The SEC has been the cream of the crop in college football for some time now. In recent years, we have known the elite programs in the conference. While those programs like Georgia are still going to be tremendous, the recent conference realignment promises to shake things up a bit.
Could a few new teams begin to trend toward the top of the conference? It’s very possible. Here are several programs who could take huge leaps in 2024, taking major ascensions toward the top of the conference.
The Wildcats quietly bring back one of the more talented defenses in the SEC for the 2024 season. It starts with defensive tackle Deone Walker, who is one of the more dominant forces in all of college football. Behind him, the team has one of the better linebacker duos in all of college football, including Georgia transfer Jamon Dumas-Johnson and D’Eryk Jackson. Add in dynamic cover man Maxwell Hairston and you have one of the best cores in college football.
In order for Kentucky to take that next step under head coach Mark Stoops, the offense needs to take a step forward. They will be counting on former Georgia quarterback Brock Vanagriff, who is talented but lately unproven. Good thing for him, he has one of the best wide receiver units in the country on his side. The trio of Barion Brown, Ja’Mori Maclin, and Dane Key is going to give a lot of opposing secondaries major issues. As long as the offensive line and running game are solid, this has a chance to be an extremely tough out in the SEC.
Year two under head coach Hugh Freeze feels like things are going to be a lot better at Auburn. After three straight losing seasons, that could end this season. The offense looks worlds better, led by a completely overhauled wide receiver group. With the emergence of transfers KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Penn State) and Robert Lewis (Georgia State), as well as true freshmen Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson, quarterback Payton Thorne has a lot more options to work with. Add in a strong running game behind star tailback Jarquez Hunter and the offense has a chance to be strong in 2024.
The bigger question for the Tigers might be on the defensive side of the football. They welcomed in transfer defensive tackle Isaiah Raikes (Texas A&M) and safety Jerrie Thompson (Texas) but otherwise, they will be depending on their homegrown talent. Look for linebacker Eugene Asante to be the main man in the middle, while defensive back Keionte Scott is one of the more versatile cover men in the country.
You could argue that the Aggie roster might actually be slightly weaker in 2024. They lost some big talent up front, including former five-star Walter Nolen (Ole Miss) and dependable starter Fadil Diggs (Syracuse). There were also defections at wide receiver with star pass catcher Evan Stewart (Oregon) and in the secondary. Despite that, there is a ray of light around the program.
A big reason for that is head coach Mike Elko, who is widely regarded as a tremendous coach and developer. He might not be the name that Jimbo Fisher was, but you feel better about Elko’s ability to get the most out of his roster. If quarterback Conner Weigman is able to stay healthy, they could be a formidable offense to keep a close eye on. Purdue transfer defensive end Nic Scourton is also one of the best defensive players in college football with clear first round upside.
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