One last time, we’ll give this a whirl while the Southeastern Conference is still around, which it won’t be after this season.

There will be something called the SEC, and it will be loaded with quality, by-gosh football, but it won’t be anything like what you grew up. Not after Texas and Oklahoma wedge in for 2024 to get the running total to 16 teams (and counting?).

You already know I think that’s too many, and among the side effects will be the elimination of divisions, easily among the conference’s best inventions. They were at least a help in keeping the behemoth orderly.

So, soon to become a nostalgia tour, here’s a stab at predicting the last go-around.

East

1. GEORGIA — Spoiler alert: The Bulldogs won’t three-peat for the national championship. It’s just not done. But the Dawgs, who may have to overcome employing a real quarterback this time, will sweep through the SEC for a perfect regular season just to tease everyone.

2. KENTUCKY: Yes, I’m going off-the-rocker crazy right here. No real explanation for it. Call it a hunch that all the bad breaks and injuries that visited the Wildcats last year will get exchanged in full, with lots of new faces on the roster and an offensive coordinator named Liam (Coen). Disclaimer: I’ve been way wrong before.

3. TENNESSEE — By all accounts, it should be the Vols who might (mildly) challenge Georgia. The Big Orange even suggest quarterback Joe Milton is better than Hendon Hooker. We’ll see. They might be right.

4. SOUTH CAROLINA — There’s this phenomena in Gamecock lore called the “Curse of the Chicken,” which states that whenever the ever-loyal USC fan base gets their hopes up, sees a flicker of hope out there, something unexplained pops up to dash the optimism. Usually in excruciating fashion. That sort of good cheer seems to be in play this August, mostly due to quarterback Spencer Rattler. Otherwise the Gamecocks look primed and solid.

5. FLORIDA — Expectations have seldom been lower for the Gators. But Billy Napier is a better coach than he showed last season. Talent level is down by UF standards, but that might surprise some people. The question is: How many wins does it take to keep him off the hot seat?

6. MISSOURI — I still forget Missouri is in the SEC, even though head coach Eli Drinkwitz is refreshingly flippant. There’s talk of the hot seat for him, so it’s worth pulling for the Tigers.

7. VANDERBILT — Trust me, I’ve searched high and low looking for somewhere else to put the Commodores. Showed some promise late last season. But it’s still Vanderbilt, a fine academic institution.

West

1. LSU — OK, I’ll bite. If nothing else, the Tigers play Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where they traditionally have played the Tide better than in Baton Rouge. LSU also (apparently) will have a big advantage at quarterback and Alabama has promised not to have a quarterback capable of exploiting the Tigers’ biggest question mark, the secondary.

2. ALABAMA — Of course, back in the day Nick Saban used to win national championships with game managers at quarterback. And pay no attention to Saban’s idle chatter that his receivers haven’t shined this August. Just Saban being Saban. He’ll think of something. Probably already has.

3. TEXAS A&M — Most of the SEC’s preseason popcorn is being stashed away right now in anticipation of the inevitable remaining-television-time dust-up between head coach Jimbo Fisher and offensive (in more ways than one) coordinator Bobby Petrino. If it happens — the over-under for the explosion is probably like six games in — you’ll want ringside seats. But it just seems too perfect and preordained for it to actually happen. And if they do somehow get along, the Aggies could make some noise befitting their talent. Petrino knows how to dial up some ball plays.

4. OLE MISS — New-age Lane Kiffin, surprisingly, seems to hate everything about the new era of the NCAA transfer portal and NIL and even conference explode-and-rearrange. But he knows how to use it all. And if he gets any defense from it, it could be interesting. More likely, the Rebels will be just good enough to pull an upset or two.

5. ARKANSAS — It’s hard to pull against head coach Sam Pittman, and quarterback K.J. Jefferson keeps the Hogs in every game. Winning them has been a tad dicier.

6. AUBURN — Better get Auburn while the getting is good. Hugh Freeze is going to get the War Eagles on track, probably sooner than later. But not this soon.

7. MISSISSIPPI STATE — Quarterback Will Rogers was brought in to run the late Mike Leach’s offensive foolishness. It will be quite an adjustment going back to new coach Zach Arnett’s relative mundane attack. Expect growing pains.

—

Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics. Email him at scooter.hobbs@americanpress.com