Predicting how Each New SEC Head Coach will do in 2021
The SEC has 4 new head coaches this year, and 3 of them have pretty low expectations. In this article I will look at schedules and try to predict each new SEC coaches' outcome for 2021.
Bryan Harsin, Auburn
2021 Schedule:
Sept. 4 - AKRON
Sept. 11 - ALABAMA STATE
Sept. 18 - at Penn State
Sept. 25 - GEORGIA STATE
Oct. 2 - at LSU
Oct. 9 - GEORGIA
Oct. 16 - at Arkansas
Oct. 23 - Open Date
Oct. 30 - OLE MISS
Nov. 6 - at Texas A&M
Nov. 13 - MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 20 - at South Carolina
Nov. 27 - ALABAMA
Former Boise State coach Bryan Harsin will head into 2021 with mild but strong expectations. Auburn still has a ton of talent, including quarterback Bo Nix who could enter the season as a Top 5 SEC Quarterback. Auburn has an interesting matchup with Penn State Week 3 and plays at South Carolina to try to get revenge Week 12. Auburn should finish well above bowl eligible and have an above average season.
Wins: Akron, Alabama St, Georgia St, LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Miss State, S. Carolina
Losses: Penn State, Georgia, Texas A&M, Alabama
Final Record: 8-4 (5-3 SEC)
Josh Heupel, Tennessee
September 4th: Bowling Green
September 11th: Pittsburgh
September 18th: Tennessee Tech
September 25th: at Florida
October 2nd: at Missouri
October 9th: South Carolina
October 16th: Ole Miss
October 23rd: at Alabama
October 30th: OPEN
November 6th: at Kentucky
November 13th: Georgia
November 20th: South Alabama
November 27th: Vanderbilt
Josh Heupel comes to Rocky Top from UCF, following AD Danny White from UCF to Tennessee. Fans do not seem to like Heupel, as his record grew worse and worse every year at UCF. Heupel used to be an offensive coordinator for Missouri, coaching Drew Lock, and was a national champion in his quarterbacking days at Oklahoma. Heupel's offense averaged 43 points a game in 2020 at UCF, and he helped Missouri go from averaging 13 points a game to 38 ppg in 2 years. The Vols certainly have a surplus of talent at QB, with three 4-stars and a junior who started half of the 2019 season. Tennessee has a nice home and home with Pittsburgh, which is probably the biggest toss up game on the schedule. Tennessee will limp to a 6-6 season, and probably not go to a bowl because of the McVolunteers recruiting scandal.
Wins: Bowling Green, Pitt, Tenn. Tech, S. Carolina, South Alabama, Vanderbilt
Losses: Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia
Record: 6-6 (2-6 SEC)
Shane Beamer, South Carolina
Sept. 4 - vs. Eastern Illinois
Sept. 11 - at East Carolina
Sept. 18 - at Georgia
Sept. 25 - vs. Kentucky
Oct. 2 - vs. Troy
Oct. 9 - at Tennessee
Oct. 16 - vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 23 - at Texas A&M
Oct. 30 - BYE
Nov. 6 - vs. Florida
Nov. 13 - at Missouri
Nov. 20 - vs. Auburn
Nov. 27 - vs. Clemson
Shane Beamer was hired at SC after being Oklahoma's assistant head coach and TEs coach. Beamer will not have very high expectations, as South Carolina has struggled immensely for the past few years. They by default play a harder schedule than normal, as they have a permanent SEC West game with Texas A&M and a rivalry with Clemson. South Carolina may need a year or two to get settled, so I am going to mark them down as non-bowl eligible this year.
Wins: E. Illinois, ECU, Troy, Vanderbilt
Losses: Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida, Missouri, Auburn, Clemson
Record: 4-8 (1-7 SEC)
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
Week 1 (September 4): East Tennessee State
Week 2 (September 11); at Colorado State
Week 3 (September 18): Stanford
Week 4 (September 25): Georgia
Week 5 (October 2): UConn
Week 6 (October 9): at Florida
Week 7 (October 16): at South Carolina
Week 8 (October 23): Mississippi State
Week 9 (October 30): Missouri
Week 10 (November 6): BYE
Week 11 (November 13): Kentucky
Week 12 (November 20): at Ole Miss
Week 13 (November 27): at Tennessee
Clark Lea comes from a CFP Notre Dame team. He served as a DC, and will join a Vandy team fresh off of the first winless season in program history. There isn't much to say about Vanderbilt, except we may have a matchup for the worst CFB team with UConn vs Vanderbilt. Vandy doesn't have much of a recruiting class, and returns virtually no talent. It is evident that Vandy will likely sit in the cellar this season, and share the national basement with Kansas, UConn, and Akron. The biggest toss up game here is Colorado State.
Wins: UConn, ETSU
Losses: Colorado St, Stanford, Georgia, Florida, S. Carolina, Miss St, Missouri, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee
Record: 2-10 (0-8 SEC)
My Full SEC Predictions
EAST
Georgia
Florida
Missouri
Kentucky
Tennessee
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
WEST
Alabama
Texas A&M
LSU
Auburn
Ole Miss
Arkansas
Mississippi State
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