I am really curious about who will be named the starter at Alabama in Week 1 and how they play throughout the year. I believe multiple quarterbacks will play in Week 1, but it is too early to tell.

Back-to-back defending champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, have a new face at quarterback in Carson Beck. It will be weird not seeing Stetson Bennett take the field for Georgia in 2023, but how good is Carson Beck?

With some new faces and old veterans taking the field at quarterback, here is how I would rank the top five SEC quarterbacks heading into the 2023 season

The Top 5 Quarterbacks in the SEC in 2023

5. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

A year ago, Jaxson Dart was subpar at best and he never really got it going. I expect him to take a huge jump in year two at Ole Miss. Dart is heading into his second year in the Lane Kiffin offense and with a running back like Quinshon Judkins, there is a lot less pressure and allows Dart to play more freely. Any quarterback in the Kiffin system will have success, but Jaxson Dart has a chance to shock a lot of people in 2023.

4. KJ Jefferson, Arkansas

K.J. Jefferson is a veteran guy and you know what to expect from him. The question is, can Jefferson stay healthy? He was supposed to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC a year ago, but injuries kind of derailed his and the Razorbacks seasons. If Jefferson can stay healthy, I can see him living up to the hype and being one of the best quarterbacks in the league. 

3. Jayden Daniels, LSU

We watched Jayden Daniels grow up before our eyes a year ago. From the beginning of the season to the end, Daniels continued to get better and proved to everybody that he is more than capable of playing in the SEC. Even with all the hype surrounding Daniels and the LSU Tigers, I am still not completely sold on Daniels. With some new faces in the wide receiver room and a really good running back room, he will need to continue to get better. However you want to look at this, Jayden Daniels is still a top-10 quarterback in the country. 

2. Joe Milton, Tennessee

The biggest quarterback wildcard in the SEC, and maybe even in the country, is by far Joe Milton. If Milton plays as well as he did to end the season a year ago, the whole country better watch out. Milton has insane athleticism and skill, if he can put it all together he could be one to watch out for in the Heisman race. The problem is, if he comes out and struggles early on and is missing receivers, then things could go downhill quickly in Knoxville. I believe Milton has improved immensely, and he will prove a ton of people wrong in 2023.

1. Will Rogers, Mississippi State

Will Rogers is the most underrated player in college football and it is not even close. Rogers holds the SEC record in career completions at 1,159 and still has a season to play. Will Rogers is seen as a system quarterback but he is much more than an “Air-Raid” quarterback. Rogers has thrown more than thirty touchdowns and has thrown less than ten interceptions. I feel like if Will Rogers was on any other team in the country, he would be talked about more and would be a legit Heisman contender. 

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Can anyone stop Georgia from a three-peat?

Who will Alabama go with at quarterback?

Is LSU the team to beat in the SEC West?

Can Joe Milton fill in Hendon Hooker‘s footsteps?

Here is how I see the 2023 SEC Football Season playing out:

         East                                                                        West

Georgia (11-1)                                                         Alabama (11-1)

Tennessee (10-2)                                                          LSU (9-3)

South Carolina (8-4)                                                  Arkansas (8-4)

Kentucky (7-5)                                                          Ole Miss (7-5)

Florida (6-6)                                                            Texas A&M (7-5)

Missouri (6-6)                                                             Auburn (7-5)

Vanderbilt (3-9)                                                    Mississippi State (6-6)

Predicting the SEC for the 2023 Season

SEC West

Alabama 11-1

Alabama has been insanely underrated this offseason. Does Alabama have a quarterback issue? Yes. Does Alabama still have Nick Saban as head coach? Yes. Whatever problems the Crimson Tide have, I think they will figure it out and they will be playing in Atlanta for another shot at an SEC Championship.

LSU 9-3

With Jayden Daniels returning, the LSU hype has been unreal heading into 2023. I can’t say I don’t believe in the hype, but I definitely don’t see the Tigers running the table. Week 1 will decide their season in my opinion. LSU definitely won’t be sneaking up on anybody this season like they did a year ago.

