississippi State in the offseason. This will be Mullen’s second stint at Florida following a successful run as offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008. The Gators are returning 19 starters from last year and should be much improved with Mullen at the helm.

Schedule

Georgia Bulldogs

Official Name: University of Georgia
Head Coach: Kirby Smart (3rd season)
Location: Athens. Georgia
2017 Recap: 13-2 (7-1 SEC), 1st in SEC East, 2017 SEC Champion, National Runner-Up

2018 Outlook: You cannot come any closer to a national championship without winning one than Georgia last season. Leading in the fourth quarter over fellow SEC side Alabama in the National Championship game, the Georgia defense could not hold at the Bulldogs ultimately fell in overtime. Some big names left for the NFL but Kirby Smart and his staff should have the Bulldogs back in Atlanta as the class of the East division.

Schedule

Kentucky Wildcats

Official Name: University of Kentucky
Head Coach: Mark Stoops (6th season)
Location: Lexington, Kentucky
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-4 SEC), 3rd in SEC East

2018 Outlook: You never quite know what you will be getting with Mark Stoops and Kentucky year in and year out but they manage to put a respectful team on the field for the most part. They will not be a favorite to win the division but it is possible they could put a scare into some teams. Beating Florida will be the main goal which has not happened in over three decades.

Schedule

Missouri Tigers

Official Name: University of Missouri
Head Coach: Barry Odom (3rd season)
Location: Columbia, Missouri
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-4 SEC), 4th in SEC East

2018 Outlook: Missouri is another unspectacular team from a weak East division of the SEC. The Tigers returned to bowl play last season and look to be a team on the rise under head coach Barry Odom but it is hard to see them pushing Georgia for the East division crown this season. Another season of improvement in 2018 will show the Tigers are on the right track.

Schedule

South Carolina Gamecocks

Official Name: University of South Carolina
Head Coach: Will Muschamp (3rd season)
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
2017 Recap: 9-4 (5-3 SEC), 2nd in SEC East

2018 Outlook: If there is any threat to Georgia in the East it may reside right here in Columbia, South Carolina with the Gamecocks. A solid showing in 2017 was capped off with an impressive Outback Bowl victory over Michigan and gave the school momentum heading into 2018. Entering the season, South Carolina only has two ranked opponents on the schedule in Georgia and Clemson. Avoiding an inexplicable loss to a fellow East side could see the Gamecocks back in a New Year’s Day bowl.

Schedule

Tennessee Volunteers

Official Name: University of Tennessee
Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt (1st season)
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
2017 Recap: 4-8 (0-8 SEC), 7th in SEC East

2018 Outlook: Good news for the Volunteers? Things cannot get much worse than last year. Bad news? Their 2018 schedule features Georgia, Auburn, and Alabama all in a row. First year head coach Jeremy Pruitt enters with a lot of pressure to resurrect a once proud program. It will not happen overnight, but there needs to be signs of improvement or the fans will be restless once again.

Schedule

Vanderbilt Commodores

Official Name: Vanderbilt University
Head Coach: Derek Mason (5th season)
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
2017 Recap: 5-7 (1-7 SEC), 6th in SEC East

2018 Outlook: Historically, Vanderbilt is bad at football. They have been somewhat more respectable in recent seasons with former head coach James Franklin bringing the program out of obscurity. Since Franklin left, the Commodores have taken a step back with only one bowl appearance since 2013. An improving East division could spell trouble if the Commodores fail to improve.

Schedule

West Division

Alabama Crimson Tide

Official Name: University of Alabama
Head Coach: Nick Saban (12th season)
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
2017 Recap: 13-1 (7-1 SEC), 2nd in SEC West, National Champion

2018 Outlook: It is very hard to win consistently in college football. It is even harder to win at the rate Alabama has one since Nick Saban took over as head coach. The Crimson Tide have been the class of the SEC and college football over the past decade and are the preseason favorites to lift another national championship trophy. It almost feels like a given to pencil them in for the College Football Playoff.

Schedule

Arkansas Razorbacks

Official Name: University of Arkansas
Head Coach: Chad Morris (1st season)
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
2017 Recap: 4-8 (1-7 SEC), 7th in SEC West

2018 Outlook: A wasted year in 2017 brought about a much needed coaching change for the Razorbacks. Seventeen starters are returning to this year’s squad but a stacked SEC West will make it hard to compete right off the bat for Chad Morris. The schedule is favorable with only three SEC road games and a rather bland non-conference slate. A return to bowl play is not out of the question.

