UNDATED — The Southeastern Conference is trying to carry on its football season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Georgia, Alabama and LSU, meanwhile, will forge ahead without their star quarterbacks.In a precarious season when nothing feels normal, the SEC does feel like, well, the SEC. The powerhouse league approaches the delayed, shortened season with four teams ranked in the top 10.No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Georgia, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Florida and others nurse championship hopes. However, the Crimson Tide must replace prolific passer Tua Tagovailoa, Georgia is without Jake Fromm and defending national champion LSU must replace Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL draft pick Joe Burrow.
TUSCALOOSA — Perennial college football contender Alabama is hoping to roll out a redemption tour. The preseason No. 3 Crimson Tide failed to make the playoffs for the first time last season largely thanks to a regular season-ending loss to rival Auburn. Alabama approaches a pandemic-shortened season with a number of offensive and defensive stars returning along with quarterback Mac Jones. The Tide has the same title ambitions as usual.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Dan Mullen declined to release a roster, openly mocked a predicted depth chart he saw online and refused to delve too deep into his plans for any position. Mullen insisted he’s merely trying to keep his players focused with so much going on around them: football practices, classes beginning, COVID-19 testing amid a global pandemic and social injustice. It might be the sensible approach. It also could be Mullen taking over-the-top precaution as the eighth-ranked Gators get ready to begin a championship-or-bust season. Mullen says “we have the potential to ... be a championship team.”
BATON ROUGE — The defending national champion LSU Tigers are hardly recognizable beyond their unmistakably Cajun coach and trademark purple and gold uniforms. LSU saw a school-record 14 players taken in last spring's NFL draft. Then the coronavirus pandemic prodded some top remaining players to opt out. Myles Brennan is set to succeed record-smashing Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow at quarterback. But Brennan won't have the luxury of throwing to All-American receiver Ja'Marr Chase. He opted out less than a month before the season opener. LSU also has switched defensive schemes under new coordinator Bo Pelini.
KNOXVILLE — Tennessee proved a season ago it can more than just compete with the Volunteers winning their final six games, capped by a comeback bowl victory. Now the Vols must prove they can play that way from the start. Coach Jeremy Pruitt says his teams has a lot of experience returning. Pruitt heads into his third season after turning around an ugly start for an 8-5 record. Tennessee also is ranked No. 25, the Vols’ first appearance in The Associated Press rankings since Sept. 10, 2017. The Vols open the season Sept. 26 by visiting South Carolina.
OXFORD — New Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin isn’t promising a repeat of his near-instant turnaround at Florida Atlantic. This time he inherits a Rebels team coming off a 4-8 season and playing in likely the toughest division in college football, the Southeastern Conference Western Division. But Kiffin’s hiring, and his track record with quarterbacks and offenses, brought some instant excitement to Ole Miss.
STARKVILLE — Mike Leach and his Mississippi State football players have a lot to learn about each other in a short period of time. Given his successful background, it’s possible for the outspoken coach and the Bulldogs to become quick studies. For now, there’s work to be done as Leach instills his pass-heavy Air Raid scheme to the offense in hopes of turning things around in Starkville. He plans on continuing what he did with Washington State and Texas Tech: turn the mediocre Bulldogs back into winners and then contend in the tough Southeastern Conference West Division.
COLLEGE STATION — As Jimbo Fisher enters his third season at Texas A&M he has a luxury afforded to very few coaches: a four-year starter at quarterback in Kellen Mond. Mond is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the nation this season after starting 36 games in his first three seasons with the Aggies. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound Mond has improved every year and is looking to take another step in his final season to help the 13th-ranked Aggies contend in the rugged Southeastern Conference.
