2023 College Football Review: SEC
Photo by Brett Davis from USA TODAY Sports
The self proclaimed best conference in college football had yet another season where the top was absolutely amazing, and the rest was…pretty much just ok.
Let’s get into the 2023 SEC season.
East
1. Georgia Bulldogs (My Prediction: 1)
Georgia just replaces excellent talent with more excellent talent.
Until the rest of the SEC East can get it together, they run this division.
Well, they would.
But divisions don’t exist starting next year.
Now it’s pods.
I don’t know it’s a whole thing I don’t feel like explaining it right now.
2. Missouri Tigers (My Prediction: 6)
Eli Drinkwitz, much like Neal Brown at West Virginia, had consistently underperformed with the talent he had.
And, much like Neal Brown, saved his job after being an early hot seat candidate.
Except he did it in an even more impressive way than Neal Brown did, as Mizzou went 10-2 and is headed to a New Years 6 Bowl.
Excellent job, Eli.
And good for him. He seems like a great guy.
3. Tennessee Volunteers (My Prediction: 3)
Losing Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt and their offensive coordinator Alex Golesh was just too much to overcome this year.
Still, could have been worse!
4. Kentucky Wildcats (My Prediction: 4)
Kentucky was…fine?
I don’t know.
They were an average SEC team, and it showed in the standings.
5. Florida Gators (My Prediction: 5)
Some of Florida’s losses this year was just simply a lack of talent, which can be excused with what the cupboard Billy Napier was left with.
Some of their losses were due to dumb coaching and idiotic personal fouls.
That can not be excused.
Napier has to clean it up. Fast.
6. South Carolina Gamecocks (My Prediction: 2)
I said last year’s end of season from Spencer Rattler would be a sign of great things to come.
Unfortunately, we never really got the chance to find out, because South Carolina’s offensive line was absolutely atrocious and Dakereon Joyner missed almost all of the season due to injury.
Excusable, but a bummer overall considering the job Shane Beamer has done there.
7. Vanderbilt Commodores (My Prediction: 7)
I got the spot right, but the prediction wrong.
Vanderbilt was not good.
Not at all.
West
1. Alabama Crimson Tide [Conference Champion] (My Prediction: 2)
I didn’t trust Bama’s offense this year, and it looked like I was right in doing so early on in the season.
And then, somehow, Jalen Milroe looked like one of the best quarterbacks in football and the Alabama offense was firing on all cylinders.
I don’t know what happened.
Let me check my pre-season predictions again real fast.
But I don’t see them coming close to LSU this year.
Which is usually the jinx Saban needs to win another title.
Ah, yep. That’ll do it.
2. Ole Miss Rebels (My Prediction: 4)
I did not think Ole Miss would have a good defense this year.
And it, sort of didn’t!
But, it was better than others in the division.
And that’s all they needed for a 10 win season.
3. LSU Tigers (My Prediction: 1 & Conference Champion)
Jayden Daniels and Brian Kelly were so impressive year 1 that it felt obvious they’d be title contenders this season.
Jayden Daniels was amazing, winning the Heisman Trophy and putting up ridiculous stats.
The defense?
Yeeeaaaaaah.
It wasn’t fully USC level bad, but it was close!
And that was enough to derail the whole season.
4. Texas A&M Aggies (My Prediction: 5)
Another year of mediocrity in College Station was enough to make the Aggies pony up and fire Jimbo Fisher, even with his ridiculous buyout.
Will it fix anything?
Uhhhhh.
I’m not so sue….
5. Auburn Tigers (My Prediction: 3)
Auburn went 6-6 in year 1 of Hugh Freeze, and they did that without any good quarterback play.
That’s pretty impressive.
They also had one loss against New Mexico State where they had their doors absolutely blown off at home, and a loss to Alabama when all they needed to do was stop a 4th and goal from the 31.
You take the good with the bad with Hugh Freeze, I guess.
6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (My Prediction: 7)
This was just an impossible year to succeed for State, as the death of Mike Leach put them on the back foot.
Still, head coach Zach Arnett didn’t fill his offensive staff with coaches who could help the current unit of players succeed, and that’s what cost him his job.
Is it unfair? Eh, maybe a little.
But he made the bed. He’s got to lay in it now.
7. Arkansas Razorbacks (My Prediction: 6)
Sam Pittman had Arkansas playing excellent football, and KJ Jefferson was one of the most exciting players in the sport.
I don’t know what happened to this team.
