While no one is predicting Georgia to go 7-5 or 6-6, ESPN’s Bill Connelly does see a world where Georgia suffers a few setbacks in 2023.

In a post for ESPN, Connelly outlined the floor and ceiling for each team in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings for the 2023 season. Georgia sits at No. 1 in those rankings and Connelly once again sees a path for them going undefeated. His SP+ model gives Georgia a 62 percent of going 11-1 or better.

But on the low end, there’s a way for Georgia to go 9-3. That would be its worst record since the 2016 season, Smart’s first at Georgia.

A big reason for the wide range of outcomes for the Bulldogs entering the 2023 season is the uncertainty at both quarterback and offensive coordinator. Stetson Bennett and Todd Monken are both off to the NFL.

Replacing them will be one of Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff or Gunner Stockton at the quarterback position and Mike Bobo as the offensive play caller.

“The bar is high, especially with a new (and old) offensive coordinator in Mike Bobo,” Connelly wrote. “Still, the Dawgs return tight end Brock Bowers, receiver Ladd McConkey, three offensive line starters and a majority of last year’s starting defense. They’ve got what they need to make a run at a third straight national title as long as the quarterback position and play-calling aren’t outright weaknesses.”

Related: What offensive coordinator changes means for Georgia football quarterback battle

While the Bulldogs do have to break in a new quarterback, Georgia does bring back plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. The Bulldogs will have 14 starters from the national championship game back for the 2023 season, including potential All-American candidates Bowers, Sedrick Van Pran, Mykel Williams and Jamon Dumas-Johnson.

Georgia signed one of the top recruiting classes for the 2023 recruiting cycle, as the Bulldogs finished with the No. 2 overall class for the cycle. The majority of those signees are already on campus, with 18 of the 26 prospects enrolling early.

Georgia also should play a very manageable schedule for the 2023 season. The toughest non-conference game is Georgia Tech, a departure from the recent years of opening against Clemson and Oregon. The Bulldogs draw Auburn and Ole Miss from the SEC West, avoiding LSU and Alabama.

The road slate sees Georgia visit Auburn, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. There is also the annual neutral site game against the Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Fla.

Monken is the only assistant coach Georgia has to replace this offseason, whereas the Bulldogs had to replace four on-field coaches last offseason. Georgia had 15 players taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Bulldogs may well see 10 players taken in this year’s NFL draft, including multiple first-rounders such as Jalen Carter and Broderick Jones.

Georgia is set to begin spring practice on March 14 and hold its spring game on April 15. The first game of the 2023 season sees Georgia open against UT-Martin on Sept. 2.

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