2023 SEC Preseason Media Poll: Predicted order of finish revealed
The 2023 SEC Preseason Media Poll has been released, and it’s officially time to get your engines revved up for football seasons.
By now, college football fans all over American can recite the SEC’s It Just Means More slogan, and that’ll be felt more than ever in 2023. In what’s to be the last season before the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners join the conference, there’s a bevy of teams that could end the year on top of the SEC, with the competition as stiff as ever.
Will the Georgia Bulldogs repeat as champions, or will Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide return to the promise-land? What about budding powerhouses like the Tennessee Volunteers, Ole Miss Rebels and South Carolina Gamecocks, can they take the next step in their ascension?
Time will tell, but the preseason votes are in.
Georgia is the unsurprising favorite in the SEC East Poll with 265 first-place votes. Only 26 first-place votes went to other schools. Tennessee was in second with 14 first-place votes. Vanderbilt was in last place in the SEC East Poll but they did receive eight first-place votes, which was third-most in the division.
Despite a lot of noise about Alabama losing its stranglehold atop the division, Nick Saban‘s team edged out LSU for the top spot in the SEC West Poll with 1899 points to 1838. The Crimson Tide had 165 first-place votes to LSU’s 117. Every team in the division received at least one first-place vote — except for Ole Miss.
Ten schools received at least one vote to win the SEC, led by two-time defending champion Georgia with 181 points. Alabama was second with 62 and LSU had 31. No other school had more than five points for the SEC title.
SEC EAST
1. Georgia Bulldogs
What Kirby Smart has done with Georgia has been nothing short of spectacular, and it’s evident the Bulldogs show no signs of slowing down. However, the team did lose a bevy of talented players to the NFL this off-season, including fan favorite quarterback Stetson Bennett IV.
Whether or not Carson Beck is up to the challenge remains to be seen, but he’ll look to make quick believers out of Bulldogs fans. Regardless of the questions at quarterback, Georgia is going to be the most popular pick to win the national title, and the smart money isn’t betting against them.
2. Tennessee Volunteers
After coming out of nowhere and almost making the College Football Playoff last season, Josh Heupel‘s team is ready to roar with the weight of great expectations on their back. The Volunteers offense was their calling card in 2022, specifically quarterback Hendon Hooker‘s play, which led to him being drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
However, Joe Milton proved he’s more than just an athletic specimen in Tennessee‘s Orange Bowl victory last season. He’ll look to pick up where he left off, being the unquestioned starter of the Volunteers this season.
3. South Carolina Gamecocks
There were plenty of questions posed regarding how Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks would fare last season, and South Carolina got off to a slow start. It took supremely talented quarterback Spencer Rattler some time to get his feet wet in the SEC, but when he became more acclimated to the conference, he was as good as advertised.
Perhaps South Carolina is flying a bit under the radar due to the competition in the SEC, but Beamer’s squad will be looking to fix that narrative. If Rattler can regain his Heisman form, the Gamecocks could make a run.
4. Kentucky Wildcats
The Wildcats lost star quarterback Will Levis to the NFL over the offseason, but they’ve replaced him with highly-touted former NC State Wolfpack quarterback Devin Leary via the transfer portal. Leary entered last season as a dark horse contender for the Heisman, and Kentucky is looking to get him back to that level of play.
If Mark Stoops‘ squad is able to do so, Leary could lead them to some impressive victories in 2023. Kentucky’s a team being overlooked by many in a crowded conference, and they’ll will be motivated by their chance to crash the party.
5. Florida Gators
Put simply, Billy Napier‘s first season on the job with the Gators didn’t go as smooth as he would’ve liked. While it started with a bang with Anthony Richardson leading an exciting victory over the Utah Utes, it ended with a whimper, Napier’s team losing some games they felt like they should’ve been victorious in afterwards.
Growth will be the name of the game for Napier’s squad in 2023, as he looks to get Florida back to their high standard of play. It’ll be interesting to see the changes he makes, and if the Gators are more successful against their gauntlet of a schedule this season.
6. Missouri Tigers
Time is ticking for Eli Drinkwitz, as expectations are growing for Missouri. His supporters expected the Tigers to be competing in the SEC by now when he was originally hired, but a signature win has eluded him since taking over the program.
Missouri came close to upsetting Georgia last season, having a fantastic shot on a rainy night at home. Nobody is expecting Drinkwitz to pull off a win like that, but simply competing and showing the Tigers are on the right track will be the bare minimum for him in 2023.
7. Vanderbilt Commodores
Clark Lea has brought Vanderbilt out of the dungeon, taking the Commodores from an uncompetitive mess to a team that showed plenty of heart and fight last season. While the team went 5-7, the captured victories over both Kentucky and Florida, something that would’ve been unheard of not too long ago.
