NWADG College Football

28 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 8.27.2023 Arnett is bringing the 34th-ranked high school recruiting class and 11 transfers to Starkville, Miss. Notable Additions: RB Keyvone Lee (Penn State), CB Khamauri Rogers (Miami), TE Seydou Traore (Colorado) Notable Losses: WR Rara Thomas (Georgia), RB Dillon Johnson (Washington), CB Emmanuel Forbes (NFL), DL Tyrus Wheat (NFL) Mississippi State Schedule: · vs Southeastern Louisiana (Sept. 2) · vs Arizona (Sept. 9) · vs LSU (Sept. 16) · at South Carolina (Sept. 23) · vs Alabama (Sept. 30) · vs Western Michigan (Oct. 7) · at Arkansas (Oct. 21) · at Auburn (Oct. 28) · vs Kentucky (Nov. 4) · at Texas A&M (Nov. 11) · vs Southern Miss (Nov. 18) · vs Ole Miss (Nov. 23) MISSOURI The 2023 Missouri football team is going to go as far as their quarterback play allows. They have an elite defense that kept them in games against Georgia and Tennessee in 2022 but the offense did not pull its weight. Senior quarterback Brady Cook is back with the team and is the presumed starter but faces plenty of competition for the top spot. Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Horn and Miami transfer Jake Garcia are the other top candidates. The Mizzou defense boasts two of the best cornerback and linebacker duos in the country. This team has the potential to be dangerous if the offensive output can match the defense's high level of play. Missouri Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz signed the 32-ranked high school recruiting class and nabbed eight transfer portal additions, including Oklahoma wide receiver Theo Wease. Notable Additions: WR Theo Wease (Oklahoma), QB Jake Garcia (Miami), OL Cam'Ron Johnson (Houston), OL Marcellus Johnson (Eastern Michigan) Notable Losses: WR Dominic Lovett (Georgia), DL Trajan Jeffcoat (Arkansas), DL Isaiah McGuire (NFL) Missouri Schedule · vs South Dakota (Aug. 31) · vs Middle Tennessee (Sept. 9) · vs Kansas State (Sept. 16) · vs Memphis (Sept. 23) · at Vanderbilt (Sept. 30) · vs LSU (Oct. 7) · at Kentucky (Oct. 14) · vs South Carolina (Oct. 21) · at Georgia (Nov. 4) · vs Tennessee (Nov. 11) · vs Florida (Nov. 18) · at Arkansas (Nov. 24) OLE MISS The Rebels have the opposite problem to the Tigers. Their defense cannot keep up with the high-octane offense under Lane Kiffin. Running back Quinshon Judkins led the SEC with 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman in 2022. His running mate Zach Evans was no slouch either, adding nine touchdowns and nearly eclipsing 1,000 yards. The rushing attack is clearly the focal point of the Rebels' gameplan but their work in the transfer portal suggests the team wants to improve the passing game. Kiffin brought in two quarterbacks, Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Walker Howard (LSU) despite incumbent starter Jaxson Dart compiling more than 3,500 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns. Kiffin inked the 17th-ranked high school recruiting class and a whopping 23 transfers, including 14 defenders. An improved defensive unit would go a long way to improving on the eight wins from a year ago. Notable Additions: QB Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State), QB Will Howard (LSU), LB Monty Montgomery (Louisville), CB Zamari Walton (Georgia Tech), CB Chris Graves (Miami) Notable Losses: RB Zach Evans (NFL), WR Jonathan Mingo (NFL), LB Otis Reese (NFL), WR Malik Heath (NFL), CB Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State), S Tysheem Johnson (Oregon) Ole Miss Schedule · vs Mercer (Sept. 2) · at Tulane (Sept. 9) · vs Georgia Tech (Sept. 16) · at Alabama (Sept. 23) · vs LSU (Sept. 30) · vs Arkansas (Oct. 7) · at Auburn (Oct. 21) · vs Vanderbilt (Oct. 28) · vs Texas A&M (Nov. 4) · at Georgia (Nov. 11) · vs ULM (Nov. 18) · at Mississippi State (Nov. 23) SOUTH CAROLINA South Carolina increased their win total from seven to eight games in year two under Shane Beamer. A bump up to nine wins would exceed all expectations in 2023 against a tough schedule. The Gamecocks travel to Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas A&M this year and also have two difficult non-conference matchups against North Carolina and Clemson. Senior quarterback Spencer Rattler is in his second season at South Carolina but will be learning a new offense this year under new Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains. If he can reduce his turnovers (12 interceptions in 2022) then he can be as good as any quarterback in the SEC. South Carolina will have to replace its top two rushers, MarShawn Lloyd and Jaheim Bell, who both transferred. Beamer signed the 18th-ranked high school recruiting class, including local five-star athlete Nyck Harbor. The Gamecocks welcomed ten transfers from the portal, including tight end Trey Knox who followed Loggains from Arkansas. Notable Additions: TE Trey Knox (Arkansas), LB Jaron Willis (Ole Miss), ATH Nyck Harbor Notable Losses: DL Jordan Burch (Oregon), TE Austin Stogner (Oklahoma), RB MarShawn Lloyd (USC), TE Jaheim Bell (Florida State), LB Gilber Edmond (Florida State) South Carolina Schedule · vs North Carolina (Sept. 2) · vs Furman (Sept. 9) · at Georgia (Sept. 16) · vs Mississippi State (Sept. 23) · at Tennessee (Sept. 30) · vs Florida (Oct. 14) · at Missouri (Oct. 21) · at Texas A&M (Oct. 28) · vs Jacksonville State (Nov. 4) · vs Vanderbilt (Nov. 11) · vs Kentucky (Nov. 18) · vs Clemson (Nov. 25) TENNESSEE Hendon Hooker took the Volunteer to new heights in 2022 and had them one loss away from making the College Football Playoff in Josh Heupel's second year. After an 11-win season, Tennessee is handing the keys to the offense to senior quarterback Joe Milton III. The rocket-armed quarterback tossed ten touchdowns and did not throw an interception in limited action behind Hooker. If Milton struggles, five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava is waiting in the wings. He was a consensus top-five player in the 2023 recruiting class. The Volunteers retained their running back tandem of Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright, which totaled 25 touchdowns last season. Tennessee's on-field success helped to land the 11th-ranked high school recruiting class and eight additional transfers. Notable Additions: WR Dont'e Thorton Jr. (Oregon), LB Keenan Pili (BYU), QB Nico Iamaleava Notable Losses: QB Hendon Hooker (NFL), WR Jalin Hyatt (NFL), Byron Young (NFL) Tennessee Schedule · vs Virginia (Sept. 2) · vs Austin Peay (Sept. 9) · at Florida (Sept. 16) · vs UTSA (Sept. 23) · vs South Carolina (Sept. 30) · vs Texas A&M (Oct. 14) · at Alabama (Oct. 21) · at Kentucky (Oct. 28) · vs UConn (Nov. 4) · at Missouri (Nov. 11) · vs Georgia (Nov. 18) · vs Vanderbilt (Nov. 25) TEXAS A&M No team disappointed more in the SEC than SEC n Continued from Page 27 Ray Davis | Vanderbilt Running Back File Photo

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