SEC Power Rankings 2023: Are Georgia Built to Make History?
July is officially the last month without college football and to celebrate, we've released our first SEC Power Rankings for the 2023 season, delving into which teams have championship aspirations and which teams might be delving into the head coach market by November -- or sooner.
SEC Power Rankings 2023
Our SEC Power Rankings for the 2023 college football season take into account a number of factors. Overall roster, coaching staff changes, schedule, and predicted record all play a part in ranking the 14 SEC programs from first to worst.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
You won't catch us being the bulletin board material for the alleged under-rating of the Georgia Bulldogs ahead of the 2023 college football season. The program famously bemoaned that they'd been written off last year before successfully defending their national title with an unbeaten season. While there are more question marks this year, it would be foolish to doubt them.
Kirby Smart's team has already proven they can deal with roster turnover, and the departure of several defensive impact makers likely won't slow them down from being another dominant unit. Sophomore Mykel Williams is positioned to be the next great Georgia pass rusher, while Malaki Starks, Javon Bullard, and Tykee Smith form a formidable secondary.
Retaining head coach Smart, one of the best in the business, is another feather in the cap for the Bulldogs atop our SEC Power Rankings. While it remains to be seen exactly how Mike Bobo runs the Georgia offense, we could see a return to the run-dominant offenses of his first tenure as offensive coordinator.
That would mitigate the biggest question mark for the Bulldogs. Who is the quarterback? There's been a presumption that Carson Beck would win the battle to replace now-Georgia legend Stetson Bennett IV over the spring, but there's still no definitive answer. How big of a concern is it? When you've got Brock Bowers to throw to, it ultimately might not matter who ends up being the starting QB this fall.
2. LSU Tigers
When the LSU Tigers lost to FSU and Kayshon Boutte allowed his frustrations to show on the sideline, it appeared that the wheels were falling off Brian Kelly's team before they'd even left the garage. Yet, the team rallied, conquered the SEC West and put up 30 points on a Georgia team that had only given up more than 20 points in three games prior to the SEC title game.
Reaching the title game last fall doesn't ensure your seat near the top of our SEC Power Rankings. However, there's every reason to believe that the Tigers can be the force in the conference behind Georgia in the 2023 season. They have to reverse the tables on a talented FSU team and face Alabama on the road, but the rest of the schedule is very winnable.
It's very winnable because of the transformative influence of coach Kelly, who has more wins than any other active coach in college football if you include his time spent as Grand Valley State. It's also winnable because of a talented and deep roster on both sides of the ball that returns many of the key components of last season's success.
Harold Perkins Jr. might be the best defensive player in the nation, and his presence is bolstered by several highly-talented transfers to the defense. Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels' athletic ability is lauded -- only four RBs had more 10+ yard rushes than the LSU QB -- but his development as a passer in 2022 combined with a WR room boasting Malik Nabers is recent for excitement.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
Rat poison. Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide absolutely thrive on it. Ranking them third in our SEC Power Rankings is likely to be considered rat poison to the majority of Alabama fans, regardless of whether College Football Network penetrates the walls of Bryant-Denny Stadium. It's a statement of the level of expectation that third just doesn't cut the mustard.
Of course, part of that expectation is because of Saban and his ability to magic up success when those outside of the program doubt there's any to be had. His very presence ensures that Alabama is a consistent contender at the top of the conference. The hire of Tommy Rees to replace the New England Patriots-bound Bill O'Brien could bolster their efforts to lead the way.
Rees inherits an offense that arguably has more question marks than any previous Crimson Tide unit of recent years. Who's the quarterback? Who's the starting running back? Who is the guy in the WR room? There are a lot of questions, and not many were answered out of the spring. Freshman RB Justice Haynes and right tackle JC Latham could be the saviors of the team in 2023.
There are far fewer questions defensively, and that could carry the team in close games. While they lose Will Anderson Jr., Dallas Turner is set to wreak havoc this fall. Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of the best CBs in the nation, and they nabbed Trey Amos from the transfer portal to form a dangerous CB duo. Watch out for true freshman Caleb Downs to be an impact maker at safety.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
One of the surprise stories of the 2022 college football season, can Josh Heupel's team withstand some high-profile losses on both sides of the ball to be a force to be reckoned with once more in the SEC? With their positioning of fourth in our SEC Power Rankings, there's certainly a level of expectation that the Vols can contend for a high-profile bowl game once more.