Still, Lea’s team missed a bowl game, and lost to Tennessee by a score of 56-0 in their final game of the season. Vanderbilt is on the upswing, and that won’t be accepted from the Commodores leader in 2023.
SEC WEST
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide were angry with themselves for missing the College Football Playoff last season, by virtue of losses to Tennessee and LSU. That’s caused them to enter 2023 with a renewed edge to their game, which should have the conference’s other programs shaking in their boots.
While there remains the question of who will start at quarterback for Alabama, Saban’s squad remains one of the most talented teams in all of the country. If there’s one person in the SEC, and in college football for that matter, you should never doubt, it’s Saban. Do so at your own risk this season.
2. LSU Tigers
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the SEC last season was Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers winning the SEC West. When Kelly came over from Notre Dame, his goals included winning his division, beating Alabama and Nick Saban and bringing LSU back into the forefront of college football, and he accomplished all of those in less than a year.
Now, the challenge becomes whether or not Kelly’s first season in Baton Rouge was a mirage or not. With Jayden Daniels returning to quarterback the team, many believe LSU has a chance to win the SEC, but they’ll have to avoid slip-ups like last season’s loss to Tennessee if that’s to come to fruition.
3. Texas A&M Aggies
The most disappointing team in the SEC, and perhaps in all of college football for that matter, was none other than the Aggies. Many had Texas A&M making a run to the College Football Playoff, and Jimbo Fisher‘s squad didn’t even make a bowl game at 5-7.
However, with the pressure off their shoulders, some believe a bounce-back season is on the horizon for Texas A&M. Questions are lingering regarding Fisher’s job security, but he can put them all to rest with a couple of redeeming wins in 2023.
As you can see, multiple powerhouses reside in the SEC year-in and year-out, and 2023 will be no different. It’s going to be an exhilarating race to the top in the best conference in college football, with a myriad of programs fighting for the right to be called SEC champions when it’s all said and done.
4. Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss was able to keep Lane Kiffin in Oxford amid rumors of Auburn calling his name, and the Rebels believe something memorable is brewing within their program. With a bevy of talented players on offense, like quarterback Jaxon Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins, and a solid defense that’ll be called by former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding, expectations have been raised for 2023.
Will the Rebels meet them? It’s going to be fascinating to find out, but we have our popcorn ready to watch Kiffin and company attempt to do so.
5. Arkansas Razorbacks
KJ Jefferson believes he’s the top quarterback in the SEC, and that confidence level is something the entire Arkansas team shares entering 2023. The Razorbacks believe they can contend with anyone, and that’s the mindset you need to be victorious in this loaded conference.
Since Sam Pittman took over the program, Arkansas has been building something special. With their veteran quarterback returning and talent on both sides of the football, the Razorbacks could shock some people doubting their prowess in 2023.
6. Auburn Tigers
The question for Auburn last season was more about not if, but when the Tigers would fire Bryan Harsin. When they finally pulled the trigger, they got a signature, memorable win with interim coach Cadillac Williams leading their team, but they’re hoping for a more cohesive season in their first year under former Ole Miss and Liberty coach Hugh Freeze.
With a myriad of experience in the conference, the Tigers chose Freeze among a pool of qualified candidates to lead their team into their next era. Auburn has all the tools needed to be a major player at this level, and they’ll be hoping to lay the foundation for continued success this season.
7. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Tragedy struck Mississippi State last season, when Mike Leach passed away prior to the team’s bowl game. The Bulldogs have promoted defensive coordinator Zach Arnett to lead their team into a new era, one with Leach’s fingerprints all over it, and one they hope to reach a higher level of success in.
While 2023 will be an emotional season, one of the stabilizing forces will be quarterback Will Rogers, who will take what Leach taught him throughout his time in Starkville and hope to make good on his potential. He’s a dark-horse Heisman contender, and a legendary season could help propel Mississippi State to some unthinkable victories.
Full SEC Preseason Poll with First-Place Votes
SEC East Preseason Poll
1. Georgia (265)
2. Tennessee (14)
3. South Carolina (3)
4. Kentucky (1)
5. Florida
6. Missouri
7. Vanderbilt (8)
SEC West Preseason Poll
1. Alabama (165)
2. LSU (117)
3. Texas A&M (1)
4. Ole Miss
5. Arkansas (3)
6. Auburn (4)
7. Mississippi State (1)
Full SEC Preseason Championship Poll
1. Georgia – 181
2. Alabama – 62
3. LSU – 31
T-4. Tennessee – 5
T-4. Vanderbilt – 5
T-6. Arkansas – 2
T-6. Auburn – 2
T-8. Mississippi State – 1
T-8. South Carolina – 1
T-8. Texas A&M – 1