CBS Sports Releases Predictions for Kentucky, SEC Ahead of 2023 Season

Will the Wildcats exceed their projected season win total of 6.5?

Predictions season for college football is in full swing, as summer is officially underway. 

Kentucky is becoming a bit of a trendy pick to make some noise in the final rendition of the SEC East in 2023. The high-profile addition of quarterback Devin Leary and the return of offensive coordinator Liam Coen to go along with an always solid defense could lay some groundwork for the Wildcats becoming College Football Playoff contenders when it expands in 2024. 

Life is never easy in the Southeastern Conference, however. Kentucky faces a schedule that includes five games away from Kroger Field, as well a date with Alabama in Lexington. 

On Tuesday, CBS Sports' Barrett Sallee released his predictions for the top conference in college football. He's not envisioning as much success as head coach Mark Stoops and his troops would hope for, especially coming off a disappointing 7-6 campaign in 2022. 

Sallee is taking the over for UK's regular season win total of 6.5, but just barely. He pegs the Wildcats to go 7-5, losing three of their final four games. 

• W vs. Ball State
• W vs. EKU
• W vs. Akron
• W @ Vanderbilt
• L vs. Florida
• L @ Georgia
• W vs. Missouri
• W vs. Tennessee
• L @ Mississippi State
• L vs. Alabama
• L @ South Carolina
• W @ Louisville

Big Blue Nation won't be happy to see a loss next to the home bout versus Florida, a team that's trending downward heading into 2023 under Billy Napier. The Gators winning in Lexington is one of only two road wins Sallee allots UF, with the other coming at Mizzou

On the other side of the coin, holding down the fort against Tennessee, a team that Sallee projects to go 9-3 in the regular season, would be a welcomed sight to the Cats, especially given the heart-wrenching barnburner that the Volunteers won in Lexington in 2021. 

Stoops has never won in Starkville or in Athens, while South Carolina is another trendy pick, as QB Spencer Rattler returns to Columbia to team up once again with coach Shane Beamer. Sallee sees the Gamecocks winning eight games this season. 

In Sallee's short blurb about the Cats, he points to unknowns with running the football and fixing the atrocious offensive line from a season ago as reasons to be cautious about abundant success in Lexington:

"Quarterback Devin Leary should kick start an offense as Liam Coen settles in for his second stint as Wildcats offensive coordinator. The combination of Coen and Leary will be enough to keep them in the majority of their games and spring a couple of minor upsets along the way. The problem for Stoops is that his running game and offensive line struggled mightily last season. If he can get that sorted out, this might be one of the better wagers on the board. We have to see it before believing it, though."

While seven wins would equal another bowl game, BBN's bar on the gridiron has raised significantly, thanks to a pair of 10-win seasons under the winningest coach in program history. 

Kentucky will open the 2023 season at home against Ball State on Sept. 2. The game is set to kickoff at noon EST and will air on the SEC Network. Times for the first three games of the season can be found here.

Observations from Kentucky's final open spring practice HERE.

Safety Zion Childress is emerging as a leader on the UK defense

WATCH: Kentucky football's transfer portal signees speak to the media

Devin Leary discusses his decision to transfer to Kentucky HERE.

Ray Davis isn't following former Kentucky RB's footsteps. More HERE.

Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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