No one conference, and certainly no one division, in all of college football will impact the inaugural playoff like the SEC West. The SEC West is so good this year that it is sparking the question: Will 2 teams from the same conference get in? While the Big12, BigX, ACC, and PAC all wonder if their conference champions will even make the playoff, the SEC West has higher aspirations. The next 5 weeks will provide some of the most compelling story lines in all of football and will impact the entire country and who can lay claim to a spot in the playoff.
Mississippi State
Nov 1 vs Arkansas
Nov 8 vs UT Martin
Nov 15 @ Alabama
Nov 22 vs Vandy
Nov 29 @ Ole Miss
5 games in 5 weeks. For a team that is not used to the glare of the national spotlight, this may actually help MSU stay focused and when you consider that UTM & Vandy should be easy wins, this likely won't be a big deal for them. MSU has been incredibly consistent on the offensive scoreboard, scoring between 34 and 49 points in every game. They've also been pretty consistent in giving up 3-4 TDs per game in SEC play. A deeper look at their season, though, raises questions. Their only road game of note was @ LSU, when LSU was still trying to find themselves. Road games @ Alabama and rival UM, with the #1 label on their backs, could prove to be too much to handle.
My projection: 4-1. Alabama at home is an elite team and should hand them their 1st loss of the year. I believe they will beat UM to finish the year 11-1.
LSU
Nov 8 vs Alabama
Nov 15 @ Arkansas
Nov 27 @ A&M
LSU has virtually no chance of making the SEC title game thanks to losses against State and Auburn, but they can spoil Alabama's season and, depending on who Alabama goes on to beat, have a ripple effect on Auburn's and State's seasons as well. LSU has a bye week going into the Alabama game, just like Alabama does. These games have been epic the last few years. Alabama is the more complete team, but LSU is gelling at the right moment. In the end, I think we might find that the LSU win over UM was as much a UM implosion as it was LSU reemergence.
My prediction: 2-1. I think LSU loses to Alabama in a close, physical game and closes out the year with 2 road victories to finish 9-3.
Ole Miss
Nov 1 vs Auburn
Nov 8 Presbyterian
Nov 22 @ Arkansas
Nov 29 vs State
If UM is going to remain a factor in the conversation then they have to win out. If their QB was anyone other than Bo Wallace, I'd give them a good shot at doing it. The UM players will spend at least some portion of this week responding to questions about their QB. The head butt, the poor decisions late vs LSU, the early exit from the field, and of course the GoodBo/BadBo references. Many here on TF have been predicting an eventual UM implosion and I think it might come now. I'd pick them to beat Auburn but, like it or not Bama faithful, Auburn is always a dangerous team when they're hungry and focused.
My prediction: 1-3. If UM loses back to back games, the wheels may just come off completely. UM finishes the season a disappointing 8-4 and 2014 becomes just the latest what-could-have-been season for UM.
Auburn
Nov 1 @ UM
Nov 8 vs A&M
Nov 15 @ Georgia
Nov 22 vs Samford
Nov 29 @ Alabama
Another 5 game team. Auburn is catching UM at the perfect time, imo. If they have early success against UM, UM may just fold. Asking Auburn to win 3 road games in 5 weeks, though, against 3 top 10 teams no less, is probably more than they can handle. Georgia and Auburn are similar teams and if this game was down on the plains it would be easy to give Auburn the nod. Between the hedges, though, I would have to go with UGA. Alabama will be as pumped for this game as we have been for any game in recent memory.
My prediction: 3-2. Losses to Georgia and Alabama will put Auburn at 9-3 for the season. I would add that if they get by UGA and come in to the Alabama game 10-1, Auburn becomes a much more dangerous team.
Alabama
Nov 8 @ LSU
Nov 15 vs State
Nov 22 vs W Carolina
Nov 29 vs Auburn
Nov 8 @ LSU looms LARGE. If Alabama can get out of there with a win then things get much, much easier for Alabama. Alabama is a much more complete team than LSU but LSU brings a physicality to the game like no one else. When you consider Alabama's road woes this year, I think it's fair to say that Tiger stadium will be nothing short of electric and deafening 2 weeks from now. Alabama will have to be able to run the ball against LSU to get the win, but I think Sims will come up big late in the game and pull out the win. If Alabama does get past LSU, I think we will see team vs State that may look unstoppable. The players will know that they don't have to go on the road again and that all of their goals are ahead of them for the taking. We've all seen that FG return for a full year now. SO have our players. Enough said.
