By Brett Daniels
Half of the SEC Championship Game match up is locked in with Georgia clinching a spot after Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M all lost. The Aggies will get another chance to claim their spot in Atlanta with a renewal of the Lone Star Showdown against Texas on Saturday at Kyle Field. What has been an unpredictable season in the SEC stayed true to form, with several top teams going down in upsets on the road.
The Georgia Bulldogs will play for the SEC championship again. They secured their title game spot Saturday after Alabama and Texas A&M were upset. https://t.co/saNHFGn0iy
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) November 24, 2024
1. Georgia Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2)- The Bulldogs wrapped up their SEC Conference slate last week against Tennessee and seemed to be on the outside looking in for the SEC Championship Game. Losses by Alabama and Ole Miss put the Dawgs squarely in the mix and Texas A&M going down at Auburn clinched the spot in Atlanta for Georgia. Next Up: Friday vs Georgia Tech
2. Texas Longhorns (10-1,6-1)- Texas had a sloppy, albiet uninspiring, victory over Kentucky on Saturday stalling on offense several times and committing two turnovers. The Longhorns can punch their ticket to Atlanta for a rematch with Georgia with a win over the Aggies on Saturday night. Next Up: Saturday at Texas A&M
Someone was asking what play Quinn was injured on. This is the play where Ewers wrenched his ankle a bit. pic.twitter.com/k7xs2O6EOx
— Horn Takes Podcast (@HornTakes) November 25, 2024
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3. Tennessee Volunteers (9-2,5-2)- The Vols might be in the best spot of all the teams in the SEC. A win over Vanderbilt on Saturday would secure a spot in the 12-team playoff without the Vols subjecting themselves to the extra game in Atlanta, allowing them three weeks of rest before the first round starts. Next Up: Saturday at Vanderbilt
4. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-3,4-3)- Saturday night against Oklahoma was the worst offensive performance by an Alabama team in over 10 years. QB Jalen Milroe was stuffed in the run game and the Oklahoma defense shut down the passing game as well. The Tide remain in this spot based off resume and wins over Georgia, South Carolina, and Missouri. Next Up: Saturday vs Auburn
5. Ole Miss Rebels (8-3, 4-3)- After the impressive home victory over Georgia, Ole Miss was due for a letdown game. Enter a Florida team that has been playing as well as anyone over the last few weeks and a game on the road in the Swamp. QB Jaxson Dart threw three interceptions, including two in the last two minutes of the game to seal the victory for the Gators. The Rebels are a fringe playoff team and will need chaos to get into the field. Next Up: Friday vs Mississippi State
6. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-3, 5-3)- The Cocks fall under the “team no one wants to play right now” as they have been playing inspired football the last month of the season. Their defensive line is as good as anyone in the nation and QB LeNorris Sellers has blossomed into one of the better players in the league. South Carolina will face Clemson on Saturday in a game that suddenly has playoff implications. Next Up: Saturday at Clemson
7. Texas A&M Aggies (8-3, 5-2)- On College Game Day former Alabama Coach Nick Saban offered this advice to the Aggies before their trip to Auburn, “I would be alerting Texas A&M because in my opinion, in 17 years of going to Auburn, playing in Jordan-Hare, that place is HAUNTED! It really is. The way we lost games, and the way we won games there, it’s unbelievable. ‘Kick Six’ and then ‘The Gravedigger’ last year, I mean, I’m telling you, the place is haunted.” The Aggies apparently didn’t listen and fell to Auburn 43-41 in overtime on the Plains. Texas A&M can still reach the conference championship with a win on Saturday in the Lone Star Showdown against hated rival Texas. Next Up: Saturday vs Texas
No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M for a spot in the SEC Championship.
Kyle Field is gonna be rockin' 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AlxuOmD1Tu
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 27, 2024
8. Florida Gators (5-5,3-4)- Raise your hand if you thought that Florida would have the chance to achieve bowl eligibility in the last week of the season, still be coached by Billy Napier, and pull off back-to-back home wins against ranked teams. Now put your hand down, you liar! When the 2024 schedule was announced, many expected Florida to struggle to win just 3 or 4 games and for Napier not to make it past the Cocktail Party against Georgia. Instead, the Gators find themselves one win away from bowl eligibility against a struggling Florida State team and the spoilers of LSU and Ole Miss’s seasons. Next Up: Saturday at Florida State
9. Missouri Tigers (8-3, 4-3)-Mizzou took care of Mississippi State on Saturday and will look to notch their ninth win of the season against “rival-that-isn’t-really-a-rival-but-might-be-a-rival” Arkansas. Despite having an identical 8-3 record to Alabama, Ole Miss, and South Carolina, the Tigers are ranked in the 20’s, which is a testament to the softness of their schedule. If Missouri were to make it back to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game, this was the year to do it. Next Up: Saturday vs Arkansas
10. LSU Tigers (7-4, 4-3)- The Tigers managed to hold off a pesky Vanderbilt team on Saturday to rebound from the disappointing loss at Florida. An Oklahoma team with a stout defense and suddenly a functioning offense will visit Death Valley to close out the regular season. Next Up: Saturday vs Oklahoma
11. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-5, 3-4)- QB Diego Pavia couldn’t conjure up enough magic to beat LSU last week and will need to play an almost flawless game this week to beat Tennessee. The game is in Nashville, and we have seen that the road teams have struggled in the SEC this season. Next Up: Saturday vs Tennessee
12. Auburn Tigers (5-6, 2-5)- QB Payton Thorne threw for 301 yards and twotouchdowns and RB Jarquez Hunter ran for 130 yards and three touchdowns in their final game on the Plains, Freshman WR Chris Coleman added 128 yards and two touchdowns in the upset win against Texas A&M. The Tigers will need to pull another upset in the Iron Bowl against Alabama on Saturday to make it to a bowl game. Next Up: Saturday at Alabama
13. Oklahoma Sooners (6-5, 2-5)- The Sooners will remember their first season in the SEC as a tough year, the upset win over Alabama will make the memory a little less painful. Closing out the regular season with a win over LSU in Death Valley would be the icing on the cake. Next Up: Saturday at LSU
Field rushes, career performances, and a signature win » an unforgettable Senior Night in Norman. Full highlights and recap ⤵️
📊📸📝 https://t.co/fqemIhphZS pic.twitter.com/tpt6j971mb
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) November 24, 2024
14. Arkansas Razorbacks (6-5, 3-4)- Razorback fans have experienced the high of upsetting a highly ranked Tennessee at home, and the low of losing to Big 12 bottom dweller Oklahoma State in Week 2. The Hogs will close out the season against Missouri in Columbia. Next Up: Saturday at Missouri
15. Kentucky Wildcats (4-7, 1-7)- A disappointing year for the Cats will come to a close on Saturday as in-state rival Louisville comes to Kroger Field. Kentucky had the strong game against Georgia in Week 3, followed by the upset win at Ole Miss in Week 5 that seemed to point to good things happening in Lexington. Unfortunately, former 5-star QB Brock Vandegriff couldn’t get the offense moving and will be replaced by freshman QB Cutter Boley for the game against Louisville. Next Up: Saturday vs Louisville
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7)- The Jeff Lebby era at Mississippi State has been marked by progress that hasn’t necessarily shown up on the field. QB Michael Van Buren is a future star in the SEC and the defense made strides all season. The Egg Bowl against what is likely an unmotivated Ole Miss squad could provide the opportunity to end the season with an upset. Next Up: Friday at Ole Miss