Any sense of expectation and excitement around Tennessee begins with Heupel himself. His offensive scheme makes the Vols a high-scoring juggernaut that proves almost impossible to take your eyes off. There will be concerns of a drop-off from a coaching standpoint after offensive coordinator Alex Golesh's departure, but replacement Joey Hazle is familiar to the team.
Hazle will be responsible for possibly the biggest variable where Tennessee's chances of success in 2023 are concerned. Quarterback Joe Milton has become a polarizing figure amongst fans and social media analysts. There's no doubting his pure arm strength, and he was magnificent against Clemson. He needs to be more consistent and accurate to take the Vols to new heights.
That consistency won't be helped by Tennessee having to replace the entire left side of the offensive line and two of the best WRs in college football. However, they boast a strong ground game with Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small able to relieve some pressure. Meanwhile, they return some of their most influential defensive players from the 2022 season including Aaron Beasley.
5. South Carolina Gamecocks
Bringing his own particular brand of "Beamer Ball" to Columbia, Shane Beamer has rejuvenated the South Carolina Gamecocks since taking over from Will Muschamp for the 2021 season. After the program's best overall season since 2017 and best conference campaign since 2018 (four wins), South Carolina takes a seat near the top of our SEC Power Rankings for 2023.
There are plenty of metrics to define offensive and defensive success. There are plenty of metrics that can be used to discuss returning production, or even offensive line continuity. Yet, under Beamer, there's something else that underpins South Carolina's success that isn't quite so easy to measure. There's no metric for culture and belief, and the Gamecocks have both in spades.
There'll need every ounce of whatever it is to overcome one of the most brutal schedules in the country. A campaign that features road trips to Georgia and Tennessee is bookended by clashes with regional rivals and ACC powerhouses North Carolina and Clemson. Some relief comes from games against the bottom two teams in our SEC Power Rankings. Nonetheless, it is brutal.
The roster boasts a blend of star names and under-the-radar talent, led by Spencer Rattler who has the talent to lead this offense to success in the SEC if he can consistently deploy his natural gifts. Antwane Wells Jr. gives him a legitimate playmaking outlet, while Tonka Hemingway, Jordan Strachan, and Marcellas Dial are names to watch out for this fall.
6. Arkansas Razorbacks
Although they took something of a step back last fall, the Arkansas Razorbacks have become a team that you have to watch out for under Sam Pittman. While they won nine games in 2021 and have been bowling in consecutive season, their positioning in our SEC Power Rankings is reflective of an inability to go over .500 in the conference since 2015.
Offensively, they should be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the SEC. Arkansas boasts one of the top running backs in the nation in "Rocket" Raheim Sanders, and K.J. Jefferson is a 6'3", 246-pound true dual-threat who is capable of conjuring up magic with his arms or his legs. After an on-off affair with the Razorbacks, Var'Keyes Gumms can be Jefferson's go-to target.
Their scoring defense ranked 101st last season, prompting Pittman to plunder the portal for reinforcements. John Morgan III, Antonio Grier, and Al Walcott are all potential difference makers for the Razorbacks this fall as they look to shore up a unit that also allowed the most total yardage in the conference.
Arkansas' quest to get above .500 in the last season with 14 teams, is made more difficult by some treacherous games on the Razorbacks schedule. A neutral site game with Texas A&M and a trip to Oxford to face Ole Miss are sandwiched in between road games with Alabama and LSU. Their hopes of a winning conference record could be over as soon as Week 8.
7. Ole Miss Rebels
Getting into the middle ground of our SEC Power Rankings, Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss team is difficult to predict for the upcoming campaign.
Under the enigmatic coach, the program achieved their first 10-win season since 2015, but they also have failed to get above .500 in the SEC in two of his three seasons at the helm. The Rebels also lost four consecutive games to end 2022.
Their SEC schedule is riddled with potential stumbling blocks, with the top three teams from our SEC Power Rankings featured -- including a trip to Athens. A Week 2 clash with Group of Five giants Tulane will be no walkover either.
Adding Zakhari Franklin and Caden Preiskorn to an offense that contains RB Quinshon Judkins feels almost unfair. However, question marks abound over the quarterback position, with Jaxson Dart, Spencer Sanders, and Walker Howard yet to stamp their name on the starting job. Isaac Ukwu boasts the defense as potentially the next great transfer pass-rusher for the Rebels.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
In putting together our SEC Power Rankings, no team was debated more by our team of analysts than the Texas A&M Aggies. There have been flashes of the potential for brilliance under Jimbo Fisher -- the 2020 SEC-only season perhaps the brightest -- but there's also the ever-looming presence of underwhelming failure to live up to the very real potential.
