SEC Championship: Georgia over Alabama

SEC East

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Projected Record: 13-0

Wins: UT Martin, Ball State, South Carolina, UAB, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida, Mizzou, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Alabama (SEC Championship)

Losses: None

I mean what can I say… this defense returns almost everybody and is going to be insanely good again. Sure you can nitpick and question edge rusher and the second cornerback spot, but the Bulldogs are still elite. On offense, Carson Beck will step in for Stetson Bennett. While they aren’t unbeatable and have a few question marks, the Bulldogs have way less questions than other teams in the nation.

2. Tennessee Volunteers

Projected Record: 10-2

Wins: Virginia, Austin Peay, Florida, UTSA, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Kentucky, UConn, Missouri, Vanderbilt

Losses: Alabama, Georgia

Out goes Hendon Hooker, in comes Joe Milton at quarterback. The offense is set up for success with the skill position players, Josh Heupel’s offense, and new left transfer left tackle John Campbell Jr. The defense returns almost everyone, but are there any standouts? Can the Vols get a pass rush? I’d expect a slight improvement to the defense and another solid season for Tennessee.

3. Kentucky Wildcats

Projected Record: 7-5

Wins: Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Akron, Vanderbilt, Florida, South Carolina, Louisville

Losses: Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Alabama

Last year’s offense was absolutely atrocious. This is a new season though where there is a lot to believe in offensively: Liam Cohen coming back at OC, Devin Leary coming in at QB, RB Ray Davis transferring from Vandy, a dangerous, young receiving tandem, and a retooled offensive line with a legit LT in Marques Cox. Defensively the Cats were fantastic last year, but expect a step back. Especially with the corners being transfer dependent (JQ Hardaway and Jantzen Dunn). The offensive improvement will be enough to get this team to 7 wins.

4. Florida Gators

Projected Record: 6-6

Wins: McNeese State, Charlotte, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, LSU, Missouri

Losses: Utah, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida State

5. South Carolina Gamecocks

Projected Record: 6-6

Wins: North Carolina, Furman, Mississippi State, Florida, Jacksonville State, Vanderbilt

Losses: Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Clemson

If you look at this team from a 30-foot view, things don’t seem bad at all. (1) Shane Beamer is on season three coming off two seasons in a row of winning 7 or more games. (2) Quarterback Spencer Rattler and star WR Juice Wells are coming back for a final year. (3) South Carolina has had back to back top 25 recruiting classes. But when you really dive in… I’m worried. The offensive line is heavily inexperienced and the defense lost some of their best players to the NFL draft and the transfer portal. This includes six of their top eight snap count players in 2022. Overall, expect a little step back especially with a difficult schedule.

6. Missouri Tigers

Projected Record: 6-6

Wins: South Dakota, Middle Tennessee, Kansas State, Memphis, Kentucky, South Carolina

Losses: Vanderbilt, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas

With Mizzou, I actually believe in the defense, It is the offense I have an issue with when you consider QB Brady Cook is still starting and their offensive line is no better than OK (even after stealing 40% of Houston’s OL starters) I’ll say one nice thing about the Tigers offense: they have a very good, underrated receiving group. But this is an average team who won’t score very many points and play low scoring games. THEY ARE MID.

7. Vanderbilt Commodores

Projected Record: 5-7

Wins: Hawaii, Alabama A&M, Wake Forest, UNLV, Missouri

Losses: Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee

In the last few years, the Vanderbilt preview was straight doom and gloom. I actually think Vandy is competent this year and starting to build off their improved recruiting. AJ Swann at quarterback isn’t terrible and the offensive line returns almost everyone. Defense won’t be great, but they’ll be feisty. Things are looking up around Vandy…. but they’ll still finish last in the SEC East.

SEC West

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Projected Record: 11-2

Wins: Utah State, Texas, Louisiana-Monroe, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Mississippi State, LSU, Ole Miss, Austin Peay, Auburn, Georgia (SEC Championship)

Losses: Texas A&M, Georgia (SEC Championship)

This is another talented Alabama team, but it has the biggest quarterback question since the start of the 2016 season where Jalen Hurts, Blake Barnett, and Cooper Bateman battled it out. What doesn’t add to the optimism is Alabama adding Notre Dame’s Tyler Buchner to the mix after both Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson failed to win the job. I still believe the starter will be Milroe or Simpson. The rest of the offense is stellar with a really good offensive line, talented running back room and deep receiving group.

The defensive talent is undeniable. Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell will lead the pressure off the edge with 5-star true freshman Keon Keeley waiting right behind him. One of the best players on the defense will be another 5-star freshman, safety Caleb Downs and also the best corner in the country Kool-Aid McKinstry. Overall, the quarterback question keeps them out of the elite group (Georgia)… but if Saban has a quarterback emerge from medicority, the Tide are a National title contender.

