By Brett Daniels
The 2024 Season is about to begin and the time for picks and prognostication is ending. With the addition of Texas and Oklahoma the SEC schedule is appreciably harder for every team in the conference, nine out of the top 10 hardest schedules according to ESPN’s FPI are teams from the SEC. Also new this year is the elimination of divisions with the top two best records meeting in Atlanta for the SEC Championship which allows for a more even scheduling model across the conference. Below are the teams in predicted order of finish by the SEC beat writers at SEC Media Days.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
(12-0)
The Bulldogs haven’t lost a regular-season game since falling to the Florida Gators 44-28 on November 7, 2020 and even though they have the 3rd toughest schedule according to FPI, there isn’t a sure loss on the docket.
August 31-Neutral Site (Atlanta) vs #14 Clemson (Win)
September 7-vs. Tennessee Tech (Win)
September 14-at Kentucky (Win)
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September 28-at #5 Alabama (Win)
October 5-vs Auburn (Win)
October 12-vs Mississippi State (Win)
October 19-at #4 Texas (Win)
November 2-Neutral Site (Jacksonville) vs. Florida (Win)
November 9-at #6 Ole Miss (Win)
November 16-vs #15 Tennessee (Win)
November 23-vs UMass (Win)
November 29-vs Georgia Tech (Win)
2. Texas Longhorns
(9-3)
The Longhorns will enter the SEC having to replace a program record 11 players who were drafted into the NFL off last year’s Big 12 championship team. Texas has the 10th hardest schedule according to FPI and will travel to #9 Michigan in Week Two.
August 31-vs Colorado State (Win)
September 7-at #9 Michigan (Loss)
September 14-vs. UTSA (Win)
September 21-vs UL Monroe (Win)
September 28-vs Mississippi State (Win)
October 12-Neutral Site (Cotton Bowl) vs #16 Oklahoma (Loss)
October 19-vs #1 Georgia (Loss)
October 26-at Vanderbilt (Win)
November 9-vs Florida (Win)
November 16-at Arkansas (Win)
November 23-vs Kentucky (Win)
November 30-at #20 Texas A&M (Win)
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
(10-2)
Kalen Deboer replaces the legend Nick Saban on the Alabama sidelines and will field a loaded team in his first season. The Crimson Tide have to replace their top four receivers and two of their top three rushers from 2023, they also have the 6th toughest schedule according to FPI.
August 31-vs. Western Kentucky (Win)
September 7-vs South Florida (Win)
September 14-at Wisconsin (Win)
September 28-vs #1 Georgia (Loss)
October 5-at Vanderbilt (Win)
October 12-vs South Carolina (Win)
October 19-at #15 Tennessee (Win)
October 26-vs #11 Missouri (Win)
November 9-at #13 LSU (Loss)
November 16-vs Mercer (Win)
November 23-at #16 Oklahoma (Win)
November 30-vs Auburn (Win)
4. Ole Miss Rebels
(10-2)
In a year where most SEC teams are playing much tougher schedules the Rebels have a slate that can only be described as Charmin soft. Four out of the first five games are at home against unranked opponents.
August 31-vs Furman (Win)
September 7-vs Middle Tennessee State (Win)
September 14-at Wake Forest (Win)
September 21-vs Georgia Southern (Win)
September 28-vs Kentucky (Win)
October 5-at South Carolina (Win)
October 12-at #13 LSU (Loss)
October 26-vs #16 Oklahoma (Win)
November 2-at Arkansas (Win)
November 9-vs #1 Georgia (Loss)
November 23-at Florida (Win)
November 29-vs. Mississippi State (Win)
5. Tennessee Volunteers
(9-3)
The Vols have one of the sneakiest schedules in the conference. An early season test against NC State followed by a trip to Oklahoma, home against Alabama, and a late season meeting with the Georgia Bulldogs will define the season.
August 31-vs Chattanooga (Win)
September 7-Neutral Site (Charlotte)-vs #24 NC State (Loss)
September 14-vs Kent State (Win)
September 21-at Oklahoma (Win)
October 5-at Arkansas (Win)
October 12-vs Florida (Win)
October 19-vs #5 Alabama (Loss)
November 2-vs Kentucky (Win)
November 9-vs Mississippi State (Win)
November 16-at #1 Georgia (Loss)
November 23-vs UTEP (Win)
November 30-at Vanderbilt (Loss)
6. Oklahoma Sooners
(8-4)
The schedule starts out manageable before Tennessee comes to town to start the SEC schedule. After that the gauntlet begins with games on the road against Auburn and Ole Miss before finishing the year at home against Alabama and on the road versus LSU.
