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As productive as Mississippi State’s Johnthan Banks was last season, he was overshadowed by some of the SEC’s other cornerbacks.

That’s going to happen when you play in the same league as Morris Claiborne, Tyrann Mathieu, Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie, Casey Hayward, Stephon Gilmore and Brandon Boykin.

“I felt like I was right up there with those guys, and this year, I know I’m going to be up there,” said Banks, who decided to return for his senior season after weighing his NFL draft options. “But, really, it doesn’t matter what I think. All that matters is how I play and how much I help my team get back to being where we think we should be.”

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Banks did his part a year ago and then some. He finished third in the SEC with 14 passes defended and tied for fourth with five interceptions. He also had 71 total tackles, including eight for loss, and led the Bulldogs with three forced fumbles.

He was the only cornerback in the SEC last season with at least 70 tackles and five interceptions.

“Maybe I can do more this year, if that’s what it takes,” said Banks, who was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2011. “But we have a defense coming back that I think can be even better than we were last year. We’ve got just about our whole secondary back, and it hurts to lose Fletcher (Cox). But I’m excited to see what some of these new guys are going to do on the field. From what I’ve seen, I think Quay Evans and Denico Autry are going to live up to the hype.”

Evans, a 6-3, 305-pound tackle, was an ESPNU 150 member and rated as the No. 13 tackle prospect in the country. He enrolled early and will go through spring practice, which was scheduled to begin Thursday afternoon but has been postponed due to weather concerns. The 6-5, 260-pound Autry was rated as one of the top junior college defensive ends in the country.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who can play football, and that’s one of the reasons I came back,” Banks said. “Some of the redshirt freshmen like (linebacker) Bernardrick McKinney and (cornerback) Taveze Calhoun are going to make an impact on this defense.”

Banks grew up in Maben, Miss., a tiny town about 20 miles west of Starkville. It’s where he learned to ride horses, one of his many interests. He also aspires to be a state highway patrolman once his football career is over, which is appropriate given the way he locks down on receivers.

“Football’s not going to be there forever,” Banks said.

Mississippi State was the only major school to offer him a scholarship. Ole Miss sent him several letters, but Banks is quick to note that the Rebels never offered him a scholarship.

“Mississippi State was the only one, and that means something,” Banks said. “It still does. I want to make sure I give as much back as possible before I leave this place.”

He jokes that the reason no other schools outside the state of Mississippi offered him a scholarship is because nobody could find him. The population of Maben isn’t even 1,000, and Banks played at Class A East Webster High School.

“If you put Maben on a GPS, you still wouldn’t find it,” Banks said. “I didn’t go to a lot of camps, either, so a lot of people just didn’t know about me.”

He was also rail-thin when he came out of high school and looked more like a basketball player than an SEC football player.

But having spent three years now in Matt Balis’ strength and conditioning program, Banks has added weight and strength to his 6-2 frame. His height, not to mention his long arms, comes in handy when he’s shadowing receivers.

Banks also has excellent closing speed and knows what to do with the ball once he gets it in his hands. He’s returned three of his 12 career interceptions for touchdowns. He’s also pretty crafty when it comes to baiting quarterbacks to throw his way.

“I’ve worked hard this offseason to get better at some of the things I wasn’t as good at,” said Banks, who needs five interceptions to pass Walt Harris as Mississippi State’s all-time leader in interceptions. “I still need to be more physical, and I still need to get better at studying tape. I’m going to be a better student of the game.”

Banks also plans on going out the right way.

Even though the Bulldogs won their second straight bowl game a year ago, the first time that’s happened since 1999 and 2000, he was far from satisfied with the 7-6 record. The Bulldogs were 9-4 the year before, sending expectations sky-high.

“We have a chip on our shoulder,” Banks said. “Last year was pretty much a disappointment for us and our fans. We just didn’t have that edge for every game.

“We’ve got that dog back in us now, and I think it’s going to show on the field.”

Notre Dame entered 2011 as the Associated Press' preseason No. 16 team, expectations high and a BCS-bowl berth in sight.

Things didn't go according to plan. But were the Irish the biggest disappointment of this past college football season?

Turns out they'll have to settle for No. 2 in that category.

CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy broke down the preseason AP poll, using it as a measuring stick to see whom the voters were right (or close to being right) about while acknowledging those they whiffed on. McMurphy listed the 48 schools that received a vote in the preseason poll and calculated the difference from where they finished in the final poll.

The numbers showed that preseason No. 8 Texas A&M, at minus-41, was the biggest disappointment of 2011, with Notre Dame right behind the Aggies at minus-33. Ohio State (minus-31), Mississippi State (minus-29) and Florida (minus-27) rounded out the top five disappointments. Those five, plus Missouri (preseason No. 21, minus-8) and Auburn (preseason No. 23, minus-4) made up the seven schools that were not ranked in the final poll after being ranked in the preseason.

Preseason unranked Baylor (plus-36) finished as the biggest surprise.

And, in a reassuring sign for sportswriters everywhere, No. 7 Stanford, No. 14 TCU and No. 19 Georgia finished in the exact same spots as their preseason rankings.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-6) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-6)

Dec. 30, 6:40 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Mississippi State take from SEC blogger Edward Aschoff: After the 2010 season, in which the Bulldogs had their first nine-win season since 1999, the expectations in Starkville skyrocketed.

Third-year coach Dan Mullen appeared to have enough returning on offense to continue riding that momentum. Losing a couple of key members to the front seven on defense was worrisome, but the offense was always supposed to lead the way.

After the first two weeks, the Bulldogs were averaging 588 yards and 46.5 points, but a goal-line stop of quarterback Chris Relf might have changed everything for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State came up less than a foot short of going to overtime against Auburn when Relf was stopped as time expired in a 41-34 heartbreaker.

The Bulldogs were never the same after that, as injuries hurt the offensive line and they lost three of their next five.

Mullen entered the season with only two wins against Western Division opponents, with both coming against Ole Miss. Nothing changed in 2011, as the Bulldogs’ only SEC wins came against Kentucky and the Rebels.

While the offense struggled throughout the season, Mississippi’s defense kept the Bulldogs in games for most of the year. By sweeping the nonconference schedule and blowing out Ole Miss at the end of the year, Mississippi State became bowl eligible for the second straight year under Mullen and will look to win its fifth straight bowl game.

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Wake Forest take by ACC blogger Heather Dinich: The Deacs had a disappointing finish to the season, losing four of their final five games. Considering they made it to the postseason following last season's 3-9 campaign, 2011 was a success.