Arkansas 8-4

I really like this Arkansas team with K.J. Jefferson at quarterback. This team will go as far as Jefferson can take them and if he can stay healthy the Hogs could make some noise in the SEC West. Arkansas is a team that has a ton of toss-up games, so their season will rely on winning those 50/50s.

Ole Miss 7-5

The Rebels are a hard team to figure out. I have changed my mind countless times while looking at their schedule, but I think Ole Miss could shock some people. I still believe Ole Miss can go as high as 10-2 next season, but I will have to see them win some toss-up games.

Auburn 7-5

Simply put, I like the hire, I like the system Hugh Freeze runs, and I like this Auburn team to steal a couple of games this season. Auburn will definitely struggle at times this season, but I think Hugh Freeze has a great first year at Auburn and makes a decent bowl game.

Texas A&M 7-5

The biggest wildcard in the SEC is easily Texas A&M and it is not even close. I do think Jimbo Fisher fixes things down in College Station and the Aggies have a much better season. The talent is there to have a great season, but how will the team mesh will be the question.

Mississippi State 6-6

I know I am predicting Mississippi State to only win six games, but this team has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Will Rogers. Not a lot of people are talking about the Bulldogs which is insane considering how good Rogers is. However, the SEC West is just so loaded in 2023, it will be very tough for the Bulldogs.

SEC East

Georgia 11-1

The back-to-back National Champions are yet again the team to beat, and with a very manageable schedule I could easily see the Bulldogs running the table yet again. However, I do believe that they will slip up somewhere along the way, but don’t freak out Georgia fans, they will still find their way back to Atlanta.

Tennessee 10-2

Tennessee has to replace a lot from last year’s team, but I think the defense improves and the Vols offense is still incredibly hard to stop. The only thing I am concerned about with Tennessee is how Joe Milton will perform as the full-time starter. If Milton has a huge breakout season, we could very easily be talking about the Vols making a playoff push.

South Carolina 8-4

With Shane Beamer heading into year three and Spencer Rattler coming back, the Gamecocks have the pieces to make some noise in the SEC East. The only thing that holding South Carolina back in 2023 is that they have the toughest schedule in the country. With a schedule as tough as theirs, 8-4 is a great season.

Kentucky 7-5

Kentucky is a very interesting team that has some very solid pieces that they have brought in including quarterback Devin Leary. The Wildcats could go 9-3 but they could just as easily go 6-6, toss-up games will decide how their season plays out.

Florida 6-6

Billy Napier is in do-or-die mode in 2023 and will need to at least make a bowl game to keep his job, in my opinion. The Gators will find a way to go .500, but they will need some better quarterback play if they want to make the SEC East interesting. I could very easily see the Gators upsetting some teams this season.

Missouri 6-6

Believe it or not, I am very high on Missouri, however, the schedule does not do the Tigers any favors. Missouri has the team to get over the hump, I just do not see it happening this season. Missouri does have the potential to upset a couple of teams and shock some people in 2023.

Vanderbilt 3-9

I know that Vanderbilt surprised a lot of people last year and rightfully so. The Commodores won two SEC games a year ago and are looking to build off that. I think Vanderbilt caught lightning in a bottle last season, and I don’t think they will be surprising teams in 2023.

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Every school has had its fair share of allegations throughout the years, but the allegations that have emerged about the Georgia football program under Kirby Smart are very disturbing. 

Under Coach Smart, there has been a plethora of players that have been reported doing activities such as driving under the influence, excessive speeding, bar fights, having illegal weapons on campus, domestic violence, sexual assault, and most notably street racing. This is nasty stuff coming out of Athens and it seems like the more allegations that are reported, the worse it gets.

Georgia Football is Out of Control

Recent Run-Ins With The Law

Since Kirby Smart took over as head coach, there have been 300 plus driving-related incidents. It is silly that in just seven seasons, there have been that many incidents, but driving incidents alone.

