Florida
Perception – The Gators would win the
Eastern Division, having proven its dominance with a 59-20 massacre of
Tennessee.
Reality – The Gators lost again to
Auburn at home,
then lost to LSU. With two losses already, Florida is a longshot.
With a loss at Kentucky on Saturday, Florida is just shot.
Georgia
Perception – Having rebounded from its
surprising loss to South Carolina,
Georgia had beaten resurgent
Alabama,
establishing itself as an Eastern contender.
Reality – Tennessee 35, Georgia 0 before the Dawgs could even
scratch. Then, barely beating Vandy. And, looking back, just how resurgent is
Bama, really? The Dawgs are one league loss away from being
irrelevant.
Vanderbilt
Perception – This might be the year
that the experienced Commodores make the long-awaited move to the upper part of
the division. They had just beaten Ole Miss and played Alabama
close.
Reality – Back-to-back SEC losses.
Already three down in the league. Wait ‘til next year …
again.
Tennessee
Perception – Two early losses,
including the humiliation in The Swamp. The Volunteers are
done.
Reality – The Vols don’t play LSU. The
Vols don’t play Auburn. They play South
Carolina and Arkansas at home. They control their own
destiny. Hello, Atlanta?
Kentucky
Perception – The Wildcats are better,
could make a run at the SEC Championship Game.
Reality – The Wildcats are better,
could make a run at the SEC Championship Game. But, first there’s Florida and having to
come down from the LSU euphoria. Then, there’s that pesky loss to South Carolina, putting
them one-game down head-to-head.
South
Carolina
Perception – The Gamecocks are better,
could make a run at the SEC Championship Game.
Reality – The Gamecocks are better,
could make a run at the SEC Championship Game. Win out and they go to Atlanta.
(But, the same is true for
Tennessee.)
SEC WEST
Arkansas
Perception – Arkansas has the easiest
schedule of any BCS conference team. New Year’s Day bowl. Heisman Trophy.
Title
darkhorse.
Reality – Starts 0-3 in the SEC. Out of
the race by mid-October with South Carolina,
Tennessee and
LSU still ahead.
How much longer will things be
Nutts in Fayetteville?
Auburn
Perception – What’s wrong with
Auburn? Ignore
the five turnovers and dropped touchdown pass. They lost to Mississippi
State at home! And, having to play
so many freshmen! So, of course, they can’t win any of that four-game road
gauntlet.
Reality – Florida, check.
Arkansas,
check. Second best team in the West, check. Ships passing in the night? No sign
of that happening yet.
Alabama
Perception – Bama’s back! Didn’t they
just beat Arkansas?
Reality – Blew a 21-point lead to the
Hogs, almost blew a 23-point lead to Houston,
lost to mediocre Georgia … all three games at home.
And, about that “indisputable evidence” in the Ole Miss
game!
LSU
Perception – When is the coronation? Of
course, they’re good enough to run the SEC table. Bring on Southern Cal!
Reality – LSU is still the best team in
the SEC, but they could still lose again in the conference. Bring on South Florida?
Mississippi State
Perception – Maybe better, maybe go to
a bowl game. Didn’t they just win at Auburn?
Reality – They have four wins. Can you
find two more?
Mississippi
Perception – Ole Miss is the SEC’s
worst team.
Reality – Forget the Alabama game. Ole Miss is
probably still the SEC’s worst team.
Of course, it’s only been a month,
so reality could change this much again by mid-November.
But for now … LSU and Auburn are still the best
programs in the West and there’s no evidence that will change any time
soon.
Vandy, State and Ole Miss are …
well, still Vandy, State and Ole Miss … and there’s no evidence that will change
any time soon.
Perception can be so much fun to
believe.
Reality can be so difficult to
face.
Perception and reality can be so
cruel.
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Lyn Scarbrough is a senior writer
for Lindy’s Magazine. Reach him at lynscarb@msn.com.