Wake Forest was a much-improved team, and put itself in position to win the Atlantic Division title. Even more surprising was the fact that it came down to a last-second, game-winning field goal against Clemson, which clinched the division with the 31-28 win over the Deacs on Nov. 12. Wake Forest beat Maryland the following week to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2008, and will be making the program’s fifth bowl appearance in 11 years under coach Jim Grobe.

Much of Wake’s success this year can be attributed to the maturation of quarterback Tanner Price, and the development of several key players around him like receiver Chris Givens. Cornerback Merrill Noel was named the ACC’s defensive rookie of the year and he has 20 passes defended.

The Deacons have compiled a 6-3 (.667) record in their nine previous bowl appearances and are 3-1 in bowl games under Grobe. The Deacs have won five of their last six bowl games. Wake Forest and Mississippi State will be meeting for the first time.

In the Hemingway novel, "The Sun Also Rises," a character is asked how he went bankrupt. He replies, "Two ways ... gradually and then suddenly."

And so we have the firing of Arizona coach Mike Stoops midway through his eighth season Monday.

On Oct. 30 of last year, Arizona won at UCLA and improved to 7-1 overall. The Wildcats, then ranked 13th in the AP poll, were headed to Stanford for a marquee showdown. The program's first-ever Rose Bowl was in play. Stoops was coming off consecutive eight-win seasons. He appeared to be on the cusp of becoming a hot coaching prospect.

But the Wildcats were slammed 42-17. It would be the first of 10 consecutive losses to FBS teams. As the losses piled up, "hot" became the way to describe Stoops' seat instead of his prospects.

Stoops, 49, inherited a program in the absolute dregs in 2004. The Wildcats hadn't posted a winning season since 1998. After a slow start, he led Arizona to three consecutive bowl games.

But the wheels came off badly this season. After opening with a victory over Northern Arizona, the Wildcats were blown out in four consecutive games. The schedule was brutal. The losing streak included two losses each to Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma State and USC. But it also included one to archrival Arizona State to end the 2010 regular season. Then on Saturday, the Wildcats lost to then 0-4 Oregon State.

When the Wildcats lost to the beleaguered Beavers, the universal reaction was Stoops was in trouble. But few figured it would end so quickly.

Stoops was told Monday afternoon by athletic director Greg Byrne of the decision to fire him. Defensive coordinator Tim Kish will serve as interim coach.

“It just ended," Stoops said. "That’s his decision as the leader of the program. It is what it is.”

Byrne and school president Eugene Sander told reporters at a news conference announcing the decision that the speculation on Stoops' future was becoming a distraction.

Stoops will get a $1.4 million buyout. When I talked to him Monday, he was more gracious than grim. It's possible that the losing and frustration were wearing him down as much as they were fans and administrators.

Stoops, who leaves Tucson with a 41-50 overall record and a 27-38 mark in conference games, was heavily criticized for his animated sideline persona. He was not a guy who tried to hide his frustrations -- at officials, players or other coaches -- during games. When he won, it was tolerated, even amusing. When he lost, it was seen as a significant negative.

And little went right this year, starting in spring practices, when injuries to several key starters -- most notably safety Adam Hall and linebacker Jake Fischer -- started a downward spiral.

Two other issues hounded Stoops: (1) He had the best quarterback in program history in Nick Foles (the Wildcats haven't had a quarterback who even approximates Foles); (2) the defense, Stoops' bailiwick, is terrible.

Don't cry too hard for Stoops, though. He'll land on his feet. He's respected and well-connected as a coach -- his brother is Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and he's good friends with Nebraska coach Bo Pelini. He'll get job offers, most likely in the short term as a defensive coordinator. And he's probably learned plenty of lessons during his first tour as a head coach that might help him get a second chance.

So what next for Arizona?

The first question: How much is Arizona willing to pay? Stoops' $1.4 million annual salary sounds great for most of us, but is fairly middling among marquee coaches. And beyond Stoops' replacement, you have to pay a coaching staff. Salaries for assistant coaches have gone way up, well beyond what Stoops' staff was paid.

Top name you will hear: Boise State's Chris Petersen. Three words: Huge long shot.

Second name: Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen. Three words: Huge long shot.

Just because Byrne knows Petersen and Mullen doesn't mean either is eager to bolt to an uncertain situation.

Other names: Former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and former All-American Ricky Hunley.

All three of those guys would raise enthusiastic eyebrows. Each has plenty to offer.

The Wildcats are off until playing host to UCLA on Oct. 20, a Thursday night game. It will be interesting to see how the players react. Part of the reasoning to dump Stoops now was to make it easier for players to focus.

If the Wildcats were to end their losing streak, that reasoning would make sense.

And, of course, Arizona fans can always start thinking about basketball season.

The good news is a third automatic qualifying conference is going to a nine-game conference schedule, joining the Pac-12 and Big 12. The bad news is the Big Ten won't adopt the change until 2017.

Still, one of the controversial aspects of the Pac-10 and now the Pac-12 -- a nine-game conference schedule hurts a conference in the computer and human polls and makes for fewer bowl-eligible teams -- is becoming more the standard, not the exception.

The big question: Will the SEC follow suit?

Answer: Don't hold your breath. Not if the conference isn't forced to by the other automatic qualifying conferences making up the BCS, which should do exactly that in order to standardize scheduling. Otherwise, the Pac-12, Big Ten and Big 12 are competing on a more challenging playing field than the SEC and ACC, which also plays eight conference games.

Why would the SEC resist a nine-game schedule? Lots of reasons.

For one, it doesn't need a ninth conference game, like Pac-12 athletic directors would have you believe they do. SEC fans are so dedicated to their teams, they will sell out their home stadiums even to see a directional school. So why would SEC teams potentially give up an easy home win for a potential road loss?

SEC athletic directors are well aware that when their teams go West, they more often than not get stomped -- just ask Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi State (tip of the cap to LSU for traveling and winning, by the way).

Some SEC folks will get all magnanimous and tell you that playing East Patsy State helps the Fighting Petunias financially. So its about noblesse oblige.

Bollocks.

What it's really about is making life easier for the SEC. The top teams get an extra easy win, and the extra patsy means the bottom SEC teams can schedule four wins annually. That means the SEC bottom-feeders can schedule all the way to two games short of bowl eligibility.

Then, when eight or so teams are bowl eligible, pundits will be wowed by the depth of the SEC.

