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The SEC tied its conference record by qualifying eight teams for the NCAA Tournament, and the conference boasts the No. 1 overall seed, Alabama.

Otherwise, the conference didn't earn much respect in seeding. Fourth-seeded Tennessee is the SEC team with the second-highest seed. 

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams put football on the back burner for a week to dissect the SEC's chances for a strong showing in the Big Dance.

They consider sleeper teams, offer their Final Four picks and one of the hosts picks an SEC team to win the national championship.

The <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/mens-basketball/2023/03/12/march-madness-upsets-tennessee-basketball-ncaa-tournament-bracket-picks-alabama/69975065007/" aria-label="Link SEC tied its conference record by qualifying eight teams for the NCAA Tournament">SEC tied its conference record by qualifying eight teams for the NCAA Tournament</a>, and the conference boasts the <a href="https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/columns/2023/03/12/march-madness-at-alabama-basketball-under-nate-oats-means-football-school-status-on-hold/69968045007/" aria-label="Link No. 1 overall seed, Alabama">No. 1 overall seed, Alabama</a>.
Otherwise, the conference didn't earn much respect in seeding. Fourth-seeded Tennessee is the SEC team with the second-highest seed. 
On today's episode, hosts <a href="https://twitter.com/btoppmeyer" aria-label="Link Blake Toppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/johnadamskns" aria-label="Link John Adams">John Adams</a> put football on the back burner for a week to dissect the SEC's chances for a strong showing in the Big Dance.
They consider sleeper teams, offer their Final Four picks and one of the hosts picks an SEC team to win the national championship.

SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.

SEC Football Unfiltered features hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network serving opinion, debate and analysis on trending college football topics within the Southeastern Conference. No subject is off limits, and no one is above rebuke. Take off the filter and revel in the banter.

SEC Football Unfiltered

March Madness sleepers? Final Four locks? Here's the SEC teams poised to make noise

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Arch Manning stole the show at Texas' spring game, while Quinn Ewers played sparingly.

What does that mean? Well, for first up, let's slow the idea of any Texas quarterback controversy. Ewers didn't play much because he's got a grip on the starting job. This spring game became more focused on developing backup quarterbacks.

Manning's 355 passing yards were a sign of abilities and his growth and evidence that Texas possesses more than one talented quarterback. What a luxury. Not even Georgia or Alabama have a backup quarterback like Manning.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams review Manning's spring game, what it means for Texas' season and whether the Longhorns are the top threat to Georgia in the SEC.

They also highlight the performance of another backup quarterback, Florida freshman DJ Lagway, and project whether Lagway can help dial down the heat on embattled coach Billy Napier.

 Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

<a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/college/longhorns/football/2024/04/20/arch-manning-texas-football-spring-game-touchdowns-quinn-ewers/73397467007/" aria-label="Link Arch Manning">Arch Manning</a> stole the show at Texas' spring game, while <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/college/longhorns/2024/04/12/quinn-ewers-nil-deal-nicholas-air-texas-longhorns-football-private-jet/73305144007/" aria-label="Link Quinn Ewers">Quinn Ewers</a> played sparingly.
What does that mean? Well, for first up, let's <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/columns/2024/04/20/texas-football-spring-game-shows-arch-manning-quinn-ewers-trey-owens-quarterbacks-please-sarkisian/73395715007/" aria-label="Link slow the idea of any Texas quarterback controversy">slow the idea of any Texas quarterback controversy</a>. Ewers didn't play much because he's got a grip on the starting job. This spring game became more focused on developing backup quarterbacks.
Manning's 355 passing yards were a sign of abilities and his growth and evidence that Texas possesses more than one talented quarterback. What a luxury. Not even Georgia or Alabama have a backup quarterback like Manning.
On today's episode, hosts <a href="https://twitter.com/btoppmeyer" aria-label="Link Blake Toppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/johnadamskns" aria-label="Link John Adams">John Adams</a> review Manning's spring game, what it means for Texas' season and whether the Longhorns are the top threat to Georgia in the SEC.
They also highlight the performance of another backup quarterback, Florida freshman DJ Lagway, and project whether Lagway can help dial down the heat on embattled coach Billy Napier.
 Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

Quarterback controversy at Texas? Here's how we see the Arch Manning, Quinn Ewers situation

Georgia's Carson Beck and Alabama's Jalen Milroe rank among preseason Heisman Trophy frontrunners.

