The SEC is the undisputed champion of the varsity soccer global, with Georgia, the peak Dawg, in search of its 3rd consecutive nationwide identify. Heady stuff even for the most efficient convention within the land.

And with the lavish getting richer later season, when the league welcomes Texas and Oklahoma to its ranks, we have now one extreme week with the prevailing 14-team, two-division layout.

Georgia’s trail to every other nationwide championship — and even to a convention identify — will come with demanding situations as impaired foe Nick Saban and Alabama have reloaded, however each groups shall be take over modern quarterbacks. LSU and Tennessee additionally determine to be peak contenders, Ole Leave out and Texas A&M are preseason Govern 25 groups, after there’s South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas … as we mentioned, that is the most efficient convention within the land.

ESPN newshounds Chris Low and Alex Scarborough crack ailing the peak learners, holes to fill, highest early-season video games, MVP and championship choices and extra.

3 (or 4) transfers to grasp

LB Omar Speights, LSU: We all know upcoming extreme season how just right outdoor linebacker Harold Perkins may also be dashing the passer and most often being a threat all over the place the discipline. And, when you have an extended reminiscence, you’ll take into accout how dominating defensive lineman Maason Smith may also be when wholesome, whether or not it’s stifling the working competition or the use of his quickness to chase ailing quarterbacks. However the residue for LSU this season if it is going from just right to superb would be the addition of former first-team All-Percent 12 heart linebacker Speights, who educator Brian Kelly believes has a presen within the NFL, from Oregon Surrounding. — Alex Scarborough

WRs Rara Thomas and Dominic Lovett, Georgia: That is taking to be a new-look Bulldogs offense. No longer most effective is quarterback Stetson Bennett long gone, so is perennially underrated offensive coordinator Todd Monken. All-American tight finish Brock Bowers is again together with All-SEC receiver Ladd McConkey, however it’ll tug greater than that to aid Carson Beck, who opens the season as Kirby Intriguing’s QB1. Input Lovett and Thomas, who have been Missouri’s and Mississippi Surrounding’s important receivers extreme season, respectively. — Scarborough

QB Graham Mertz, Florida: It used to be tempting to walk with the alternative peak switch quarterbacks within the convention — Payton Thorne at Auburn, Devin Leary at Kentucky, Tyler Buchner at Alabama and Spencer Sanders at Ole Leave out. However Mertz is in a novel place as a result of the force he’s below to show round a Florida offense that used to be so unholy extreme season it cranked up the warmth on educator Billy Napier upcoming just one week on campus. It’s simple to jot down off Mertz, who used to be underwhelming in 32 begins at Wisconsin. However don’t disregard he used to be as soon as the top-rated patch passer within the 2019 elegance, and don’t cut price the advantage of a untouched get started. Napier is constructive about Mertz’s “incredible motor and work ethic.” — Scarborough

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3 key positions to fill

Alabama QB: If Nick Saban and his workforce have been assured in both Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson, why did they bring about in Tyler Buchner from Notre Dame upcoming spring observe used to be over? — Scarborough

LSU WR: For the Tigers’ offense to tug the later step, now not most effective does Jayden Daniels want to support as a down-field passer, he wishes extra playmakers to step up at receiver, whether or not it’s Malik Nabers, Kyren Lacy or Brian Thomas Jr. — Scarborough

Georgia QB: Carson Beck entered preseason camp because the front-runner to exchange Stetson Bennett and used to be given the nod Saturday, however Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton shall be nipping at his heels. — Scarborough

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3 instant-impact newbies

S Caleb Downs, Alabama: Spring observe used to be plethora for the Alabama coaches to grasp Downs shall be certainly one of their 4 highest defensive backs. He used to be the Refuse. 1-ranked protection anticipation within the 2023 elegance through ESPN — Refuse. 11 general — and is eager to fill a large hollow for the Pink Wave. — Chris Low

RB Rueben Owens, Texas A&M: Later dashing for greater than 7,000 yards throughout his highschool profession, Owens used to be a past due turn to Texas A&M upcoming at first going to Louisville. Jimbo Fisher cherished what he noticed out of Owens within the spring along with his agility, pace and paintings ethic. It gained’t tug him lengthy to be a key property in Bobby Petrino’s offense. — Low

OLB Damon Wilson, Georgia: The Bulldogs have been in want of out of doors linebackers, which used to be why beating Ohio Surrounding for Wilson within the early signing length used to be this kind of large do business in for Georgia. Wilson used to be the entirety Kirby Intriguing and the workforce was hoping he could be in spring observe along with his skill to hurry the passer and be a disruptive power off the threshold. — Low