Further, the top-line SEC teams strength of schedule will be boosted by beating conference teams that schedule their way to a winning record or at least four wins.

Finally, eight conference games helps get teams preseason rankings, which is invaluable to the perception of a conference as well as the fortunes of its individual teams.

For example, take Mississippi State. Here's what they did last year. The Bulldogs have improved under Dan Mullen, but they would have been a middle-of-the-road team in the Pac-10 in 2010. They didn't beat any good teams, but they ended up 9-4 due to scheduling and finished ranked a wildly-inflated 15th.

And that earned them a No. 20 preseason ranking in the coaches poll, which the Bulldogs figure to maintain because they've scheduled four easy nonconference victories again: Memphis, Louisiana Tech, UAB and Tennessee-Martin.

No offense Mississippi State, but we'd love to see you schedule a game out West. You might enjoy a trip away from Starkville.

While we tweak in jest -- we're all friends here, right? -- this is a substantive issue.

Starting in 2017, you will have three conferences playing by one set of rules. And two others playing by another. That isn't good for college football.

Bowl games are rewards for successful seasons. At least that's the theory.

But what if you lose your bowl game? What does that say about that so-called successful season?

It's hard to call a bowl game a "must-win" because it's really not -- rarely does a bowl, for example, determine a coach's fate. But it seems reasonable to measure the four Pac-10 bowl games in terms of "need to win."

This is the fourth and final entry in our series rating how much each of the conference bowl teams needs to win its bowl game. You can review the first entry here, the second one here and No. 3 here.

Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 10, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Auburn Tigers (13-0) versus Oregon Ducks (12-0)


The set up: Two unbeaten teams. The SEC versus the Pac-10. The SEC going for a fifth consecutive national title. Oregon trying to win its first ever and establish itself as the preeminent power on the West Coast. Two Heisman Trophy finalist, with the winner, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, squaring off with the nation's leading rusher, the Ducks LaMichael James. Newton is a monster -- he's 6-foot-5, 250 pounds -- and has passed for 28 touchdowns and ran for 20 touchdowns, but the Ducks enter the game with the nation's most potent offense. Both teams have owned the fourth quarter, so no lead is safe. Only one team came within 10 points of the Ducks: California. Auburn beat six teams by eight or fewer points. Is Auburn more battle tested? Tigers fans think Auburn played a much tougher schedule. Pac-10 fans think Arizona State would have won the SEC East and Mississippi State would have finished ninth in the Pac-10, so the Ducks schedule was just as tough.

Why Oregon needs to win: You don't get many chances to win national championships. A perfect season is a rare thing in college football. When you have a chance to finish No. 1, No. 2 is the worst thing in the world. Further, the entire nation is rooting for the Ducks (other than Washington and Oregon State fans). The rest of college football wants to see the SEC humbled. The rest of college football -- including many SEC adherents -- have issues with the controversy that surrounds Newton. It's fair to say that the Ducks are wearing the white hats (and, by the way, will wear angelic white uniforms). It also would mean a lot for a second Pac-10 team to win a BCS national title, particularly with the conference becoming the Pac-12 in 2011 and negotiating a new TV deal. Finally, while Auburn is a slight favorite, a lot of "football people" think the Ducks are going to win and that they are a more complete team. It's probably an exaggeration to say Oregon "should" win. But they should.

Why just getting there is enough: Oregon has never won a national championship, so just getting to the Big Game is enough. After all, how many 12-1 seasons has Oregon had? The Ducks are a program on a steady climb, winning the national title would be great, but it would be pure gravy for a team with just one top-five ranking (2001, No. 2) in the final AP poll, one that has won its second consecutive outright Pac-10 title for the first time. And have you seen Newton and Auburn DT Nick Fairley? They are huge and they may be cannibals. Those guys are likely to eat Chip Kelly during a pregame function! Then what will those itty bitty Ducks do? No more gimmicks or sleight of hand or Autzen Advantage. Finally, Oregon is playing an SEC team. Eeeeek! Poor ole Oregon has no chance.

Conclusion: These are two very good, evenly matched teams. Newton is the best player in the nation -- perhaps the best college football player of the past decade. And Oregon has had a great season, win or lose. But this is the biggest stage in college football. Oregon can't waste this opportunity. Look, if you had one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted. One moment. Would you capture it or just let it slip? Oregon, this is your moment. Win the day.

Needs to win meter (scale of 1 to 10, "10" being a must-win): 8

It's time for a blogger debate! And it doesn't get much better than when we match the SEC and Pac-10.

Our topic: No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Auburn. Who's better and why?

Both are unbeaten, and if the season ended today, they'd play for the national title.

We've got lots of football left, and probably many more plot twists in the hunt for the national title, but there's no reason we can't engage in a hypothetical, is there?

So the Pac-10 blog -- Ted Miller -- and the SEC blog -- Chris Low -- have decided to meet for some civilized debate on Auburn versus Oregon.

Ted Miller: Chris, since things are so quiet in the sleepy SEC, I think we should spice things up with a Pac-10-SEC blogger debate! It seems like a long time since we last had a debate between our two conferences. How’d that one go? Let’s see I championed Taylor Mays and you celebrated Eric Berry. Wait. Why did I bring that up?

Anyway, our topic is Oregon and Auburn: Who’s better and why.

This is a potential national title game between the No. 1 Ducks and No. 2 Tigers, who are both unbeaten and feature Heisman Trophy candidates leading high-powered offenses.

You get first blood. Tell me about Auburn. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that Jay Jacobs was getting hounded for hiring Gene Chizik. Guessing that’s died down a wee-bit.

Chris Low: No doubt, Ted. I wonder where that obnoxious guy is now, the one yelling at Jacobs as he was leaving the airport after finalizing the deal with Chizik? Maybe Jacobs knew what he was doing after all. The guy with the 5-19 record at Iowa State has done all right by himself on the Plains. He has a Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback and the SEC's leading rusher in Cam Newton, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound freak of nature who runs like Bo Jackson and also has an NFL arm. Keep your eyes, too, on freshman running back Mike Dyer, who they haven't had to lean on much this season, but is oozing with talent and has fresh legs for this stretch run. The Tigers' defensive numbers are nothing to write home about, but they do have the kind of dominant interior defensive lineman, Nick Fairley, who can take over games. Georgia coach Mark Richt said Fairley's the closest thing he's seen to Warren Sapp. Auburn's calling card defensively has been making plays at key times in the fourth quarter. The Tigers have been a serviceable defense through three quarters this season, but they've been a championship-caliber defense in the fourth quarter -- which is why they're 10-0.