Schedule

Auburn Tigers

Official Name: Auburn University
Head Coach: Gus Malzahn (6th season)
Location: Auburn, Alabama
2017 Recap: 10-4 (7-1 SEC), 1st in SEC West, SEC Championship Runner-Up

2018 Outlook: Based on what they showed last season, Auburn should be a favorite to win the SEC and possibly the National Championship. There is no doubt the talent is there for the Tigers, but the 2018 schedule is an absolute gauntlet. Road games at Mississippi State, Georgia, and Alabama in the second half of the season will decide where Auburn ends up. They also kick off against No. 6 Washington in Atlanta. If they can find some big wins on the road, the Tigers should be in mix at the very end.

Schedule

LSU Tigers

Official Name: Louisiana State University
Head Coach: Ed Orgeron (2nd season)
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2017 Recap: 9-4 (6-2 SEC), 3rd in SEC West

2018 Outlook: Another SEC West powerhouse that could easily play for a national title or settle for a middling bowl depending on how things shake out. They will open the 2018 season against No. 8 Miami where a win could go a long way come December. They will have to face Georgia, Mississippi State, and Alabama in a three week span but all three games will be taking place in Death Valley. That stretch will likely determine the Tigers’ fate in 2018.

Schedule

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Official Name: Mississippi State University
Head Coach: Joe Moorhead (1st season)
Location: Starkville, Mississippi
2017 Recap: 9-4 (4-4 SEC), 4th in SEC West

2018 Outlook: Head coach Dan Mullen bolted for Florida so the Bulldogs went out and poached Joe Moorhead from his offensive coordinator position at Penn State to replace Mullen. Moorhead comes to Starkville having turned Penn State into an offensive powerhouse and has the weapons to do the same in Starkville. Winning in the SEC is never easy, but if one side is poised to play dark horse it could be the Bulldogs under the leadership of Moorhead. Seventeen starters, including quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, will be returning.

Schedule

Ole Miss Rebels

Official Name: University of Mississippi
Head Coach: Matt Luke (2nd season)
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
2017 Recap: 6-6 (3-5 SEC), 6th in SEC East, Postseason ban

2018 Outlook: Regardless of record, Ole Miss will not be participating in a bowl game this season due to a self imposed bowl ban for NCAA violations. Head coach Matt Luke did a fine job last season after taking over in late spring to lead the Rebels to a 6-6 record. Their hardest conference games are all on home soil so that will be going into their favor. If Luke can inspire this group once again with no postseason to play for, the Rebels could cause some issues among the SEC West elites.

Schedule

Texas A&M Aggies

Official Name: Texas A&M University
Head Coach: Jimbo Fisher (1st season)
Location: College Station, Texas
2017 Recap: 7-6 (4-4 SEC), 5th in SEC West

2018 Outlook: The biggest SEC recruitment this past offseason wasn’t a player, but a coach. Jimbo Fisher left Florida State and headed west to College Station, Texas where the former national championship winning coach will take over the Aggies program. It won’t be instant success for Fisher at A&M but he has the chance to make an early statement with games against Clemson and Alabama in the first month of the season. Any step forward for the program is positive for recruiting and this time next year A&M could be a national favorite.

Schedule

Five Game to Watch

Auburn v. Washington (September 1st): One of the marquee games of the opening weekend of the college football season. Should be a good measuring stick for two sides with dreams of a playoff berth.

Texas A&M v. Clemson (September 8th): This will be Jimbo Fisher’s first chance to make a real impression with the Aggies and it comes in primetime against a familiar for for Fisher.

Mississippi State v. Auburn (October 6th): If things go right, Mississippi State should enter this game 5-0 and close to the top 10 in the rankings. To this point, the schedule is light for the Bulldogs so this could be a major statement game.

Florida v. Georgia (October 27th): It’s hard to predict just exactly where these teams will be sitting at the end of October but this could game could play a very large role in determing the SEC and the national championship picture.

Alabama v. Auburn (November 24th): When both sides are on top of their game, the “Iron Bowl” just feels a little more special. Auburn got the win last year but Alabama took home the ultimate prize with another national title.

2018 SEC Predictions

It would not be a preview post without making some season predictions that will surely be wrong before the calendar hits October. Here is the Bat Flip’s official 2018 SEC football predictions.

Projected Order of Finish

East: Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

West: Alabama, Mississippi State, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas

SEC Championship Game

Alabama def. Georgia 42-38

Individual Awards

SEC Offensive Player of the Year: Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn

SEC Defensive Player of the Year: Raekwon Davis, DL, Alabama

SEC Coach of the Year: Joe Moorhead, Mississippi State

That’s a wrap on our 2018 SEC football preview. Stay tuned throughout the week for more conference recaps along with a special college football preview episode of The FlipCast coming later in the week,