The SEC remains the best league in the college game. Last year, three SEC teams had a legitimate shot at making the national title game. Another one – Georgia – ran off eight wins in a row to close the season. There is a lot of depth to go around in the SEC. The big question about the league still remains – who is going to take down the title? Which team will rise above the rest and claim a chance at SEC superiority and, as a result, national superiority?

The Champion Might Rest in the West

There is one thing we know. The West division is going to put up quite a fight. Last year, LSU won the West and won the SEC crown, knocking off Georgia in the process. A year before that, Auburn ran through the West, blowing out South Carolina in the championship game. Alabama did a similar thing the year before, eventually beating up on Florida in the title game. The West is going to have a bunch of teams able to fight for the crown, starting with the defending national champion.

Alabama won the national title in 2012 without ever winning their own division. This is a remarkable feat, and the Tide look poised to have another strong year. They have a couple of pieces that need replacing. Trent Richardson was the guy who made the offense go, and they will certainly miss his presence. They will also miss a number of key players on the defensive side of the ball. Though they lost a lot of talent to the NFL, the Tide still have Nick Saban. They still have a stable of talent that can be counted on to provide remarkable play on both sides of the ball.

What kind of article would this be without talking about LSU? The Tigers looked unstoppable almost all year. Then came January. Bama took down LSU in the BCS championship game, leaving the Tigers with some serious questions entering this year. Do they have the horses to run to the title? They should at least be in the mix. They return most of their talent on the offensive side of the ball. Most of the defensive playmakers are back, too. LSU is the smart pick to at least win the West, but can they win the entire thing?

Georgia will claim the SEC title in 2012

The reason LSU won’t win the title has everything to do with Georgia. The Bulldogs closed last year on a nice run and kept it going for two quarters in the SEC Championship game. They had a very strong defense and an excellent running game. They also sport a nice collection of skilled players. Georgia returns the best quarterback in the league. Aaron Murray is strong and fast. He has both experience and a good arm. He is the reason why the Bulldogs will win the SEC crown in 2012. He might just lead this bunch of Dawgs to the BCS championship game, too. UGA should have more than enough horsepower to replace dismissed running back Isaiah Crowell.

UGA will not be the trendy pick in 2012. Most people will pencil either Alabama or LSU into this slot, citing the good defense for both of those teams. Those clubs might just bring home the crown. Chances are that the Georgia Bulldogs will surprise some folks in December. They will beat out South Carolina in the East before overwhelming the LSU Tigers in Atlanta at the championship game.

Posted by Wunderdog’s trusty sidekick ” Wundercat “