So tell me about Oregon?

Ted Miller: Speaking of coaches: How about Oregon’s Chip Kelly? How could he possibly expect to top winning the Pac-10 and playing in the Rose Bowl his first season? How about contending for a national title in his second? The Ducks, however, expected to be here when the 2009 season ended because just about everybody was coming back from the Pac-10 champions. That is until a guy you are now familiar with -- quarterback Jeremiah Masoli -- got caught up in some off-field issues and eventual got himself booted from the team. That seemingly left a void behind center, but sophomore Darron Thomas has not only filled Masoli’s shoes, he’s gone up a few sizes: He’s 15th in the nation in passing efficiency and 21st in the nation in total yardage. Meanwhile, speedy running back LaMichael James is the top Heisman alternative to your guy, Newton. As for the defense, it’s like the offense: Extremely fast. It ranks 13th in the nation in scoring defense and it has forced 28 turnovers, second-most in the nation. Folks often underestimate the Ducks' defense because it gives up some yards -- it ranks 29th in the nation in total defense -- but that’s because the offense scores so quickly: The nation’s No. 1 offense ranks 115th in the nation in time of possession. But the Ducks only give up 4.45 yards per play. Our factoid of the day is that number would rank No. 1 in ... wait for it ... the SEC!

Obviously, we're talking about two very good teams that have done impressive things on their way to remaining unbeaten. I know we both have Oregon ahead of Auburn in our power rankings, but give me the case for Auburn.

Chris Low: Ted, I think what separates Auburn is Newton. Nobody has been able to stop him. If you commit to taking away the run, he's proved he can beat people throwing the ball. And if you come after him and/or don't have enough people in the box, he's been magic running the ball. Keep in mind, too, that we're not talking about a 220-pound guy running the ball. We're talking about a 250-pound guy who's physical, tough and doesn't run out of bounds. In the red zone, he's the great equalizer, because he gains 3 yards when he falls forward and has the size and the strength to push the pile. On top of it all, he's always a threat to throw the ball. Similar to Oregon, Auburn doesn't flinch if somebody puts 30-plus points on the board, because the Tigers' mentality is that they're going to score 50. Their offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, will make you defend everything -- reverses, throwback passes, passes to the backs, even passes to Newton. He caught a touchdown pass two weeks ago against Ole Miss. The Tigers also play at a tempo on offense that has opposing defenses gasping for air in the fourth quarter. But when they have to, they can put teams away and finish games by running the ball. They're fourth nationally (one spot ahead of Oregon) this week in rushing offense with an average of 307.2 yards per game. Auburn's top four rushers -- Newton, Dyer, Onterio McCalebb and Mario Fannin -- are all averaging at least 6.4 yards per carry. Do the Ducks have any answers for that running game?

Ted Miller: That’s what’s so interesting about this as a potential national title game match -- there’s an odd familiarity that both teams will have with each other despite never crossing paths. My guess is Malzahn and Kelly already have studied each other, just in terms of mutual admiration. And both defenses will be familiar with up-tempo, no-huddle, spread-option offenses that can power you and finesse you and throw downfield. Further, the Ducks have played against a number of big, fast, capable quarterbacks with NFL futures: Washington’s Jake Locker, Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor and Stanford’s Andrew Luck. The results have been mixed. Last year, Luck and Pryor got them. Luck beat the Ducks with uncanny downfield accuracy, which is why he’ll go No. 1 in this spring’s NFL draft. Pryor shocked them with the best passing game of his career in the Rose Bowl. Locker missed this year’s game, but he’s never had much luck against Oregon. In general, Oregon has a good run defense: Opponents are averaging 3.38 yards per rush. But the Ducks are undersized. A physical Stanford team had some success, rushing for 177 yards. But one thing about Oregon on both sides of the ball: It is masterful with halftime adjustments. They shutout Stanford, owners of the nation’s No. 5 scoring offense, in the second half, and have given up just 48 points in the second half this year -- just seven in the fourth quarter!

Obviously, two very good teams that have done impressive things on their way to remaining unbeaten. I know we both have Oregon ahead of Auburn in our power rankings, but give me the case for Auburn if it played Oregon in the national title game. How do you see it going?

Chris Low: Well, if that happens, the first thing we all better make sure we have is a calculator. That and make sure there's no danger of a power surge to the scoreboard. You're right about Oregon. Nobody in the country has been better in the second half. The Ducks' ability to score points in bunches is amazing, but the Tigers are equally adept at going on head-spinning scoring sprees. Just ask Arkansas, which saw Auburn roll up 28 points in the fourth quarter in Xbox-like fashion. I have no doubt that an Auburn-Oregon matchup would be played in the 40s. I think the difference, though, would be Auburn's ability to put the breaks on the track meet and run the football in the fourth quarter, especially with Newton being so good at converting on third down. So I'm going Auburn 45, Oregon 41 in a game that rates up there with the Texas-USC classic to decide the 2005 national title.

Ted Miller: That's clearly something we can all agree on: This likely would be a highly entertaining, offensively driven national title game if these two teams manage to get themselves there. Further, I think, after never getting a USC-SEC title game, folks on both coasts would enjoy an SEC-Pac-10 matchup. No trash-talking there, right? And I do see a clear advantage for Auburn: It has been tested. It's played five games decided by eight points or fewer, and three decided by a field goal. The Ducks closest game? An 11-point win at Arizona State. But that's also why I'd pick Oregon in this one. Oregon beat the No. 6 team in the nation, Stanford, by 21 points. It shut Andrew Luck out in the second half. And I look at all of Auburn's close games: Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, Kentucky and LSU, and think: None of them would be within 10 points of the Ducks. Maybe LSU, because any game Les Miles touches is surprising. And I think Vegas would agree with me. So if we ended up with an Oregon-Auburn national title game, my guess is the Tigers would go TD for TD with the Ducks in the first half, then the Ducks would pour it on late for a 50-35 win. But I reserve the right to change my mind, particularly because I think the Tigers' toughest test -- Alabama -- is ahead.

Moreover, both teams should be advised: You probably should get to the Jan. 10 date in Glendale before you start trash-talking each other. At least before you use your best stuff.

