’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the SEC
Not a team was stirring, not even the coach of Mississippi
The final year of college football as we know it had nearly passed
Plenty still hoped that the best was saved for last

Nonconference play was supposed to be the SEC’s demise
A Playoff without the SEC or perhaps the ultimate surprise
Florida State was told that the games no longer mattered
Alabama moved on as FSU’s Playoff dreams shattered

But 2023 was about much more than the CFP
We had storylines aplenty in the mighty SEC
Georgia set forth on a path of college football history
It worked through slow starts that were a bit of a mystery

Year 2 proved to be eventful for BK and Billy
Both disappointed, but at least Jayden’s numbers were silly
He lit up scoreboards en route to the Heisman
But moving Perkins around was not the move of wise men

Florida started with hope but collapsed down the stretch
Mistakes piled up that would make a strong stomach retch
At least it didn’t pay a coach to go away
Texas A&M shouted as it loaded the cash-filled sleigh

“NOW BOBBY! NOW COLEY! NOW DURKIN AND JIMBO!
ON, BUYOUTS! ON, STRAIGHT CASH! ON HIRING MIKE ELKO!
To the top of the world! To the top of the rankings!
Now, Gig ‘em! Gig ‘em, I say! Let’s give Texas yearly spankings!

The Horns were up when it appeared the Tide were down
Little did we know that Milroe and Rees would turn it around
Mark Stoops told fans that it was time to pony up
Excuses or not, he clearly wasn’t sipping out of Mizzou’s cup

The Tigers were no longer the team that made others snicker
They won week after week with help from the thicker kicker
Some other Tigers showed promise but had a different fate
That included losing a game and $1.7 million to New Mexico State

At least Auburn made a bowl game while others did not
Five SEC teams watched their postseason dreams rot
Beamer and Lea followed an alarming Year 3 trend
While Arnett and Pittman coached in the game that needed to end

Joe Milton claimed he would throw it like Uncle Rico
But instead, Tennessee fans were ready to move on to Nico
It definitely didn’t feel like ’98, and you could tell from the start
But going 8-4 is still better than having a 5-star heart

Neither the Vols, Rebs or Dawgs could silence the Tide
Even the selection committee let the Texas loss slide
The dynasty was dead in the middle of September
But week after week, the GOAT made us remember

Curse words were said and blood vessels were popped
Turnovers were had but Bama could not be stopped
Auburn grew restless as it began to toss and stew
WHY DID WE SIT BACK AND ONLY RUSH TWO?!?

Alabama slept peacefully with dreams of roses and glory
Another chapter awaited the Tide’s 2023 story
But as Saban tried to move the press clippings out of sight
He awoke and shouted “THERE’LL BE NO RAT POISON TONIGHT!”