Opinion: As of now, Auburn sweeps SEC football superlatives

ATLANTA -- Let the speculation and conjecture begin.

It's awards season in the Southeastern Conference. Actually, the pre-awards season, which is even more fun since everyone gets to show off their best Nostradamus impression.

So, who'll be taking home the hardware after they finish these last three weeks of the regular season and crown a champion in Atlanta on the first Saturday in December?

Without further delay, the envelopes please:

-- PLAYER OF THE YEAR: This looked like the easiest choice of all - until all sorts of scandalous reports involving Cam Newton began to emerge over the past week.

The Tigers have denied any wrongdoing and stood by their man, who has been nearly unstoppable. Newton is the SEC's leader in rushing (1,146 yards) and passing efficiency (67 percent completions, 1,890 yards, 19 touchdowns and only five interceptions) has almost single-handedly guided Auburn to a 10-0 record, a No. 2 national ranking and one win away from a spot in the league's championship game.

"You've got to start with Cam. You know you've arrived when you only have to say their first name," said Georgia's Mark Richt, whose team will face Newton on Saturday. "Just when you thought (Tim) Tebow had left town, he showed up in another jersey."

But what happens if something emerges that No. 2 can't escape?

With that in mind, let's go with Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett as the backup pick. Big Tex is averaging nearly 306 yards passing in Bobby Petrino's offense.

-- COACH OF THE YEAR: Keeping with the Auburn theme, Gene Chizik appears to be the overwhelming choice, assuming the Tigers can knock off Georgia or Alabama to claim the SEC West title.

Chizik was a highly debated pick when he landed on the Plains, bringing along a head coaching resume that consisted of a 5-19 mark at Iowa State. The school's most famous basketball player, Charles Barkley, went so far as to claim the hiring was racially motivated to keep from giving the job to a black candidate, Turner Gill.

Not even Sir Charles can complain about the job Chizik has done, assuming something doesn't emerge in the ever-fluid Newton Chronicles that wipes all these wins from the books.

But let's not forget Dan Mullen, who has fashioned a 7-2 record and Top 25 ranking at SEC backwater Mississippi State. The win over Georgia was impressive. The win at Florida was even better for the former Gators assistant.

If the offensively challenged Bulldogs (ninth in the SEC in total yards) somehow close the season with wins over Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss, give the award to Mullen no matter what Auburn does the rest of the way.

-- FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Another easy choice. South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is the league's second-leading rusher behind Newton (752 yards, 11 touchdowns) and has made coach Steve Spurrier forget about his fun-n-gun days and settle for ground-and-pound.

...

OK, now that we have those stodgy ol' statuettes out of the way, let's get to the MTV portion of the show:

-- PANTS ON FIRE AWARD: No one is feeling more heat than Georgia's Richt, whose team got off to a 1-4 start and then, when presented with a chance to still win the SEC East, lost in overtime to a Florida team that played everyone but an actual Gator at quarterback.

Richt won two conference titles in his first five years at Georgia, but that was back in an era when Ron Zook coached Florida and Mike Shula was running things at Alabama. In the Urban Meyer-Nick Saban universe, the Bulldogs have been left behind: a 13-10 mark over the past two season, including 7-8 in the SEC. No one expects Richt to lose his job, but no one will be under more scrutiny in 2011.

For good measure, we might as well give the Bulldogs the booby prize for most disappointing team.

-- ARCHIE GRIFFIN HE AIN'T AWARD: Remember Mark Ingram?

The Alabama running back was hurt before the opener and never really hit the stride he had as a Heisman Trophy-winning sophomore. Ingram has hardly been a flop, rushing for 641 yards and seven touchdowns in seven games, but it's hard to call this season a success - especially with two losses knocking the Crimson Tide out of contention for a second straight national title.

-- LES MILES ROLL THE DICE AWARD: This one goes to (drum roll, please) ... Les Miles! Heck, we might as well retire the trophy, 'cause it's hard to imagine any coach taking as many chances as LSU's Mad Hatter and still having a job.

The best calls of his weekly Texas Hold 'Em game came in an upset of Florida, where he kept the final drive alive with a fake field goal, then called a pass that resulted in the winning touchdown with 6 seconds remaining rather than settle for overtime.

"I don't know how other coaches make their decisions," Miles said. "I probably would not make the call if I didn't have confidence in that team."

Which brings us to ...

-- LES MILES BIGGEST SCREWUP AWARD: Miles should win this one, too, for letting the final seconds tick off against Tennessee - but even that turned out just fine for LSU.

So, let's give this award to poor ol' Vanderbilt for its attempt at a fake punt against South Carolina.

Actually, the Commodores changed their minds and decided to kick away, getting word to everyone except one key player. The punter, Richard Kent. He was talking to an official, never got the wave-off and took off with the ball while the rest of his teammates took off downfield to cover the punt that never came.

Kent ran up the middle for 1 whole yard. He needed 11. The Commodores lost 21-7.