1. Trey Burton’s six touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) for Florida against Kentucky set an SEC freshman record and fell one short of the NCAA rookie record scored by Marshall Faulk of San Diego State in 1991 against Pacific. Four years later, the Tigers gave up football. Burton’s outburst should quiet the Gator fans who have hounded offensive coordinator Steve Addazio for the offense’s woes. What ailed Florida is inexperience and a Tebow deficiency. When the former is fixed, the latter won’t matter.

2. Greg Byrne, who made what appears to be a successful hire of Dan Mullen at Mississippi State before leaving to become the athletic director at Arizona, said that college football “is an emotional business…Everyone with a keyboard has the chance to be a self-proclaimed expert. It’s easy to let that sway your feelings and opinion. You need people in the stands. But you try to not ever make an emotional decision. Be rational.” Hiring coaches remains an art, not a science.

3. No conference is happier to see September end than the ACC. The league’s slow start appears to be abating. The league really needs Miami and Clemson to play as they have in their three previous league matchups, all of which went to overtime. The ‘Canes and Tigers gakked their biggest non-conference games at Ohio State and at Auburn, respectively, in September. Not only will the Miami-Clemson winner be the league favorite, but an exciting game would boost the ACC’s beleaguered reputation.

1. Randy Shannon played a lot of young players early in his tenure at Miami. The fourth-year coach said this week that his Hurricanes lacked the maturity to handle a game as big as Virginia Tech last season. This year, and this week at No. 2 Ohio State, is different. “It's a lot easier when you have some older, mature guys on your football team,” Shannon said. “It was a lot tougher when you were trying to get seventh and eighth graders to try to play games against fifthyear seniors and twelfth graders.”

2. I spent yesterday catching up on coaches’ press conferences. The tone of the comments across the nation stayed consistent. We can get this fixed; we were pleased, etc. But the comment of the week came from Texas coach Mack Brown. In assessing the Longhorns’ defeat of Rice, Brown, “The second team needed to play better in the fourth quarter. We didn't tackle very well when they went in.” That’s a problem every coach would love to face.

3. Doesn’t Dan Mullen know he’s not supposed to win at Mississippi State? Clearly, he doesn’t. The Bulldogs are aggressive. They are well-coached. And Mullen still is a gutsy playcaller. He has expanded it from offense to the entire game. The onside kick after the third-quarter touchdown that pulled the Bulldogs within 17-14 of Auburn was not only brilliant but brilliantly executed. If Mullen stays there and keeps recruiting, Mississippi State will leave Ole Miss behind and make a tough SEC West even tougher.

The SEC lost a bevy of great defensive backs from a year ago.

In fact, 12 were taken in the NFL draft, and seven went in the first three rounds. Gone are Eric Berry, Joe Haden, Kareem Jackson, Major Wright, Javier Arenas, Chad Jones, Myron Lewis, Walt McFadden, Marquis Johnson, Kendrick Lewis, Reshad Jones and Trevard Lindley.

What’s that leave in the way of the top defensive backfields in the SEC for 2010?

Here’s a look:

1. Florida: It’s a testament to how well the Gators have recruited that they own the top secondary in the SEC even after losing Haden and Wright early to the NFL. Janoris Jenkins is one of the top cornerbacks in the league, and good luck in finding a better safety tandem than Will Hill and Ahmad Black. Talented freshmen are waiting in the wings, too, like Matt Elam and Joshua Shaw.

2. South Carolina: The Gamecocks were second in the league last season in pass defense and should be even harder to throw the ball on in 2010. Sophomore Stephon Gilmore is one of the best young cornerbacks in college football, and his former high school teammate, safety DeVonte Holloman, may be one of the breakout players in the league. Senior Chris Culliver, a second-team All-SEC selection last season, also returns and is switching from safety to cornerback.

3. LSU: If you’re looking for the fastest secondary in the SEC, look no further than the unit the Tigers will put on the field this season. Patrick Peterson is the best cornerback in the country -- period -- and his running mate on the other side, Morris Claiborne, has been turning heads since the spring. They may end up being the best cornerback tandem in the league. Jai Eugene has moved from cornerback to safety, while Brandon Taylor returns at the other safety. He, too, is a former cornerback.

4. Auburn: There’s nothing like adding three veteran leaders back to the mix, and that’s what Auburn will do with senior safeties Zac Etheridge, Aairon Savage and Mike McNeil. All are returning from serious injuries. One of the priorities this season is to get junior cornerback Neiko Thorpe more help. He played too many snaps a year ago. Demond Washington is returning to his cornerback position after filling in at safety last season.

5. Vanderbilt: Don’t blink. Vanderbilt has consistently played some of the best pass defense in the SEC under Jamie Bryant, who oversees the Commodores’ secondary. Safety Sean Richardson and cornerback Casey Hayward are returning starters, and both have what it takes to be All-SEC players. Junior Jamie Graham has settled in at the other cornerback after playing receiver earlier in his career. Nickelback Eddie Foster also returns, and the Commodores liked what they saw this spring from freshman safeties Jay Fullam and Kenny Ladler.

6. Alabama: The only guy who won’t be new for the Crimson Tide this season in the secondary is junior safety Mark Barron, who led the SEC with seven interceptions a year ago. Everybody else who was in the rotation is gone. Alabama still has plenty of young talent in its defensive backfield, but there could be some growing pains early. Sophomore cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick has unlimited potential. There’s also a chance that junior college cornerback DeQuan Menzie could be back after tearing his Achilles tendon in the spring.

7. Georgia: The Bulldogs gave up far too many big plays in the secondary last season and allowed a league-high 25 touchdown passes. They should be better in 2010, particularly with the addition of junior college safety Jakar Hamilton, who was one of the stars of the spring. Junior cornerback Brandon Boykin has the skills to be one of the league’s top cover guys, but the Bulldogs are still thin at the cornerback position. They can’t afford any injuries.

8. Tennessee: The dismissal of starting safety Darren Myles Jr. following his arrest and involvement in a bar brawl drops the Vols down a spot or two. They don’t have a lot of depth behind him. The leader of the unit is sophomore free safety Janzen Jackson, who can be one of the best defensive backs in the league if he stays out of trouble off the field. Junior cornerback Art Evans is underrated and will be the Vols’ top cover guy.

9. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs got big performances from freshmen last season in their secondary, which means their pass defense should improve considerably from their No. 11 showing in the SEC a year ago. Sophomore cornerback Corey Broomfield had six interceptions, and sophomore Johnthan Banks had four interceptions. Banks is moving to free safety this season. Also look for a big junior season from strong safety Charles Mitchell, who is Mississippi State’s enforcer back there.