August 31-vs Temple (Win)
September 7-vs Houston (Win)
September 14-vs Tulane (Win)
September 21-vs #15 Tennessee (Loss)
September 28-at Auburn (Win)
October 12-Neutral Site (Cotton Bowl) vs #4 Texas (Win)
October 19-vs South Carolina (Win)
October 26-at Ole Miss (Loss)
November 2-vs Maine (Win)
November 9-at Missouri (Win)
November 23-vs Alabama (Loss)
November 30-at LSU (Loss)
7. Missouri Tigers
(10-2)
The schedule makers did the Tigers a solid: no Georgia, no Texas, no Tennessee, and no LSU. A two-week stretch at Alabama and versus Oklahoma will determine if the Tigers make the CFB Playoff or end up just outside the Top 12.
August 31-vs Murray State (Win)
September 7-vs Buffalo (Win)
September 14-vs Boston College (Win)
September 21-vs Vanderbilt (Win)
October 5-at #20 Texas A&M (Win)
October 12-at UMass (Win)
October 19-vs Auburn (Win)
October 26-at #5 Alabama (Loss)
November 9-vs #16 Oklahoma (Loss)
November 16-at South Carolina (Win)
November 23-at Mississippi State (Win)
November 30-vs Arkansas (Win)
8. LSU Tigers
(11-1)
The Tigers are my pick to be the surprise team from the SEC this season. A manageable schedule and a revamped defense will allow the Bayou Bengals to appear opposite Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
September 1-Neutral Site (Las Vegas) vs. USC (Win)
September 7-vs Nicholls State (Win)
September 14-at South Carolina (Win)
September 21-vs UCLA (Win)
September 28-vs South Alabama (Win)
October 12-vs #6 Ole Miss (Win)
October 19-at Arkansas (Win)
October 26-at Texas A&M (Loss)
November 9-vs Alabama (Win)
November 16-at Florida (Win)
November 23-vs Vanderbilt (Win)
November 30-vs #16 Oklahoma (Win)
9. Texas A&M Aggies
(8-4)
New TAMU coach Mike Elko will have the Aggies playing hard and they will beat a team or two that maybe they aren’t supposed to (LSU) but they will be inconsistent and lose a game or two to teams they are more talented than on paper.
August 31-vs #7 Notre Dame (Loss)
September 7-vs McNeese (Win)
September 14-at Florida (Win)
September 21-vs Bowling Green (Win)
September 28-Neutral Site (Dallas) vs Arkansas (Win)
October 5-vs #11 Missouri (Loss)
October 19-at Mississippi State (Win)
October 26-vs #13 LSU (Win)
November 2-at South Carolina (Win)
November 16-vs New Mexico State (Win)
November 23-at Auburn (Loss)
November 30-vs #4 Texas (Loss)
10. Auburn Tigers
(8-4)
The middle of the conference having an absolute murderers row of opponents at some point in the season seems to be a recurring theme. Auburn is no exception playing the 5th toughest schedule in the country according to FPI.
August 31-vs Alabama A&M (Win)
September 7-vs California (Win)
September 14-vs New Mexico (Win)
September 21-vs Arkansas (Win)
September 28-vs #16 Oklahoma (Loss)
October 5-at #1 Georgia (Loss)
October 19-at #11 Missouri (Loss)
October 26-at Kentucky (Win)
November 2-vs Vanderbilt (Win)
November 16-vs UL Monroe (Win)
November 23-vs #20 Texas A&M (Win)
November 30-at #5 Alabama (Loss)
11. Florida Gators
(6-6)
The Gators have the hardest schedule according to FPI and quite possibly one of the hardest schedules of all time. The Gators play eight ranked teams including five in a row to close out the season. A .500 record and bowl game would be a huge accomplishment against this slate.
