SEC EAST
Florida Gators
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Ole Miss, Oct. 17
Game Before: LSU
Game After: Georgia (in Jacksonville)
There’s a week off before the annual date with the Dawgs in Jacksonville, but good luck keeping the Gators from looking past Lane Kiffin’s Rebels. It’s not just what’s ahead, or facing LSU the week before. This is the slight breather after an interesting first half of the season.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Georgia Bulldogs
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Missouri, Oct. 17
Game Before: Auburn
Game After: Florida (in Jacksonville)
Like Florida, Georgia gets a week off before the battle in Jacksonville. Also like Florida, it has to keep its focus on the road, only it has to go to Missouri right after it has to deal with a fun show down against Auburn.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Kentucky Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Mississippi State, Nov. 14
Game Before: at Tennessee
Game After: Georgia
It’s one of those late-season dog days games. The Cats are coming off of road games at Missouri and Tennessee and close out with Georgia and the rivalry date at Louisville. In between all that is Mike Leach’s team. By this point in the season, Mississippi State’s passing game should be working.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Missouri Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Eastern Michigan, Sept. 26
Game Before: at South Carolina
Game After: at Tennessee
Right in the middle of the start of the SEC season is the supposed layup game against Eastern Michigan – the program that pushed Duke in the Quick Lane Bowl and beat Illinois last season. Mizzou gets the Eagles between SEC road games at South Carolina at Tennessee.
– Full Schedule Analysis
South Carolina Gamecocks
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Vanderbilt, Oct. 31
Game Before: Texas A&M
Game After: Georgia
The Gamecocks have an interesting run of SEC games through the first part of the season, and then they get a key week off right in the middle of the fun. Right after is a date with Texas A&M, and coming up in November is the home showdown against a Georgia team seeking revenge. In between is the trip to Vanderbilt.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Tennessee Volunteers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Furman, Sept. 19
Game Before: at Oklahoma
Game After: Florida
Furman was able to push Virginia Tech last year in a 24-17 loss. This year, it’s supposedly the early season layup for Tennessee to fatten up on between a trip to Oklahoma and the SEC opener in a showdown against Florida.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Vanderbilt Commodores
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Colorado State, Sept. 26
Game Before: at Kansas State
Game After: at Georgia
The Commodores have three road games in four weeks after opening up against Mercer. They go to Missouri and Kansas State, and then get a Colorado State team that should be stronger and more dangerous under new head coach Steve Addazio. There can’t be any looking ahead to the trip to Georgia.
– Full Schedule Analysis
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SEC WEST
Alabama Crimson Tide
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Georgia State, Sept. 12
Game Before: USC (in Dallas)
Game After: Georgia
The date with UT Martin in mid-November is the real sandwich game, coming in between the trip to LSU and before dealing with Texas A&M and Auburn, but Georgia State – the program that beat Tennessee last season – early on is slightly more dangerous. Bama plays the Panthers after starting with USC and before Georgia.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Arkansas Razorbacks
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Kent State, Sept. 5
Game Before: None
Game After: at Notre Dame
Remember, Arkansas needed everything in the bag to get by Portland State to start last season. This time around, it’ll be all fired up to start out the Sam Pittman era with a bang before going to Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Arlington to play Texas A&M, and with Alabama and LSU soon to follow. Kent State is going to have just enough to pull off the shocker in the opener.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Auburn Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: UMass, Nov. 14
Game Before: Arkansas
Game After: LSU
UMass shouldn’t be any sort of a problem, and it’s not even that much of a sandwich date with a shouldn’t-be-an-issue game with Arkansas the week before. However, when it comes to focus and letdown, what comes after is devastating – LSU, at Alabama.
– Full Schedule Analysis
LSU Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: South Carolina, Nov. 14
Game Before: Alabama
Game After: at Auburn
The defending national champs have a few rough games early – Texas, at Florida – but it’s the finishing kick that’s the problem. There can’t be any letting down against South Carolina after facing Alabama the week before and with road dates at Auburn and Texas A&M to close things out.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Ole Miss Rebels
Letdown/Sandwich Game: SE Missouri State, Sept. 12
Game Before: Baylor (in Houston)
Game After: Auburn
SE Missouri State – even after going 9-4 last year and making the FCS playoffs – shouldn’t be too much of a problem for Lane Kiffin’s team. However, before dealing with the Redhawks, the Rebels start out against Baylor in Houston, and after comes a run of Auburn, at LSU and Alabama.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Missouri, Nov. 7
Game Before: Auburn
Game After: at Kentucky
It’s not just having to deal with Missouri in early November with a trip to Kentucky up next and after hosting Auburn. It’s playing Auburn after going on the road to play Alabama and LSU, too. MSU is going to need a breather, and it might not get it.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Texas A&M Aggies
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Vanderbilt, Nov. 14
Game Before: Ole Miss
Game After: at Alabama
A&M has several letdown possibilities throughout the year, but dealing with what should be a mediocre Vanderbilt team in mid-November is going to be one of the biggest focus concerns. It comes after the fun of playing Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss squad, and before going to Alabama and closing things out against LSU.
– Full Schedule Analysis
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