By Chris Marler
16 – Mississippi State
No team in America has gone through what Mississippi State has gone through over the last 20 months as a program. The tragic passing of Mike Leach followed by the Zach Arnett era lasting less than one full season.
15 – Vandy
Should they be No. 16 in this Power Ranking? Probably. But let’s give Vandy an early season win. Those things are more precious than gold. Or Clark Lea hair follicles.
14 – Arkansas
We are all pulling for Sam Pittman because he’s the most likable coach in college football. But the outlook is bleak heading into 2024. A lot of their success will depend on new QB Taylen Green and the return of their “new” OC Bobby Petrino aka, The Prodigal Scum.
13 – Florida
From a talent standpoint, Florida should be higher, but in the words of Lil Wayne, that schedule is tougher than Nigerian hair. Like so tough that you can’t convince me Kirby Smart didn’t make the schedule. They do have the most underrated QB in the SEC in Graham Mertz. And is anyone else picking up a quiet confidence in Gainesville?
12- Auburn
Auburn will have the most improved position unit of any team in college football this year with their new and improved wide receiver corps. However, as everyone in the country besides Auburn fans already knows, you don’t get actual wins for “playing UGA and Bama closer than anyone else last season.”
11 – South Carolina
South Carolina has a ton of question marks at receiver and a new face with four eyes at QB. The offensive line should be much improved. They got former All-SEC RB Rocket Sanders in the portal, and they may have a Top 5 defense in the league when all is said and done this year.
10 – Kentucky
Kentucky dipped into the portal for a QB again, but this one might end up being the best of the bunch. Kentucky QBs have combined for 35 INTs over the last three years which is the most in the SEC. However, two UGA transfers should be massive difference makers for the Cats. Former five-star Brock Vandagriff steps in at QB, and LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson is the only new face in the front seven that returns 6 starters.
9 – Texas A&M
Texas A&M begins their first season in the Mike Elko era and their first steps to financial freedom after paying Jimbo Fisher to take his Cheesecake Factory menu length playbook with him. The Aggies’ season is bookended with home games versus Top 10 opponents, but there’s still plenty of talent on the roster including QB Conner Weigman who is getting first round buzz.
8 – Oklahoma
Greg Sankey didn’t do the Sooners any favors with their schedule, and All-Big 12 QB Dillon Gabriel is gone. However, this is a roster loaded with talent and a program that has won 10+ games in 19 of the last 24 years. They expect to win in Norman.
7 – Missouri
Maybe Missouri should be higher on the list considering they play the easiest schedule in the conference. Their 2024 schedule ranks 127th in the country for combined win percentage a season ago. No other team in the SEC ranks below 68th in that metric. There is a ton of talent returning on offense, but as great as that 11-win season was a year ago let’s, not forget that Drink had three straight losing seasons in CoMo before that.
6 – LSU
Having two first round WRs and a Heisman Trophy winning QB still result in a three-loss regular season will probably haunt Brian Kelly and LSU fans for a while. Having the 118th ranked pass defense in the country will do that. To BK’s credit, he did everything he possibly could to correct that this offseason. He hired five new defensive assistants including DL coach Bo Davis from Texas and defensive coordinator Blake Baker from Mizzou.
5 – Tennessee
I may regret this because almost ALL of the stock I’m buying in this team is because of a new starting QB whose last name I can’t spell or pronounce. That being said, I believe that former five star, Nico I——–a is going to be the real deal. And he has quite possibly the deepest receiving corps that Tennessee has had since the late 90’s.
4 – Alabama
Alabama begins the post-Nick Saban era with a ton of new faces after losing 41 players to the portal. The schedule features five Top 16 teams including No. 1 UGA and trips to Knoxville, Norman, Death Valley, and Madison, WI. Still, the starting 11 on both sides is absolutely loaded, and the offense should put up big numbers in Kalen Deboer’s system.
3 – Ole Miss
Lane Kiffin enters 2024 with the most talented roster of his tenure. The self-proclaimed Portal King has a third-year starting QB, endless talent at the skill positions and line of scrimmage players that should actually be able to compete with the elite teams in the league and country. The schedule is very manageable with most of their tough games at home.
2 – Texas
Texas lost 11 players to the draft last season and has lost their top two running backs in a matter of days this preseason. The fact that they’re still No. 2 in the power rankings should tell you two things: 1.) the roster is absolutely loaded (especially on offense) and, 2.) their schedule is so easy Sark and Co. could sleepwalk to double digit wins.
1 – UGA
They have the best coach in college football. They have the best coaching staff in college football. Many NFL scouts think they have the best QB in college football. And, they no longer have to face Nick Saban. UGA is going to be scary this year for a number of reasons. Of course there’s talent everywhere, but it’s also a year that Kirby Smart and the Dawgs will have a massive chip on their shoulder knowing that they were probably three points away from a three peat a season ago. Not this year.
