SEC football expert predictions: SEC champion, national champion selected by USA TODAY Network reporters
The SEC football season begins Saturday with Vanderbilt hosting Hawaii in Week 0, with the rest of the league getting under way next week.
Georgia is the favorite to repeat as SEC champions and three-peat as national champions. LSU, Alabama and Tennessee are also among the SEC's programs with hopes of a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game and a College Football Playoff berth.
This season will be the last with the current format, with the SEC expanding to 16 teams and losing divisions in 2024 while the CFP expands to 12 teams.
The USA TODAY Network's SEC beat reporters selected their 2023 national champion, SEC champion and College Football Playoff participants. Here's what they are thinking ahead of the 2023 season. (Hint: Call the Dawgs.)
USA TODAY Network SEC football 2023 predictions
Emily Adams, Greenville News
SEC champion: Alabama
Doubt Nick Saban at your own risk. While the Crimson Tide might drop a regular season contest or two, they are the only team in three years that has shown the ability to take down likely East champion Georgia.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, USC
National champion: Ohio State
Ohio State has reached the College Football Playoff in three of the last four seasons but has not been to a title game since 2015. Behind an elite receiving unit and unforgiving pass rush, the Buckeyes finally get over the hump.
Ryan Black, The Courier Journal
SEC champion: Georgia
Carson Beck might not be as consistently stellar under center as Stetson Bennett was the past two seasons. But the Bulldogs' roster is so strong top to bottom that Beck won’t have to be for the program to win the conference title for the second straight year.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Michigan, Florida State, USC
National champion: Michigan
Jim Harbaugh and Michigan have fallen short in the College Football Playoff semifinals two years running. This time, the Wolverines break through — then go on to win it all. Speculation about Harbaugh returning to the NFL starts as soon as the national title game ends.
Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun
SEC champion: Georgia
The Bulldogs will not miss a beat with Carson Beck at quarterback. A soft schedule and a stout defense will contribute to Georgia running through the conference schedule unbeaten and taking down Alabama in the SEC title game.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, USC
National champion: USC
QB Caleb Williams will end Georgia’s two-year reign as national champions with an epic performance in the CFP Title Game, leading the Trojans to their first national title since 2005.
David Eckert, Clarion Ledger
SEC champion: Georgia
There is no need to get cute here. Kirby Smart has built Georgia into the most robust program in the SEC, and some turnover at quarterback isn’t going to change that.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, USC, Michigan, Alabama
National champion: Georgia
These days, if you are the best team in the SEC, there are strong odds you are the best team in the country too. The Bulldogs have more talent on their roster than any of their peers at the top of the game, and back-to-back national championships gives them more experience as well.
Jackson Fuller, Southwest Times Record
SEC champion: Georgia
The two-time national champions have an easy schedule and an embarrassment of riches on the depth chart. There still appears to be some separation between the Dogs and the rest of the league.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, USC
National champion: Michigan
Jim Harbaugh returns nearly every meaningful piece from last year's team that fell in the semifinals, and it is very hard to win three straight national titles. (Sorry, Georgia.) Michigan ends a 26-year drought and brings home the school's first championship this century.
Aria Gerson, The Tennessean
SEC champion: Georgia
It's hard to pick against the defending champs, particularly with the collection of talent they've amassed on defense. It's hard to see how anyone scores on Georgia, and that's before getting to players like Brock Bowers.
College Football Playoff participants: Michigan, Georgia, Florida State, LSU
National champion: Georgia
While a three-peat feels unfathomable, so does picking anyone other than Georgia to win the national title until proven otherwise.
Nick Kelly, Tuscaloosa News
SEC champion: Georgia
The Bulldogs have staked their claim atop the SEC and college football. Until they get bumped, they get the benefit of the doubt as the predicted SEC champion heading into the season.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and USC
National champion: Alabama
Nick Saban is a master motivator and seldom gets to play the underdog card. This season, he does. Plus, Saban has never gone more than three seasons without a national championship while at Alabama. That will not change this season.
Stefan Krajisnik, Clarion Ledger
SEC champion: LSU
After last year’s blowout loss against Georgia in the conference title game, LSU will have its chance at revenge. With the returning pieces on both sides of the ball – particularly quarterback Jayden Daniels – I trust Brian Kelly to have his team ready to take down college football’s powerhouse.
College Football Playoff participants: Michigan, LSU, Georgia, USC
National champion: Georgia
Regardless of how teams are matched up in the College Football Playoff, I think we’ll see a rematch between LSU and Georgia. It’s difficult to beat a team twice, let alone when the opponent is Kirby Smart and his loaded roster. For the third straight year, Georgia will be celebrating a national championship.
Calum McAndrew, Columbia Daily Tribune
SEC champion: Georgia
Not picking the Dawgs here should be punishable by law. There is likely no one knocking off Kirby Smart’s team in the East, and I like their odds against anyone with a title on the line.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, USC
National champion: Georgia
Why UGA? See above. I can see each of Alabama and LSU dropping a couple games with their schedules, which would tee up another double bid to the B1G. USC’s mid-October results will be telling, but the Trojans should otherwise have it easy out west in their Pac-12 finale.
Koki Riley, The Daily Advertiser
SEC champion: Georgia
Georgia has the deepest roster in America, and its offense has a chance to be even more explosive than last year’s unit with the likes of Dominic Lovett and Rara Thomas added to the fold.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Ohio State, USC and LSU
National champion: Georgia
Picking any program to win three consecutive national titles is a slippery slope. But if any roster and coaching staff can pull it off, it’s Georgia’s. Nobody should bet against their talent and recent track record.
Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser
SEC champion: Georgia
The Bulldogs won't have Stetson Bennett under center this year, but it should not matter too much. Georgia's defense is overwhelming and shows no sign of slowing down.
College Football Playoff participants: Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, USC
National champion: Georgia
Georgia, Michigan and USC get in as undefeated conference champions. Alabama sneaks in with a 12-1 record; the only loss being to the Bulldogs in Atlanta. It's ultimately Georgia winning it all, though, hoisting the trophy for a third straight season.
Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel
SEC champion: Georgia
With the way Kirby Smart has stockpiled talent, especially on defense, it almost makes sense to pick Georgia over the field. Plus, the Bulldogs have a soft schedule and probably better quarterback options than Alabama.
College Football Playoff participants: Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, USC
National champion: Georgia
An SEC team winning the national title is a safe bet. Georgia is the safest bet of the SEC teams. Michigan might be a contender. The ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 have too much parity to produce a team to knock off the SEC’s best.
Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald
SEC champion: Georgia
The only regular season game that looks tricky is Tennessee in November, and I’ll take Georgia over Alabama or LSU in Atlanta. Georgia sets the standard in the SEC until someone proves otherwise with or without Stetson Bennett.
College Football Playoff participants: Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, USC
National champion: Georgia
Kirby Smart’s program isn’t invincible. Ohio State was a missed field goal from taking Georgia down in the semifinals last season. The Bulldogs are deep and talented again led by playmaker Brock Bowers. Chasing a three-peat should be plenty of motivation.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: SEC football expert predictions: SEC champion, national championship winner