In January, Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock were killed in a car accident while racing Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter. Carter was issued an arrest warrant but was still drafted ninth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. This incident was the first of many to be reported involving Georgia Football in 2023 and this began a long list of allegations that began to come out. 

Kirby Smart had this to say after the warrants were taken out, “The charges announced today are deeply concerning, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community,” he said. “We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy.”

Running back James Cook was arrested and charged with driving without a valid license and possessing an open alcoholic-beverage container in his passenger area and was driving recklessly when he crashed into a nearby parking lot hitting multiple cars. Cook remained on the Georgia football roster and never faced any suspension by the NCAA or Coach Smart.

In 2022, running back Kenny McIntosh hit an Uber driver’s SUV while speeding, sending the Uber driver to the hospital. McIntosh was never suspended and played in all 15 games in 2022 and got drafted by the Seahawks in the 2023 NFL Draft.

According to Athens Banner-Herald, Star defensive tackle Jalen Carter became at least the third member of Georgia football’s 2022 National Championship team to be charged with reckless driving, a fourth was charged with DUI, and a fifth was alleged to have gone 34 miles over the speed limit when he was arrested.

In total, nine Georgia players have been arrested in the last 13-and-a-half months. 

From Bad to Worse

The most recent allegation involving a Georgia football player is very concerning for the program as a whole. Georgia defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett faced sexual assault and underage drinking allegations as a recruit. While on The University of Georgia campus during a recruiting visit, Jarrett allegedly broke curfew, drank alcohol with prospective teammates at an Athens bar, and was taken to a police station under investigation for sexual assault while he was 16 years old. Some gruesome details have been released about the incident, including Jarrett forcing a female into oral sex. 

The more news that comes out about this story the worse it looks on Kirby Smart. Even after all of that, Smart still pursued and signed Jarrett in 2023. Kirby Smart is the only one to blame in this situation. The University released many statements regarding the arrest of Jamaal Jarrett, however as of now, Jamaal Jarrett is still on the 2023 Georgia Football roster. 

MORE: The most important games of the 2023 season

Is Kirby Smart’s Program in Trouble?

Kirby Smart has lost control of his program and it is only getting worse.

Coach Smart is losing his program and it is all because of his lack of punishment. With all the allegations and arrests that are involving Georgia football players, none of those players are missing games and learning from their mistakes.

Coach Smarts addressed this by saying, “Everybody wants to know what the punishment is. Well, the players know what the punishment is,” Smart said while attending SEC spring meetings. “And that’s important for our guys to acknowledge that and understand it. But I want to educate further, I want to make sure they understand.” If the players are truly getting punished, then why are more and more players getting arrested?

During Smart’s tenure, 11 players have remained on the team despite women reporting violent encounters to the police or the university. This is further proof that the Georgia football program is out of control and needs to be punished or at least addressed by the NCAA. 

This is very concerning for the University and the football program as a whole. It makes me wonder about how parents of recruits view the program and how they will view Coach Smart moving forward. 

Will this hurt the Georgia Program? 

Will this hurt recruiting? 

Does this hurt the team’s success? 

If the Georgia culture does not change, we will continue to see more allegations pop up and more people will get hurt.

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For the first time since 2007, the Mountaineers are looking for a head coach. It is going to be very difficult to replace such an icon, but there are some potential candidates that Mountaineer fans could be excited about. 

Potential Replacements for Bob Huggins at West Virginia

Dusty May, Florida Atlantic Head Coach

One name you will hear a ton when talking about coaching searches is Dusty May. May took his Florida Atlantic team to the final four in 2023 as a nine seed and proved that he can coach against the best of the best. Dusty May was adamant that he wanted to stay at FAU even though many major schools were considering him. This would be a very interesting fit but one that could pay off in the long run.