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3 must-see September video games

Texas at Alabama, Sept. 9: Alabama wanted a past due discipline objective to slide through the Longhorns 20-19 in Austin a week in the past, and that used to be with Bryce Younger at QB. The scene shifts to Tuscaloosa this week as Alabama adjusts to future with out Younger and with a modern quarterback. Although it’s most effective the second one while of the season, this competition will walk some distance towards shaping the playoff race. The winner will get an all-important nonconference win over what is going to almost definitely be a nationally ranked opponent at season’s finish. — Low

Tennessee at Florida, Sept. 16: The Vols in spite of everything poor thru in opposition to the Gators extreme season upcoming shedding 16 of the former 17 conferences within the form. Tennessee extreme gained on the Swamp in 2003, so it’s been a past. Florida must manufacture some early momentum in Occasion 2 below Napier, and taking ailing the Vols within the SEC opener could be a superb option to do it. Assume we’ll listen a lot about Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III’s “I don’t lose in Florida” proclamation important as much as the sport? — Low

LSU at Ole Leave out, Sept. 30: LSU is getting heaps of affection this preseason, but it surely gained’t be a very easy September for Brian Kelly’s Tigers. The go back and forth to Ole Leave out shall be their 3rd competition clear of house within the first generation of the season. For Ole Leave out, it’s the second one leg of a grueling two-game stretch that has the Rebels touring to Alabama a while previous. Each groups must be dynamic offensively, and the loser of this competition goes to have a steep climb again. — Low

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MVP pick out

Low: RB Quinshon Judkins, Ole Leave out

Judkins used to be Mr. Consistency for Ole Leave out extreme season as a freshman in important the SEC in dashing with 1,567 yards. Lane Kiffin is all the time taking to have a potent working competition, and there’s negative reason why to consider Judkins gained’t submit homogeneous numbers once more this season.

Scarborough: DL Maason Smith, LSU

What’s the joys of preseason projections in the event you walk through the retain? That’s dull. And that’s why I’m choosing Smith, who’s below the radar upcoming lacking all of extreme season with an trauma. When wholesome, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound sophomore is a game-wrecker within the taste of Jalen Carter, possessing the dimensions and power to clog working lanes and the quickness to hurry the passer. I requested LSU working again Josh Williams about Smith and that is what he informed me: “He’s about to dominate. He’s the one that everybody should be worried about.”

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At the sizzling seat

Low: Billy Napier, Florida

It’s insane to suppose Naper is (or must be) at the sizzling seat going into simply his 2nd week at Florida, but when the Gators are soaring across the .500 mark once more upcoming going 6-7 in his first season, the restlessness in Gainesville will achieve an uncomfortable stage for everyone concerned.

Scarborough: Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

Don’t inform me about Fisher’s buyout, which at extreme test is greater than $70 million. I’m making a bet the Aggies, with rival Texas eager to connect the convention later season, will trim that test in the event that they stumble to every other sub-.500 end. A manageable September slate will both be a launching dwelling to raised issues with video games in opposition to Austin Peay, Miami, Louisiana Monroe, Auburn and Arkansas, or it’ll be the start of the top for Fisher.

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Sleeper group

Low: Texas A&M

The Jimbo Fisher-Bobby Petrino pairing would be the storyline everybody fixates on important into the season, however the true tale would be the Aggies, who’re hardly ever missing for ability, hanging all of it in combination, rebounding from a shedding season and making some actual noise within the West Section race.

Scarborough: Tennessee

Why aren’t extra population speaking concerning the Vols upcoming they beat Alabama, LSU and had an all-around breakout season? Josh Heupel’s offense took the SEC through typhoon extreme week and all someone desires to talk about is how Georgia will with the East once more. Future quarterback Hendon Hooker is off to the NFL, Joe Milton steps in with a cannon for a proper arm and the standpoint of a senior who is aware of that is his extreme shot.

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Convention identify competition

Low: Alabama 28, Georgia 24

For the tenth immediately season, the SEC championship competition will property both Alabama or Georgia, this one being the 3rd moment within the extreme six years they’ve confronted every alternative. Each groups shall be take over modern quarterbacks, however the residue is an Alabama working competition that takes over within the fourth quarter.

Scarborough: Alabama 21, Georgia 20

Regardless of the entire questions going through the Pink Wave — the quarterback, the offense below a modern coordinator and the protection, which has slipped reasonably lately — I believe Nick Saban will give you the option to overcome LSU at house and manufacture it again to Atlanta. And if he does, I’m making a bet Alabama is extra battle-tested than Georgia, whose time table is mediocre at highest.