The 2016 college football season is roughly a little over three months away, and that means it's time to make some serious predictions. Recently on the Paul Finebaum show, USA Today sports analyst and handicapper Danny Sheridan made an appearance on the show to discuss which teams should be favored to win in each division. The discussion began in talking about the SEC West, which the Alabama Crimson Tide has won the past two seasons. Sheridan stated that LSU, who the Crimson Tide beat 30-16 last year, should be the presumed favorites heading into 2016.
"I would make LSU the favorite, I think they have the best team on paper heading into the season, Then right behind them of course you have Alabama for obvious reasons. Then you have a little drop off in Ole Miss Arkansas and Auburn — I guess I'd rank Arkansas a little above Auburn. And at the bottom I'd have Texas A&M."
Sheridan added LSU will win "10 or 11 games," and Alabama won't accomplish this feat, including that the Tide will get beat by LSU this season. He also included that when he says "bottom" of the SEC West in discussing TAMU and Mississippi State isn't meant to be an insult given the SEC West is the "toughest division in football" to play in
In the SEC East, Sheridan has one team — Tennessee — who will seemingly run away with the division, and lists the Volunteers as the No. 2 team overall in the conference behind LSU.
"The second best team in the conference Tennessee 1a. They've got a phenomenal team. I don't see anyone challenging them in the East. Georgia could challenge them a little bit, then you have a little drop off to Florida."
Sheridan adds that the one challenge for Tennessee is that they've lost nine straight to Alabama, which won't make that matchup any easier. He failed to mention however that UT has also lost 11 straight to Florida, so that may be the team Tennessee has to get past to lock up that division. You can catch the entirety of Sheridan's interview with Finebaum by clicking here.
