Week 2 SaturdayBlitz.com Writer Roundtable: Who Can Stop The SEC?

Defending BCS champion Alabama ran roughshod over Michigan in Week 1’s SEC-Big Ten match-up, 41-14. The Crimson Tide’s seemingly effortless dispatching of a top 10 suggest ‘Bama is the team to beat, and doing so is a task that has eluded programs outside of the Southeastern Conference. The Tide’s last defeat against a non-SEC opponent was the 2009 Sugar Bowl loss to Utah.

LSU and Arkansas, as well as the SEC East should it come down to a conference championship tilt in Atlanta, are ready to take their shot at dethroning No. 1. But who else can slow the Tide? And if it’s not Alabama emerging from the SEC, what team is capable of withstanding the Southern onslaught?

Jeff Twining

When you go out on a limb and pick a Big-10 team (Michigan) to knock off the defending champs en route to a national championship, as I did last week, you never want to see that team suspend its starting running back two days before game day. Maybe that was the college football gods mocking me and showing me just how dumb I was to pickagainst Alabama and the SEC. Now, when I look at the college landscape following ‘Bama’s thorough thrashing of the Wolverines, I realize the only way a team is going to knock off the Crimson Tide is to play the perfect game.

Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri needed the “perfect cheer” in their famous cheerleading SNL skit, and if Michigan State or USC, or LSU andArkansas for that matter, hope to upend the defending champs they are going to have to play flawless offense, defense and special teams. Hell, they also are going to have to get a little lucky as well. If we’re looking outside the SEC, specifically, I’d say the three teams I’d peg as having the ability to beat Alabama would be USC, Michigan State and West Virginia.

Michigan State returns nine starters from a top 10 defense ayear ago and they absolutely smothered the Boise State Broncos last Friday night. But they need to limit the turnovers to put any scare in Alabama. West Virginia seemingly has the offensive firepower that could put a dent in the Crimson Tide’s defensive armor, but do the Mountaineers have enough defense themselves to stopa dominate Alabama running game? The most likely non-SEC opponent who has theability to beat Alabama, both offensively and defensively, would be USC. However, for that to happen, USC would need to run the table and not fall victim to a lower-tier Pac-12 team as they have in the past. Right now, I’d say the Trojans are about the only team that would make Alabama worry; but can they make it to the national championship?

Zach Pugh

I wrote about this very question in my “3 & Out” pieces and came up with three teams that had the best chance of dethroning the SEC this season, Texas, Florida State and Michigan State.

The Texas pick caught some interesting feedback. I was basically called crazy. But defensively I see no reason why the Longhorns couldn’t go toe-to-toe with the Crimson Tide. Defense is where the motivation behind picking Sparty, the ‘Noles and the Horns.

Texas was right at the top with LSU and Alabama for a five game stretch last season where the Crimson Tide and Tigers were the only two defenses who allowed fewer yards than the Longhorns. They have seven starters returning from the best defense in the Big 12 last season in yards allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per game and pass yards per game. If you look at the recruiting rankings the last few years, the burnt orange are right around the top with Bama and if it wasn’t for the Longhorns shaky quarterback situation, I think they would be a popular pick nationally.

Florida State has nine starters from a unit that ranked fourth in the nation last season. Six players are projected to be taken in the 2013 NFL Draft. They would fit right in the SEC with LSU and Alabama in terms of NFL talent. Only Alabama allowed a smaller percentage of rushes to go for five or more yards than the ‘Noles last season. The recent injury to DE Brandon Jenkins certainly will be difficult to overcome, but the defensive line is one of the best in the nation.

Michigan State will have one of the best defenses in the nation this season with a pass rush on the outside that is second only to South Carolina and judging by the way the Spartans were able to completely shut down the Boise State running game; they may have a shot to face Alabama in the BCS championship. I’m not saying the Broncos have an elite running game, but it is a strength and Sparty took it away and forced the Bronco offense to play right into their hands.

Oregon is another possibility this season. I did pick the Ducks to make the BCS championship along with Florida State, but if week one is any sign of how the season will play out, the quack attack could be playing the Tide come January. Chip Kelly’s staff has learned from their losses to LSU and Auburn by trying to get bigger up front on defense and offense. They know how to beat the SEC elite because of their failures.

If USC keeps winning, the discussion will only gain more traction about how an elite level college quarterback (Matt Barkley) could do against the Alabama defense. I’m reminded of last season when everyone was asking if the Crimson Tide’s defense the best ever. My problem with that assessment is they didn’t face a quarterback like Andrew Luck or Brandon Weeden. We just don’t know how an Oklahoma State vs. Alabama/LSU game would’ve played out, but it raises a legit question; is the secret to beating the SEC elite a great quarterback?

Shaun Bummer

Is the SEC the best conference in the entire country? Of course. However, this year there are enough championship contenders that have a great chance to take down Alabama and the rest of the SEC. Sure, the Crimson Tide destroyed Michigan on Saturday, but we really don’t know how good the Wolverines are. Just about every team in the SEC this season has major question marks (although Alabama has likely proved otherwise), and I still don’t believe a SEC team will go undefeated. There are enough teams outside of the SEC this season in USC, Oregon, Florida State, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and even Michigan State that have the firepower and an easier schedule, meaning I’m predicting the SEC will not maintain its stranglehold over the BCS National Championship.