August 31-vs #19 Miami (Win)
September 7-vs Samford (Win)
September 14-vs #20 Texas A&M (Loss)
September 21-at Mississippi State (Win)
October 5-vs UCF (Win)
October 12-at #15 Tennessee (Loss)
October 19-vs Kentucky (Win)
November 2-Neutral Site (Jacksonville) vs #1 Georgia (Loss)
November 9-at #4 Texas (Loss)
November 16-vs #13 LSU (Loss)
November 23-vs #6 Ole Miss (Loss)
November 30-at #10 Florida State (Win)
12. Kentucky Wildcats
(5-7)
The Wildcats are going to have to pull an upset somewhere to get to bowl eligibility this season. They aren’t a bad team and, in most years, would get to seven or eight wins with this roster. Unfortunately, the additions of Texas and Oklahoma have not done teams like the Wildcats any favors.
August 31-vs Southern Miss (Win)
September 7-vs South Carolina (Win)
September 14 vs #1 Georgia (Loss)
September 21 vs Ohio (Win)
September 28-at #6 Ole Miss (Loss)
October 12-vs Vanderbilt (Win)
October 19-at Florida (Loss)
October 26-vs Auburn (Loss)
November 2-at #15 Tennessee (Loss)
November 16-vs Murray State (Win)
November 23-at #4 Texas (Loss)
November 30-vs Louisville (Loss)
13. South Carolina Gamecocks
(4-8)
It’s tough to see a way to a winning season or bowl eligibility with the Gamecocks schedule. After September 21 they may not win a game for two months.
August 31-vs Old Dominion (Win)
September 7-at Kentucky (Loss)
September 14-vs #13 LSU (Loss)
September 21-vs Akron (Win)
October 5-vs #6 Ole Miss (Loss)
October 12-at #5 Alabama (Loss)
October 19-at #16 Oklahoma (Loss)
November 2-vs #20 Texas A&M (Loss)
November 9-at Vanderbilt (Win)
November 16-vs #11 Missouri (Loss)
November 23-vs Wofford (Win)
November 30-at #14 Clemson (Loss)
14. Arkansas Razorbacks
(4-8)
Coach Sam Pittman is on the hot seat in Fayetteville and this challenging schedule will not help his cause. Along with the gauntlet that is the SEC, the Razorbacks play Oklahoma State out of conference in Week two.
August 29-vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Win)
September 7-at #17 Oklahoma State (Loss)
September 14-vs UAB (Win)
September 21-at Auburn (Loss)
September 28-Neutral Site (Dallas) vs #20 Texas A&M (Loss)
October 5-vs #15 Tennessee (Loss)
October 19-vs #13 LSU (Loss)
October 26-at Mississippi State (Win)
November 2-vs #6 Ole Miss (Loss)
November 16-vs #4 Texas (Loss)
November 23-vs Louisiana Tech (Win)
November 30-at #11 Missouri (Loss)
15. Mississippi State Bulldogs
(3-9)
New Bulldogs Head Coach Jeff Lebby is in for a baptism by fire in the SEC. The Bulldogs have few winnable games outside of the non-conference slate. It’s a long way up for the Bizzaro Bulldogs from Starkville.
August 31-vs Eastern Kentucky (Win)
September 7-at Arizona State (Loss)
September 14-vs Toledo (Win)
September 21-vs Florida (Loss)
September 28-at #4 Texas (Loss)
October 12-at #1 Georgia (Loss)
October 19-vs #20 Texas A&M (Loss)
October 26-vs Arkansas (Loss)
November 2-vs UMass (Win)
November 9-at #15 Tennessee (Loss)
November 23-vs #11 Missouri (Loss)
November 29-at #6 Ole Miss (Loss)
16. Vanderbilt Commodores
(3-9)
Clark Lea may be on the way out after another disappointing season in Nashville. The talent level of this team is not anywhere near where it needs to be to be competitive in the SEC.
August 31-vs Virginia Tech (Loss)
September 7-vs Alcorn State (Win)
September 14-at Georgia State (Win)
September 21-at #11 Missouri (Loss)
October 5-vs #5 Alabama (Loss)
October 12-at Kentucky (Loss)
October 19-vs Ball State (Win)
October 26-vs #4 Texas (Loss)
November 2-at Auburn (Loss)
November 9-vs South Carolina (Loss)
November 23-at #13 LSU (Loss)
November 30-vs #15 Tennessee (Loss)
The addition of Texas and Oklahoma made the hardest league in College Football even tougher and the teams that used to be in the middle of the pack are fighting for survival in the bottom third of the league. There have never been any easy weeks in the SEC and that hold true for another year in 2024.