Chris Beard, Ole Miss Head Coach

If you want a guy that knows how to win and has a Big 12 background, Chris Beard is your guy. Beard has had an interesting past, but he has already landed another big-time job. I think this would be a home run hire for West Virginia. Beard took Texas Tech to the final four in 2019 and had a top-five Texas team a year ago before being let go. If West Virginia gave Chris Beard a chance I believe they would be a top team in the Big 12 for years to come.

READ MORE: NIL is saving College Basketball

Jamie Dixon, TCU Head Coach

West Virginia fans know a thing or two about Jamie Dixon. Dixon coached for the Mountaineers’ bitter rival Pitt before he eventually went to TCU. Dixon led a Pittsburgh program to highs that they have never seen before, and has led a TCU program that is consistently good every year and improving. Dixon has Big 12 experience and has proven he can recruit the West Virginia area. Jamie Dixon would be a perfect fit for West Virginia in my opinion. 

Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon Head Coach

This one is kind of out of left field, but Bryce Drew has a ton of potential to be a great head coach at the top level. Bryce Drew is the brother of Baylor head coach, Scott Drew. Bryce Drew lead his Grand Canyon team to a WAC Championship and a March Madness berth in 2023. This is a longshot but if the Mountaineers were willing to take a chance on Drew, I believe he would succeed at West Virginia.

Jerrod Calhoun, Youngstown State Head Coach

Jerrod Calhoun could be a great fit at West Virginia because he is a part of the Bob Huggins coaching tree. He was a graduate assistant for Huggins at Cincinnati, then was on Huggins’ staff at West Virginia. Calhoun has really excited Youngstown State’s fanbase and earned an NIT berth a year ago. Calhoun would definitely energize this mountaineer fanbase, and he too can recruit the West Virginia area.

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Top College World Series Dark Horses

5. Campbell (44-13), 2 seed

Campbell has had a phenomenal season and most people believed that the Camels were in a great position to host, however, the selection committee did not agree. The Camels won the Big South Conference regular season and tournament championship, along with some impressive non-conference wins. The Camels’ non-conference wins include a sweep over East Carolina, along with wins over Coastal Carolina, and North Carolina. 

Campbell is a No. 2 seed in the Columbia regional, which includes No. 1 seed South Carolina, No. 3 seed NC State, and No. 4 seed Central Connecticut State. 

A year ago, the Camels put up a fight against the No. 1 overall seed Tennessee and put the College Baseball world on notice. This season Campbell is hungrier than ever and I believe that they got a great draw, even though they are not a host. Campbell is a veteran team that always plays with a chip on their shoulder and I would watch out for the Camels.

4. Indiana (41-18), 3 seed

Indiana is a bit of a wild card. The Hoosiers are 30th in the RPI and finished second in the Big 10. Indiana’s only problem is they do not have that many ranked wins. Indiana has looked very good at times this season, but they have not played the toughest schedule either. 

Indiana is the No. 3 seed in the Lexington regional, which includes No. 1 seed Kentucky, No. 2 seed West Virginia, and No. 4 seed Ball State.

I like the matchups for the Hoosiers in the Lexington regional. Indiana has a very tough first game against West Virginia, however, the Mountaineers are not playing their best ball right now. I also like that Indiana has already played Kentucky this season so there is some familiarity between the two. Since Kentucky basically dominated Indiana the first go around it will be interesting to see how the Hoosiers respond if they play again. 

3. Southern Miss (41-19), 2 seed

Southern Miss was another one of those teams that had a good enough resume to host, but unfortunately did not end up being a host site. If there was a regional Southern Miss would like to go to, it would be Auburn. I believe the Golden Eagles have the best pitching in the Auburn Regional and that could play a big part in Southern Miss advancing.

Southern Miss is the No. 2 seed in Auburn regional, which includes No. 1 seed Auburn, No. 3 seed Samford, and No. 4 seed Penn.

Legendary coach Scott Berry announced that he is retiring after this season. Coach Berry has won a ton of games and made the postseason eight times, and even made a super regional a year ago. However, Coach Berry has never been able to take the Golden Eagles to Omaha. Southern Miss players have a lot more to play for this offseason, and I believe that the Golden Eagles will make a serious run.

