SEC Football: Predicting the 2023 SEC standings and final rankings
By Kevin Miller
2023 SEC Football Standings No. 5 (and 3rd in the SEC West):
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M probably wins the unwanted award for most disappointing SEC team of 2022. Despite beating ranked opponents in Arkansas, Miami, and LSU, the Aggies went 5-7 last fall, and there were more than a few discussions had in College Station about head coach Jimbo Fisher’s contract buyout.
Fisher survived the tumultuous offseason and hired controversial offensive guru Bobby Petrino to take over running the offense, something that Fisher has always handled himself.
A&M is one of the most talented teams in the SEC, made a good hire to handle the offense, and has one of the top defenses in the league. The disaster that was 2022 seems extremely unlikely to be repeated in 2023.
Conner Weigman played well after taking over the starting quarterback job last season, and he has some big-time weapons on the outside, namely Muhsin Muhammad, Jr. and Ainias Smith. The Aggies will have to replace elite running back Devon Achane, but top-50 national prospect Rueben Owens plays a similar style and could be in line to start as a freshman.
The defense was very good for most of 2022 and gave up 30 points to opposing offenses just twice all season. That unit returns the majority of its starters from last year, as well, and transfer portal additions Sam McCall and Tony Grimes could be major contributors in the secondary.
The Aggies have three really tough games on the schedule in which they likely will be underdogs (Alabama, @Tennessee, and @LSU), but the rest of the schedule is somewhat favorable. An 8 or 9-win regular season seems in the cards in College Station, and if a few things go better-than-expected, that could look more like 9 or 10 wins.
PREDICTION
Overall: 9-3; SEC Football: 5-3
New Mexico (W), @Miami (W), Louisiana-Monroe (W), Auburn (W), Arkansas in Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington (W), Alabama (L), @Tennessee (L), South Carolina (W), Ole Miss (W), Mississippi State (W), Abilene Christian (W), @LSU (L)