|
It’ s a new era for the Southeastern Conference. The league has 16 teams and no divisions, and it will be competing to earn as many spots in the now 12-team College Football Playoff as possible.
The SEC has no shortage of fascinating storylines heading into the 2024 season, and the result is a schedule that features big game after big game. Nearly every week features a matchup with huge implications for either side, the conference and the overall college football season.
Here are the matchups not involving Arkansas to be sure to add to your calendar.
|
GEORGIA VS. CLEMSON
When: Aug. 31, 11 a. m. Where: Atlanta TV: ABC
Week 1 of the college football season starts with a bang when historic rivals Georgia and Clemson meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’ s one of the top matchups of the nonconference slate around the country.
It’ s a big moment for a Tigers team looking to prove it still belongs with the sport’ s upper echelon after three straight seasons missing the College Football Playoff and an eight-win regular season last year. Georgia has to avoid an early stumble if it’ s going to have the kind of year it expects.
Plus, if realignment shakes out the way some hope, this could be a glimpse into a future conference rivalry.
|
TEXAS AT MICHIGAN
When: Sept. 7, 11 a. m. Where: Ann Arbor, Mich. TV: FOX In Week 2, we get a meeting between two of last season’ s playoff teams. It’ s not a rematch— No. 3 Texas lost to No. 2 Washington in the semifinals, while No. 1 Michigan beat No. 4 Alabama and then the Huskies for the national title— but it’ s a clash of two teams at the top of the sport right now.
Michigan is a very different team than it was when it won it all, with a new coach and many of last year’ s stars gone. This early test will give us an idea of what to expect from the defending champs in 2024.
Meanwhile, Texas is among the favorites to win the championship this season. It has to win games like this to keep its season on track as it heads into a tough SEC.
OKLAHOMA VS. TENNESSEE
When: Sept. 21, time TBD Where: Norman, Okla. TV: TBD
Call this game the Josh Heupel Bowl. The Tennessee coach and former Oklahoma quarterback is facing off against his alma mater for the first time as a head coach.
If you like offense, this could be the game for you. Both teams have new quarterbacks— freshman Nico Iamleava for Tennessee and sophomore Jackson Arnold for Oklahoma— leading what have been high-powered offenses in recent years. This is the SEC opener for both sides, making it one of the first real tests
|
Walter Nolen Ole Miss File Photo
for these new signal-callers.
From a big-picture standpoint, Oklahoma and Tennessee are seemingly in the same tier of the league heading into the season. Neither is expected to play in the conference title game, but both could have above average seasons. They’ re next to each other in the preseason projected order of finish in the SEC, with the Sooners eighth and the Volunteers
|
seventh, and the preseason coaches’ poll, with Tennessee at No. 15 and Oklahoma at No. 16.
ALABAMA VS. GEORGIA
When: Sept. 28, 6:30 p. m. Where: Tuscaloosa, Ala. TV: ABC
What has become a perennial heavyweight fight will be different this season without Nick Saban on the sideline for Alabama. This is the Crimson Tide’ s first SEC game under new coach Kalen DeBoer, and they couldn’ t face a bigger test.
At the same time, this might not be an SEC Championship preview the way it has been in years past. Georgia is favored to win that title, but Alabama enters the year projected to win nine games, according to ESPN’ s Football Power Index. With no divisions, it’ s all about league win total, and Texas is the favorite to face the Bulldogs for the title.
Still, there’ s plenty riding on this game for DeBoer’ s Alabama. A win over rival Georgia would make a huge statement. Regardless, this matchup is one to watch for what it will tell us about the Tide.
OKLAHOMA VS. TEXAS
When: Oct. 12, 2:30 p. m. Where: Dallas TV: TBD
It’ s the Red River Rivalry: SEC Edition. The conference’ s newest members continue their historic rivalry at the Cotton Bowl, this time with a different league logo on the field.
|