But, forget awards for a moment. Does one of these quarterbacks have to battle to retain his starting job?

At Georgia, that's not the case. Beck remains Georgia's QB1. End of discussion.

What about Milroe? A new coaching staff adds uncertainty to the quarterback competition, but, to hear Milroe tell it, he's hitting it off with Kalen DeBoer, and he looked to have a handle on the offense in Alabama's spring game. 

On today's episode, host Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network is joined by Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News and the Athens-Banner Herald's Marc Weiszer to recap the spring games for Alabama and Georgia, discuss quarterbacks and set expectations for 2024.

What's a realistic bar for DeBoer's first season? What's Georgia's lingering question exiting spring practice?

A discussion of those topics and more.

 Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

<a href="https://www.onlineathens.com/story/sports/college/bulldogs-extra/2024/02/22/carson-beck-georgia-football-heisman-trophy-odds-betmgm-caesars/72676677007/" aria-label="Link Georgia's Carson Beck">Georgia's Carson Beck</a> and <a href="https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/columns/2024/04/13/alabama-football-jalen-milroe-goes-from-captain-to-a-day-competition/73217452007/" aria-label="Link Alabama's Jalen Milroe">Alabama's Jalen Milroe</a> rank among preseason Heisman Trophy frontrunners.
But, forget awards for a moment. Does one of these quarterbacks have to battle to retain his starting job?
At Georgia, that's not the case. Beck remains Georgia's QB1. End of discussion.
What about Milroe? A new coaching staff adds uncertainty to the quarterback competition, but, to hear Milroe tell it, he's hitting it off with Kalen DeBoer, and he looked to have a handle on the offense in Alabama's spring game. 
On today's episode, host <a href="https://twitter.com/btoppmeyer" aria-label="Link Blake Toppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> of the USA TODAY Network is joined by <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseGoodbread" aria-label="Link Chase Goodbread">Chase Goodbread</a> of the Tuscaloosa News and the Athens-Banner Herald's <a href="https://twitter.com/marcweiszer" aria-label="Link Marc Weiszer">Marc Weiszer</a> to recap the spring games for Alabama and Georgia, discuss quarterbacks and set expectations for 2024.
What's a realistic bar for DeBoer's first season? What's Georgia's lingering question exiting spring practice?
A discussion of those topics and more.
 Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

Is Alabama football quarterback competition for real or FAKE NEWS?! Also, does Georgia have any weakness?

John Calipari's whopper buyout saddled him to Kentucky. Not anymore, though, as Calipari prepares to exit out the side door to Arkansas.

This looks like a potential win-win-win for Arkansas, Kentucky and Calipari, and one of the nation's biggest basketball jobs is now on the market.

Where will Kentucky turn?

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on Kentucky's search to replace Calipari. Each host offers two swing-for-the-fences candidates (Bruce Pearl!?!), plus a couple of fallback options.

They also touch on the candidacies of Alabama's Nate Oats and Baylor's Scott Drew.

Later in the episode, a discussion on the importance of Kalen DeBoer's first Alabama football spring game, and what LSU's Brian Kelly said about the Michigan job.

 Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

John Calipari's whopper buyout saddled him to Kentucky. Not anymore, though, as <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2024/04/08/kentucky-basketball-coaching-search-john-calipari-arkansas-contract-sec/73007977007/" aria-label="Link Calipari prepares to exit out the side door to Arkansas">Calipari prepares to exit out the side door to Arkansas</a>.
This looks like a potential win-win-win for Arkansas, Kentucky and Calipari, and one of the nation's biggest basketball jobs is now on the market.
<a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2024/04/08/kentucky-basketball-candidates-replace-john-calipari-billy-donovan-bruce-pearl-nate-oats/73240820007/" aria-label="Link Where will Kentucky turn">Where will Kentucky turn</a>?
On today's episode, hosts <a href="https://twitter.com/btoppmeyer" aria-label="Link Blake Toppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/johnadamskns" aria-label="Link John Adams">John Adams</a> weigh in on Kentucky's search to replace Calipari. Each host offers two swing-for-the-fences candidates (Bruce Pearl!?!), plus a couple of fallback options.
They also touch on the candidacies of Alabama's Nate Oats and Baylor's Scott Drew.
Later in the episode, a discussion on the importance of Kalen DeBoer's first Alabama football spring game, and what LSU's Brian Kelly said about the Michigan job.
 Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.

March Madness sleepers? Final Four locks? Here's the SEC teams poised to make noise

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