That potential looks like a roster full of former highly-regarded high school recruits such as WR Evan Stewart, defensive end Shemar Stewart, and the latest addition -- running back Rueben Owens.
There's consistency and talent in both trenches, with the return of Layden Robinson and McKinley Jackson particularly important in that regard. The Aggies also bolstered the secondary with the commitment of Tony Grimes from the transfer portal.
Yet, like several teams in our SEC Power Rankings, it's difficult to feel overly confident in Texas A&M's ascent back to the top of the conference with so much uncertainty over the QB position. Conner Weigman looks set to beat out Max Johnson to be the Day 1 starter but has just four starts and a 55.3 completion percentage behind him entering the 2023 college football season.
9. Kentucky Wildcats
There are clear pros and cons to multiple teams in the middle of our SEC Power Rankings, and the Kentucky Wildcats are a perfect example of that. It wouldn't be fair to call the program an SEC powerhouse under Mark Stoops but the revered head coach has certainly helped the football program to shake off the "basketball school" tag since taking over as head coach in 2013.
Stoops leads the "pros" column when weighing Kentucky's prospects for 2023. Similarly, the return of offensive coordinator and QB coach Liam Coen after a sojourn to the NFL, has a bearing on the direction of Wildcats football in 2023. Recognized as the driving force behind Will Levis' success in 2021, Coen will be crucial to the rejuvenation of QB Devin Leary after a tough 2022.
Also in the "pros" column is a roster that includes two of the best WRs in the SEC in Dane Key and Barion Brown, a running game bolstered by the return of Ramon Jefferson and the transfer acquisition of Ray Davis, and several impressive defensive pieces including J.J. Weaver, Zion Childress, and leading tackler from 2022 -- D'Eryk Jackson.
So, to the "cons" column which starts with a suboptimal schedule for SEC success. The Wildcats face four of our top five SEC teams, avoiding only LSU while taking a trip to Athens. Additionally, there remain questions over the offensive line despite the addition of Marques Cox from Northern Illinois and Courtland Ford from USC. Kentucky could ride or die by their OL.
10. Auburn Tigers
After missing out on bowl eligibility for the first time in 10 years, Bryan Harsin's hot seat combusted and the Auburn Tigers turn to a face familiar to the SEC to make the program relevant in the SEC once more. Has the former Ole Miss and Liberty head coach got the potential to propel Auburn up our SEC Power Rankings once the season gets underway?
Freeze has certainly been on a charm offensive since arriving on the Plains, and that has paid dividends in recruiting with the Tigers flipping some high-profile recruits from big-time programs in the 2023 cycle. That approach has also proved fruitful in the transfer portal, with the Tigers' transformation seeing a projected 12 starters joining the team from the portal since Freeze's hiring.
That's particularly important for an offense that languished in the bottom half of the SEC for most major metrics last fall. Jyaire Shorter, Shane Hooks, Nick Mardner, and Rivaldo Fairweather give new QB Payton Thorne a mouth-watering room to work with. Whatever your thoughts on Thorne, he's shown he can excel when there's talent around him, and there's plenty.
Some of their top recruits came on the defensive side of the ball, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see freshman impact makers like Keldric Faulk emerge. Larry Nixon III and Elijah McAllister add a veteran presence to the linebacker room, while Nehemiah Pritchett returns for another go-around. Despite the changes, it may be a season too soon for instant Auburn success in 2023.
11. Mississippi State Bulldogs
As Zach Arnett steps into the role of head coach full-time for the 2023 college football season, we're about to discover whether the Mississippi State Bulldogs' win over Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl was a sign of things to come under their new head coach or a display of sheer emotion over the loss of their former head coach -- the late, great Mike Leach.
What we do know about Mississippi State under Arnett is that they'll be defensively competitive, ranking in the top half of the SEC for points and total yards allowed last season. While they lose a key piece in cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, the return of Jett Johnson and Nathaniel Watson -- with 230 tackles between them as the top two tacklers in the SEC -- is huge.
