With the release of its 2024 conference opponents, the SEC provided a glimpse into what its future holds in the first season with Texas and Oklahoma as members. The SEC made a point to ensure that every current member of the conference will play either the Longhorns or Sooners during the duo's inaugural season, which will go a long way towards solidifying them as part of the league.
Oklahoma has a monster slate that includes trips to LSU and Auburn, a home date against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide and only three home games thanks to the neutral site Red River Showdown with Texas. The Longhorns, on the other hand, draw Vanderbilt as one of their three true road games, and their only truly daunting home game is against two-time defending champion Georgia.
There are several current members of the conference that should be jumping for joy. LSU and Arkansas have relatively manageable slates, and the two Mississippi schools don't play either of their neighbors out of the state of Alabama.
With the opponents for the 2024 season officially on the books, let's rank every team's schedule from toughest to easiest.
1. Oklahoma
2024 opponents: Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (in Dallas) | at Auburn, at LSU, at Missouri, at Ole Miss
Get ready, Sooners. Your first trip through the SEC gauntlet is going to be a monster. Two of their three true home games are against teams that hit the double-digit win mark in 2022 (Alabama and Tennessee), and they have to travel to three raucous road atmospheres (LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss). When you throw in the fact that coach Brent Venables had an extremely underwhelming debut in 2022, things might get sketchy.
2. Auburn
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 31.3%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 45.2%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 53.3%
2024 opponents: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt | at Alabama, at Georgia, at Kentucky, at Missouri
The Tigers currently have to play rivals Alabama and Georgia on the road during even-numbered years, so their road presence on the 2024 schedule isn't exactly a shock. However, the big news is that they're the only SEC team to have that distinguished (sarcasm intended) honor when the Longhorns and Sooners join.
3. Florida
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 31.3%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 57.1%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 60.0%
2024 opponents: Georgia (in Jacksonville), Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M | at Mississippi State, at Tennessee, at Texas
The current SEC West (which will disappear in 2024) is generally regarded as the deeper of the two divisions. On that note, the Gators won't play current SEC East foes Vanderbilt, Missouri or South Carolina -- none of which are real contenders under the current formate. One of the Gators' four road games is the neutral site game vs. Georgia, so that helps a little bit but not a lot.
4. Georgia
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 100%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 90.2%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 79.8%
2024 opponents: Auburn, Florida (in Jacksonville), Mississippi State, Tennessee | at Alabama, at Kentucky, at Ole Miss, at Texas
The two-time reigning national champions have established a dynasty, but the 2024 season is going to be a tough test if it wants to keep that train headed down the right track. The Bulldogs play Alabama and Texas on the road, and one of their home games is a neutral-site game vs. Florida. Throw in a traditional SEC East showdown with Tennessee, and the Bulldogs will have their work cut out for them.
5. Tennessee
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 62.5%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 47.6%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 34.4%
2024 opponents: Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State | at Arkansas, at Georgia, at Oklahoma, at Vanderbilt
The Volunteers will take on SEC monsters Alabama and Georgia, the second of which will be on the road. They also travel to Norman in a rematch of a home-and-home series that took place from 2014-15. However, they do get Vanderbilt on the road, which makes things a little more tolerable.
6. Vanderbilt
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 12.5%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 14.6%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 23.6%
2024 opponents: Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas | at Auburn, at LSU, at Kentucky, at Missouri
The Commodores don't get to play themselves, so that in and of itself makes this harder than several other teams in the conference. On top of that, they play Alabama, Tennessee, LSU and Auburn -- the latter two on the road. It's already hard enough for Clark Lea's crew to win at a consistent level, and the SEC scheduling department didn't exactly help the 'Dores out.
7. Mississippi State
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 50.0%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 42.9%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 46.6%
2024 opponents: Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Texas A&M | at Georgia, at Ole Miss, at Tennessee, at Texas
The Bulldogs' home slate isn't terrible, but their road games are just brutal. The Egg Bowl, plus Texas, Georgia and Tennessee -- the latter two of which were double-digit win teams from 2022 -- are all away from home. Mississippi State will likely need to run the table at home to finish .500 within the conference.
