We made it, y’all! There’s officially college football on tomorrow!

And, since Vanderbilt is in action against Hawaii, it means the SEC season will kick off on Saturday for Week 0, too.

So, with the season so close, how do the 14 SEC teams stack up against one another? We’ll break it down here in our official Week 0 SEC power rankings:

14. Vanderbilt

This isn’t a pushover Vanderbilt team, but the Commodores still check in at the bottom of the SEC power rankings. The Commodores should show plenty of fight in 2023, but anything better than 5-7 on the season would be a surprise to me.

13. Florida

I’m not in on the Graham Mertz era at Florida at all. Billy Napier took a big risk bringing in a guy who struggled at Wisconsin to try to follow in Anthony Richardson’s inconsistent footsteps. Mertz isn’t a first-round talent, so he’ll have even less ability to overcome mistakes than Richardson had. There’s just not enough talent here on either side of the ball to get back to where Gator fans want the team to be.

12. Mississippi State

I’m worried Zach Arnett and his new offensive staff are going to change too much of what made Mississippi State somewhat successful under Mike Leach. There’s only one Pirate, so I don’t expect the Air Raid offense is going to work as seamlessly as it has in the past. There are plenty of question marks in Starkville. I think Arnett was the right hire, but it might take him a year or 2 to get up to speed in the SEC.

11. Auburn

Hugh Freeze has done a great job of revamping Auburn’s roster via the transfer portal. But we need to be patient with the turnaround job on The Plains. Whatever happens in 2023, if the Tigers can get to 6-6 and go to a bowl game, it should be considered a success. Then the real expectations can start to creep in starting in 2024.

10. Mizzou

I know I’m going to take crap in the comments for having Mizzou ranked in the No. 10 spot, but this defense was great last year, and that’s not an exaggeration. Most of the pieces from that unit return for DC Blake Baker. The offense has room to improve, but it still has a dynamic playmaker in Luther Burden and solid pieces on the offensive line. Call me crazy, but I think this is a 7-8 win team in CoMo.

9. South Carolina

Can Spencer Rattler play the entire 2023 season the way he finished the 2022 season? That will be the big question behind how successful South Carolina can be this fall. If he is a star, the Gamecocks can finish third in the SEC East (and maybe even second). If not, there’s not a ton of depth on this roster to make up for not having a star quarterback. The ceiling is high for this Gamecocks squad, but the floor is also lower than many want to admit.

8. Arkansas

Having a QB like KJ Jefferson and an RB like Rocket Sanders is a good place for any team to start. The problem will be on the defensive side of the ball. If the Arkansas pass defense doesn’t improve, the Hogs likely won’t be able to stay in the top 10 in these rankings. But if that unit does show immediate signs of improvement under a new coordinator, watch out!

7. Texas A&M

This is a year the Aggies should take a big step forward after last year’s massive disappointment. But would improving by 3 wins be enough for Texas A&M fans? I’m not sure. I just know this team has plenty of talent, particularly on offense, where QB Conner Weigman and WRs Ainias Smith and Evan Stewart should lead the way. Everything should be focused on building toward a massive 2024 season in College Station. This year should just be a waypoint on the journey to bigger and better things.

6. Kentucky

I’m higher than many analysts on Kentucky. I think Devin Leary has the chance to be a breakout star and work his way into the Round 1 mix of the 2023 NFL Draft. Just 2 years ago, in 2021, Leary threw for 3,433 yards, 35 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. That’s why he was the preseason ACC Player of the Year in 2022. I also think Dane Key, Barion Brown and Tayvion Robinson form one of the most underrated receiving groups in the SEC. I expect big things from the Wildcats. They can challenge for the No. 2 spot in the SEC East.

5. Ole Miss

The Rebels have a QB decision to make, with Spencer Sanders, Jaxson Dart and Walker Howard battling it out for the starting job. But no matter who wins this competition, the offense has plenty of talent, led by star RB Quinshon Judkins and a skilled receiving corps. The defense has improved on a yearly basis, too, so I’m confident this team can finish third in the SEC West.

4. Tennessee

This largely depends on how Joe Milton III plays at the quarterback position. He has the arm talent to make any throw on the field. He just needs to develop some touch so he stops overthrowing his receivers so often. If he shows signs of improvement in the first few weeks of the season, the Vols are the clear No. 2 team in the SEC East.

3. Alabama

Alabama has a lot of key pieces to replace. Both coordinators are new. The quarterback situation is unresolved. The wide receivers need to have multiple players step up. Jahmyr Gibbs needs to be replaced at running back. And yet, this team still has enough talent to win the SEC West. We’ll see just how good the Tide are in Week 2 when Texas comes to town.

2. LSU

I give LSU the slight edge over Alabama due to continuity. The Tigers return both coordinators and their starting quarterback, who is a dark-horse Heisman candidate in Jayden Daniels. The Tide have new faces in all 3 of those positions. So, while things could certainly change as the season goes on, LSU has the edge right now. Winner of the LSU-Alabama game in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4 could very well be the SEC West champion.

1. Georgia

Until further notice, the 2-time reigning national champions will be in the No. 1 spot on this list. The Bulldogs lost a ton of talent to the NFL Draft once again, but thanks to Kirby Smart’s efforts on the recruiting trails, there’s still plenty of skill all over this roster. Yes, they have a new quarterback in Carson Beck, but the Dawgs might have their best receiving corps yet under Smart. Dominic Lovett, Ladd McConkey, Rara Thomas and some guy named Brock Bowers will provide Beck with plenty of weapons. Oh yeah, and that defense is still pretty good, too.