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SEC softball after two weeks...
Posted on: February 17, 2020 at 09:31:30 CT
bluetiger_ MU
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Revisiting the coaches preseason poll, in order:
1. Alabama: 4-5 record against probably the toughest schedule in the nation. High point was demolishing #1 Washington this weekend 8-0. Lost to FSU twice, North Carolina, and this weekend UCLA 7-0 and Ok State 4-1. Except for Washington, their vaunted pitching staff has been giving up a lot of runs to top 25 teams. They still have NC games left against Arizona 2x, Texas 2x, and ULL. Early take: They won’t be running away with the SEC race like many expected, although still probably the favorite to win the conference due to the lack of other outstanding SEC teams. But if they take another 3-4 NC losses, may be in danger of not getting a top 8 national seed, which was unthinkable at the start of the season.
2. Tennessee: 7-2 record against a very tough schedule, with wins over ranked Arizona St and Northwestern teams, and blowout losses to Arizona and Texas 8-0 and 11-0. Very easy NC schedule the rest of the way with only North Carolina being a threat. Early take: They are playing without their injured ace, are throwing 2 freshmen and a transfer from a small conference. Not sure when their ace returns. Hard to evaluate their long term potential without her. Probably still a top 5 SEC team, but let’s see when their ace returns.
3. LSU: 8-1 against a pretty tough schedule, beat Ok State twice 1-0 and 3-2, then this weekend split 1 run games with ULL. Looks like a typical LSU team, good pitching and struggling to score runs, although the pitching at Ok State and ULL is excellent. Will be ranked in the top 10 again this week. Still have to play Washington and Texas Tech but the rest of the NC slate is easy. Early take: No reason to think they won’t be top 5 in the SEC as predicted.
4. Kentucky: 7-2 record, great win over Minnesota 7-0, but dropped 2 games this weekend to Arizona St 3-2 and 7-5. Still have 2 games with Oklahoma. The rest of their NC schedule is easy. Early take: Probably still top 5 in the SEC, but not a lock for that.
5. Florida: 11-1 record, but I’m not impressed with them at all. They have played a pathetic schedule so far, and got destroyed by the only top 25 team they played, Michigan, 11-2. Barely beat ND St 1-0, and Florida A&M 2-1. They still have UCLA, Arizona, Northwestern, Arizona St, and ULL 3x. Let’s see how they do in those 7 games. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them go about 2-5 in those games, using the Michigan game as reference. Early take: Over rated. Benefitted from an awful schedule so far. Check back in 2 weeks and we will see if they are a potential top 10 team, or something more like 15-25 on the nation.
6. Georgia: 8-3 record, started 7-0 against an awful schedule, then had a good win over Northwestern, but lost their last 3 games this weekend, to Texas Tech 5-2, UCLA 8-3, and USF 2-0. Still have to play James Madison 2x, and Ok State. Early take: 6th may be about right in the SEC, give or take. Will be interesting to see how far they drop in the polls this week after the 3 straight losses. My guess is they are an ok team, somewhere in the 20-25 range in the nation, but a borderline team to get a top 16 national seed and home regional.
7. Arkansas: 7-1 record against an awful schedule, and still lost to Bradley and barely beat New Mexico St 5-4. 2 good starting pitchers, but have not been impressed so far. They still have FSU in NC play but the rest of the schedule is putrid. Early take: Hard to tell how good they are against such lousy competition. Their pitching alone should bring them in about 6-8 in the SEC, but don’t bet on that. Borderline top 25 team.
8. Ole Miss: 1-8 record, with losses to Texas and Notre Dame. Still have to play Ok State and ULL 2x. They aren’t quite as bad as their record indicates, is the only kind thing I can say about them. Their 8 losses have come by a total of 15 runs. Early take: Over rated by the coaches, will be more likely to fight with TAMU and Miss St (and maybe Auburn) to stay out of the SEC cellar.
9. SC: 5-3 record, no good wins, have lost every time they played a team with a pulse, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, and Washington. Did give Wash all they could handle in a 5-4 loss, and were leading James Madison yesterday 6-3 in the 5th inning when the game was called. Still have tough NC games ahead with Michigan, Ok State, North Carolina. Early take: Probably too low at #9, I think they finish ahead of Ole Miss, Arky, and maybe Georgia. Borderline top 25 team and long shot to host a regional.
10. Mizzou: We all know the details. Early take: Under rated by the coaches at #10. Because the middle of the conference is not as tough as usual, I see us finishing in the 4-7 range in the SEC, depending on the pitching holding up and improving. We will not finish anywhere close to 10, bank on that.
11. Auburn: 8-3 against a pretty weak schedule, has a solid win over Notre Dame but has lost to Baylor, Illinois, and Kennesaw St. They have tough NC games left against Arizona, UCLA, Arizona St, Minnesota, Northwestern. I’ll be surprised if they win any of those games. Early take: 11th in the SEC is about right. Not even close to being a top 25 team.
12T: Miss St: 9-1 record against an awful schedule. Zero good wins, and lost to Tulsa. Besides a game against Oregon, the rest of the schedule is awful. Early take: Incomplete due to an awful schedule. But probably picked in the right spot by the coaches, tied for 12th.
12T: TAMU: 8-3 record against an awful schedule. Still have to play UCLA, Oklahoma, Arizona. That’s going to be ugly. Early take: Worst team in the SEC, will not make the NCAA tourney.