8. Alabama
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 81.3%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 88.1%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 88.8%
2024 opponents: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina | at LSU, at Oklahoma, at Tennessee, at Vanderbilt
The Crimson Tide draw Georgia, but it's in the friendly confines of Bryant-Denny Stadium. They've typically struggled against Auburn on the road, but the Iron Bowl will be played in Tuscaloosa as well. However, they will head to Neyland Stadium to play rival Tennessee, Death Valley to play LSU and Norman to play Oklahoma in a rematch of the 2018 Orange Bowl national semifinal.
9. Texas A&M
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 37.5%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 56.1%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 53.9%
2024 opponents: Arkansas (in Arlington), LSU, Missouri, Texas | at Auburn, at Florida, at Mississippi State, at South Carolina
The home game against rival Texas will be the most anticipated showdown of the year. There's no doubt about that. The Aggies draw Mississippi State, Florida and South Carolina as three of their road games, which isn't exactly a gauntlet. However, they only have three true home games since their fourth is the neutral-site game vs. Arkansas.
10. Kentucky
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 50.0%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 47.6%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 35.6%
2024 opponents: Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Vanderbilt | at Florida, at Ole Miss, at Tennessee, at Texas
This is a middle-of-the-road schedule, and for good reason. The Wildcats have to play Georgia, Tennessee and Texas -- the latter two coming on the road. However, they drew Vanderbilt at home and, as we all know, the Commodores aren't exactly known as an SEC power. This is a schedule that should result in a decent bowl game for Mark Stoops' crew.
11. Missouri
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 37.5%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 42.9%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 45.6%
2024 opponents: Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt | at Alabama, at Mississippi State, at South Carolina, at Texas A&M
A road game against Alabama is never easy, but the rest of the docket is somewhat manageable. A game against Vanderbilt is always a plus, and a road trip to Mississippi State -- cowbells and all -- isn't the toughest task in the world. Missouri has a chance to make a decent bowl game with this group.
12. South Carolina
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 43.8%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 38.1%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 44.4%
2024 opponents: LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri, Texas A&M | at Alabama, at Kentucky, at Oklahoma, at Vanderbilt
The Gamecocks have a mixed bag of sorts. Drawing Alabama on the road is never easy, but that is somewhat canceled out with a road game against Vanderbilt. They get LSU and current permanent rival Texas A&M at home, but have to travel to Oklahoma. This one is going to be quite a roller coaster for Gamecock fans and coach Shane Beamer.
13. Ole Miss
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 62.5%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 41.5%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 43.8%
2024 opponents: Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State Oklahoma | at Arkansas, at Florida, at LSU, at South Carolina
The Rebels avoid Alabama and Auburn and will host the Egg Bowl against rival Mississippi State. What's more, they get to take on newcomer Oklahoma inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The road test vs. LSU in the Magnolia Bowl is always tough, and a road trip to the Swamp to take on Florida is always tricky.
14. LSU
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 56.3%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 64.3%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 64.4%
2024 opponents: Alabama, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt | at Arkansas, at Florida, at South Carolina, at Texas A&M
The Tigers get the "Vanderbilt bump" and a showdown with Alabama inside Death Valley. The rivalry game at Florida is somewhat daunting, but the other three road games should -- based on recent history -- be wins for coach Brian Kelly's crew. This is a slate that will likely land LSU in the SEC Championship Game as one of the top two teams in the conference.
15. Texas
2024 opponents: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas) | at Texas A&M, at Arkansas, at Vanderbilt
We are all excited about the rekindled rivalry between the Longhorns and Aggies, and the fact that it'll be on the road will make it an even tougher test for coach Steve Sarkisian's crew. However, the other two true road games -- Arkansas and Vanderbilt -- more than make up for it. The Horns get Georgia at home, but their other three home games will likely be winnable.
16. Arkansas
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2021: 43.8%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2018: 23.8%
- SEC regular-season win percentage since 2012: 25.6%
2024 opponents: LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M (in Arlington) | at Auburn, at Mississippi State, at Missouri
Razorback fans have been convinced that the SEC scheduling department has been out to get them for the better part of a decade, but that isn't the case this time around. The Razorbacks only have three true road games due to the fact that their neutral-site matchup vs. Texas A&M will come at AT&T Stadium, and the trip to Auburn is the toughest true road matchup. Tennessee and Texas at home aren't great, but this slate is far better than what the Hogs usually face.
