The SEC is one of the best and toughest conferences in college football. Each year, only a handful of teams reach the road to victory, while others go winless.
The SEC is one of the premier college football conferences. It features fourteen primary schools located in the Southeastern and South Central states. The conference also currently has two divisions, East and West, but those will be gone once Texas and Oklahoma join the conference in 2024.
Here are the rankings entering the 2023 season.
14) SEC member Vanderbilt ranks at the bottom
It shouldn't be a surprise to see Vanderbilt at the bottom of these rankings. Vanderbilt did go 5-7 last year, but they will likely go back to winning only two or three games.
13) Missouri
Missouri went 6-7 last season, and they did land Miami transfer Jake Garcia to be their starting quarterback. Yet, even with that, Missouri will still be one of the worst teams in the SEC this year.
12) Auburn
Auburn is one of the biggest wild cards in the entire SEC. The Tigers hired Hugh Freeze, who should make them more competitive, but their roster on paper is not good.
11) Florida
The Florida Gators are in a tough spot in the SEC after losing quarterback Anthony Richardson to the NFL. There are also questions about the future of head coach Billy Napier, which is surprising given he just finished his first season.
10) Mississippi State
Mississippi State should be a seven- or eight-win team this year, but how deep the SEC is, makes them 10th overall. The Bulldogs are led by Will Rogers under center, but the secondary is a concern.
9) Texas A&M
Texas A&M had a terrible 2022 season, and we can expect the Aggies to be much better this season. Texas A&M was active in the transfer portal, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Aggies near the bottom of the SEC or right near the top.
8) South Carolina
Spencer Rattler surprised some by coming back for another year, and he should help South Carolina be competitive in the SEC this year. Their defense is a big concern for the Gamecocks, which is why they find themselves right in the middle.
7) Kentucky
Kentucky will be without Will Levis, but the school did land Devin Leary, who should help the offense be solid. Their defense got some nice transfers, and Kentucky will likely be set to win eight or nine games.
6) Arkansas
Arkansas has KJ Jefferson back at quarterback, which is why the Razorbacks hold the sixth spot. Having Jefferson back will help Arkansas have a great offense but its defense is holding them back from being in the top-five.
5) Ole Miss
Ole Miss has a well-rounded roster, but one of the biggest questions is who the Rebels starting quarterback will be. Jaxson Dart is back, while Ole Miss also landed transfer Spencer Sanders to add to the roster. The Rebels should be led by their offense, no matter who their starting quarterback is.
4) Tennessee
Tennessee was a big surprise last season, and the Volunteers should be able to carry over that success despite losing some receivers and QB Hendon Hooker to the NFL. Joe Milton III is still a very good quarterback, but for another year, the Vols' defense is a big concern.
3) Alabama
Unlike the national poll, I have Alabama behind LSU, as the Crimson Tide's quarterback is too big of a concern for me. The offensive line is still a concern, but Alabama will have a dominant defense again.
2) LSU
LSU played in the SEC title game last year and has pretty much the same experience as last year, just with more experience. Harold Perkins Jr. is a game-changer on defense, which is why LSU is ranked second heading into the season.
1) Georgia
Georgia is the reigning back-to-back National champion, and there is no reason for them not to be ranked number one. Although the Bulldogs have won back-to-back titles, there are many people who believe this is Georgia's best roster on paper of those three teams, which makes that scary for the rest of the SEC teams.
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