10. Kentucky: With Lindley missing four full games last season with a high ankle sprain, the rest of the Wildcats’ defensive backs were forced to step up their games. Three starters return, including budding star Winston Guy at free safety. Cornerbacks Paul Warford and Randall Burden are also back, as Kentucky started five defensive backs in most games. Finding another safety will be key this preseason.

11. Ole Miss: The lone returning starter is senior safety Johnny Brown, who’s coming off his best season. The Rebels’ other safety a year ago, Kendrick Lewis, was one of their mainstays on defense, and replacing him won’t be easy. Junior college newcomer Damien Jackson will draw that job, and he was extremely impressive in the spring. Ole Miss will be both inexperienced and thin at the cornerback positions.

12. Arkansas: The Hogs gladly welcome back junior cornerback Isaac Madison, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Their pass defense suffered with Madison out of the lineup, and they finished last in the league, allowing 401.2 yards per game. They also gave up 22 touchdown passes. To get more speed on the field, Arkansas moved Rudell Crim to safety during the spring. Ramon Broadway returns at the other cornerback and Elton Ford at the other safety.

Who in the SEC can claim the Linebacker U. moniker this season?

Here’s a rundown:

1. Alabama: How many teams lose a player the caliber of Rolando McClain in the middle and replace him with somebody just as talented? Dont’a Hightower made an amazing recovery from a serious knee injury and was going through contact in the spring. He’ll play in the middle of the Crimson Tide’s base defense and will rush the passer from the “jack” linebacker position on passing downs. Courtney Upshaw, Jerrell Harris, Chris Jordan and Nico Johnson are also back, and all four have star potential.

2. Georgia: With the Bulldogs going to a 3-4 scheme this season, that means junior pass-rushing specialist Justin Houston now falls into the linebacker category. Houston had 7.5 sacks last season from his end position. Sophomore Cornelius Washington also shifts from end to outside linebacker after collecting four sacks a year ago. The Bulldogs have moved senior starter Darryl Gamble from inside to outside linebacker, while senior Akeem Dent and junior Marcus Dowtin are also back. Dent and Dowtin were part-time starters last season.

3. Ole Miss: Two of the more underrated linebackers in the SEC are Ole Miss seniors Jonathan Cornell and Allen Walker. Cornell started all 13 games in the middle last season and was third on the team with 79 tackles, including eight for loss. Walker started 11 games last season at strongside linebacker. Ole Miss defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix also likes his younger talent, including D.T. Shackelford, Joel Kight and Mike Marry. Shackelford, in particular, could be poised for a breakout season. This is a productive and versatile group.

4. Auburn: The Tigers will line up with a pair of senior All-SEC candidates in Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens. They both finished among the top 10 tacklers in the league last season, combining for 199 total tackles. The only problem was that they had to play just about every meaningful snap. The Tigers hope to have more depth this season. They didn’t have any last season and are moving Daren Bates from safety to a hybrid outside linebacker position. Bates led all SEC freshmen a year ago with 70 tackles. He wasn’t able to go through spring, though, because he was recovering from shoulder surgery.

5. Florida: Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper were major cogs in the Gators’ linebacker corps a year ago and made a ton of plays. Life without them will be different, but not impossible. That’s what happens when you recruit talented players like Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic, both of whom had big springs. There’s also some experience returning. Senior A.J. Jones has 30 career starts and started the first 11 games a year ago at outside linebacker before injuring his knee. Senior Brandon Hicks has also been a part-time starter each of the past two seasons. There’s a lot of speed in this group.

6. South Carolina: The Gamecocks might have a little more depth than they had a year ago at linebacker, but what they don’t have is that proven playmaker on the outside. Eric Norwood filled that role as well as anybody the past two seasons, but now he’s gone. Junior Shaq Wilson was the team’s leading tackler last season, and he’s moving to one of the outside spots from middle linebacker. Senior Rodney Paulk returns in the middle after suffering through season-ending knee injuries each of the past two seasons. Senior Josh Dickerson is another guy who can move around and play different spots.

7. Tennessee: One of the most experienced positions on Tennessee’s team is at linebacker. The Vols had several players playing at a high level there last season only to be injured. They’re all back, including senior Nick Reveiz in the middle. Tennessee’s defense was never the same after he left the lineup with a knee injury. Senior LaMarcus Thompson is also back after battling through injuries a year ago, and the same goes for senior Savion Frazier. Sophomore linebacker Greg King is currently suspended, but he also showed promise last season as a freshman.

8. LSU: Senior Kelvin Sheppard returns as one of the top middle linebackers in the SEC. He’s a tackling machine who was fourth in the league in tackles a year ago with 110. He’s one of those defenders who’s a factor on every play. The key for the Tigers will be how quickly the players around him grow up now that veterans Jacob Cutrera, Harry Coleman and Perry Riley have all moved on. Sheppard thinks junior Ryan Baker is ready to shine at weakside linebacker after being a force on special teams the past two seasons. Junior Stefoin Francois is the top candidate to step in on the strong side after starting his career as a safety.

9. Vanderbilt: Linebacker has been one of the Commodores’ strong suits for several years now, and that shouldn’t change this season with junior Chris Marve manning the middle. A first-team preseason All-SEC selection, Marve has racked up more than 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons. Senior John Stokes, who’s already been accepted into Vanderbilt’s medical school, returns at one of the outside linebacker spots. The Commodores could use a healthy Tristan Strong, who tore his ACL last season as a redshirt freshman.

10. Mississippi State: Gone is hard-hitting Jamar Chaney, who came back from an injury last season and helped anchor the Bulldogs’ defense. Senior Chris White will move over to play in the middle after starting all 12 games and recording 75 tackles last season. Senior K.J. Wright returns as one of the best big-play defenders on the team after finishing with 6.5 tackles for loss and forcing two fumbles last season. After White and Wright, the Bulldogs will be counting on several younger players at linebacker.

11. Arkansas: The Hogs need to improve across the board on defense, and linebacker is no exception. Junior Jerry Franklin has started since he was a freshman and finished with 94 tackles last season. He’s capable of playing in the middle, but Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino wants to leave him at weakside linebacker and give him a chance to make more plays against both the run and pass. The Hogs still need to settle on a middle linebacker. Senior Jermaine Love and sophomore Terrell Williams were battling it out in the spring.

