Athlon projects SEC's order of finish in 2023

The SEC race is one that get’s people talking year round, regardless of how close the college football season is. With the release of Athlon Sports’ annual guide for next season, though, it’s a natural stopping point to take a peek at what they’re predicting for the 14 programs of the Southeastern Conference in 2023.

In Athlon’s eyes, the Georgia Bulldogs will be walking, even strolling, their way into a third straight SEC Championship game as they continue their dominance with a perfect record. Then, out west, they have Alabama winning the division by two games over LSU to set up yet another clash of the titans in Atlanta.

SEC Championship: Georgia over Alabama

EAST

1. Georgia Bulldogs (13-0, 8-0)
2. Tennessee Volunteers (8-3, 5-3)
3. Kentucky Wildcats (8-4, 4-4)
4. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-5, 4-4)
5. Florida Gators (5-7, 3-5)
6. Missouri Tigers (6-6, 2-6)
7. Vanderbilt Commodores (4-8, 1-7)

WEST

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1, 8-0)
2. LSU Tigers (10-2, 6-2)
3. Texas A&M Aggies (8-4, 4-4)
4. Ole Miss Rebels (8-4, 4-4)
5. Arkansas Razorbacks (7-5, 3-5)
6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-6, 2-6)
7. Auburn Tigers (6-6, 2-6)

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Over the past two seasons, Kirby Smart’s program has lost a single game. As far as their schedule goes, it doesn’t suggest that things will be any harder on the ‘Dawgs. That’s why, as anti-climactic as it may be, penciling in Georgia’s spot in the SEC title game, if not using sharpie, is a safe bet until they show any signs of slowing down.

Still, UGA’s reign doesn’t mean there’s a lack of parity in the league. On the contrary, Athlon sees plenty of other races and surprises down south this fall.

On one hand, you have the obvious talking point of the Tide from Tuscaloosa vs. the Tigers from Baton Rouge. LSU got the upper hand last season, in large part due to their win over ‘Bama in Death Valley. Per usual, though, Nick Saban’s group is going to be right there to get up off the mat and reclaim that position from them.

From there, Texas A&M and Ole Miss sit two games behind in the SEC West. While that would be a second straight fourth-place finish for the Rebels, the Aggies finishing in third would be a solid bounce back after A&M finished in dead last in 2022.

Then, back in the East, Athlon has Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Florida all finishing within two games from each other. The Volunteers, coming off their special campaign in ’22, have the edge to claim silver at the moment. However, they have the Wildcats and Gamecocks in third and fourth respectively, a flip from last fall, at only a game back while the Gators are at the next step down at another game back from there.

Again, the season-long race in the SEC is one of the most impactful in college football, if not the most. Even so, Athlon cut straight to the point as, for all the jockeying by other teams in second through seventh, they have Georgia and Alabama as the horses clearly in pole positions to meet in Mercedes-Benz in December.