How will the 2024 SEC schedule release impact the 12-team playoff strucutre? A closer look at Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and more
There are a lot of changes coming to college football in 2024. The Southeastern Conference is adding the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners to the fray while the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams. The new SEC can really alter the landscape of the new playoff structure and this should be an interesting test for these top programs.
Based on their 2024 Conference schedules, we try and predict if these 3 teams will be able to contend for one of the 12 spots in the College Football Playoff.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs have an intriguing SEC schedule in 2024 as they are hosting the Tennessee Volunteers, Auburn Tigers, and Mississippi State Bulldogs. They are on the road to face the Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, Ole Miss Rebels, and Kentucky Wildcats as well as having a neutral site game against the Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Florida.
Georgia is entering 2023 after winning the previous two NCAA National Championships but have lost a lot of key players due to the NFL draft. They have a new quarterback in 2024 in Dylan Raiola that should help replace the loss of Stetson Bennett. They should definitely be in the hunt for one of the top 12 spots in the College Football Playoff.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide have no neutral site SEC games in 2024 and are looking to really take back control of the conference. They have a tough path though as they are traveling to take on the Tennessee Volunteers, LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, and Vanderbilt Commodores. They will be home to take on the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers, and South Carolina Gamecocks.
Alabama should have the answer to their quarterback crop by then and have prospect Julian Sayin entering the program. With the abolishment of the divisions in the SEC, they should be able to continue winning games and make the College Football Playoffs as a top 12 seed.
Texas Longhorns
Welcome to the SEC Texas! They have an interesting schedule to kick off this era of Longhorns football. They have a neutral site game against the other newcomer to the conference, the Oklahoma Sooners. They will be hosting the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats, and Mississippi State Bulldogs. Texas is on the road to take on the Texas A&M Aggies, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Vanderbilt Commodores.
Texas has an incredible roster heading into the 2023 season and whether they decide on Arch Manning or Quinn Ewers as their starting quarterback. Either way, they will be contending for the third spot in the SEC between Georgia and Alabama for the top of the conference.