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Ole Miss Football: Predicting Dark Horses Of The SEC For 2017

By Daniel Skipper

Dec 31, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops (center) looks on from the bench in the second half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at EverBank Field. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets won 33-18. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops (center) looks on from the bench in the second half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at EverBank Field. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets won 33-18. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ole Miss football fans can be sure it won’t be us, however there will be ‘dark horses’ from both SEC divisions this fall.

One great thing about the NCAA case and impending sanctions for Ole Miss football, I don’t have to fight the urge to be a homer when picking dark horses. Although there may be no threat from the Rebels in winning the SEC this season, somebody will and there is always a dark horse close in the running.

This season will be a different looking SEC than what we are normally used to. Although I don’t believe this is a rebuilding year in T-town, I do believe the reloading process may be suspect. Of course, Bama has a murderer’s row to navigate thru within the SEC West. Once the SEC West becomes a free for all there are teams which could make the end run for the SEC West title.

Dark Horses West

Ole Miss Rebels Football
Ole Miss Rebels Football /

Ole Miss Rebels Football

Notice the plural there? Yes, it is difficult at this point to pick just one. However, I can pick two and give my lean towards one or the other. Arkansas is a team which is on the verge of a breakout.

Loaded with talent there are still uncertainties. However, they have an experienced QB in Austin Allen and could make a run at the end of the season. Allen was the top passer in the SEC in 2016.

Miss State is another SEC West team which could be really good this season. They are a much better team than many of the pundits give them credit for. There are no questions about the talent level of Nick Fitzgerald.

He is amazingly good at managing the game and works good inside or outside of the pocket. Fitzgerald has had problems throwing the ball however he has worked this off-season on his mechanics.

Defensively, MSU has a new revitalized defense behind defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. They are hoping they see the ‘psycho defense’ reemerge in Starkvegas. Things are looking good so far. The Bullies also get Bama in Starkville this season which will play into their hands well. Of course, anything can happen in the wild SEC West.

SEC West Dark Horse: Miss State

Dark Horse East

This is a division where everybody is chiming about the Georgia Bulldogs running roughshod thru the competition. Negative ghost rider, there are 6 other teams in your division which might present a bit of a problem. So who will realistically compete against UGA for the SEC East title? Of course, Florida and Tennessee. That leaves us with the dark horses.

Kentucky is hard not to like as a dark horse. Coach Mark Stoops has done a lot in Lexington to get Kentucky football some respect. Stoops has proven he can produce wins in the SEC East and has recruited very well while he’s been in the bluegrass state. He’s worked hard to create a defense with depth and it has shown. The wildcats are returning 9 starters on defense.

Next: The 2017 Season Predictions!

Offensively, the Wildcats are returning 8 starters and are stacked with talent. Stoops actually has somewhat of a quarterback battle to weed thru with Stephen Johnson and back-up Gunnar Hoak. Hoak was phenomenal in the Wildcats Blue-White game this spring though. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 174 yards and 2 TDs. Hoak also added a rushing TD.  The sooner Stoops finds his QB the sooner they make the run of the dark horse thru the SEC East.

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