SEC Football: Preseason power rankings for 2023 season

COLUMBIA, MO - OCTOBER 01: Jamon Dumas-Johnson #10 of the Georgia Bulldogs defends during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - OCTOBER 01: Jamon Dumas-Johnson #10 of the Georgia Bulldogs defends during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) /
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Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) /

10. Mississippi State Bulldogs

The second of those two aforementioned programs entering a new era in 2023, Mississippi State sits at No. 10 in our SEC football preseason power rankings beginning year one under new head coach Zach Arnett.

Mississippi State is coming off one of their best single-seasons in recent years, finishing last year at 9-4 overall, as well as 4-4 in SEC play. Despite the 4-4 mark in conference play for the second consecutive year, the Bulldogs nine-win total was their highest since posting the same record in 2017, with Mississippi State’s 2022 season also ending with a win in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Returning for the Bulldogs off that same team this season is one of the SEC’s most experienced quarterbacks in Will Rogers, along with multiple others offensively such as Jo’quavious Marks, as well as Lideatrick Griffin, Jaden Walley, and Justin Robinson. The Bulldogs also return two of the SEC’s top tacklers from last season in linebackers Jett Johnson and Nathaniel Watson to lead a defense that also returns Decamerion Richardson and Shawn Preston Jr., among others.

Newcomers for Mississippi State are headlined by the likes of true freshmen Creed Whittemore and Issac Smith, while the Bulldogs also have multiple transfers that could make an impact this season. Included in this group are names such as Colorado tight end Seydou Traore and TCU tight end Geor’quarious Spivey among the pass catchers, along with others elsewhere such as Penn State running back Keyvone Lee.

The Bulldogs will officially open the 2023 season during Week 1 at home against Southeastern Louisiana.