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Athlon Sports
SEC Football: Preseason 2024 Power Rankings
By Steven Lassan,
5 hours ago
Fall practice for the 2024 college football season will soon be underway for all 134 teams, which means the start of the year with actual games Week 0 on Aug. 24 isn't far behind. With the '24 season right around the corner, it's time to power rank all 16 teams in the SEC. Georgia takes the No. 1 spot going into the fall, but Texas, Ole Miss, and Alabama aren't too far behind coach Kirby Smart's squad.
The SEC has a strong second tier in place with Missouri, Tennessee, and LSU, followed by Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The nation's best conference could get even deeper if Florida, Auburn, and Kentucky are able to exceed preseason expectations and finish in the top 25.
How do the 16 teams in the conference stack up this fall? Athlon Sports power ranks the SEC teams for 2024:
The Bulldogs have their sights set on a third national championship in four years, and it's hard to find a glaring flaw with coach Kirby Smart's squad. Quarterback Carson Beck returns to lead an offense that averaged 40.1 points a game last season, while the offensive line ranks among the best in college football. As always, Smart's defense should be a standout group. This unit does need to create a little more havoc around the line of scrimmage and stop the run better than it did in '23. However, this team doesn't have a glaring weakness for '24.
Texas came within just a couple of plays from a spot in the national championship game last season. The transition to the SEC won't be without a few speed bumps, but coach Steve Sarkisian's squad is poised for another run at double-digit victories. The offensive line is among the best in the nation, and quarterback Quinn Ewers is primed for his best season in Austin. A couple of transfers arrive to restock the receiving corps, while running back CJ Baxter is a breakout candidate. Sarkisian's biggest concerns in '24 rest on defense. How will this unit replace linemen Byron Murphy II and T'Vondre Sweat and improve in the secondary?
Coming off the best season in school history (11 wins), the expectation level is even higher for coach Lane Kiffin's Rebels in '24. A high-powered offense led by quarterback Jaxson Dart and one of the nation's top receiving corps leads the way, but an improved defense should help Ole Miss push for its first trip to the SEC title game. A handful of transfers - including linemen Walter Nolen (Texas A&M) and Princely Umanmielen (Florida) - should help this unit take a big step forward in '24. How Kiffin replaces the production of standout running back Quinshon Judkins (transferred to Ohio State) is a key storyline to watch this fall.
It's a new era at Alabama after Nick Saban's retirement and Kalen DeBoer's arrival from Washington. However, even with the coaching transition and personnel turnover, the Crimson Tide have the pieces to make a deep run in the CFB Playoff. Quarterback Jalen Milroe should thrive under DeBoer's watch, and the offensive line is expected to rank among the best in college football. The development of a revamped receiving corps is the biggest fall storyline on offense. New defensive coordinator Kane Wommack needs to rebuild the pass rush without Dallas Turner and restock a secondary that lost several key pieces from '23.
Quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III return to lead a high-powered Missouri offense in 2024. Also, with a favorable schedule, another double-digit win total is within reach for coach Eli Drinkwitz's squad. A pair of transfers - Marcus Carroll and Nate Noel - should replace Cody Schrader at running back, while a couple of portal additions will help to restock the line. Missouri's biggest concerns in '24 rest on defense. How will new coordinator Corey Batoon maintain the '23 level of play (20.8 points a game allowed) with only five starters returning? Expect a handful of transfers to play key roles at all three levels.
The Tigers are a wild card team with plenty of potential in 2024. Coach Brian Kelly's squad ranked first nationally in scoring last season but must replace coordinator Mike Denbrock (departed to Notre Dame), quarterback Jayden Daniels and receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. New signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier is primed for a huge season in his first year as the team's starter and is supported by one of the SEC's top offensive lines. New play-caller Joe Sloan needs to manufacture a ground game to alleviate the loss of Daniels' mobility. The Bayou Bengals struggled mightily on defense last season, but there's optimism in '24 with the arrival of new coordinator Blake Baker. How much improvement Baker can generate from this group could decide whether or not LSU makes the CFB Playoff.
Expect Tennessee's offense to return to its high-scoring form with rising star quarterback Nico Iamaleava and one of the SEC's top lines in place for coach Josh Heupel. If the Volunteers are going to make a run at the CFB Playoff, improvement on defense - specifically in the secondary - is a must. The front is set with end James Pearce back in '24, but a revamped pass defense remains a concern going into the fall.