2. Texas A&M (36-25), 2 seed

Texas A&M has had an interesting last couple of weeks. Heading into the SEC tournament, the Aggies were barely even in the NCAA tournament and headed into Hoover as a No. 10 seed. Texas A&M then went on to win four games and make the SEC championship game. The Aggies defeated Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, and Arkansas to help strengthen their resume heading into the postseason. 

Texas A&M is the No. 2 seed in the Stanford regional, which includes No. 1 seed Stanford, No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton, and No. 4 seed San Jose State. 

The Aggies have had their ups and downs this season, but this team is coming to form at the perfect time. Texas A&M is one of the hottest teams in the country and they get to travel to Stanford, which is a very questionable team. I expect the Aggies to make it out of the Stanford regional pretty easily and make another run at Omaha.

1. Tennessee (38-19), 2 seed

Everybody knows how dominant that Tennessee team was a year ago, but this year’s Tennessee team is very different. The Vols were basically left for dead in mid-April, but since then they turned things around going 11-4 in the last 15 SEC games. Tennessee lost in the first round of the SEC tournament which hurt, but history shows that an early exit in the conference tournaments benefits teams later on. 

Tennessee is the No. 2 seed in the Clemson regional, which includes No. 1 seed Clemson, No. 3 seed Charlotte, and No. 4 seed Lipscomb.

Obviously, this was a terrible draw for Tennessee but an even worse draw for Clemson. Clemson is on a sixteen-game winning streak and the Tigers have been dominant since late March. However, the Vols still have one of the best pitching staffs in the entire country. I also think that the Vols getting upset a year ago will benefit them in this year’s postseason and cause them to play with a sense of urgency. I truly believe that if Tennessee can keep the bats hot along with their dominant pitching, the Vols have a great chance to go on a run and get back to Omaha.

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The Big 10 East has multiple games with both Big 10 and College Football Playoff aspirations on the line. Between Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State, all three have enough talent to win the Big 10 and/or make the College Football Playoff. And, even better, they all three play each other.

The SEC is a battle every single week, but some games have more on the line than others. There is so much parity in college football right now that there are so many good games week after week.

Here are the Top 10 most important games of the 2023 season:

The Most Important Games in the 2023 College Football Season

10. South Carolina vs North Carolina (In Charlotte)

There has been so much hype surrounding South Carolina this offseason and it is very important for the Gamecocks to start off the season on the right foot. North Carolina, on the other hand, has one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football and the Tar Heels will be no picnic.

These two teams met in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl just two years ago when the Gamecocks took down UNC, 38-21. This game could be one to keep an eye on because there is still some bad blood between these two even though they are not in the same conference anymore.

9. Tennessee at Alabama

The “Third Saturday in October” was a forgotten rivalry to most, but after last season’s instant classic, this rivalry is as amped-up as it’s ever been. This game means so much to so many people in both states and the college football world got a taste of what this rivalry means to people a year ago in Knoxville.

The Vols finally ended the long losing streak to Alabama in 2022 and are looking to win in back-to-back years for the first time since 2003-2004 seasons. With Alabama having a question mark at quarterback — and Tennessee continuing to get better under Josh Heupel — can the Vols beat Nick Saban in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever? The question is, who will be smoking cigars on the Third Saturday in October this season?

8. LSU at Alabama

LSU was not given much of a chance last season when they took down the Crimson Tide and ultimately took control of the SEC West and went on to play in the SEC Championship Game. This year’s game between LSU and Alabama will be much of the same with a lot more on the line.

The winner will definitely control their own destiny in the SEC West, but also in the College Football Playoff race as well. Both Alabama and LSU have National Championship aspirations and this game could make or break one another’s season.

7. USC at Oregon

The Pac-12 is as deep as it has been a long time with both Oregon and USC being at the top of the league. There is a ton of star power in this game with the main focus being the quarterback battle. Both Caleb Williams and Bo Nix are near the front in the 2023 Heisman race, and the two will be going head to head for the inside track at the Pac-12 Championship game and for both teams’ College Football Playoff hopes.

