Upsets are a huge part of what makes college football fun and unpredictable. Here are some predictions of potential upsets in the SEC in 2012.
Note: All predicted winners are listed as underdogs by BeyondTheBets.com.
1. Missouri over Georgia -- Sept. 8 (Columbia, Mo.)
Why: Simply put, this is one of the biggest games in school history for Missouri, and it's the host. The Bulldogs won’t be playing at full strength either. Not all of the suspensions are confirmed, but LB Alec Ogletree, CB Sanders Commings and S Bacarri Rambo will likely miss this game due to offseason discipline issues. A depleted secondary will be a welcomed sight for Missouri QB James Franklin and his talented WRs.
2. Vanderbilt over South Carolina -- Aug. 30 (Nashville, Tenn.)
Why: This is the Commodores’ chance to show they can be a factor in the SEC after showing progress in 2011 under coach James Franklin. They get to show what they’ve got in this SEC opener, under the lights and on national television. They held South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore in check last season but couldn’t get much offense going in a 21-3 loss. Expect a close game, or even an upset, in this conference opener.
3. Arkansas over LSU -- Nov. 23 (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Why: LSU and Alabama are the hurdles this talented Razorbacks team must overcome to win the West. The Razorbacks’ two losses in 2011 came to those two teams -- by a combined 48 points. It wouldn’t be stunning to see them knock at least one of them off this year since both travel to Arkansas. The Razorbacks might need their best game of the year to pull this off, but they have the offensive talent to do it if the defense can keep them in the game.
4. Tennessee over Alabama -- Oct. 20 (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Why: Yes, this is a stretch. The Vols have struggled against Alabama in recent years, with the Tide winning every game in the Nick Saban era. But Tennessee has a scary amount of potential at QB and WR. Alabama’s secondary is good, but not 2011 good. This series also has a way of taking strange twists. A mediocre Tennessee team almost derailed the Tide’s championship run in 2009, but had a potential game-winning FG blocked as time expired.
5. Texas A&M over Florida -- Sept. 8 (College Station, Texas)
Why: Much of the same reasoning for the Missouri vs. Georgia game also applies here. The Aggies simply have more to play for than the Gators. The crowd will be raucous and Texas A&M will be looking to prove they belong in the SEC as they open with this traditional power. Both teams will be breaking in a relatively new QB, but that advantage goes to the Aggies because it’s always easier to run an offense in your own stadium as opposed to on the road.
For more up-to-the minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Larry Hartstein and Daniel Lewis, follow @CBSSportsSEC.