Could Kentucky be the most improved SEC football team in 2023?

There’s this guy on Twitter. Name is Michael W. Bratton. He goes by SEC Mike. Last season, SEC Mike wasn’t buying the hype on Kentucky football. This season, different story.

“Hearing some great buzz out of Lexington, Kentucky staff loves this roster,” SEC Mike tweeted Monday. “Don’t be surprised if Kentucky is the most improved team in the SEC.”

Is SEC Mike right? He could argue his crystal ball was clear a year ago. Picked to finished second in the SEC East, the Cats finished fourth. They dropped home games to South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Their SEC record was 3-5, overall mark 7-6. The road for improvement is wide open.

Most improved? That speculative distinction begs comparison. If not Kentucky, who? Let’s take a look at the possible competition for most improved:

The current SEC football elite

Georgia: Nope. We are living in the era of Dawg Domination. The Bulldogs are seeking a third straight national championship. As UK Coach Mark Stoops kidded his friend Georgia Coach Kirby Smart, “There’s no crying from the yacht.”

Alabama: The Tide took a terrible fall in 2022. Just terrible. Caved from 7-1 in SEC play to 6-2. The horror. Is age catching up with 71-year-old Nick Saban? Is that a serious question?

LSU: Brian Kelly won the SEC West in his first year as head coach in Baton Rouge. Improvement means an SEC title for the Tigers. Possible. Not probable. Not this season, anyway.

Tennessee: The Vols were 11-2 in 2022. They lost quarterback Hendon Hooker and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt to the NFL. Improvement would mean at least 12-1. Not happening.

SEC teams that could go either way

South Carolina: The Gamecocks were 8-5 in 2022. They closed the regular season with an upset home drubbing of Tennessee and a sweet upset road win over archrival Clemson. Outside of Tennessee, Shane Beamer’s team was the league’s most improved last year. Not expecting a repeat.

Florida: The Gators certainly need to improve. They were 6-7 in head coach Billy Napier’s disappointing debut. I’m not sold on quarterback Graham Mertz, the Wisconsin transfer. And the schedule begins at Pac-12 champ Utah.

Missouri: I like Eli Drinkwitz. Mizzou’s coach could improve off last year’s 6-7. Still, the Tigers have a ton of questions to answer, starting at quarterback.

Vanderbilt: We’ve already mentioned the Commodores’ win in Lexington. They catapulted Vandy from 2-10 in Coach Clark Lea’s first season to 5-7 his second. Another three-win leap isn’t likely.

Mississippi State: Zach Arnett has big shoes to fill, replacing the late and beloved Mike Leach. The Bulldogs were 9-4 last season. Arnett hired Kevin Barbay from Appalachian State to install a new offense. And the SEC West is no picnic.

Ole Miss: The Rebels were 8-1 on Oct. 29. They finished 8-5. Coach Lane Kiffin is always in the headlines, just not always for football. And Ole Miss plays at both Alabama and Georgia.

The four top SEC contenders for most improved

Arkansas: To me, the Razorbacks are one of four top candidates for most improved. A year ago, Sam Pittman’s snake-bit squad lost four games by a total of nine points. Ended up 7-6. KJ Jefferson may be the league’s best quarterback. The ball could bounce Arkansas’ way in 2023.

Auburn: We know our old friend John Cohen wants to win. The former UK baseball coach and new Auburn AD made Hugh Freeze his first marquee hire. The choice was controversial, but Freeze is a terrific recruiter. Auburn will be Auburn again, but it may not be this year.

Texas A&M: The Aggies have nowhere to go but up. They were 5-7 last season. Feeling the heat, Jimbo Fisher hired Bobby Petrino to coach the offense. Petrino is no prince, but he knows how to move the chains. Texas A&M as legitimate contender in the SEC West would not be a shocker.

Kentucky: Quarterback Devin Leary was a transfer portal steal. Liam Coen is back calling plays. You know Brad White will coach the most out of his defense. And Stoops says he won’t repeat last year’s missteps. The key will be whether the Cats can survive a brutal back half of the schedule.

If so, SEC Mike might just be right.

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