SEC Preview 2024: Georgia and Alabama are on top. Can Ole Miss live up to its ranking?

A new era has dawned upon the Southeastern Conference. With Texas and Oklahoma set to join the conference for the 2024-25 school year, the SEC will become even more challenging than it was prior. Also, divisions are obsolete, which means the championship will be played by the top two teams atop the standings.

Georgia, Alabama and occasionally LSU have dominated the conference the past decade– but with Nick Saban no longer coaching the Crimson Tide, several teams see an opportunity to make the SEC championship game for the first time.

Will Georgia and Alabama still prevail, or will another team upset the status quo?

1. GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Coach: Kirby Smart

Players to watch: QB Carson Beck, RB Trevor Etienne, DE Mykel Williams, G Tate Ratledge, S Malaki Starks, WR Colbie Young, T Xavier Truss

To say the Bulldogs have been on an impressive run would be an understatement. The team’s 40-2 record over the past three seasons can rival any three-year stretch that Nick Saban had at Alabama. Plus, with Saban’s retirement, Smart now reigns as the undisputed best coach in the SEC.

While Georgia has the most talented roster in the SEC from top-to-bottom, its two toughest games– against Alabama and Texas – will be on the road. However, with a more seasoned Beck running the offense, the Bulldogs should display resilience on the road.

2. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Coach: Kalen DeBoer

Players to watch: QB Jalen Milroe, C Parker Brailsford, G Tyler Booker, S Malachi Moore, LB Deontae Lawson, T Kadyn Proctor

After leading the Washington Huskies to the National Championship game last season, DeBoer made the 2,500 mile trek to Tuscaloosa to take over Alabama in the wake of Saban’s departure.

A lot of DeBoer’s success at Washington can be attributed to the play of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the offensive line, and Alabama possesses both of those ingredients this year. While Milroe isn’t quite the passer Penix is, his legs will add another dimension to DeBoer’s offense. The Crimson Tide also possesses one of the best interior offensive lines in the country with Brailsford and Booker.

Despite the transfer portal departures from safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Isaiah Bond, Alabama should be just fine in DeBoer’s first year.

3. TEXAS LONGHORNS

Coach: Steve Sarkisian

Players to watch: QB Quinn Ewers, WR Isaiah Bond, T Kelvin Banks, LB Anthony Hill Jr., EDGE Trey Moore, RB Jaydon Blue, WR Matthew Golden

It’s officially safe to say that Texas is back. Sarkisian has engineered one of the best rebuilding projects in recent history, going from 5-7 in year one to the college football playoff by his third year.

The Longhorns bring back star signal-caller Ewers, who could be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. After the departures of receiver Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, Texas went into the portal and brought in Bond, who will immediately be Ewers’ number one target. Banks and Moore give Texas impact players on the offensive and defensive lines.

Despite facing a tougher conference slate after moving to the SEC, the Longhorns should still be a lock to make the expanded 12-team college football playoff.

4. OLE MISS REBELS

Coach: Lane Kiffin

Players to watch: QB Jaxon Dart, DE Princely Umanmielen, DT Walter Nolen, WR Tre Harris, WR Juice Wells, TE Caden Prieskorn, LB Chris Paul Jr.

It’s no secret that Lane Kiffin is an offensive guru. But it appears that the former USC Trojans head coach is now placing more importance on defense, as he received several impact defenders through the transfer portal. Umanmielen and Nolen will form the core of a strong defensive line group for the Rebels. Meanwhile, star Dart and receivers Harris and Wells should create big plays on offense.

This is the most balanced roster Kiffin has had at Ole Miss, which is why they have an outside chance to win the college football playoff.

5. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

Coach: Josh Heupel

Players to watch: DE James Pearce Jr., QB Nico Iamaleava, C Cooper Mays, WR Bru McCoy, WR Squirrel White, T Lance Heard, G Javontez Spraggins

Iamaleava made headlines when he signed an $8-million contract with Tennessee’s NIL collective. But he showed why the Volunteers shelled out that money in Tennessee’s bowl game against Iowa, demonstrating his dual-threat abilities.

The Volunteers also have the offensive line to protect Iamaleava, with Mays and Heard returning to Knoxville. On the other side of the ball, Tennessee has the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft in Pearce Jr., who makes life difficult for quarterbacks.

If Iamaleava reaches his potential, the Volunteers should overachieve this season.

6. MISSOURI TIGERS

Coach: Eli Drinkwitz

Players to watch: WR Luther Burden III, QB Brady Cook, WR Theo Wease Jr., RB Marcus Carroll, T Cayden Green, T Connor Tollison

The Tigers bring back a lot of key pieces from their 11-win team last season. Cook is one of the best in college football, and is surrounded by talented skill players like Burden III and Wease. Cook should have good protection with Green and Tollison flanking both tackle positions.

While Missouri shouldn’t be expected to have 11 wins again in this new SEC gauntlet, they could certainly play spoiler to a few teams ranked before them.

7. LSU TIGERS

Coach: Brian Kelly

Players to watch: QB Garrett Nusmeier, T Will Campbell, T Emery Jones, LB Harold Perkins Jr., DE Bradyn Swinson, TE Mason Taylor

Nusmeier will have the tall task of following in the shoes of last year’s Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. While the Tigers no longer have Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., Nusmeier should still have great protection thanks to potential top-ten picks Campbell and Jones. The defense should also have a bounce-back year under the guidance of new coordinator Blake Baker.

