Have been checking the recruiting boards this month. Looks like the rich will get richer. A&M is beginning to recruit favorably with Alabama and LSU. Georgia is getting better recruits again while Florida is dropping fast. Texas and Oklahoma are going to be hurt as A&M comes back of age.
Games that most affect recruiting in our region of the country:
Houston area:
LSU - A&M, Texas - OU, Texas Tech - Oklahoma State
Dallas - Ft. Worth area:
Texas - OU, LSU - A&M, A&M - Arkansas, Oklahoma - Oklahoma State
New Orleans area:
Alabama - LSU, USC - Notre Dame
Atlanta area:
Georgia - Florida, Alabama - Tennessee, Alabama - LSU, Georgia - South Carolina
Jacksonville - Orlando - Tampa - Miami:
Florida State - Florida, Georgia - Florida, Florida State - Miami, LSU - Florida
LSU beginning to suffer greatly from professional raids of past three years. 21 of the players from the national championship game of 2012 have moved on to pros. Total from that Alabama - LSU title game now playing professional football, plus-40.
Alabama is now clearly ahead of LSU. Through last year the SEC was settled by the winner of the games between Alabama, LSU and Auburn. LSU has the edge over Alabama of late, winning eight of the last 13. However, Alabama is now clearly ahead, winning the last three meetings. Auburn, though the lesser of "the big three," does have a national title and is back on the road, recruiting well this year and last.
Look for Florida to change coaches at the end of the season. Georgia - South Carolina head-to-head meeting will be critical over the next four years. Unless someone takes the clear advantage in this series both will continue to be occasional players in the SEC power ratings. Though well coached, it is unlikely that either school will settle for too many also-ran seasons.
Baylor and the Other Nine, oops ... I mean big TWELVE is evolving interestingly enough Oklahoma State appears to be the best situated to tap into the recruiting of Texas and Oklahoma. Baylor and Texas Tech will do well as long as their head coaches don't go shopping for greener pastures. OU and Texas won't stay down long. Don't look for Texas to be the only coaching change there either.
Ebbs and flows are to be expected in college football. But pay attention to patterns that develop in February each year that brings on victories in the fall. Look to the games aforementioned in each of the hotspot recruiting locals to provide insight to the February rush for athletes.
Damn boys! We waited ALL YEAR and this season is just a few weeks away from being over. So short a time. So long a wait. It happens every year.
I just can't wait until that LSU - Wisconsin game at Reliant Stadium late next August.