Hello everyone and welcome back to another installment of Last Word On College Football preseason predictions. We’ve already covered the ACC, Big 12, and Big 10 which leaves one league. Of course, it’s the SEC where “It just means more.” As you are well aware Oklahoma and Texas joined the league for 2024. With that, the divisions are no more. This is the first time since 1991 that there won’t be divisions in the league. Under the new setup, the top two teams meet in Atlanta on December 7th to see who gets the bid to the College Football Playoff. We asked our writers to rank the schools 1-16 and let’s start counting them down from first to worst with our Last Word 2023 SEC Predictions.
How Our Staff Thinks The Season Will Play Out
Who Is The Champion?
Last Word SEC Predictions- First Place Votes In Parenthesis
- Georgia: 174 (9)
- Texas: 162 (2)
- Alabama: 141
- LSU: 132
- Ole Miss: 125
- Tennessee: 111
- Missouri: 108
- Oklahoma: 100
- Kentucky: 81
- Florida: 74
- Auburn: 74
- Texas A&M: 73
- South Carolina: 49
- Arkansas: 40
- Mississippi State: 35
- Vanderbilt: 30
The Contenders
As you can see only two schools got first-place votes, Georgia and Texas. The Bulldogs were no lower than second on any ballot while the Longhorns were as low as fifth. Still stinging from last year’s loss in the SEC title game and missing out on the playoff, Kirby Smart’s club is the odds-on favorite to win the league.
As a result of losing their top two running backs Christian Clark and CJ Baxter to injury, there’s more pressure on Quinn Ewers to put up big numbers in 2024.
The Nick Saban era is over in Tuscaloosa as he’s joined ESPN’s College Gameday crew. Kalen DeBoer left Washington for Alabama and our voters don’t expect any drop-off as the Crimson Tide finished third in our balloting. In fact, they were pretty consistent finishing no lower than seventh.
Right behind them is former SEC West mate LSU. Brian Kelly’s team lost quite a few skill players including Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. However, led by new quarterback Garrett Nussmeier our writers think they’ve restocked enough to make some noise in the SEC.
Continuing with our Last Word 2024 SEC Predictions let’s move to the next four teams who just missed the top of the chart.
Dark Horse Candidates
Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss squad brought the top class through the transfer portal. They also have a returning star quarterback in Jaxson Dart. While our preseason bowl projections have the Rebels as a playoff team, some of our writers aren’t convinced. An 11th and 12th place pick slid Ole Miss down to fifth.
When you think of Tennessee the first thing that comes to mind is Josh Heupel’s high-octane offense. However, they have a potential number one draft pick on defense in James Pearce Jr. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was MVP of the Vols’ Citrus Bowl blowout of Iowa, returns to spearhead that attack.
Missouri won 11 games a season ago and beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. While they are considered a dark horse playoff candidate in 2024, our staff isn’t convinced. In fact, they landed 11th and 13th by our writers. Taking it a step further one placed them dead last (16th.) Most likely that’s not happening but it’s interesting to see how people view teams differently.
It’s hard to believe no one talks about Oklahoma being near the top of the SEC. But the Sooners are not only breaking in a new quarterback but two new coordinators as well. Throw in six of OU’s eight SEC games against the top 15 teams it’s easy to see why they are picked in the middle of the road in the league.
We have eight teams down and eight to go with our 2024 Last Word 2024 SEC Predictions.
Looking To Play Spoiler
With Saban’s retirement, Mark Stoops becomes the league’s elder statesman. His twelfth Kentucky team has a new quarterback in former Georgia signal caller Brock Vandagriff. In addition, they boast one of the best defenses in the league behind All-American candidates Deone Walker and Maxwell Hairston. UK could be a surprise team.
According to numerous experts, Florida has the most difficult schedule in the history of college football. Or at least the last five games that go to Georgia, at Texas. LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State. The tough schedule didn’t faze one of our writers who has Billy Napier’s club finishing second to Georgia.
Payton Thorne leads an Auburn team hoping to improve on last year’s 6-7 season under Hugh Freeze. As a result of Florida getting a higher overall selection, they get the tiebreaker over the Tigers.
Jimbo Fisher is gone from Texas A&M and Mike Elko is the new man in charge. They also lost their top running back Rueben Owens most likely for the season to a foot injury. The Aggies have a very talented quarterback in Conner Weigman and hope to surprise some folks in 2024.
Let’s wrap up our Last Word 2024 SEC Predictions with a look at the teams picked at the bottom of the league.
Definite Work To Do
Heading into 2023 South Carolina was a trendy pick to make noise in the SEC. It didn’t happen as the Gamecocks were hit with injuries and finished 5-7. Our Last Word writers aren’t too keen on their chances this year as the highest selection they received was ninth.
Sam Pittman’s Arkansas squad finished 4-8 last year and 1-7 in the conference. At least in the preseason things don’t look better for 2024.
Mississippi State missed a bowl game for the first time since 2009. Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby was brought in to help revitalize the offense. However numerous questions on defense likely prevent the Bulldogs from improving much this year.
Unlike the “official” SEC predictions Vanderbilt did not get two first-place votes. In fact, they were last on nine ballots and 14th and 15th on the other two. It looks like another long year for Clark Lea in Nashville.
That’s our 2024 SEC Predictions here at Last Word On College Football. Who’s ranked too high or low? We’d love to hear your reaction on our X page.
