Where will South Carolina finish in the SEC East in 2023? Let’s make a prediction

It’s time for some projections.

The SEC will release its predicted order of finish for the 2023 football season on Friday. Until then, I went through my rationale in picking South Carolina where I did in the SEC East this fall.

Let’s get into it.

Reasons for optimism at South Carolina

The optimism is oozing in Columbia — and with good reason.

The wins over Tennessee and Clemson shook college football to the core. Throw in a well-fought bowl appearance against Notre Dame, the first final AP Poll ranking since 2013 at No. 23 and the Gamecocks sure feel like a trendy pick.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells are back in the fold. Upstart freshman starters DQ Smith and Nick Emmanwori make the secondary a strength once again. The Gamecocks, too, should have ample runway to make a run down the stretch with their final four games at home.

As importantly, spots No. 2 through 7 in the SEC East feel wide-open behind two-time defending national champion Georgia. USC, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Florida and Vanderbilt have legitimate question marks. That makes for a chance to punch up in what should be the final year of the divisional structure of the SEC.

Why Gamecocks could fall short of expectations

More than anything, it’s the schedule.

South Carolina’s first five weeks of the season include against North Carolina (in Charlotte), Furman and Mississippi State at home and road trips to Georgia and Tennessee. The Gamecocks would do well to start 3-2 as the schedule softens up significantly down the stretch and they get their final four games at home. It’s also not completely inconceivable they start 1-4 and are treading water barely a month into the season.

I like the offense’s chances to improve under first-year offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. The depth issues at running back and defensive end — where the Gamecocks lost both Jordan Burch and Gilber Edmond in the transfer portal — feel like they could create major problems as the year goes on.

For those reasons, I’m taking a slightly more tempered prediction approach to Year 3 of the coach Shane Beamer experience.

The consensus

I’m hedging my bets a little here, but I have South Carolina finishing third in the SEC East this fall.

The Gamecocks have the pieces to compete with just about everyone on their schedule outside of Georgia. They also have proven to be good for an upset or two each of the previous two years under Beamer.

However, I’m not sold the depth issues at running back and defensive end won’t become major problems when the ball is finally snapped. Combine that with a schedule that’s absolutely brutal — including the opening month-plus — and it’s not crazy to imagine South Carolina starting 1-4.

I like this South Carolina team and there’s plenty of football to be played. We’ll find out what’s real and what’s not in short order.

Ben Portnoy’s projected order of finish

SEC East

1. Georgia
2. Tennessee
3. South Carolina
4. Kentucky
5. Florida
6. Missouri
7. Vanderbilt

SEC West

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Mississippi State
4. Ole Miss
5. Texas A&M
6. Arkansas
7. Auburn

SEC Champion: LSU

This story was originally published July 21, 2023 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Where will South Carolina finish in the SEC East in 2023? Let’s make a prediction."

Ben Portnoy

The State

Ben Portnoy is The State’s South Carolina Gamecocks football beat writer. He’s a 10-time Associated Press Sports Editors award honoree and has earned recognition from the Mississippi Press Association and the National Sports Media Association. Portnoy previously covered Mississippi State for the Columbus Commercial Dispatch and Indiana football for the Journal Gazette in Ft. Wayne, IN.