Now that National Signing Day has come and gone, there won’t be many changes in a team’s roster between now and the beginning of the 2017 season.

Some teams expected big things in 2016, only to have their dreams dashed, while others performed much better than others anticipated.

So, what should fans expect in 2017? We’ve got a couple of reasons why each team should feel better or worse than it did at the start of last season.

Alabama

It’s hard for any Alabama fan to feel anything but optimism at the start of every season. Nick Saban has proven time and again that he can get the most out of his players and turn perceived weaknesses into strengths.

With Saban’s best recruiting class on its way to Tuscaloosa and several returning pieces on offense, the Tide should once again prove formidable. There will be a lot of talent to replace on defense, but we were saying the same thing at this point last year. Unlike last year, though, there isn’t an overwhelming amount of veteran depth to fill the gaps on defense. There might be a learning curve.

How you shoul feel: Slightly worse

Arkansas

In arguably the toughest division in college football, Arkansas finished fifth. The Razorbacks posted nice wins against Florida and Ole Miss, but mostly fell to the teams they were expected to lose to.

Arkansas is losing a lot of experience at receiver and tight end, but it will return Austin Allen as well as Rawleigh Williams and Devwah Whaley. Wide receiver was an emphasis in this recruiting class, including No. 2 JUCO receiver Brandon Martin. It’s hard to predict how Arkansas will look next year, but the team’s backfield provides a lot of reason for hope.

How you should feel: Slightly better

Auburn

At various points in the beginning of the 2016 season, it appeared that Gus Malzahn would lose his job. Then, Auburn turned the corner and began to resemble the type of offense that ran all over defenses in years past.

The biggest addition of this offseason for the Tigers is quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Once a highly-touted prospect, Stidham signed with Auburn after transferring from Baylor. He should complement Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson with his legs and bring a passing element that has been severely lacking. Add to that one of the SEC’s best defenses, and Auburn should very much be in the mix.

How you should feel: Better

Florida

In two years under Jim McElwain, the Gators have played in two SEC championship games. Once again, a stout defense led the way while the offense struggled at times behind average quarterback play.

Despite his offensive background, McElwain has yet to turn Florida into an great team on that side of the ball. Perhaps former 4-star quarterback Feleipe Franks can step in as a redshirt freshman and provide some stability at the most important position. A National Signing Day flurry left Florida in a much better position than it was prior, but those prospects won’t be able to replace the departing defensive stars immediately.

How you should feel: Worse

Georgia

Kirby Smart didn’t light the SEC East on fire in his first year the way many Georgia fans had hoped, but he learned some important lessons. The Bulldogs were a young team last year, and that youth gained valuable experience that should bode well moving forward.

After landing the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class, expectations will be high for Smart and the Bulldogs heading into 2017. It’s perfectly reasonable to expect improvement from Jacob Eason and Georgia’s defense. If that happens, the Bulldogs should win the East. They are a better team now than they were at this point last year.

How you should feel: Better

Kentucky

The Wildcats have made consistent strides under Mark Stoops and last year was no different. After an 0-2 start, Kentucky rebounded to win five of its next six and find itself in the division mix late in the year.

Perhaps the most important thing for Kentucky is that it knows its identity on offense. Even with Stanley “Boom” Williams leaving early for the NFL, the Wildcats will build around the running game with Benny Snell moving up from Robin to Batman.

Stoops also thinks the 2017 class is the best one he’s put together at Kentucky, and there are some freshmen who could see the field early.

How you should feel: Better

LSU

A season that some expected to end with a Playoff berth began with a gut punch when LSU lost to Wisconsin in the opener. A 2-2 start cost longtime head coach Les Miles his job, but the Tigers found new life under Ed Orgeron, who helped salvage the season with an 8-4 record.

Orgeron is now signed on for the foreseeable future, and there are plenty of reasons to like the Tigers once again. Derrius Guice should continue to power LSU’s offense while the team’s choice at quarterback settles in. The Tigers have a lot of talent on this roster, but there are also some unknowns. Still, LSU fans should be excited for the future.

How you should feel: Better

Mississippi State

With Dak Prescott in the NFL, it remained to be seen what Mississippi State would look like without him and some other veteran pieces. The result was an up-and-down year that featured some marquee victories and some head-scratching losses.

There was no quit in the Bulldogs, however, and a talented recruiting class with a lot of JUCO talent should make an immediate impact. It appeared Mississippi State began to find its stride near the end of 2016, which should give fans hope heading into next season.

How you should feel: Better

Missouri

Before the 2016 season began, many expected Missouri’s defense to be the team’s strength, like it had been for so many years under Gary Pinkel. In the Tigers’ first year under Barry Odom, however, it was the offense that stepped up while the defense took a major step back.

The offense should be in good hands with Drew Lock and Damarea Crockett leading the way, but the defense is losing a lot of veteran talent. Injuries allowed a decent amount of players to gain experience on defense last year, but this team feels further away than at the beginning of last fall.

How you should feel: Worse

Ole Miss

Ole Miss is one of the biggest examples of how quickly things can change. With Chad Kelly returning for one final run, the Rebels were expected to be competitors despite a brutal schedule. All of that changed, however, when the Rebels dropped heartbreaking games to Florida State and Alabama. Ole Miss appeared talented enough to right the ship, but ended up losing five of its last seven games.

Quarterback Shea Patterson should provide a lot of excitement on offense moving forward, but NCAA investigations crippled the Rebels’ 2017 class and may have further set the program back.

How you should feel: Worse

South Carolina

Will Muschamp did one of the best coaching jobs in the SEC last season to get the most out of his new team. The Gamecocks defense proved to be one of the conference’s better units right out of the gate, and the offense slowly improved as players became healthy and Jake Bentley stepped in at quarterback.

A strong recruiting class kept the positive momentum going, and South Carolina looks like it might have captured that excitement of the early years under Steve Spurrier.

How you should feel: Better

Tennessee

Everyone remembers how Tennessee was the favorite to win the SEC East and compete for a spot in the Playoff. The Vols lived on the edge for much of their 6-0 start, and they even had a chance to upend Texas A&M and stay undefeated. Tennessee suffered a lot of injuries in its loss to the Aggies, however, and stumbled in the second half of the season.

With a lot of veteran talent heading out of the door, including quarterback Joshua Dobbs, the Vols will have some fresh faces playing on Saturdays. Butch Jones has always seemed to be more comfortable in an underdog role, which is what Tennessee might be heading into this fall.

How you should feel: Better

Texas A&M

Every year it seems that Texas A&M jumps out to a fast start and slowly fades down the stretch. And 2016 was no different, as the Aggies appeared to be in the driver’s seat for a Playoff spot until quarterback Trevor Knight went down and they lost three of their last four.

A lot of young talent could see the field for Texas A&M next season, including highly touted 2017 dual-threat quarterback recruit Kellen Mond. The Aggies are in no way taking a big step back, but it’s reasonable to expect a few more hiccups next season due to the departing talent.

How you should feel: Worse

Vanderbilt

Derek Mason finally won his first SEC road victory when Vanderbilt went into Athens and beat Georgia. The Commodores carried the momentum from that victory and won four of their last six games, including back-to-back wins against Ole Miss and Tennessee to become bowl eligible.

Those victories didn’t do Mason any favors on the recruiting trail, however, as he signed his lowest-rated class since arriving at Vanderbilt. Nevertheless, there is once again a small buzz about the football team at Vanderbilt.

How you should feel: Better