Monday night wrapped up the 2018 college football season, and before it gets too late here are some thank-you notes to the 14 SEC programs. This is in alphabetical order.
Alabama Thank you for getting the SEC into its fourth consecutive national championship game. If you had shown up for the last three quarters, you would have enjoyed it much more. Another thank you would be in order if you send Jalen Hurts to Fayetteville.
Arkansas Thank you for enduring a horrible season, but a bigger thanks for the recent recruiting. This proud program has been sliding since Bobby Petrino's motorcycle wreck. The Razorback Nation needs to see improvement starting next season.
Auburn Thank you for not trading in the Gus Bus for a different model. He's still low mileage, and you folks tend to trade way too often. Where else are you going to find a coach who makes $7.5 million a year and considers the Waffle House fine dining?
Florida Thank you for spanking Michigan 41-15. My preacher, Chuck "The Pigskin Preacher" Monan, is a Michigan man, and it gave most of the congregation of Pinnacle Church of Christ something to tease him about. He took it really well.
Georgia Thank you for becoming one of the most respected and powerful teams in the country, if only you could find a way to beat Alabama, something you haven't done since 2007. Sorry you are losing offensive coordinator Jim Chaney to Tennessee. You might want to lock down his best friend Sam Pittman.
Kentucky Thank you for winning 10 games at a basketball school. In fact, basketball Coach John Calipari should thank you after his loss to Alabama. Good luck on replicating that season in the next 10 years.
LSU Thank you for being smart enough to give two transfers a chance. With Joe Burrow at quarterback and Cole Tracy kicking, you went 10-3. Burrow passed for 2,894 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Tracy led the team in scoring with 129 points. He was 29 of 33 on field goals and 42 of 42 on extra points. Also thanks for not running up the score on the Hogs.
Mississippi Thank you for winning all your nonconference games and one SEC game. Here's a word of caution: The SEC will be tougher next year. You still lead the nation in party victories, and you are great hosts.
Mississippi State Thank you for the weirdest season in the SEC. You beat Auburn and Texas A&M, then lose to Iowa in a bowl game. Iowa? The third-place team in the weak West Division of the Big Ten? Thanks a lot for that. However, considering the coaching change, it was a good season.
Missouri Thanks for winning your final four regular-season games, but that was an embarrassing loss to Oklahoma State. As for stealing Kelly Bryant away from the Hogs, expect to be greeted by an outrageous crowd at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock next year.
South Carolina Thank you for being you and getting shut out by Virginia.
Tennessee Thank you for making Jim Chaney a millionaire. The $4.8 million for three years is a dream come true. You will love his idea of passing, even when a run would be better. He is a great guy, though.
Texas A&M Thank you for your marching band. If you can get the Aggies to play with the precision the band marches with, you might finish tied for second in the West again.
Vanderbilt Thank you for not compromising your academic standards and giving a football conference something else to brag about. Oh, and you beat Tennessee and went to a bowl game.
Sports on 01/10/2019