2. LSU Tigers

Projected Record: 10-2

Wins: Florida State, Grambling State, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Missouri, Auburn, Army, Georgia State, Texas A&M

Losses: Alabama, Florida

LSU’s offense will be solid as they return most of their offensive line and have a top 5 receiving group in the country. While I think Jayden Daniels has a ceiling, he proved last year to be an efficient player. The defensive line is the strength with Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith. Add in Harold Perkins and Oregon State transfer, Omar Speights, the Tigers will be fine in the front seven. However, people are glancing over the depth at corner behind transfer starters Duce Chesnut (Syracuse) and Zy Alexander (Southern). LSU could win the SEC West again.

3. Texas A&M Aggies

Projected Record: 9-3

Wins: New Mexico, Miami, Loisiana-Monroe, Auburn, Arkansas, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi State

Losses: Tennessee, Ole Miss, LSU

Connor Weigman enters season two and he showed some glimpses of being a pretty good quarterback. Plenty of help is in the wide receiver room with upcoming star Evan Stewart, Noah Thomas, and seniors Moose Muhammad II and Ainias Smith. The offensive line was just alright last year, but they return almost everyone. Defensively, A&M will take a step forward with so many returning starters. McKinley Jackson and Walter Nolen will lead the interior defensive line, but they will need an edge rusher to step up. Overall, this is a very good team with a high ceiling and a low floor, like we saw in last year’s 5-7 season. The floor will end the Jimbo train quicker than a motorcycle accident, if the offense doesn’t get it together under Bobby Petrino.

4. Ole Miss Rebels

Projected Record: 8-4

Wins: Mercer, Tulane, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Louisiana Monroe

Losses: Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Mississippi State

I could go in depth on every transfer Lane Kiffin took and every single one that left. But I know for a fact you would not sit here and read all that. So we will keep it simple: I like Jaxson Dart and I trust the direction of this offense with Quinshon Judkins at running back. But the defense is a total question mark with transfers all over the place (watch out for Five-Star freshman LB Suntarine Perkins though). Just like Lane, the defense makes this team a total wildcard. I’m going on the positive side with an 8-4 prediction, which tracks with history as Lane Kiffin hasn’t won less than 8 games in a full season during his time with the Rebels.

5. Auburn Tigers

Projected Record: 7-5

Wins: UMass, Cal, Samford, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, New Mexico State

Losses: Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama

Auburn and Hugh Freeze announced mediocre starter Payton Thorne will start, but they did revamp their entire offensive line and receiving group with transfers. On defense, they need someone to step up at edge rusher. However, Auburn keeps the strength of the defense by returning almost the entire secondary. This could be a sneaky good Auburn team in Hugh Freeze’s first season.

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Projected Record: 6-6

Wins: Southeast Louisiana, Arizona, Western Michigan, Kentucky, Southern Miss, Ole Miss

Losses: LSU, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Texas A&M

Will Rogers returns for another season as the SEC’s all-time completions leader. This will be a very different offense going from Mike Leach’s air raid to new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay’s run-heavy offense coming from Appalachian State. The offense will go behind the Bulldog offensive line that returns every starter from last year. Look for leading rusher Jo’Quavious Marks and Penn State transfer Keyvone Lee to be the key running backs. The receiver room is OK with a few returning starters and Freddie Roberson who had 792 receiving yards at Eastern Washington last year.

Defensively, they have to replace their three starting safeties and NFL first round pick and Emmanuel Forbes. Decamerion Richardson will lead the secondary as a starting corner in this 3-3-5 defense. Jett Johnson and Nathaniel Watson returning at linebacker certainly helps with each player having over 100 tackles last year. The defensive line has two solid starters with Nathan Pickering and Jaden Crumedy, but they will need someone else to step up.

It is going to be an interesting year for first time head coach Zach Arnett. With all of the departures in the secondary it will be tough for them to compete at the top of the SEC West. However, this is a veteran team that will be a tough out in the middle of the SEC.

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

Projected Record: 6-6

Wins: Western Carolina, Kent State, BYU, Mississippi State, FIU, Mizzou

Losses: LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida, Auburn

Yes, I like QB KJ Jefferson and RB Rocket Sanders, but I have no idea what the Razorbacks are going to get from the wide receiver transfers they took from FCS and D2 schools. The defense is surprisingly still pretty good as they are really deep at defensive line and are decent in the secondary with Dwight McGothern leading the charge. I know I have them last in the SEC West… but someone has to be last. Arkansas is a quality team that is in the same tier as Mississippi State and Auburn.