Now that SEC Media Days have concluded, many outlets are beginning to release their preseason projections. ESPN has become one of the most recent publications to do so.
In his SEC West outlook, ESPN’s Bill Connelly compiled his picks for the division’s final result. Based on ESPN’s SP+ ratings, Auburn is expected to finish dead last in the division.
The projection is not necessarily a bad thing. ESPN’s SP+ ranking mixes returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history. Due to Auburn’s recent decline, the Tigers are still No. 27 in the SP+ ranking heading into the 2023 season. However, five teams in the SEC West are in the top 25 of the SP+ rankings.
When it comes to on-field production, every team in the SEC West is expected to produce at least 33 points per game, and with the worst defensive projection expected to give up just 24 points per game. As for Auburn, the Tigers are projected to post 33.5 points per game while allowing 19.8 points per contest.
As far as wins go, Auburn is projected to win 6.8 games with 3.3 of those coming in conference play. The overall win total is the lowest in the SEC West, but there are three teams that are expected to win at least 3.3 games in SEC play.
Here’s a look at ESPN’s SEC West projections ahead of the 2023 season.