The SEC is the most competitive conference in college football and will likely have multiple playoff teams at the end of the 2024 season. The Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide will be looking to repeat their success in 2023, while the Georgia Bulldogs will be out for revenge.
Several teams are in play to be named the best in the conference, but who tops our 2024 SEC Power Rankings in preseason?
2024 SEC Power Rankings
The SEC Power Rankings have expanded to 16 teams following the transition of Texas and Oklahoma. Coaching, players, depth, and schedule are all considered to create the preseason power rankings.
16) Vanderbilt Commodores
Perennially the SEC’s bottom-ranked team, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Vanderbilt ranked last in the SEC again heading into 2024. After a 2-10 season — finishing 0-8 in conference play — Clark Lea hasn’t been able to kick the Commodores on, and there have been key roster losses heading into the new season.
A.J. Swann, Will Sheppard, London Humphreys, and Jayden McGowan have departed via the transfer portal, meaning another difficult year could be ahead in Nashville.
15) Arkansas Razorbacks
Sam Pittman is likely coaching for his job in 2024. However, with QB KJ Jefferson and RB Raheim “Rocket” Sanders transferring out of Fayetteville, it isn’t obvious where the jump in performance will come from.
The Arkansas roster has regressed on paper on both sides, and while Bobby Petrino enters as the new offensive coordinator, he will have his work cut out if the Razorbacks are to make any noise in the SEC.
14) Mississippi State Bulldogs
2024 will be a transition year for the Bulldogs, with Jeff Lebby appointed as the new head coach. He has the offensive mind to be successful. However, he needs to be afforded time to implement his approach.
This season could be difficult for the Bulldogs, resulting in their low position in our SEC Power Rankings. Nevertheless, some transfer portal additions, including QB Blake Shapen, should make the offense more interesting to watch than in 2023.
13) Florida Gators
Billy Napier is well and truly on the hot seat after two consecutive losing seasons with the Gators. There need to be signs of progression if the Florida HC is to keep his job past another season. However, it is difficult to see a path forward.
The 2024 Florida schedule is challenging, with Miami, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State all on the calendar. There are no gimmes on the fixture list, and things continue to look gloomy in Gainsville.
12) South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina had a disappointing season in 2023, finishing 5-7 after loading up on talent. In 2024, they lose QB Spencer Rattler to the NFL Draft, replacing him with likely starter LeNorris Sellers. The Gamecocks have been active in the transfer portal again, making a major move for Arkansas running back Sanders.
South Carolina needs to start showing signs that they are ascending in 2024. Their placing in our SEC Power Rankings is a “believe it when we see it” situation.
11) Kentucky Wildcats
Mark Stoops has found ways to win consistently with Kentucky, but the SEC schedule doesn’t get any easier. QB Brock Vandagriff is a high-profile transfer portal addition from Georgia, but there is an air of hesitation about the Wildcats heading into 2024.
With high-profile games against Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas, the schedule will be hard to navigate for Kentucky. Expansion adds competition for a team that has become used to contending amongst the “best of the rest.”
10) Auburn Tigers
Auburn has been treading water in the SEC recently, but they showed some sign of life last year. The Tigers went 6-7 in 2023, but have shown signs of promise under HC Hugh Freeze.
In 2024, Auburn needs to start winning conference games and show more urgency in their offense, but it looks like an uphill struggle on The Plains.
9) Texas A&M Aggies
A new era begins in College Station as Mike Elko moves over from Duke to take the helm for the Aggies. Moreover, several high-profile players left the program after Jimbo Fisher’s departure, impacting starting talent and roster depth.
MORE: Every Player Transferring In or Out of the SEC in 2024
Undoubtedly, 2024 is a transition year for Texas A&M. However, Elko knows how to maximize talent and has a chance to hit the ground running. If he does, the team could climb our SEC Power Rankings as the season progresses.
8) Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma begins life in the SEC in 2024 with some turnover. The Sooners will have a new offensive and defensive coordinator while starting a new quarterback — Jackson Arnold — following Dillon Gabriel’s transfer portal departure.
What Oklahoma will look like at the start of the 2024 season is uncertain. They will surely throw the ball at a high volume under OC Seth Littrell, but a complete revamping of the offensive line could throw up some hiccups early.
7) LSU Tigers
The big question ahead of the 2024 season is, can LSU replace their Heisman Trophy-winning QB Jayden Daniels? They believe they have his successor in place in Garrett Nussmeier, but the losses of dynamic WRs Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. will also be felt.
There will also be changes on the defensive side after a poor showing in 2023. Blake Baker moves over from Missouri to become the Tigers’ DC, as HC Brian Kelly looks to build. There are a lot of unknowns around the Baton Rouge program right now, but they certainly have the talent to succeed.
6) Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers lost QB Joe Milton to the NFL Draft, but Nico Iamaleava looks like a more than adequate replacement. The future starting QB balled out in the Vols’ Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa and has the Rocky Top faithful excited for the 2024 season.
There is also a lot to like on the defensive side of the ball, which was much improved in 2023. If pass rusher James Pearce can be as effective as last season, then Tennessee could be one of the top teams in the SEC in 2024.
5) Missouri Tigers
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz has Missouri rolling. The Tigers are looking to build coming off an 11-win season, and it looks like they are here to stay.
MORE: 2024 SEC Transfer Portal Rankings
The connection between QB Brady Cook and WR Luther Burden III was deadly in 2023, and Missouri has only added to its quality ahead of the 2024 season. Cayden Green, Darris Smith, and Toriano Pride were exciting pick-ups to bolster Missouri’s chances.
4) Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin (or should we call him Portal King) has worked his magic on the Rebels’ 2024 roster. Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen, and Juice Wells are some of the valuable talents added to the Oxford program this offseason.
The buzz and expectation around Ole Miss haven’t been larger under Kiffin’s stewardship as they look to make noise in the SEC and enter the expanded playoff format.
3) Texas Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns move to the SEC as a revitalized program. After making the playoffs for the first time, the services of starting QB Quinn Ewers have been retained, while star wide receiver Isaiah Bond transfers over from Alabama.
Although Texas’ star receiving core of Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell, and Ja’Tavion Sanders are heading to the NFL, they have done a good job replacing them with Bond and Houston WR Matthew Golden as they look to hit the ground running in 2024.
2) Alabama Crimson Tide
Nick Saban’s retirement sent shockwaves through the football world, and losing the greatest college coach of all time is a blow. However, Kalen DeBoer comes over from the Washington Huskies having guided the team to the National Championship Game.
We have yet to witness what the Alabama Crimson Tide will look like under De Boer or if there will be a drop-off. However, we know that Alabama is stacked with talent, has the cornerstones to challenge in the expanded 2024 College Football Playoff, and opens the campaign ranked highly in our SEC Power Rankings.
1) Georgia Bulldogs
Finishing the 2023 season 13-1 and missing the playoffs because of a lone loss in the SEC Championship Game to Alabama, the Georgia Bulldogs will be out for revenge in 2024.
MORE: 2024 SEC Weekly Football Schedule
The Bulldogs open their season against the Clemson Tigers, and their schedule doesn’t get any easier against the loaded SEC. However, this is what they are built for. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has become a perennial contender, and QB Carson Beck’s return has them set on yet another title charge.
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!