SEC football preview: 5 biggest storylines and questions entering 2019
SEC football is the sun that college football revolves around so which storylines and questions will be at the forefront of the conference coming into 2019.
The gravitational pull of SEC football is undeniable. Love it or hate it, college football will almost always be SEC-centric and there’s good reason for it. When you have teams like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Florida and more leading the charge, you’re going to be in the national spotlight as a conference.
Given that spotlight, SEC football storylines always carry a bit more weight. So then, what are the biggest questions and storylines in the conference coming into the 2019 season? Let’s take a look.
5. Will there be another Kentucky?
Despite having a veteran team and moderate expectations coming into the 2018 season, no one saw the Kentucky Wildcats competing in SEC football the way they did last year. And, while Mark Stoops’ team has suffered a number of critical losses and likely won’t be in the mix for the 2019 season — at least in the same manner — there is always the chance another dark horse emerges.
The candidates are there for that to happen. Perhaps Kelly Bryant invigorates the Missouri Tigers and gets them into the mix. Maybe a veteran South Carolina Gamecocks team led by Jake Bentley can grind out some marquee wins. Or, lo and behold, maybe Jeremy Pruitt and the Tennessee Volunteers shock the world.
Whoever it may be, the question looms of who will be the 2019 version of Kentucky.
4. Gus Malzahn’s fight for his job
Despite the Auburn Tigers’ drubbing of Purdue in the Music City Bowl, head coach Gus Malzahn can’t feel safe. Even with the bowl win, he’s coming off of an eight-win season, which just doesn’t cut it in Auburn. Making matters worse, there was even chatter after the Tigers’ Iron Bowl loss last year that Auburn might even be willing to bite the approximately $30 million buyout bullet just to get Malzahn out.
Yet, here is Malzahn again entering 2019 and he holds all the cards. He’s taken back play-calling duties (which he did in the Music City Bowl, for what it’s worth) and has two young quarterbacks in Joey Gatewood and Bo Nix leading the way. In the simplest terms, how the offense looks and how Auburn fares will almost surely determine if 2019 is Malzahn’s last with the program or not.
3. How big of a spoiler can Texas A&M be?
In year two under Jimbo Fisher and with Kellen Mond’s star ascending, the prospects for the Texas A&M Aggies to be great are there. What may stand between the Aggies and ultimate success, however, is an absolutely brutal schedule. A non-conference date at Clemson, home games against Auburn and Alabama and a two-game finishing stretch on the road against Georgia and LSU, respectively, make for a brutal run.
Texas A&M has the horses to compete in most — if not all — of those games. However, what could have the most impact on SEC football and the sport at large in 2019 is how often they are able to win against the litany of top-tier teams they face. They could be the ultimate spoiler, if not a title contender, depending on how things transpire.
2. Can Tua win the Heisman (and stay healthy)?
Tua Tagovailoa was a powder keg in the Alabama offense last season, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy. That runner-up finish, though, was disappointing in a way as the Crimson Tide quarterback had the lead in the race for much of the season. Yet, as lingering injuries seemingly took their toll, he lost his lead to Kyler Murray.
With Murray now in the NFL, Tagovailoa isn’t without competition for the Heisman. However, he has the offense, talent and the elite weapons around him to be considered a favorite to win the award. But the big question is if he can both live up to that hype and, perhaps more importantly, be healthy enough to reach that pinnacle.
1. Georgia’s quest to finally get past ‘Bama
Two years in a row, the Georgia Bulldogs have been among the best in college football. And for two straight years, Alabama has stopped them short, beating them in the Natty two years ago and in the SEC Championship last year.
Georgia now, again, has all the talent in the world, particularly with an offense led by Jake Fromm and D’Andre Swift. The question, though, is whether Kirby Smart can finally get himself and his team over the mental hurdle that the Tide present right now. Whether they can or not could be the difference between a National Championship and missing out on the College Football Playoff.