By Brett Daniels
Week 8 had a little bit of everything that makes college football great: a heavyweight clash in Austin between Georgia and Texas, Alabama continuing to spiral downward losing to Tennessee, South Carolina’s defense with another outstanding showing, and signs of life from the Gators in Gainesville. As we enter the home stretch of the season, the story of the SEC in 2024 has much that is still to be written.
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1. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1)
The Dawgs went into Austin and dominated Texas on both lines of scrimmage registering seven sacks (2 for Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker), forced four turnovers on defense, and ran for three touchdowns on offense. It was needed, as QB Carson Beck had another rough outing, throwing for only 175 yards and three interceptions on the night. The offense will need to be better as after the bye week the Dawgs face Florida, Ole Miss, and Tennessee in consecutive weeks.
Next Up: Florida in Jacksonville (Nov 2)
2. Tennessee Volunteers (6-1)
Nico Iamaleava was 14-27 for 194 yards with one touchdown and one interception and Dylan Sampson rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns as the Vols beat Alabama for the second time in 19 years on Saturday. The Tennessee defense held Alabama to 314 total yards and forced two interceptions. The Vols will have a much-needed bye week upcoming before welcoming in Kentucky & Mississippi State and then a huge match-up in Athens with Georgia that could decide one of the participants in the SEC Championship Game.
Next Up: vs Kentucky (November 2)
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3. LSU Tigers (6-1)
Don’t look now but the Tigers are one of two undefeated teams in the SEC at 3-0 with their victory at Arkansas on Saturday. The defense held the Hogs to 38 yards rushing and 277 total yards on the night while forcing three turnovers (2 fumbles, 1 interception).
QB Garrett Nussmeier can make a case for being the top signal caller in the conference after an efficient 24/34 for a 233-yard night. The Tigers can claim sole possession of first place in the conference with a win over Texas A&M on Saturday.
Next Up: at Texas A&M on Saturday
With LSU playing at Texas A&M on Saturday night, never forget what the NCAA took from us. pic.twitter.com/kurC9wLLCv
— College Sports Only 🏈🏀⚾️ (@CollegeSportsO) October 21, 2024
4. Texas A&M Aggies (6-1)
The Aggies are the other undefeated team in conference, currently sitting at 4-0 after a tougher-than-expected win over Mississippi State 34-24. The Aggie defensive line came to play sacking Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren three times and recording 11 tackles for loss. Texas A&M Connor Weigman was 15/17 for 215 yards with a touchdown but two interceptions in his second game back from injury. RB Leveon Moss ran for two touchdowns in the win.
Next Up: vs LSU on Saturday
. @TexasFootball @TexasLonghorns #hookem pic.twitter.com/Vo0X8t95V5
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) October 21, 2024
5. Texas Longhorns (6-1)
In what was billed as a “changing of the guard” type of game by the national media, the Longhorns were expected to roll over Georgia and announce their presence as the “new sheriff in town” in the SEC. That couldn’t have been further from the truth as Texas was dominated on both lines of scrimmage.
The Horns will look to bounce back against a ranked and very dangerous Vanderbilt team in Nashville followed by a visit from Florida. Texas still controls its own destiny in the conference race and finishing 7-1 would ensure a spot in the SEC Championship Game.
Next Up: at Vanderbilt on Saturday
6. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-2)
The only thing that is keeping the Tide afloat in these rankings is their Week 4 victory over Georgia which is looking more and more bizarre as the season progresses. From the second half of that game where Georgia was able to come back and briefly retake the lead, the Tide has lost to Vanderbilt, played a very close game against South Carolina, and lost to Tennessee.
Alabama will get Missouri at home this week before a bye and then a trip to Baton Rouge to take on LSU. If the Tide can make it through the Missouri game and get to the bye to regroup and get healthy then 10-2 is still a possibility although 9-3 and a loss to LSU is most likely.
Next Up: vs Missouri on Saturday
Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin talked about OU and their change at OC and QB ahead of the #Sooners traveling to Oxford to take on the Rebels. New offensive play caller Joe Jon Finley spent a year under Kiffin at Ole Miss before coming back to OU pic.twitter.com/CnX03E3U6l
— KFORsports (@KFORsports) October 21, 2024
7. Ole Miss Rebels (5-2)
Ole Miss got a much-needed week off after dropping two of their last three games. Oklahoma comes to Oxford on Saturday before the Rebels travel to Arkansas, then host Georgia on 11/9.