6. Penn State at Ohio State

With all due respect, this game could very well be a second-place game in the Big 10 East. Michigan is still the top dog of the Big 10 until dethroned. However, both of these teams could beat the Wolverines, so this game is very important.

The winner of this game still has hope of a Big 10 Championship berth and maybe even College Football Playoff berth, but the loser of this game will put themselves in a big hole for the rest of the season. Of course, do not rule out the obvious that all three teams (Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State) could all beat each other.

5. Florida State at Clemson

In my opinion, this is by far the best ACC game of the 2023 season. Clemson will be good as always. However, the Tigers have not played to their standard over the past couple years and we will see if Dabo Swinney can get them back on track.

If Clemson wins this game, they could very easily be on their way to another College Football Playoff berth. Florida State, on the other hand, is on the come-up and very quickly progressing under Mike Norvell. This would be a huge win for the Seminoles who have struggled mightily with Clemson for years now. Clemson is still the standard in the ACC, but Florida State is looking to make a run at the ACC Championship.

4. Michigan at Penn State

Michigan is usually worried about playing bitter rival Ohio State, but I believe Penn State is the Wolverines’ toughest test in 2023.

Penn State is a serious threat to Michigan to win the Big 10 East. The winner of this game will definitely have the inside track at the Big 10 Championship, but obviously, both teams have to play Ohio State as well.

3. LSU vs Florida State (In Orlando)

The hype around both of these teams this offseason makes this game even more meaningful than it already is. Both fanbases believe they can win a national championship and it starts in Week 1. This was one of the most entertaining games of the year a season ago and hopefully, it will be another classic this season.

2. Ohio State at Michigan

All eyes will be on “The Game” yet again in 2023. Both teams are coming off of College Football Playoff appearances. This rivalry was always bitter, but Ohio State always had the last laugh, until recently. As of late, the Wolverines have not just beat, but dominated the Buckeyes.

Michigan is looking like they will be right back in the National Championship discussion with a ton of talent returning. Meanwhile, Ohio State has some things to figure out including the quarterback position. This game is always insanely intense, but when National Championships are on the line, this rivalry gets even better.

Can the Buckeyes get the bad taste out of their mouth and beat the Wolverines in the Big House?

1. Georgia at Tennessee

Georgia has won back-to-back National Championships, but many Georgia fans believe that the 2023 version of the Bulldogs could be the best yet. With a pretty manageable schedule for Georgia, I believe that this will be the one game that can give them problems.

Tennessee will be very good again this season and, with the game being played in Neyland Stadium, anything can happen. This game was underwhelming a year ago when No.3 Georgia took down No. 1 Tennessee 27-13, and Tennessee is looking to get revenge on their home field. I think if Georgia were to lose a game in 2023, it would be to Tennessee.

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Ever since Love de-committed from Michigan, his recruiting process has been very quiet. Many believed that Indiana and Missouri would be the favorites to land the talented guard, however, Love has been very quiet with his recruiting process making it very tough to figure out his top schools. He is the No. 16 overall player in the transfer portal and any team would be thrilled to land him.

After weeks of waiting, reports of potential landing spots for Love were released per Eric Bossi and 247 Sports, here are Love’s top three potential landing spots:

Top Caleb Love Landing Spots

Texas Longhorns

Texas has been in on Love since he originally entered the portal, but the Longhorns had no serious traction until now. They have already added the number nine overall transfer, Max Abmas from Oral Roberts. The Longhorns also announce that starting guard Tyrese Hunter will return to Austin for the 2023 season. If Texas was able to bring in Love, the Longhorns would have one of the best backcourts in the country.

Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Zags are notorious for having great guards over the years and they are hoping to add another top guard in Love. Gonzaga recently picked up a commitment from the No. 10 overall transfer, and one of the best point guards in college basketball, Ryan Nembhard from Creighton. Gonzaga has been on fire this offseason and they have put together a really solid roster via the transfer portal. The Bulldogs have brought in numerous transfer guards over the years and turned them into superstars, will Love be the next?

