2005 SEC Predictions -- How did I fare?

When I looked to the SEC West preseason 2005, I saw The Future. I saw it with clarity and a level of clairvoyance unseen on these internets.

Unfortunately, when I looked to the SEC East, the picture wasn't as clear.

One could argue that my readers would have gained better insight while having a football discussion with an 11 year old Danish girl named Heidi.

[Photo: yeah, I didn't fare so well in the East]

Although in fairness to me, no one in America saw Vandy and Tennessee's seasons ending like they did. So, without further pause (stalling), here's a link to my 2005 Preseason Predictions.

My SEC West Predictions: (actual in parenthesis)
1. LSU and Overall SEC Winner (1)
2. Auburn (2)
3. Alabama (3)
4. Arkansas (4)
5. Ole Miss (6)
6. Miss State (5)

See, I'm a genius. Ok. Stop reading. Go back to your coffee or lunch. Get back to work. Move along. Please don't continue. Oh the humanity.

My SEC East Predictions:
1. UT (5) - ouch
2. UGA (1) - SEC Champs
3. UF (3) - nice. See, I'm a genius. Stop reading.
4. SC (2) - Or not.
5. UK (6) - Off by one.
6. VU (4) - This one wasn't my fault either.

But that's not where it gets ugly.

Predictions within the predictions:
- UT: I was right when I said that they didn't have the offensive coordinator or schedule to be a Top 5 team. Unfortunately, Ainge wasn't one of the best young QBs in America. I was mostest offest there.


[The worst play in college football in 2005 had to be his goal line INT for a TD vs. LSU]

- UF: I said they wouldn't click offensively in Year One. Another plus for me.

- UGA: I was right that we needed to stay healthy. We didn't and it cost us vs. Auburn and Florida. The predicted need to be healthy supercedes the predicted split between UF and AU. So I wasn't wrong there.

- SC: I said 7-4 was doable, and that their running game would be weak. Check. Unfortunately, I said Blake Mitchell would suck. He didn't. Well, not for entire games usually.

- UK: I said Brooks wouldn't last the season. It isn't my fault that they retained him. I think we can all agree that since they SHOULD have fired him, I can't have this count against me.


[Photo: If I were UK AD, I would've made him fight his way out of this ring to save his job. (Courtesy of Dawgbone.net)]

- VU: Apparently, they do care about athletics. Sometimes. Whiff.

- LSU: I couldn't have seen the hurricanes coming, or I would've warned people. Otherwise, I was almost dead on.


[Photo: Note the ridiculous earpiece from the first game in Baton Rouge. Never has there been a coach less aware of his surroundings and more aware of his stylish appearance.]

- AU: I was way, way, way, way, way wrong about Kenny Irons. Although, I nailed my Tre Smith prediction cold. Oh yeah, and their OL didn't maul GT. A fact that haunts scientists to this day.

- Bama: I said if Brodie stayed healthy, they would exceed all expectations. Well...he did. Although, I never figured on every other player in crimson getting hurt. I think Bama played three female cheerleaders along the offensive line vs. Auburn.


[Photo: Honk if you've sacked Brodie. Classic.]

- Arkansas: I will never understand anything Houston Nutt does. Seriously. I said they would beat SC, and they wet the bed. I can't be blamed for him having an 8'11" WR who is consistently covered by 5'9" DBs yet Nutt doesn't force a hot route fade. I can't be held accountability for such stupidity.

- Ole Miss and Miss State predictions: Sort of a wash.

Outside of the SEC, I called for Joe Pa to be put down like Ol Yeller. Whiff.

And my Top 25 looked like this preseason (ouch again):
1. USC
2. Texas
3. Iowa
4. Michigan
5. Miami
6. Louisville
7. Oklahoma
8. LSU
9. UT
10. UGA
11. VT
12. Ohio State
13. Auburn
14. Purdue
15. FSU
16. UF
17. Boise State
18. UVA
19. Texas A&M
20. Boston College
21. Oregon
22. Arizona State
23. Texas Tech
24. Pittsburgh
25. Colorado

I got tripped up by the same teams that tripped almost everyone up. Tennessee, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, UVA and Pitt. All finished the season as massive underachievers while Notre Dame and West Virginia exceeded almost everyone's expectations. It took me way, way too long to get on board with West Virginia, but I was quick to dismiss Pitt and apologize for such a pick.

Overall, a rocky start, BUT not too much worse than many of the mainstream "gurus." If picking were so obvious as to be easy, there would be no point in playing the games right?

Here's to looking forward for 2006.

Tweet