FLORIDA
Last season: 4-8, 3-5 SEC
Star power: Cornerback Vernon Hargraves III was All-SEC as a freshman last season.
Top recruit: The jury is out on Will Muschamp's coaching skills, but he can recruit elite prospects, led by five-star defensive back Jalen Tabor.
They'll win the division if: Florida can capitalize on its overall talent. There's more than enough to make a quick turnaround after a disastrous 4-8 record, including a loss to Georgia Southern.
They'll come up short if: Jeff Driskel can't stay healthy. He's not an All-SEC candidate, but there's a tremendous drop-off after him at the position.
Must-see game: UGA game Nov. 1 could decide Muschamp's future.
GEORGIA
Last season: 8-5, 5-3 SEC
Star power: Todd Gurley ran for 1,430 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
Top recruit: Defensive end Lorenzo Carter stole the headlines when he picked Georgia on signing day, but luring five-star running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel was more impressive.
They'll win the division if: Todd Gurley, arguably the nation's top running back, can stay healthy. Georgia went 1-2 in the three games he missed last season.
They'll come up short if: Georgia struggles in the secondary, which lost three out of four starters in offseason because of non-football reasons.
Must-see game: Georgia's schedule is front-loaded, with the first two games against Clemson on Aug. 30 and South Carolina on Sept. 13.
KENTUCKY
Last season: 2-10, 0-8 SEC
Star power: Defensive ends Za'Darius Smith and Bud Dupree combined for 13 sacks last season.
Top recruit: How often does Kentucky beat Alabama in a head-to-head recruiting battle? The Wildcats did for defensive tackle Matt Elam.
They'll win the division if: They won't, but doubling last season's win total would pacify the fans.
They'll come up short if: Kentucky's secondary can't improve after intercepting one pass last season.
Must-see game: Kentucky's best chance for an SEC win will be against Vanderbilt on Sept. 27.
MISSOURI
Last season: 12-2, 7-1 SEC
Star power: Quarterback Maty Mauk showed off his potential after filling in for an injured James Franklin and leading the team to the SEC East championship.
Top recruit: North Gwinnett High's Nate Brown might've turned in the most dominant senior season for a wide receiver in Georgia's largest classification in nearly 20 years.
They'll win the division if: Other SEC teams keep overlooking Missouri, which is doubtful this season coming off a division title.
They'll come up short if: Young defense takes too much time to replace eight starters.
Must-see game: Missouri has a brutal SEC road schedule, and none is bigger than at South Carolina on Sept. 27.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Last season: 11-2, 6-2 SEC
Star power: Mike Davis. The former Stephenson High running back is a long shot for the Heisman.
Top recruit: Bryson Allen-Williams, a four-star linebacker from Cedar Grove High, took last-minute visits to Georgia and Alabama.
They'll win the division if: Steve Spurrier has made headlines this offseason with his cocky and confident one-liners. Traditionally, he's outspoken when he has a good team.
They'll come up short if: Dylan Thompson, finally the full-time starter, can't live up to Spurrier's mighty expectations at quarterback.
Must-see game: The Gamecocks have a glamorous season opener against Texas A&M, but the home game against Georgia on Sept. 13 likely will decide SEC East.
TENNESSEE
Last season: 5-7, 2-6 SEC
Star power: Former Gainesville High linebacker A.J. Johnson has 324 tackles over the past three seasons.
Top recruit: Wide receiver Josh Malone decided to stay home and play for Tennessee, picking the Vols over UGA, Clemson and FSU.
They'll win the division if: They won't, but at least six wins and a bowl game will keep the fan base happy with coach Butch Jones.
They'll come up short if: The 32 newcomers, as part of Jones' roster overhaul, don't dramatically improve team speed.
Must-see game: If Tennessee loses to Vanderbilt on Nov. 29 for the third consecutive year, fans will quickly start to lose patience with Jones.
VANDERBILT
Last season: 9-4, 4-4 SEC
Star power: Defensive tackle Adam Butler, a converted offensive lineman, might be team's best defender
Top recruit: It was a rough experience as former coach James Franklin convinced six Vanderbilt recruits to follow him to Penn State.
They'll win the division if: Derek Mason, the former Stanford defensive coordinator, has head coaching skills. No Vanderbilt first-year coach has inherited more talent.
They'll come up short if: It's not a smooth transition for Mason
Must-see game: Beating Tennessee on Nov. 29 for the third consecutive year would salvage the season for Vanderbilt.
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