i do think a few teams in the East are due for a bit of a back slide, but i'm not ready to call MO, USCe, UK etc... all automatic W's again....yet....so having confidence for those games, too, is important, not just for Bama and UGA ....
Bingo. UK and Mizzou were 1-possession/1 gamechanging play games last year. USCe has been a nailbiter for nearly a decade, outside of last year.
That said, I really think Mizzou takes a biig step back this season. USCe will be pretty talented, but hopefully the Muschamp consternation will cause them problems...as well as staff turnover (though we have had that in a big way too, so probably a wash).
UK has upgraded talent and possibly at QB. They could be a problem again too.
All in all, still a class or 2 away from really separating ourselves from the pack.