1. Alabama: 4-5 record against probably the toughest schedule in the nation. High point was demolishing #1 Washington this weekend 8-0. Lost to FSU twice, North Carolina, and this weekend UCLA 7-0 and Ok State 4-1. Except for Washington, their vaunted pitching staff has been giving up a lot of runs to top 25 teams. They still have NC games left against Arizona 2x, Texas 2x, and ULL. Early take: They won’t be running away with the SEC race like many expected, although still probably the favorite to win the conference due to the lack of other outstanding SEC teams. But if they take another 3-4 NC losses, may be in danger of not getting a top 8 national seed, which was unthinkable at the start of the season.
2. Tennessee: 7-2 record against a very tough schedule, with wins over ranked Arizona St and Northwestern teams, and blowout losses to Arizona and Texas 8-0 and 11-0. Very easy NC schedule the rest of the way with only North Carolina being a threat. Early take: They are playing without their injured ace, are throwing 2 freshmen and a transfer from a small conference. Not sure when their ace returns. Hard to evaluate their long term potential without her. Probably still a top 5 SEC team, but let’s see when their ace returns.
3. LSU: 8-1 against a pretty tough schedule, beat Ok State twice 1-0 and 3-2, then this weekend split 1 run games with ULL. Looks like a typical LSU team, good pitching and struggling to score runs, although the pitching at Ok State and ULL is excellent. Will be ranked in the top 10 again this week. Still have to play Washington and Texas Tech but the rest of the NC slate is easy. Early take: No reason to think they won’t be top 5 in the SEC as predicted.
4. Kentucky: 7-2 record, great win over Minnesota 7-0, but dropped 2 games this weekend to Arizona St 3-2 and 7-5. Still have 2 games with Oklahoma. The rest of their NC schedule is easy. Early take: Probably still top 5 in the SEC, but not a lock for that.
5. Florida: 11-1 record, but I’m not impressed with them at all. They have played a pathetic schedule so far, and got destroyed by the only top 25 team they played, Michigan, 11-2. Barely beat ND St 1-0, and Florida A&M 2-1. They still have UCLA, Arizona, Northwestern, Arizona St, and ULL 3x. Let’s see how they do in those 7 games. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them go about 2-5 in those games, using the Michigan game as reference. Early take: Over rated. Benefitted from an awful schedule so far. Check back in 2 weeks and we will see if they are a potential top 10 team, or something more like 15-25 on the nation.
6. Georgia: 8-3 record, started 7-0 against an awful schedule, then had a good win over Northwestern, but lost their last 3 games this weekend, to Texas Tech 5-2, UCLA 8-3, and USF 2-0. Still have to play James Madison 2x, and Ok State. Early take: 6th may be about right in the SEC, give or take. Will be interesting to see how far they drop in the polls this week after the 3 straight losses. My guess is they are an ok team, somewhere in the 20-25 range in the nation, but a borderline team to get a top 16 national seed and home regional.
7. Arkansas: 7-1 record against an awful schedule, and still lost to Bradley and barely beat New Mexico St 5-4. 2 good starting pitchers, but have not been impressed so far. They still have FSU in NC play but the rest of the schedule is putrid. Early take: Hard to tell how good they are against such lousy competition. Their pitching alone should bring them in about 6-8 in the SEC, but don’t bet on that. Borderline top 25 team.
8. Ole Miss: 1-8 record, with losses to Texas and Notre Dame. Still have to play Ok State and ULL 2x. They aren’t quite as bad as their record indicates, is the only kind thing I can say about them. Their 8 losses have come by a total of 15 runs. Early take: Over rated by the coaches, will be more likely to fight with TAMU and Miss St (and maybe Auburn) to stay out of the SEC cellar.
9. SC: 5-3 record, no good wins, have lost every time they played a team with a pulse, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, and Washington. Did give Wash all they could handle in a 5-4 loss, and were leading James Madison yesterday 6-3 in the 5th inning when the game was called. Still have tough NC games ahead with Michigan, Ok State, North Carolina. Early take: Probably too low at #9, I think they finish ahead of Ole Miss, Arky, and maybe Georgia. Borderline top 25 team and long shot to host a regional.
10. Mizzou: We all know the details. Early take: Under rated by the coaches at #10. Because the middle of the conference is not as tough as usual, I see us finishing in the 4-7 range in the SEC, depending on the pitching holding up and improving. We will not finish anywhere close to 10, bank on that.
11. Auburn: 8-3 against a pretty weak schedule, has a solid win over Notre Dame but has lost to Baylor, Illinois, and Kennesaw St. They have tough NC games left against Arizona, UCLA, Arizona St, Minnesota, Northwestern. I’ll be surprised if they win any of those games. Early take: 11th in the SEC is about right. Not even close to being a top 25 team.
12T: Miss St: 9-1 record against an awful schedule. Zero good wins, and lost to Tulsa. Besides a game against Oregon, the rest of the schedule is awful. Early take: Incomplete due to an awful schedule. But probably picked in the right spot by the coaches, tied for 12th.
12T: TAMU: 8-3 record against an awful schedule. Still have to play UCLA, Oklahoma, Arizona. That’s going to be ugly. Early take: Worst team in the SEC, will not make the NCAA tourney.
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SEC softball after two weeks... - bluetiger_ MU - 2/17 09:31:30