Note:  upon further review, this post has been updated.  Is that such a bad thing?

AP Image, I think.

Having spent 4 days on the banks of Big Creek in Fannin County with Phil Steele, all I have on my mind is scheduling, scheduling, and more scheduling.  I find it a fools errand to make predictions on the eventual champions, etc., because everyone who reads this (that is, if anyone actually did read this) would have seen the same Conventional Wisdom that I have.  I’ll update the Thinking Bulldog’s Top 25 here soon, though that is only to make Saturdays (and Thursdays, etc.) more fun for me; not to impress anybody with my vastly superior knowledge.

However, most folks may not keep close tabs on the SEC rotating schedule of interdivision matchups, so here is a handy guide.  I have listed the teams in the SEC West in the order I believe from easiest to hardest.  Teams in bold are permanent opponents.

Auburn:

Drops: at Florida
Adds: Tennessee

Key Home Games: LSU, Tennessee, Georgia
Key Road Games: Alabama
Also: at Miss. State, at Vandy, Arkansas, at Ole Miss

I mean, really.  Auburn fans could not wish for a more favorable schedule.  Tennessee is down, ostensibly, or at least will be in late September after a whuppin’ at the hands of Florida.  On the other hand, don’t I remember that UT beat Auburn on the road after a pasting by the Gators 4 or 5 years ago?  It all runs together.  Can one of the three cellar dwellers in the conference ruin the Plainsmen’s season on the road in tiny stadiums?  Well, yes actually.

Mississippi State

Drops: at Steve Spurrier
Adds: Vanderbilt

Key Home Games: Auburn
Key Road Games: LSU, Tennessee, Alabama
Also: Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Arkansas, at Ole Miss

The Faux Bulldogs draw Vandy and Tennessee to go with Kentucky, which is workable for a bowl bid for the Crooms if they can make it 3-for-3 against the Tide.

Arkansas:

Drops: at Tennessee
Adds: Florida

Key Home Games: Alabama, Florida, LSU
Key Road Games: Auburn, Steve Spurrier
Also: at Kentucky, Ole Miss, at Miss. State

Petrino’s first trip through the SEC doesn’t include Georgia or Tennessee. Georgia travels to Fayetteville next year in place of Kentucky, so next year Petrino’s squad will face Georgia and Steve Spurrier at home, with the Gators on the road.

Ole Miss:

Drops: at Georgia
Adds: Steve Spurrier

Key Home Games: Steve Spurrier, Auburn
Key Road Games: Florida, Alabama, LSU
Also: Vandy, at Arkansas, Mississippi State

Nutt could have drawn a worse schedule in year 1. Still, daunting road trips, and 3-5 seems about the ceiling.

Alabama:

Drops: at Vanderbilt
Adds: Kentucky

Key Home Games: Auburn
Key Road Games: Georgia, Tennessee, LSU
Also: Ole Miss, Kentucky, Mississippi State, at Arkansas

Bama’s favorable schedule of 2007 turns decidedly unfavorable in Saban’s second season.

LSU:

Drops: at Kentucky
Adds: Georgia

Key Home Games: Georgia, Alabama
Key Road Games: Auburn, Florida, Steve Spurrier
Also: Miss. State, Ole Miss, at Arkansas

LSU plays three of the four top teams in the East and Auburn on the road.

Thoughts?  Approbations perhaps?  Let me know.