With home games against Notre Dame, LSU, Missouri, and Texas, Texas A&M is an intriguing team to watch in the SEC race. New coach Mike Elko inherits a talented roster and should do a better job at developing players than former coach Jimbo Fisher. Quarterback Conner Weigman is a breakout candidate in '24, and new play-caller Collin Klein has plenty of skill talent to work with at receiver and running back. The defensive front should be among the best in the SEC, but the Aggies need the secondary to take a step forward in '24.
The development of the offensive line with five new starters is easily the biggest storyline surrounding the Sooners in 2024. How much progress can this unit make in the fall? New quarterback Jackson Arnold and a deep receiving corps provide plenty of firepower for new coordinator Seth Littrell if the line can hold up in SEC play. Coach Brent Venables has the defense trending in the right direction after holding teams to 23.5 points a contest last year. Standout linebacker Danny Stutsman is back, while the trenches and secondary added help through the portal to boost the overall talent and depth in '24.
Expect the Tigers to take a step forward in coach Hugh Freeze's second season. Quarterback Payton Thorne should be more comfortable in his second year on the Plains, and Freeze added a couple of playmakers - Penn State transfer Keandre Lambert-Smith and freshman Cam Coleman - to boost a struggling receiving corps. New defensive coordinators Charles Kelly and DJ Durkin have some retooling to do in the secondary, but the front and linebacker units should be a strength.
The 2024 season is a critical one for coach Billy Napier after a disappointing 11-14 record over the last two years. The offense should rank among the SEC's best with quarterback Graham Mertz, running back Montrell Johnson, and receiver Eugene Wilson III in place. However, overcoming a difficult schedule to get to a bowl will hinge on how far the Gators improve on defense after allowing 33.6 points in SEC play last year. The hire of assistant Ron Roberts to mentor coordinator Austin Armstrong is a plus, and the overall depth and talent on this side of the ball has improved for '24.
With All-American lineman Deone Walker and one of the SEC's top linebacker units in place, Kentucky's defense should lead the way in '24. With a standout defense in place, exceeding this preseason ranking hinges on the development of the offense for coach Mark Stoops. The Wildcats lost standout running back Ray Davis and have a new play-caller (Bush Hamdan) and quarterback (Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff) to break in this fall. The good news: Kentucky has a standout receiving trio and a veteran line to lean on.
Injuries and a brutal schedule cost South Carolina a third consecutive bowl trip under coach Shane Beamer in 2023. The Gamecocks have better depth on both sides of the ball entering '24, which should translate into on-field improvement. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers is a rising star, and the ground game is in better shape with the arrival of Arkansas transfer running back Rocket Sanders. Seven starters return from a defense that showed progress late in the '23 campaign. How far the offensive line progresses could determine whether or not South Carolina wins six (or more games).
Coach Sam Pittman is squarely on the hot seat after last year's 4-8 mark, but the Razorbacks have some optimism entering the fall. The hire of Bobby Petrino is one of the top coordinator moves for '24, and Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green had a strong spring in the new offense. For Arkansas to go bowling, a revamped offensive line headlined by three potential transfer starters needs to show marked improvement. Also, the defense has to take a step forward (32.3 points allowed in SEC play last year).
New coach Jeff Lebby returns only two starters from a team that went 4-8 last season. With the significant roster overhaul and coaching transition to new schemes on both sides of the ball, the '24 campaign looks like a Year 0 situation for the Bulldogs. Transfer quarterback Blake Shapen (Baylor) and receiver Kelly Akharaiyi (UTEP) are an exciting pairing for Lebby, but his high-powered offense won't take off without steady play from a revamped offensive line.
Will coach Clark Lea's offseason changes deliver improvement in 2024? The Commodores have a challenging slate coming off a winless mark in SEC play last season. Improvement in the win column will be tough, but the arrival of a handful of transfers - including New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia and a couple of defenders - provide optimism for '24. Also, Lea's decision to take over the defensive play-calling role and hiring Tim Beck from New Mexico State to handle the offensive duties should result in a better coaching situation in '24.
Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com. Follow him on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .
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