Next Up: vs Oklahoma on Saturday
8. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-2)
The Dores played with their food on Saturday, finishing the third quarter tied 14-14 with Ball State before scoring 10 in the fourth quarter for a 24-14 victory. QB Diego Pavia was once again the star of the show throwing for 275 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 82 yards and another touchdown. The Vandy defense played well, limiting Ball State to 268 total yards and 2-9 on third-down conversions. Vanderbilt is ranked #25 in the AP Poll for the first time since the 2013 season.
Next Up: vs Texas on Saturday
Ladies and gentlemen.
This South Carolina defense is so fun!•28 sacks
•15 forced Fumbles
•57 TFL
•10 INTs
•3 TDs
•18.7 PPG allowed
•2.82 ypc allowed pic.twitter.com/MHueFJskQq— Gamecock R u s s 🤙🏻 (@RustyB25) October 20, 2024
9. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3)
There is an argument to be made that the South Carolina defense is one of the best in the SEC as the Gamecocks had 9 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and forced four turnovers (three on consecutive plays) in a 35-9 rout of Oklahoma. South Carolina’s offense on the other hand is not nearly as dominant, being outgained by Oklahoma 291-254 yards and registering only 74 yards rushing. The Gamecocks will have a week off before facing three ranked teams in Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and Missouri in consecutive weeks.
Next Up: vs Texas A&M on November 2
Just gorgeous😍 pic.twitter.com/e0iGLU2Mkx
— Arkansas Razorbacks 🐗 (@ArkRazorbacks) October 19, 2024
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (4-3)
The Hogs couldn’t get anything going on the ground against LSU, tallying only 38 rushing yards on 19 attempts. QB Taylen Green was 21-31 for 239 yards and a touchdown but also had a costly interception on the Arkansas end that led to LSU points. Arkansas will travel to Starkville to take on an improving Mississippi State team before two home games against ranked opponents in Ole Miss and Texas.
Next Up: at Mississippi State on Saturday
11. Missouri Tigers (6-1)
How can a 6-1 team be the 11th-best in the conference and behind teams that have lost 2-3 games? This is a great question, and the answer is nothing about this Tiger team that is dominant or even above average. Of the six games that Mizzou has won this season, Vanderbilt is the only team that is currently ranked and the Tigers are coming off a come-from-behind home win over Auburn.
We will know more about this team after their trip to Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon. A win would push them up into the Top 6 of the conference while a loss keeps them around the same spot.
Next Up: at Alabama on Saturday
12. Florida Gators (4-3)
QB DJ Lagway has inspired this Gator team to play their best ball of the season for the last two weeks. At the beginning of the season, many felt that Florida would be lucky to win more than 2-3 games and Billy Napier wouldn’t survive past mid-season. The Gators currently sit at 4-3 with a win over a good Kentucky defense on Saturday and a hard-fought overtime loss to #8 Tennessee last week.
After getting a bye week, Florida will begin the most brutal stretch of any team in the country with games against #2 Georgia (Jacksonville), at #5 Texas, and at home against #8 LSU and #18 Ole Miss. The Gators will have to pull at least one upset in that stretch along with beating hapless FSU in the season finale to make a bowl game which would be a remarkable accomplishment with this schedule.
Next Up: vs Georgia in Jacksonville November 2
Mark Stoops likes to mention taking Kentucky to eight straight bowl games.
The Wildcats entered the season looking to make it nine straight bowl games.
Kentucky needs three more wins to become bowl eligible.
Where do those wins come from?
Full breakdown @SportsOT pic.twitter.com/OIDUwWh8Qv
— Jack Demmler (@Jack_Demmler) October 20, 2024
13. Kentucky Wildcats (3-4)
The Cats will need to get a win against Auburn on Saturday if they hope to make it to bowl eligibility this season. The last four games include road trips to #8 Tennessee and #5 Texas with home tilts against Murray State and Louisville. As well as the defense has played this season, the offense has played poorly ranking 15th in the SEC in Total Offense.
Next Up: vs Auburn on Saturday
14. Oklahoma Sooners (4-3)
The Sooners rank dead last in the SEC in Total Offense and have yet to crack 1,000 rushing as a team. The QB position along with injuries to key skill players has been a huge problem for Oklahoma who fired their offensive coordinator Seth Littrell on Monday. The Sooners finish the season with three out of their final four games against ranked opponents. It’s hard to envision them getting to the six-win threshold for bowl eligibility.
Next Up: at Ole Miss on Saturday
15. Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-6)
The Bulldogs are 1-6 and 0-4 in the SEC but have shown tremendous progress in the last two weeks putting up 31 points on Georgia and 24 against Texas A&M. QB Michael Van Buren has played well after taking over the job for the injured Blake Shapen.