What we don't know is what the offensive identity of this Bulldogs team will be. We've been used to seeing Will Rogers carve open SEC defenses under Leach's "Air Raid" stewardship, but it's unlikely we see him make over 600 passing attempts this season in Kevin Barbay's offense. The former Appalachian State OC arrives after orchestrating a 2022 offense with 359 attempts.
Rogers is undeniably one of the top QBs in the SEC, but the rest of the offense lacks star power of depth. Looking at it now, it's difficult to imagine how the Bulldogs will navigate a three-week stretch that sees them host Alabama and LSU, with a road trip to South Carolina sandwiched in between. They also don't face any of the three teams below them on our SEC Power Rankings.
12. Florida Gators
Patience. I was taught as a child that patience is a virtue. Screaming out from the realms of social media and the dark, dark corners of team-centric message boards, it seems like it's something that's in short supply amongst Florida Gators fans entering year two of the Billy Napier era. Sadly, patience is something that they're likely going to need a lot of this fall.
Perhaps a victim of instant expectation, Napier has taken a lot of flack for the Gators' performance last fall. Yet, they won more SEC games in 2022 than they did in the final year of the Dan Mullen era. Losing highly-rated quarterback recruit Jaden Rashada to Arizona State in a NIL-related public relations disaster hasn't helped breed faith in the second-year head coach.
That's where we'll start with tempering expectations and pleading for patience from Gators fans. Going from the expected arrival of Rashada to the acquisition of Graham Mertz felt like the excitement drop off from expecting a Ferrari and receiving a Ford Taurus. Mertz is steady and consistent but is ultimately not quite as exciting and needle-moving as Florida fans wanted or needed.
The offensive line will need to be better in 2023 too, and that was a point of focus in the offseason with several additions from the transfer portal. If it is, they have the running back duo in Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne to have success while the defense is in a much better situation with talent from front to back. It's a big if, and one that might be too much to overcome.
13. Vanderbilt Commodores
While the Vanderbilt Commodores appear towards the bottom of our SEC Power Rankings, it's important to stress that they very much have a feel of a program on the up under the Clark Lea. Last year they recorded their best overall record since 2018, while their two wins in the SEC -- including a sensational win over Florida -- were more than the last three seasons combined.
They travel to Gainesville to face Florida in Week 6, while in Week 5 they welcome Missouri to Nashville, giving them two winnable games in conference against teams expected to be around them near the foot of the SEC. However, trips to South Carolina and Tennessee combined with a home clash against Georgia make for a tough scenario for adding more SEC wins.
As basic as it may sound, limiting scoring opportunities could prove to be the most difficult part for Vanderbilt to elevate themselves into the gaggle of teams ahead of them. Their 36 points per game allowed last fall was substantially higher than any other SEC team, and they lost two of their top defensive playmakers in Anfernee Orji and Jeremy Lucien.
Hard-hitting safety duo De'Rickey Wright and Jaylen Mahoney return, whole defensive end Darren Agu is a playmaker to watch out for. Meanwhile, there's potential in offense with Will Sheppard one of the top WRs in the SEC. Furthermore, running back Sedrick Alexander has the potential to be one of the top impact freshmen in the conference.
14. Missouri Tigers
It feels like a long time since Gary Pinkel's Missouri Tigers teams were roaring through the SEC, recording the program's last double-digit win seasons from 2013-2014. The program hasn't finished above .500 since, and the inability to deliver any discernible signs of progress towards that has led to head coach Eli Drinkwitz being firmly on the hot seat leading up to this year.
There are plenty of reasons why Missouri should be better than 6-7 (3-5 in the SEC) this season. The secondary trio of Kris Abrams-Draine, Jaylon Carlies, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is as talented as most in college football. Linebacker Triston Newson -- a JUCO transfer from NE Mississippi -- brings his combative play to the heart of the defense alongside Ty'ron Hopper.
Offensively, there are few players as talented as sophomore WR Luther Burden III. Meanwhile, the arrival of Theo Wease. Jr from Oklahoma mitigates some of the concerns following the departure of last season's yardage leader Dominic Lovett to Georgia. The return of left tackle Javon Foster is a boost to the offense, with kicker Harrison Mavis also a significant returner.
So, there's reason for hope, but it's always the hope that kills you. Facing LSU, South Carolina, and Georgia (in Athens), will certainly kill your hope, but when you look at the deficiencies on the Missouri roster, it's difficult to pinpoint too many games that you would consider an easy win. Their Week 5 trip to Vanderbilt could be a defining matchup in Drinkwitz's career at Missouri.