Arizona Wildcats

Arizona has lost some production at the guard spot and Love would be a great late addition to this roster. The Wildcats already added transfer guard Jaden Bradley from Alabama. Arizona was a late team to show interest in Love, but Love seems to really like the program and things could pick up rather quickly with his recruitment. 

Prediction

In my opinion, the best fit for Love is easily Arizona. Starting point guard Kerr Kriisa transferred to West Virginia and they lost starting guard Courtney Ramey to the NBA draft. Point guard Kylan Boswell, who had a great freshman year, is ready to take control at the point for this team in 2023, but the Wildcats still need another ball-dominant guard like Love. With talented guards like Boswell and Bradley already on the roster, Arizona is looking to have one of the deepest backcourts in the country with the addition of the former North Carolina product. With that being said, I believe Caleb Love will be on the Wildcat roster in 2023.

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College Football Coaches Under the Most Pressure in 2023

5. Brent Pry, Virginia Tech

Brent Pry did not have high expectations for his first year in Blacksburg. However, Pry did not give the Hokie fans anything to be excited about in 2023. Virginia Tech has a manageable ACC slate, but their tricky non-conference schedule will be the determining factor on whether or not the Hokies make a bowl game in 2023. Many, including myself, believe Pry will figure things out in 2023. But, if not, things will not be looking good in Blacksburg.

4. Mel Tucker, Michigan State

In 2021, Mel Tucker was one of the most sought-after coaches in the country and led Michigan State to a New Year’s Six bowl. But in 2022, the Spartans failed to even make a bowl game and might have put Mel Tucker on the hot seat. With Michigan State losing a ton of production and having to play what might be the toughest schedule in the country, things could go downhill very quickly in East Lansing if Mel Tucker does not turn his program around. 

3. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

The expectations for Texas A&M heading into the 2022 season were very high and understandably so. Jimbo Fisher brought in what most believe was the greatest recruiting class of all time and could not wait for the 2022 season. The Aggies season came to a halting stop in early September after a loss to Appalachian State and could never figure it out after that.

Many believe that Jimbo Fisher would have been fired in 2022 if not for his massive buyout, so saying Jimbo is on the hot seat might be an understatement. The vibe in College Station still is not great, but Aggies fans still believe in Jimbo and his staff to figure things out in 2023.

READ MORE: Who will take the Heisman this year?

2. Billy Napier, Florida

Billy Napier’s Florida Gators had a very bizarre year in 2022 and did not perform the way that many expected. In Napier’s first season at Florida, he lost to bitter rivals Tennessee, Georgia, and LSU, as well as losing to Kentucky in the Swamp and at Vanderbilt.

Florida fans are not happy at all with Napier and the direction of their program. There is no hiding the fact that Florida’s program is rapidly declining and many believe that the 2023 Florida Gators will be one of the worst in the SEC. I do not believe that Florida will be that bad in 2023, but their incredibly tough schedule is doing them no favors. If Billy Napier has another bad year in Florida, fans might just run him out of town.

1. Brent Venables, Oklahoma

Brent Venables was thrown into a very interesting situation, so I will cut him a little slack. However, Venables had a terrible first impression for Sooners fans in his first year. Oklahoma had its worst season since 1998 in Venables’ first season as head coach.

I thought that this was a home run hire for Oklahoma because of Venables coaching over the years with Clemson’s defense, but the Oklahoma defense in 2022 was one of the worst in the Big 12. The worst part of Venable’s first season was an embarrassing 49-0 loss to bitter rival Texas, which was the largest defeat in Oklahoma and Texas’ long rivalry. A loss like that to Texas, a game that means so much to so many people, is unacceptable and Sooner fans will never get over it.

With the Sooners moving into the SEC very soon, Venables has to have a good year in 2023 or things could get ugly for such a legendary program. 

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