Mississippi State continues to improve each week and as a fan of the program that is all you can ask for in the first year of a coaching change. If the Bulldogs continue this trajectory, they will beat someone that they shouldn’t before the season is over.
Next Up: vs Arkansas on Saturday
16. Auburn Tigers (2-5)
Is Auburn really the worst team in the conference? Probably not but they can’t seem to get out of their own way when they have the chance to win football games. There is talent on both sides of the ball that is in the upper tier of the conference, but they’re young and can’t seem to put together a complete game. Coach Hugh Freeze must feel his seat getting warmer and warmer with each passing week.
The Tigers finish the year with games at Kentucky, at home against Vanderbilt, Louisiana-Monroe, and Texas A&M before the Iron Bowl against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Auburn has the talent to win every single game left on the schedule, but they also could lose all of them as well. How the Tigers finish and if they achieve bowl eligibility will go a long way in determining Hugh Freeze’s future.
Next Up: at Kentucky on Saturday
Race for the SEC Championship Game (Remaining conference schedule)
1. Texas A&M (4-0) (vs LSU, at South Carolina, at Auburn, vs Texas)
A win on Saturday puts the Aggies in the driver’s seat for one of the spots in Atlanta with the game against Texas possibly the deciding factor.
Projected Record: 6-2 (Losses to LSU & Texas)
2. LSU Tigers (3-0) (at Texas A&M, vs Alabama, at Florida, vs Vanderbilt, vs Oklahoma)
A win against the Aggies on Saturday is not as much of a lock for the Tigers as it would be for the Aggies. The game against Alabama is always a battle, Florida is playing its best ball of the season and Vanderbilt is a ranked team. Lots of landmines for LSU remain on the schedule.
Projected Record: 7-1 (Loss to Alabama)
3. Georgia Bulldogs (4-1) (vs Florida (Jax), at Ole Miss, vs Tennessee)
The win against the Horns on Saturday was enormous for the Dawgs as it gives them the tiebreaker over Texas if the teams finish with the same record. None of the remaining three games are easy with the rivalry game against Florida and a game on the road against Ole Miss. The game against Tennessee could be a play-in game for the SECCG.
Projected Record: 7-1
4. Tennessee Volunteers (3-1) (vs Kentucky, vs Mississippi State, at Georgia, at Vanderbilt)
The Vols should dispose of Kentucky and Mississippi State, meaning the games against Georgia and Vandy will determine their fate in the conference.
Projected Record: 6-2 (Loss at Georgia)
5. Missouri Tigers (2-1) (at Alabama, vs Oklahoma, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, vs Arkansas)
As average as the Tigers have looked this season, they have a very manageable schedule to get to Atlanta. A win against Alabama on Saturday would give Mizzou a high percentage of making the game as the remaining schedule is manageable.
Projected Record: 6-2 (Loss at Alabama)
6. Texas Longhorns (2-1) (at Vanderbilt, vs Florida, at Arkansas, vs Kentucky, at Texas A&M)
The Longhorn Lovefest was interrupted by Georgia on Saturday night in Austin. On paper, Texas should win out and set up a winner goes to Atlanta game against Texas A&M in College Station. The game against Vanderbilt on Saturday will be an elimination game for the SEC Championship game, and who saw that coming when the schedules were announced?
Projected Record: 7-1
7. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-1) (vs Texas, at Auburn, vs South Carolina, at LSU, vs Tennessee)
Could we see a world where the Vanderbilt vs Tennessee game determines who goes to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game? While not probable it is still possible with the current standings. If the Dores can somehow pull the upset against Texas, then the hype train will be at full steam.
Projected Record: 4-4 (Losses vs Texas, LSU, & Tennessee)
Not Dead Yet: Alabama (2-2), Arkansas (2-2), and Florida (2-2)
While not mathematically impossible, it is highly unlikely these three teams will have a chance to get to Atlanta due to tiebreakers and teams with favorable remaining schedules. Alabama would have to win out and hope that Georgia loses at least once more (tiebreaker with 2 losses), and Tennessee and Vanderbilt lose twice.
Arkansas would need to win out and hope Texas A&M and LSU lose three games while Florida would need to win out and hope that Tennessee loses two more games and Texas A&M loses three games.
Tie Breaker Scenarios
In the above scenario, Georgia, Texas and LSU would all finish with 7-1 records in conference play. Georgia would win the tiebreaker with Texas with their head-to-head win while Texas and LSU would go to the third tiebreaker, where the team they lost to ranks in the conference standings. In this instance, Texas lost to Georgia which would be the number one team in the conference where LSU lost to a two-loss Alabama which would put Texas in the SEC Championship game versus Georgia.
