The teams in the SEC West want to be connected to the College Football Playoff race, and that means winning the division, getting into the SEC Championship Game, and coming away with a victory after a long and punishing regular season. The SEC West remains the toughest division in college football, and so a championship here is hard-earned, with absolutely nothing about the process being cheap or undeserved.If you’re interested in learning more – or getting deeper into the game – you can click here for the Northbet LinkedIn page to enhance your connectedness to the world of sports betting and the quality of information you can access each hour of every day.

Best NFL Prospect In The Division

Amari Cooper, wide receiver of Alabama. Cooper is the latest in a line of Alabama receivers who come to the Crimson Tide because they know Nick Saban will develop them into NFL-ready players, even though Alabama doesn’t run a fancy spread-passing offense or use some of the pass-friendly methods of a team such as Baylor or Washington State. When you think of great Alabama receivers to come down the pipeline over the past several years, you’d think of Julio Jones, the outstanding wideout for the Atlanta Falcons, who helped the team make the NFC Championship Game and nearly win it two seasons ago. Cooper can be that kind of player in the NFL. SEC defensive backs will be very happy to see him go.

Biggest Surprise Of 2014

Ole Miss. The Rebels might not win the division, but they have a very good chance to make the top three and bump off one of the three teams that has been a favorite or second choice for most of the past few years: Alabama, Auburn, and LSU. The Rebels probably won’t be able to break down the Alabama-Auburn stronghold, but they could beat LSU on the road. They’ve come very close in previous trips to Baton Rouge. They have likely surpassed Texas A&M in terms of overall quality, since A&M’s defense is in really bad shape this season without Johnny Manziel to save the day. The Rebels should be able to take care of Mississippi State and Arkansas; they have a lot going in their direction, especially recruiting, which has taken off under current head coach Hugh Freeze.

Biggest Disappointment Of 2014

Mississippi State. There’s a lot of hype being thrown the Bulldogs’ way, which invites the possibility that the team won’t measure up this fall. Mississippi State does have more talent, and it’s why a lot of people are saying that the Bulldogs could do what Ole Miss is being predicted to do above: crash the top three and make just enough noise to change the natural order of things in the SEC West. However, Mississippi State has not proven that it can threaten the top teams to the extent Ole Miss has. Ole Miss defeated LSU last season. Mississippi State has been less successful than its in-state rival in terms of wreaking havoc on the schedule. Skepticism is the best approach to Mississippi State right now.