12. Kentucky: Junior Danny Trevathan returns at weakside linebacker. He’s the Wildcats’ leading returning tackler. But after Trevathan, there’s not much game experience at linebacker. Redshirt freshman Qua Huzzie made a big impression on the coaches last preseason before hurting his shoulder. Sophomore Ridge Wilson is another younger player who needs to come through for the Wildcats at linebacker.

In a lot of cases, the defensive line is what has set the SEC apart over the years. When you’re strong up front defensively, you’ve always got a chance.

Who’s the strongest in the SEC this season? Here goes:

1. Ole Miss: For the second season in a row, the Rebels will be as formidable as anybody up front defensively. Senior tackle Jerrell Powe is perhaps the best interior defensive lineman in the league, and senior end Kentrell Lockett is one of the better pass-rushers. Between them, Powe and Lockett had 22 tackles for loss last season. It’s also a deep and experienced defensive line, especially at tackle, and the Rebels added a newcomer at end, junior college transfer Wayne Dorsey, who should be a factor right away.

2. Alabama: Players leave to go to the NFL, and Alabama slides in another great one right behind them. Welcome to Nick Saban’s recruiting machine. Junior end Marcell Dareus was the star of the BCS National Championship Game last season and is one of the top NFL draft prospects in the league. He’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of his trip to Miami that’s being investigated by the NCAA, but there’s no shortage of talent. Kerry Murphy may be the next star in the making and could potentially play nose or end in the Tide's scheme.

3. South Carolina: Assistant head coach for the defense Ellis Johnson would like to have a little more depth, but if everybody holds up health-wise, the Gamecocks will be plenty imposing up front defensively. It starts with senior end Cliff Matthews, who’s one of the most complete defensive linemen in the SEC. He had 10 tackles for loss, including seven sacks last season. Senior Ladi Ajiboye and junior Travian Robertson anchor the middle of the line, and both are explosive and powerful.

4. Mississippi State: As the Bulldogs attempt to make their move in Season No. 2 under Dan Mullen, the strength of their football team will be their defensive line. Senior Pernell McPhee is an All-SEC performer at end and should be even better his second time around in the league. Sophomore tackles Josh Boyd and Fletcher Cox have both bulked up to the 300-pound range after solid freshman seasons, and the Bulldogs brought in massive junior college tackle James Carmon (6-7, 345 pounds) this spring.

5. Florida: The Florida defensive linemen themselves will tell you that there aren’t any superstars in this group, but there are five seniors returning, not to mention the most talented freshman defensive line class in the country. Senior captain Justin Trattou returns full time to end after playing inside on passing situations last season. He’s healthy, too, after tearing the biceps tendon in his left arm last season. Sophomore tackle Omar Hunter is just waiting to break out, and freshmen Ronald Powell at end and Sharrif Floyd at tackle won’t have to wait long to make an impact.

6. LSU: Some new faces will be counted on to play key roles for the Tigers up front this season, but a veteran remains the centerpiece of this defensive line. Senior tackle Drake Nevis rates up there with Jerrell Powe as one of the top interior linemen in this league. The Tigers are also eager to see what redshirt freshman end Sam Montgomery and redshirt freshman tackle Michael Brockers can do after big springs. Senior Pep Levingston is moving inside to tackle after starting 10 games last season at end. One thing the Tigers would like to generate more of is sacks. They only had 21 last season, which was tied for eighth in the SEC.

7. Tennessee: The Vols have excellent depth at the end positions, starting with senior Chris Walker, who led the team with six sacks last season. Seniors Ben Martin and Gerald Williams also return at end, while former Southern California end Malik Jackson will be eligible to play this season after transferring from the Trojans. Tennessee doesn’t have much depth inside, but Montori Hughes and Marlon Walls both had solid freshman seasons. The Vols can’t afford for either, though, to go down with an injury.

8. Georgia: With the Bulldogs switching to a 3-4 defense under first-year coordinator Todd Grantham, some guys will be playing new positions. One of the keys will be junior DeAngelo Tyson at the nose and establishing some depth behind him. Grantham wants to get to a point where he has a steady rotation up front, but that may take another recruiting class or so. Senior Demarcus Dobbs is the starter at one end, while sophomore Abry Jones impressed Grantham in the spring at the other end spot.

9. Auburn: The Tigers lost their top playmaker up front last season in Antonio Coleman and are hopeful senior Antoine Carter can step in and be that guy this season at end. The first thing Auburn has to do if it’s going be a better defense this season is be stingier against the run. Senior Mike Blanc returns at one tackle, and the Tigers are also counting on a big season from junior tackle Nick Fairley, who showed flashes a year ago. Another guy to watch is redshirt freshman end Nosa Eguae, who would have played last season had it not been for a stress fracture in his left foot.

10. Arkansas: The Hogs will be better on defense this season. So says Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, and they’ll need to be better if they’re going to make a run in the Western Division race. The depth should be better, although losing Malcolm Sheppard in the middle is a killer. Junior end Jake Bequette had 5.5 sacks last season and is one of those guys who could really blossom this season. Junior Zach Stadther returns at one tackle. Sophomore Tenarius Wright missed the spring with a foot injury, but will also be a key at the other end position.

11. Kentucky: The big blow for the Wildcats was losing tackle Corey Peters, who was dominant a year ago and made everybody around him that much better. Replacing him will be a chore, but Kentucky hopes Mark Crawford can have a breakout season inside after coming over from junior college last year. Speaking of breakout seasons, senior end DeQuin Evans emerged as one of the most productive pass-rushers in the league last season, his first in the SEC after coming over from junior college. He finished with 12.5 tackles for loss, including six sacks.

12. Vanderbilt: The bad news is that senior tackle Adam Smotherman tore his ACL early in spring practice. The good news is that he’s recovering quicker than anybody could have imagined and has a chance to be back for at least part of the season. The Commodores need Smotherman and T.J. Greenstone there in the middle, especially after losing three key senior defensive linemen to graduation. It was a struggle for Vanderbilt up front defensively in the fourth quarter last season. That will again be the challenge in 2010.

HOOVER, Ala. -- Defending national champion Alabama is the pick by media members attending the SEC media days to repeat as SEC champion in 2010.

According to the media vote, Alabama and Florida will meet in the SEC championship game for a third straight year, with the Crimson Tide winning.

The last team to repeat as SEC champion was Tennessee in 1997 and 1998.

Every team in the league received at least one vote to win the SEC championship with the exception of Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. The Commodores, however, did receive a first-place vote in the Eastern Division.

