SEC Football: Predicting the 2023 SEC standings and final rankings
By Kevin Miller
2023 SEC Football Standings No. 1 (and 1st in the SEC East):
Georgia Bulldogs
What is there to say about the ‘Dawgs? The two-time defending national champs were far and away the top team in the land last year, and that was coming off of an offseason in which there were a ton of questions about replacing talent. While UGA is forced to try to replace a lot of names that are now on NFL rosters, they did that very thing just last year.
Carson Beck is expected to be the starting quarterback, and there are legitimate questions about his readiness, but Beck is a talented player who will play with some of the best offensive talent in college football. Tight end Brock Bowers, wide receiver Ladd McConkey, and two elite transfer pass-catchers in Dominic Lovett (Missouri) and RaRa Thomas (Mississippi State) will make things a bit easier on Beck.
Todd Monken won’t be calling plays for the red and black after jumping to the NFL, but a familiar face will don the headset as Mike Bobo returns as offensive coordinator. Bobo is a good coordinator in his own right, and he is expected primarily to run Monken’s system. The Bulldogs will be just fine on offense.
There is no point in questioning the Georgia defense. They return about half their starters on defense (including a couple of All-American candidates), and the front-7 is as loaded with talent as any other defensive line and linebacker units across college football. The Bulldogs will be good on defense, as well.
Based on the Bulldogs’ top-2 talented roster, there is no reason to expect that the fine Georgia offense and the good Georgia defense can’t become great. They will have plenty of opportunities to “get right” in 2023 as the ‘Dawgs play one of their softest schedules in recent memory. Only a trip to Knoxville to take on the Vols should cause any concern for Georgia fans.
South Carolina, @Auburn, and the rivalry game in Jacksonville against Florida could all be matchups with a little intrigue, but Georgia still will be double-digit favorites in all three of those contests.
A 12-0 regular season should be the expectation in Athens, which means even a loss in the SEC Championship Game to an undefeated or 1-loss Alabama or LSU team shouldn’t keep the Bulldogs out of the College Football Playoff.
PREDICTION
Overall: 12-0; SEC Football: 8-0
Tennessee-Martin (W), Ball State (W), South Carolina (W), UAB (W), @Auburn (W), Kentucky (W), @Vanderbilt, Florida in Jacksonville (W), Missouri (W), Ole Miss (W), @Tennesee (W), @Georgia Tech