I don’t have a crystal ball.

I realize that admitting such a thing goes against my annual August series wherein I predict how every game involving an SEC team will play out. It also acknowledges that there are things that catch me by surprise. A lot. As much as it feels like the same teams win titles year after year, there are plenty of storylines that I fail to anticipate.

If you had told me in March 2023 that Tennessee’s offense would regress in a post-Hendon Hooker world, I would’ve nodded along. If you had told me that the greatest coach in the history of the sport would make 2023 his last season, I would’ve been speechless.

Hey, speaking of that … here are the 10 SEC storylines that I wouldn’t have believed at this time last year.

1. Nick Saban has moved on

Yeah, I thought Saban would be coaching until the robots got us. Last I checked, the robots aren’t here (yet). Saban isn’t here, either. He walked off after an overtime loss in the Playoff semifinal after winning his 3rd SEC title in the past 4 years. Well, check that. Saban is still “here” in the Alabama offices. And he’ll be all over College GameDay. Still, though. I would’ve loved to have taken pre-2023 odds on a Saban retirement and a Kalen DeBoer succession. I probably wouldn’t have a $17 million house in Jupiter, Fla., like Saban, but I’d be closer to it than I am now.

2. Jayden Daniels is vying for a top-3 selection in the NFL Draft after winning the Heisman Trophy

I’ll be honest: I thought Daniels being in the preseason top 3 of the Heisman odds was a bit much. I loved the player he became down the stretch in 2022, but I thought there was some limited upside. Yeah, about that. Daniels was a walking first down. His progression in the LSU offense was monumental. Every decision he made — outside of those handful of instances when he unnecessarily got de-cleated as a scrambler — was the right one. The other day, I made the case that Daniels should go No. 2 overall ahead of Drake Maye. No individual player made me eat my words more than Daniels.

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3. The Jimbo Fisher buyout is in the rearview mirror

If I had a nickel for every time I referred to my notepad with Fisher’s buyout figures, well, I would’ve had Fisher’s buyout:

It’ll never set in that A&M paid nearly 4 times as much as the richest buyout ever for a head coach (Gus Malzahn’s $21.5 million). Part of that amazement was that A&M should’ve been the most improved team in the SEC in 2023. The Aggies had the highest percentage of returning production in the SEC and Fisher gave up play-calling duties to Robert Patrick Petrino (he actually improved the offense by 11 points per game). But it reached that point for Ross Bjork, who then left for Ohio State. Wild? You bet.

4. Mizzou deserves to start as a preseason top-15 team

You better believe it. And if you don’t, you didn’t pay attention to what the Tigers did or what they returned. They return one of the better quarterbacks in America in Brady Cook, who’ll get a Luther Burden-led group of receivers that’s also among the best in America. Add in a couple of decorated running back transfers and the Kirby Moore offense looks all sorts of promising. As for replacing Blake Baker after he left for the same DC role at LSU, that’s a different story. But here I am scoffing at anyone who leaves Mizzou out of the top 15 in their way-too-early rankings.

5. Ole Miss doesn’t have Quinshon Judkins, but it might have 2 of the SEC’s top 3 returning receivers and it’s … Tre Harris and Juice Wells?

I suppose the Judkins news wasn’t the most baffling to date after his post-Year 1 announcement that he was staying at Ole Miss, but still. It’s surreal to see an All-American go from one top-10 team to another ahead of his pre-Draft season. The good news for Ole Miss is that in addition to getting LSU running back Logan Diggs out of the transfer portal, they’re beyond loaded at receiver. Harris was a revelation after transferring from Louisiana Tech and Wells was one of the biggest portal additions in the sport after a lost injury-riddled season as a preseason All-SEC guy at South Carolina. Jordan Watkins is also back after a 700-yard season, as is exceptional tight end Caden Prieskorn, who took over the Peach Bowl. It’s Playoff or bust for Ole Miss.

6. It’d be surprising if Texas didn’t make it to Atlanta in its SEC debut

Here’s a thought — Texas is No. 2 in the preseason odds to win an SEC title behind only Georgia. Here’s another thought — it’s actually deserved. The Longhorns had their best season in 14 years by knocking off Alabama in Tuscaloosa, winning the Big 12 and making the Playoff. Steve Sarkisian gets a third-year starting quarterback in Quinn Ewers to operate behind an offensive line that returns 4 starters, as well as a defense that still has plenty of production back after losing T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II. The Longhorns had a net positive in the portal and have a favorable path to at least get to an SEC Championship. Who would’ve thought?

7. Liam Coen went back to the NFL and UK has yet another new OC

My doppelganger returned to Kentucky and I expected that he’d stay in Lexington for multiple years before pursuing a Power 5 head coaching job. Instead, he was 1-and-done before bouncing back to the NFL … again. How much of that was because of Mark Stoops briefly looking like he was off to replace Fisher at A&M? That’s debatable. What’s not debatable is that for the 5th time in as many seasons, UK has a new offensive coordinator. If you had told me that was the case at this time last year, I would’ve assumed it was on the heels of a 10-win season that led to Coen getting a head coaching opportunity. Nope.

8. Auburn is still searching for its offensive identity under Hugh Freeze

Did I expect Freeze to step into that job and set the world on fire? No. This was never going to be 2013 Auburn all over again. The roster was in a much different position because of the transfer portal, which Freeze used to his advantage to elevate the floor in Year 1. But heading into Year 2, a disappointing Payton Thorne is the incumbent starter for a quarterback room that didn’t add a coveted portal guy and is faced with more questions than answers. Freeze is also taking over play-calling duties after Philip Montgomery was fired from his OC role. Yes, Auburn added some decorated true freshmen receivers, but it’s somewhat baffling that Freeze’s offense doesn’t appear to have a clear vision heading into Year 2.

9. We’re still debating Harold Perkins’ usage

Earlier in the week, The Advocate quoted Brian Kelly as saying that Perkins is staying at inside linebacker. Mind you, Kelly gutted his entire defensive staff and admitted that Perkins was misused. At this time last year, that decision was met with skepticism. Now, it’s being met with frustration. I, however, believe that there’s no way that Blake Baker accepted the nation’s highest assistant salary of $2.5 million annually just to copy Matt House’s plan with Perkins. He simply has to rush the passer more. Period. I believe he will. Doing that just 12 times per game wasn’t enough. If Baker doesn’t unleash the beast that is Perkins, he and Kelly both will have that hang over them as long as they’re in Baton Rouge.

10. I’m a Mike Bobo believer

If you know, you know.