Mark Kingston, Monte Lee, and company better buckle up, because the 2023 SEC slate is going to be a rough ride just like always. Of the SEC opponents, seven made the College World Series last season. Carolina begins the season at one of the toughest plays to play in America, Fayetteville, Arkansas for a three-game set with the Hogs, a College World Series participant last season.
After the Arkansas trip, the Gamecocks will welcome LSU to Founders Park for a three-game set. The Tigers are likely going to start the preseason in the Top 5. After LSU, Carolina will travel to Kentucky for what will likely be the most winnable road trip on the schedule.
The Gamecocks then return home and host Florida for a weekend series. The Gators haven't been the same program over the last three seasons, but Kevin O'Sullivan always recruits at a high level and the Gators have several early-round draft picks on their 2023 roster. The Florida series could also coincide with the spring football game.
Speaking of high draft picks, Carolina travels to Nashville next to meet at least 1-2 future big leaguers. The Gamecocks did take two of three from Vandy last season in Columbia. Last season Tennessee took college baseball by storm with their dominant play and childish antics. They bashed Carolina in Knoxville like they did everyone else, except Notre Dame.
South Carolina hosts Missouri for their only back-to-back weekends with SEC home series. Missouri will be a series that South Carolina must win in order to return to the postseason. The following weekend Carolina hits the road for a 3-game series with Georgia. The Bulldogs were an NCAA team last year but they are expected to take a step back this year.
Auburn was an upstart program last year that caught fire late and ended their season in Omaha. The Tigers swept the Gamecocks on the Plains last season. Carolina would like to return the favor in 2023 in Columbia. The Gamecocks bookend the regular season with a trip to another of the most difficult environments in the game when they travel to Starkville for a 3-game series with the 2021 National Champions, Mississippi State.
The SEC Tournament is set for May 23-28 in Hoover, Alabama. We will have much more as the 2023 Carolina Baseball season approaches.
On paper in September, LSU and Tennessee look like the most difficult home series. If the Gamecocks can win more SEC series than they lose at home, take care of business in Lexington and win a series at Georgia or Mississippi State, they should hear their name called on Selection Monday.
The Gamecocks do avoid 2022 National Champions in Ole Miss and 2022 College World Series participant Texas A&M so it's not all doom and gloom. The SEC is always going to be a difficult slate no matter which way you cut it.
2023 Carolina SEC Schedule
March 17-19 at Arkansas
March 24-26 LSU
March 31-April 2 at Kentucky
April 6-8 Florida
April 14-16 at Vanderbilt
April 21-23 Tennessee
April 28-30 Missouri
May 5-7 at Georgia
May 12-14 Auburn
May 18-20 at Mississippi State
May 23-28 SEC Tournament (at Hoover, Ala.)