My prediction: 4-0. Alabama finishes the season strong at home and notches a 11-1 season and SECCG berth against 11-1 Georgia.
Sunday morning musings.....Thoughts?
Mississippi State
Nov 1 vs Arkansas
Nov 8 vs UT Martin
Nov 15 @ Alabama
Nov 22 vs Vandy
Nov 29 @ Ole Miss
5 games in 5 weeks. For a team that is not used to the glare of the national spotlight, this may actually help MSU stay focused and when you consider that UTM & Vandy should be easy wins, this likely won't be a big deal for them. MSU has been incredibly consistent on the offensive scoreboard, scoring between 34 and 49 points in every game. They've also been pretty consistent in giving up 3-4 TDs per game in SEC play. A deeper look at their season, though, raises questions. Their only road game of note was @ LSU, when LSU was still trying to find themselves. Road games @ Alabama and rival UM, with the #1 label on their backs, could prove to be too much to handle.
My projection: 4-1. Alabama at home is an elite team and should hand them their 1st loss of the year. I believe they will beat UM to finish the year 11-1.
LSU
Nov 8 vs Alabama
Nov 15 @ Arkansas
Nov 27 @ A&M
LSU has virtually no chance of making the SEC title game thanks to losses against State and Auburn, but they can spoil Alabama's season and, depending on who Alabama goes on to beat, have a ripple effect on Auburn's and State's seasons as well. LSU has a bye week going into the Alabama game, just like Alabama does. These games have been epic the last few years. Alabama is the more complete team, but LSU is gelling at the right moment. In the end, I think we might find that the LSU win over UM was as much a UM implosion as it was LSU reemergence.
My prediction: 2-1. I think LSU loses to Alabama in a close, physical game and closes out the year with 2 road victories to finish 9-3.
Ole Miss
Nov 1 vs Auburn
Nov 8 Presbyterian
Nov 22 @ Arkansas
Nov 29 vs State
If UM is going to remain a factor in the conversation then they have to win out. If their QB was anyone other than Bo Wallace, I'd give them a good shot at doing it. The UM players will spend at least some portion of this week responding to questions about their QB. The head butt, the poor decisions late vs LSU, the early exit from the field, and of course the GoodBo/BadBo references. Many here on TF have been predicting an eventual UM implosion and I think it might come now. I'd pick them to beat Auburn but, like it or not Bama faithful, Auburn is always a dangerous team when they're hungry and focused.
My prediction: 1-3. If UM loses back to back games, the wheels may just come off completely. UM finishes the season a disappointing 8-4 and 2014 becomes just the latest what-could-have-been season for UM.
Auburn
Nov 1 @ UM
Nov 8 vs A&M
Nov 15 @ Georgia
Nov 22 vs Samford
Nov 29 @ Alabama
Another 5 game team. Auburn is catching UM at the perfect time, imo. If they have early success against UM, UM may just fold. Asking Auburn to win 3 road games in 5 weeks, though, against 3 top 10 teams no less, is probably more than they can handle. Georgia and Auburn are similar teams and if this game was down on the plains it would be easy to give Auburn the nod. Between the hedges, though, I would have to go with UGA. Alabama will be as pumped for this game as we have been for any game in recent memory.
My prediction: 3-2. Losses to Georgia and Alabama will put Auburn at 9-3 for the season. I would add that if they get by UGA and come in to the Alabama game 10-1, Auburn becomes a much more dangerous team.
Alabama
Nov 8 @ LSU
Nov 15 vs State
Nov 22 vs W Carolina
Nov 29 vs Auburn
Nov 8 @ LSU looms LARGE. If Alabama can get out of there with a win then things get much, much easier for Alabama. Alabama is a much more complete team than LSU but LSU brings a physicality to the game like no one else. When you consider Alabama's road woes this year, I think it's fair to say that Tiger stadium will be nothing short of electric and deafening 2 weeks from now. Alabama will have to be able to run the ball against LSU to get the win, but I think Sims will come up big late in the game and pull out the win. If Alabama does get past LSU, I think we will see team vs State that may look unstoppable. The players will know that they don't have to go on the road again and that all of their goals are ahead of them for the taking. We've all seen that FG return for a full year now. SO have our players. Enough said.
My prediction: 4-0. Alabama finishes the season strong at home and notches a 11-1 season and SECCG berth against 11-1 Georgia.
Sunday morning musings.....Thoughts?
The surprise comes when Arky beats them in Ark. Again, because I need/want to believe it. Sure would be good to avoid any more injuries past bruises and minor scrapes, too. 
