The SEC has been a dominant force and the standard in program building for more than two decades. The conference has won 13 of the last 19 national championships and has produced the most NFL draft picks by any conference for the last 17 years straight, among other accolades. The conference has the most lucrative media rights deal, owns National Signing Day like clockwork, and is poised to create the first super conference as Texas and Oklahoma become members in 2024. With the back-to-back national champions Georgia Bulldogs eying a run at a three-peat and resurgent programs like Tennessee and South Carolina amassing talent, it’s set to be another competitive year in the conference. It really does just mean more in the SEC.

Can the Dawgs win three in a row?

The Georgia Bulldogs ran roughshod over their competition in most games during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Stetson “Mailman” Bennett was one of the greatest stories in college football, leading the program back to the promised land for the first time since the ‘80s.

But Stetson and fellow alumni like Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Kelee Ringo aren’t walking back through that door (not with eligibility anyway). No, in 2023, it will be on a new crop of Bulldogs to navigate a fairly calm regular season in search of their second straight SEC crown, and maybe even a third national title. From my writer’s desk, I’d say the smart money is on the field, but then again, I didn’t even have the Bulldogs making the College Football Playoff last season (whoops). 

Carson Beck gets the keys to the castle in 2023 and expectations are lofty. Beck will have All-World tight end Brock Bowers and receiver Ladd McConkey to throw to, but we haven’t seen Beck truly take the reins before. Defensively, it’s hard to lose multiple starters to the draft year after year and remain king of the hill. Still, All-American favorites Jamon Dumas-Johnson (LB), Malaki Starks (S), and Javon Bullard (Star) will lead one of the most talented defensive units into battle this fall. 

What has Georgia fans most optimistic is their schedule, however. Auburn and Ole Miss are the draws from the SEC West. The Dawgs get a bye week before their Cocktail Party date with Florida, and they don’t have consecutive weeks on the road until the final two weeks of the season. Prepare yourselves, folks. Georgia really could win three straight. 

What can South Carolina do in 2023?

Shane Beamer has been on a heater like Gamecocks fans haven’t seen since the Ole’ Ball Coach wore his visor in Columbia. The Cocks authored massive upsets over Tennessee and Clemson last season, dashing both of their playoff hopes with gusto. Throw in a 16th-ranked recruiting class, including the nation’s top athlete in Nyckoles Harbor, and expectations are starting to rise right along with the volume of “Sandstorm.”

Quarterback Spencer Rattler is back for one more season in Columbia, and while his numbers weren’t anything special last year (18 TD, 12 INT), they were good enough to get the job done. His supporting cast will be much younger than it was last season after a host of transfers out, including RB MarShawn Lloyd to USC, but there is real excitement around new additions to the tight end room like Harbor and Arkansas transfer Trey Knox. 

The defense has several question marks at pass rusher, again due to transfers, but their secondary should be a strength. The Gamecocks return a host of veterans to their no-fly zone, including Marcellas Dial, Nick Emmanwori, and DQ Smith. That defense will be put to an immediate test against North Carolina and Drake Maye in the opener. Survive that and your reward is Georgia in Week 3, Mississippi State in Week 4, and Tennessee in Week 5. Throw in Florida, Texas A&M, Missouri, Kentucky, and Clemson and a winning record, let alone contention, will be beyond impressive. 

Will Bobby Petrino save Texas A&M’s offense? 

It sounds almost comical to say, and yet that’s the question being asked in College Station and beyond for 2023. Texas A&M’s offense was anemic last year. The Aggies routinely failed to move the chains and only finished a paltry 5-7 season with an offense that averaged 22.8 points per game (101st out of 131 teams). 

Jimbo Fisher’s offense was slow, it was complicated, and it was downright painful to watch. In fact, Jimbo’s offense was so complex, his playsheets often looked like an unorganized pile of receipts on tax day. 

Enter Bobby Petrino, whose…we’ll call it “storied” coaching career looked set to take him out west to be the offensive coordinator at UNLV. After just a handful of days in the position, Petrino accepted the job at Texas A&M in hopes of reaching a ceiling that is sky high in College Station. The talent he has at his disposal is phenomenal, ranking fourth in the country in 247 Sports’ “Blue-Chip Ratio.” 

Petrino is known for building his offense around each quarterback, installing custom plays and formations that support each skillset. Petrino’s offenses at Arkansas, Louisville, and Missouri State were up-tempo, athletic, and a big play waiting to happen. With Connor Weigman, Evan Stewart, and Moose Muhammad III ready to explode, the Aggies are hopeful for an offensive renaissance inside Kyle Field. 

Is Alabama falling behind?

Last season, during our 2022 predictions episode, I proclaimed that this was the year where Nick Saban got his revenge. There was no doubt in my mind we were about to witness the Crimson Tide rolling over every opponent in their path. 

Well… 

In 2023, we’re not asking by how much the Tide will roll…we’re asking “who is playing quarterback for them?” Despite having a 90% Blue-Chip Ratio, per 247 Sports, the Crimson Tide could be at an important crossroads. With an ever-aging Saban at the helm, Alabama fans are suddenly left wondering if the Tide can truly stay at the top of the mountain with Georgia, Ohio State, and Michigan. 

Sure, Saban is recruiting at an all-time level, but the headlines remain around his NIL takes, not the players he’s bringing to town. There’s so much noise about LSU, Tennessee, and Georgia that many are wondering if the room is now too crowded for Saban to work his magic. 

I will say right now, I am an Alabama believer. Nick Saban is the greatest coach to ever grace our game’s hallowed grounds. Still, without a solid signal-caller and an offense that needs to replace several brand names, I wonder what 2023 will look like. If it’s a bounceback year, bring on an SEC championship appearance. If it’s another 10-2 season, we’ll definitely be talking about this question (and many more) come 2024. 

Can Harold Perkins Jr. and LSU build on a surprising 2022? 

72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception…and a partridge and a pear tree. That’s the freshman statline for one Harold Perkins Jr. in a breakout campaign at LSU. The Houston-area athlete was a superstar prospect in high school. After decommitting from Texas A&M and following his family ties to LSU, Perkins led an LSU resurgence in 2022. He broke the game at times last season, routinely creating highlights every time he touched the field. The speed and instinct Perkins has combined for an incredible piece that Tigers use to terrify opposing offenses. 

An SEC West crown is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg for this LSU squad. With a veteran offense and elite recruiting, the Bayou Bengals are poised for more success in 2023. Alabama is no longer the runaway favorite to win the division, and many are starting to realize that Brian Kelly could build something special in Baton Rouge. 

Future NFL draft picks Mehki Wingo and Maason Smith will anchor a defensive line that is stacked with talent. The Tigers will need to improve on average run defense and turnover numbers from a season ago, but simply providing opportunities for Perkins and a talented linebacker corps to disrupt the passer could be enough. 

LSU’s schedule isn’t easy, but it rarely ever is (unless you’re the 2023 Georgia Bulldogs). Four of the first six games are either away or a neutral site game and opponents include Florida State, Miss State, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Missouri. The Tigers finish the year with Alabama, Florida, and Texas A&M.