Every team in the SEC has question marks heading into the 2023 season. There will be a lot of new faces at the quarterback position all throughout the league, and I am intrigued to see who will be the ones to step up and lead their team to success. There have been so many questions this offseason surrounding the SEC:
Can anyone stop Georgia from a three-peat?
Who will Alabama go with at quarterback?
Is LSU the team to beat in the SEC West?
Can Joe Milton fill in Hendon Hooker‘s footsteps?
Here is how I see the 2023 SEC Football Season playing out:
East West
Georgia (11-1) Alabama (11-1)
Tennessee (10-2) LSU (9-3)
South Carolina (8-4) Arkansas (8-4)
Kentucky (7-5) Ole Miss (7-5)
Florida (6-6) Texas A&M (7-5)
Missouri (6-6) Auburn (7-5)
Vanderbilt (3-9) Mississippi State (6-6)
Predicting the SEC for the 2023 Season
SEC West
Alabama 11-1
Alabama has been insanely underrated this offseason. Does Alabama have a quarterback issue? Yes. Does Alabama still have Nick Saban as head coach? Yes. Whatever problems the Crimson Tide have, I think they will figure it out and they will be playing in Atlanta for another shot at an SEC Championship.
LSU 9-3
With Jayden Daniels returning, the LSU hype has been unreal heading into 2023. I can’t say I don’t believe in the hype, but I definitely don’t see the Tigers running the table. Week 1 will decide their season in my opinion. LSU definitely won’t be sneaking up on anybody this season like they did a year ago.
Arkansas 8-4
I really like this Arkansas team with K.J. Jefferson at quarterback. This team will go as far as Jefferson can take them and if he can stay healthy the Hogs could make some noise in the SEC West. Arkansas is a team that has a ton of toss-up games, so their season will rely on winning those 50/50s.
Ole Miss 7-5
The Rebels are a hard team to figure out. I have changed my mind countless times while looking at their schedule, but I think Ole Miss could shock some people. I still believe Ole Miss can go as high as 10-2 next season, but I will have to see them win some toss-up games.
Auburn 7-5
Simply put, I like the hire, I like the system Hugh Freeze runs, and I like this Auburn team to steal a couple of games this season. Auburn will definitely struggle at times this season, but I think Hugh Freeze has a great first year at Auburn and makes a decent bowl game.
Texas A&M 7-5
The biggest wildcard in the SEC is easily Texas A&M and it is not even close. I do think Jimbo Fisher fixes things down in College Station and the Aggies have a much better season. The talent is there to have a great season, but how will the team mesh will be the question.
Mississippi State 6-6
I know I am predicting Mississippi State to only win six games, but this team has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Will Rogers. Not a lot of people are talking about the Bulldogs which is insane considering how good Rogers is. However, the SEC West is just so loaded in 2023, it will be very tough for the Bulldogs.
SEC East
Georgia 11-1
The back-to-back National Champions are yet again the team to beat, and with a very manageable schedule I could easily see the Bulldogs running the table yet again. However, I do believe that they will slip up somewhere along the way, but don’t freak out Georgia fans, they will still find their way back to Atlanta.
Tennessee 10-2
Tennessee has to replace a lot from last year’s team, but I think the defense improves and the Vols offense is still incredibly hard to stop. The only thing I am concerned about with Tennessee is how Joe Milton will perform as the full-time starter. If Milton has a huge breakout season, we could very easily be talking about the Vols making a playoff push.
South Carolina 8-4
With Shane Beamer heading into year three and Spencer Rattler coming back, the Gamecocks have the pieces to make some noise in the SEC East. The only thing that holding South Carolina back in 2023 is that they have the toughest schedule in the country. With a schedule as tough as theirs, 8-4 is a great season.
Kentucky 7-5
Kentucky is a very interesting team that has some very solid pieces that they have brought in including quarterback Devin Leary. The Wildcats could go 9-3 but they could just as easily go 6-6, toss-up games will decide how their season plays out.
Florida 6-6
Billy Napier is in do-or-die mode in 2023 and will need to at least make a bowl game to keep his job, in my opinion. The Gators will find a way to go .500, but they will need some better quarterback play if they want to make the SEC East interesting. I could very easily see the Gators upsetting some teams this season.
Missouri 6-6
Believe it or not, I am very high on Missouri, however, the schedule does not do the Tigers any favors. Missouri has the team to get over the hump, I just do not see it happening this season. Missouri does have the potential to upset a couple of teams and shock some people in 2023.
Vanderbilt 3-9
I know that Vanderbilt surprised a lot of people last year and rightfully so. The Commodores won two SEC games a year ago and are looking to build off that. I think Vanderbilt caught lightning in a bottle last season, and I don’t think they will be surprising teams in 2023.
Main Image: Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