Brandon Folsom

It’s going to take one of those kinds of nights for the Crimson Tide to lose this season. You know what kind of nights I’m talking about. One of those Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon get embarrassed in Ames, Iowa nights. One of those Jared Zabransky gadget play nights where Oklahoma doesn’t see it coming and, whoops, there’s Ian Johnson getting engaged in the end zone. One of those Sam Bradford watching BYU take down the Soon—oh, okay, you get it.

The SEC must always be on upset alert until a Pac-12, Big Ten, Big XII, ACC or Big East team snatches the crystal ball from the clutches of Mr. Details, Magic Man Les or Mr. Chizik. I’m not saying that Western Kentucky is going to roll over the Tide in an upset fashion, but someone out there is going to do it sometime soon. Although, WKU has a really sweet mascot. But who knows? John L. Smith is playing with house money. I could see him messing everything up for the SEC on an “I’m going to go all in with pocket deuces” type of move.

The team that could knock off ‘Bama, LSU or any other juggernaut in the SEC, straight up, no upset gimmicks, was just denied admittance into the gang a few months ago. In a “you’re not good enough or rich enough to join our country club” debacle, West Virginia was told to get off the SEC’s lawn and had to walk with its tail between its legs all the way to Dan Beebe’s old stomping grounds. West Virginia will always have an opportunity to knock off any team in college football as long as Holgy is in charge. That guy just gets it. I know the SEC told the ‘eers to move along because the school, and Andrew Luck’s dad, didn’t have enough sex appeal to bring the conference more cash, but you can’t tell me that the Ball Coach in South Carolina wasn’t shaking in his boots when he heard that the team who hangs three-quarters of a century in points on every team it plays against wanted in on this so called good ole boys network down south. West Virginia is college football’s only hope to knock down the SEC once and for all as a legitimate matchup—no gimmicks.

Jeff Contizano

It was definitely a dominating game by Alabama…

With that said, I think an opponent will have to play a very strong game in order to beat the Tide. Michigan didn’t do itself any favors by turning the ball over, and after re-watching the game there were just way too many missed assignments on both sides of the ball. To beat Alabama, you have to be able to run the ball, or at least find some way to move the ball against them and keep their defense on the field. Alabama looked very good last Saturday, but they can be beaten.

For one, their secondary isn’t as good as it was a year ago. Milliner is a stud, but the others are still learning and still coming along. I think a team like USC could expose that Alabama secondary. As far as in-conference, I think the only comparable passing attack that could do damage against the Tide is Arkansas. If Tyler Wilson can move the ball at will and his receivers can make plays, Arkansas has a chance for the upset.

As far as the SEC goes, I think the national title game will run through Alabama yet again this year. I would love to see them play against a team like Oregon -who just has tons of team speed on offense and defense -USC as I mentioned before, and even LSU. The Tigers provide the best match-up with Alabama because they also feature a dominate running game with a bevy of backs coupled with a very strong defense.

I don’t see any teams from the Big 10 making a run at the national title game this year. I could see a dark-horse team from the Big 12 emerging though, maybe Oklahoma, West Virginia, or even Oklahoma State. But in the end I think it will come down to USC and Alabama, and I think I speak for many sports writers when I say I would love to see that match-up in January.

Shiloh Winder

Honestly, having watched USC last weekend, I think the SEC better be on watch. USC has an SEC defense with an elite Pac-12 offense. In fact, I can’t think of a college football team that has EVER been this stacked at the offensive skill positions. You could make a good argument that USC has the best quarterback in the country and the TWO best receivers to go along with two top 15 tailbacks.

The biggest reason Alabama jumped USC in the AP poll is that they were on coast to coast television and USC was on Fox Sports West. Those kinds of things tend to even themselves out. Michigan was projected to be superb this year, but the entire Big Ten (Ohio State aside) looked lackluster on Saturday, and any good defensive coach would dominate Derard Robinson given all of training camp to prepare.

Rich Lynch

In general, a team in college football this season can beat Alabama. It will take a team that can be as dominant as Alabama in one facet of the game — offense, defense or special teams — and NOT turn the ball over at all.

There are three teams that can beat Alabama this season: USC, Wisconsin, and LSU.

USC- The Trojan offense is better than the Alabama offense and the Alabama defense. USC has the talent on defense to slow down the Alabama offense. The teams are even on special teams.

Wisconsin- The Badgers have a good quarterback in Danny O’Brien, which was the big question at the end of last season. The Badgers’ offensive line has the potential to dominate and intimidate the inexperienced Alabama defense.

LSU – The Tigers have the talent across the board to beat or be even with Alabama in all phases of the game. The difference between LSU and Alabama is coaching. Les Miles is my favorite coach in college football however, Nick Saban is the best coach in college. I always get the feeling that Saban consults with his NFL cronies (Bill Belichick) in preparing for big games.

If the SEC teams played in the North or Midwest they would lose more games because of wind, rain and snow. I do not think the SEC teams are as mentally tough as some of the Big Ten schools like Nebraska or Boston College (though not the last three years). The SEC teams benefit from most of the inter-conference games in the South, bowls included.