Here's a look at how the voting went in the two divisions:

Eastern Division (First Place Votes)
1. Florida (153) 1030
2. Georgia (15) 791
3. South Carolina (8) 790
4. Kentucky 462
5. Tennessee 450
6. Vanderbilt (1) 194

Western Division (First Place Votes)
1. Alabama (157) 1034
2. Arkansas (6) 726
3. Auburn (10) 691
4. LSU (1) 653
5. Mississippi State 320
6. Ole Miss (3) 293

Here's a look at how the voting went for the SEC champion: Alabama (143), Florida (17), Auburn (7), Arkansas (3), Ole Miss (2), Georgia (2), LSU (1), South Carolina (1), Kentucky (1).

It’s a great year for receivers/tight ends in the SEC.

Six wide receivers and two tight ends made my list of the top 25 players in the league heading into the 2010 season.

Here’s how the receiving corps, including the tight ends, rank in the SEC:

1. Arkansas: The Hogs have five players returning who combined for 22 touchdown catches last season. Junior receiver Greg Childs led the SEC in league games in receiving yards, yards-per-catch and touchdown receptions. D.J. Williams is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the country, and junior receiver Joe Adams has few peers after the catch. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino says sophomore Cobi Hamilton might be the best of the bunch. In short, Ryan Mallett will have his pick of who to throw to this season.

2. Georgia: Junior receiver A.J. Green is one of the most feared offensive threats in the SEC and is considered by many to be the top receiver in the country. If you get the ball in the vicinity, he’s going to catch it. The Bulldogs will have more than just Green, too. Tight end Orson Charles is a mismatch nightmare for defenses, and receivers Tavarres King and Kris Durham will also make their share of plays. The Bulldogs go three-deep at tight end with Aron White and Bruce Figgins backing up Charles.

3. South Carolina: If you have smaller cornerbacks, you want no part of the Gamecocks’ twosome of Alshon Jeffery and Tori Gurley. Jeffery’s 6-foot-4 and Gurley is 6-5, and they both can go get the football. Jeffery finished his freshman season with six touchdown catches and has NFL written all over him. Sophomore receiver D.L. Moore, another 6-4 guy, was one of the stars of the spring, and the Gamecocks have a couple of options at tight end, although Weslye Saunders may be in hot water with the NCAA. Even so, former fullback Patrick DiMarco ended the spring No. 1 on the depth chart at tight end.

4. Alabama: The best thing about Alabama’s passing attack last season was the way Greg McElroy was able to spread the ball around. And when the Crimson Tide needed a play, it was always somebody different stepping up. Julio Jones is healthy now and should return to his freshman form. He’s one of the league’s most physical receivers and a tough matchup for anybody one-on-one. His running mates at receiver, Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks, are also big-play threats in their own right. They combined for five touchdown catches a year ago, and each averaged more than 16 yards per catch.

5. LSU: Even with Brandon LaFell's departure, the Tigers are still brimming with talent at the receiver position. Terrance Toliver returns for his senior season after catching 53 passes for 735 yards a year ago. The 6-5, 206-pound Toliver will have plenty of help, too. Russell Shepard has moved to receiver full time after spending most of his freshman season at quarterback. Shepard is a dynamic athlete who just needs to learn the ins and outs of the position. Also look for receiver Rueben Randle to make a big jump from his freshman season. Randle has the size and speed to be a great one.

6. Auburn: Darvin Adams didn’t get the credit he deserved last season after catching 10 touchdown passes and coming out of nowhere to be the Tigers’ go-to guy in the passing game. He’s not going to surprise anybody this season, not after the way he flourished a year ago in Gus Malzahn’s system. Terrell Zachery also returns after catching five touchdowns and averaging 18.3 yards per catch. Emory Blake and DeAngelo Benton are two more wideouts the Tigers expect big things out of along with tight end Phillip Lutzenkirchen. The newcomer to watch is freshman slot Trovan Reed.

7. Florida: When you consider all of the great receivers the Gators have had over the years, it’s a little strange to see them in the middle of the pack. The potential is there for a breakout year, but there’s a lot of questions that still need to be answered. Can Deonte Thompson be more consistent? Is Andre Debose as good as everybody around the program thinks he is, and how do the Gators ever replace Aaron Hernandez’s production at tight end?

8. Tennessee: It’s always nice to have a tight end who can make things happen after the catch, and senior Luke Stocker returns as one of the steadiest playmakers on the Vols’ roster. Senior receivers Gerald Jones and Denarius Moore have also made their share of plays the past few seasons. Moore is the faster of the two, but Jones is crafty in the open field and can turn short tosses into big gains. The Vols also can’t wait to get a look at freshman Da’Rick Rogers in an orange jersey. He’s one of the highest-rated freshman receivers coming into the league.

9. Kentucky: Randall Cobb alone probably merits a higher ranking. He’s that good and one of those guys who’s always ending up in the end zone. Cobb scored 15 touchdown last season. Chris Matthews (6-5, 222 pounds) has great size and can also run. The second season in the program is when junior college transfers typically catch on, and Matthews showed this spring that he might be ready to take some of the pressure off Cobb. The Wildcats still need some of the other younger receivers to make a move this season and build more depth.

10. Ole Miss: The starters are seniors Markeith Summers and Lionel Breaux, and both were regulars in the rotation a year ago. But Summers is the leading returning receiver on the team, and he caught 17 passes, which tells you what a big part of the passing game the Rebels are losing in Shay Hodge. Summers has big-play ability and averaged 23.2 yards per catch last season. The player who could really jump-start the Rebels’ passing game is sophomore Jesse Grandy. He was electric as a return specialist a year ago, but only caught four passes.

11. Mississippi State: Chad Bumphis was one of the most promising freshman receivers in the SEC last season, and junior college newcomer Leon Berry also made an immediate impact in his first season in Starkville. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen will be the first to tell you that the Bulldogs are still a little thin at receiver, especially running the spread. Junior Marcus Green is solid at tight end.

12. Vanderbilt: As much as Larry Smith struggled at quarterback last season, it wasn’t like he had a bevy of big-play targets to throw to. John Cole was the Commodores’ most consistent receiver, but he couldn’t do it alone. This season, they’re hopeful that redshirt freshman Brady Brown can keep coming and that a pair of 6-4 true freshmen, Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd, can make immediate impacts. There’s not a player on the team who caught more than one touchdown pass a year ago. Tight ends Brandon Barden and Austin Monahan will also play key roles.