College football has been in the news for a whole bunch of reasons recently because the game is changing right before our eyes. But that won’t stop us from breaking down the biggest conferences and the best teams as we embark on another year of the great sport we all love and know. No amount of conference realignment or NIL money can take away our passion for the game. Here is our 2023 SEC football preview.
It is somewhat bizarre to talk about conference realignment so much and the SEC not be in the thick of the most recent moves. I wouldn’t hold your breath too long though; it seems like it’s only a matter of time before the ACC is invaded and I’d imagine that the SEC will be the first ones crossing enemy lines. This will be the final year that the conference is without Texas and Oklahoma who will restructure the look of the league and the conference schedule.
Last Year
It’s a pretty weird year when Alabama loses two games and doesn’t play in the College Football Playoff. However, this may just be the new reality as Georgia cements itself as a new powerhouse and potential dynasty in the game as the Bulldogs will go for their third straight National Title.
Barring injury, there is a likely chance that the Dawgs at least make it to the national championship game as their recruiting classes continue to be stacked per usual. Last year, they dominated opponents and put up the most lopsided national championship game victory in NCAA football history when they blew through the TCU Horned Frogs.
While Alabama won the West, they lost to both Tennessee and LSU in stunning fashion and had a lot of close calls along the way, including almost losing to Texas A&M. LSU found its mojo halfway through the year and Tennessee was the shocker school that emerged as a real threat in the SEC thanks to an incredible season from Hendon Hooker which was tragically cut short.
What to Watch
I can’t wait to see what happens with Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher. The cries for his firing were heard all over Aggieland last season. There is one big issue there, and it all comes down to the massive amount of money that the school would owe him if they were to fire him. The offense was atrocious last season, so they brought in Bobby Petrino in an attempt to revive it. The big question is whether Jimbo will fully relinquish control of his offense. If he doesn’t and the Aggies fail to score points at another historically low rate, we might see one of the most insane firings in the game’s history.
Heisman Candidates
There is a lot of hype around Jayden Daniels from LSU and his development towards the end of last season. The former Arizona State transfer has played well and could be in a lot of big moments this year. Another name to watch is Joe Milton who showed incredible arm talent at Tennessee and will now take over full-time under center in Knoxville.
Prediction
The Georgia dynasty is very real and very scary to the rest of the sport. I think Kirby Smart has built this program up so it can succeed for many, many years to come.