However, the questions at the skill positions at quarterback are still to glaring to miss.

8. TEXAS A&M AGGIES

Coach: Mike Elko

Players to watch: QB Connor Weigman, DE Nic Scourton, RB Le’Veon Moss, LT Trey Zuhn III, DT Shemar Turner, WR Moose Muhammad

Elko’s impact on the Texas A&M program should be felt in year one, as he should put the Aggies talented nucleus in a position to succeed immediately. A&M should be strong in the trenches and Weigman looked good in his first few games of the 2023 season before he got injured.

With the loss of Ainias Smith and Evan Stewart, Muhammad will look to be Weigman’s number one target. However, the Aggies still lack the top-end skill players that other teams in the SEC possess. Despite this, Elko should have A&M competitive in every game.

9. OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Coach: Brent Venables

Players to watch: QB Jackson Arnold, WR Deion Burks, LB Danny Stutsman, S Billy Bowman, RB Gavin Sawchuck, WR Nic Anderson, WR Jalil Farooq

The play of former five-star quarterback Arnold is the talk coming out of Norman. Despite showing some promise, Arnold struggled with turnover against the Arizona Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl.

Arnold has a good receiving core at his disposal with Purdue transfer Burks and returners Anderson and Farooq. Venables also has a couple of defensive playmakers at his disposal in Stutsman and Bowman.

Despite Arnold’s talent his erratic accuracy and proclivity to turnovers will cost the Sooners games this season.

10. KENTUCKY WILDCATS

Coach: Mark Stoops

Players to Watch: WR Barion Brown, CB Maxwell Hairston, DT Deone Walker, C Eli Cox, QB Brock Vandagriff, LT Marques Cox

Kentucky should have one of the best defenses in the nation this season, led by two All-SEC performers in Hairston and Walker. The offensive line should also be strong.

The Wildcats season will boil down to the play of former Georgia quarterback Vandagriff, who played sparingly in his time in Athens. If Vandagriff proves to be a good decision maker, Kentucky could vault high up this list.

11. AUBURN TIGERS

Coach: Hugh Freeze

Players to watch: QB Payton Thorne, RB Jarquez Hunter, TE Rivaldo Fairweather, LB Jalen McLeod, LB Eugene Asante

After coming off a 6-7 year in Freeze’s first season at the helm, the Tigers are looking to take the next step. Hunter and Fairweather returning should put Thorne more at ease. Auburn also possesses a pair of linebackers in McLeod and Asante that can make plays in the backfield.

However, Thorne’s limited ceiling and questionable decision making will likely prevent the Tigers from climbing to the top half of the SEC.

12. FLORIDA GATORS

Coach: Billy Napier

Players to watch: QB Graham Mertz, RB Montrell Johnson, WR Eugene Wilson III, WR Elijhah Badger, C Jake Slaughter, LB Shemar James, S Asa Turner

Will the Billy Napier experiment end this year? That’s the big question in Gainesville in 2024.

Napier has gone 11-14 in his first two seasons and the Gators were rewarded for their mediocrity by playing the toughest schedule in the nation this year.

The Gators are littered with talent at the skill positions, including Mertz, who is returning for his sixth-year. But the offensive and defensive lines were porous last season and it may be presumptuous to predict substantial improvements in just one year.

13. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

Coach: Sam Pittman

Players to watch: DE Landon Jackson, QB Taylen Green, RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, TE Luke Hasz, WR Andrew Armstrong, CB Jaylen Braxton

Pittman appears to be on the hot seat after last season’s disastrous 4-8 season. Pittman brought back former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino to reconstruct the offense and got Boise State transfer Green from the portal. While the Hogs defense should be respectable under defensive coordinator Travis Williams, if the offensive line looks similar to last year, it will be another long year in Fayetteville.

14. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

Coach: Shane Beamer

Players to watch: RB Raheim Sanders, WR Nyck Harbor, S Nick Emmanwori, QB LaNorris Sellers

After two years of Spencer Rattler, Beamer is handing the keys off to redshirt freshman Sellers. It’s difficult enough to play quarterback in the SEC as a freshman, but that difficulty is compounded by the fact that Sellers will have to play behind one of the worst offensive lines in the SEC. Sanders and Harbor are interesting skill players for Sellers to work with, but it won’t matter if he doesn’t have time in the pocket.

Despite momentum in years one and two, it appears the Shane Beamer era is coming to a screeching halt.

15. MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

Coach: Jeff Lebby

Players to watch: C Ethan Miner, QB Blake Shapen, WR Kelly Akharaii

After firing Zach Arnett last year, Mississippi State hired Lebby to be the man in charge of the football program. In his last season as offensive coordinator of Oklahoma, Lebby ranked third in total offense and fourth in scoring offense.

However, he won’t be able to replicate that success in his first year in Starkville, as the Mississippi State roster is lacking in talent. The Bulldogs will have their best chances for SEC wins when Florida and Arkansas come to town in September and October respectively.

16. VANDERBILT COMMODORES

Coach: Clark Lea

Players to watch: S CJ Taylor, LB Langston Patterson, QB Nate Johnson

Vanderbilt has been the SEC’s doormat throughout recent history, and that won’t change this year. The Commodores possess the least amount of talent in the SEC and it is tough to see them winning a conference game in 2024.