SEC power rankings, Week 1: Alabama and everybody else
By John Buhler
Texas A&M Aggies (0-0)
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The Texas A&M Aggies may be the hardest team to forecast how they do this season. While they have recruited well, head coach Kevin Sumlin finds himself on the hot seat. His athletic director called him out during a meeting this winter in Destin, so that’s not great.
Texas A&M has two potentially great players on offense in running back Trayveon Williams and wide receiver Christian Kirk. The bigger question is who is throwing the football for Gig ‘Em Nation. Lackluster quarterback play and playing in a tough SEC West could sink this team, but it’d be shocking if the Aggies didn’t win seven games or so and reach a holiday season bowl.
Tennessee Volunteers (0-0)
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The other team with major concerns at quarterback in the SEC is the Tennessee Volunteers. Replacing long-time starter Josh Dobbs will be difficult, but like Sumlin at Texas A&M, Volunteers head coach Butch Jones thrives on the recruiting trails. He does lose a lot of talent to the NFL, including No. 14 overall pick Derek Barnett of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Tennessee finds itself somewhere in that No. 3 to No. 6 range in the SEC. The Volunteers could be as good as 9-3 if it all pans out for them. However, this team could finish below .500 if they do not execute for Jones. Though he has brought some semblance of stability to Knoxville, has Jones capped out as a head coach at a blue-blood program? Could he be on the hot seat in 2017?