Takeaways from the SEC's 2024 schedule release: Georgia, Alabama net tough draws, Oklahoma set for a Year 1 gauntlet, other winners & losers

Earlier this month, Greg Sankey took an ‘L’ in Destin when the SEC’s commissioner was unable to convince the majority of the league’s school presidents to favor a nine-game schedule in 2024 once Oklahoma and Texas join in the conference.

But with the official release of each team’s eight-game slate Wednesday evening, Sankey & Co., rebounded to make chicken salad out of a messy situation. 

Like a bowl full of tarragon, breasts, mayo and celery, the current format — no divisions, eight games vs. conference foes and one mandated non-conference game against a Power 5 school — isn’t anyone’s first choice, but it’ll be tolerable for a season or two. 

The league lived up to its promise that it would protect most permanent and secondary rivalries, with marquee games like Alabama–Tennessee, Georgia–Auburn and Alabama-LSU still on the schedule. 

We get Texas-Texas A&M again! Yay! And awesome new games like Tennessee going to Oklahoma and Georgia making its first trip to Texas in 66 years. We also get the return of other old rivalries like Mizzou-OU, which have played 96 times as previous conference foes.

Every existing SEC school will play either Texas or OU — home or away — in 2024, creating lots of fresh matchups. The league determined each school’s opponents based on two primary factors: Traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength, going back to a school’s conference winning percentage since the last round of expansion in 2012. 

Here are five takeaways from the SEC’s 2024 schedule release Wednesday:

WELCOME TO THE BIG LEAGUES BOYS

Oklahoma and Texas both have marquee games against some of the SEC’s preeminent programs, but at first glance, the Longhorns have a much more manageable conference slate in Year 1 compared to their former Big 12 brethren. 

Texas does have a very hard non-con road game at Michigan next season, but at least its SEC away dates are mostly navigable: Arkansas and Vandy. The Longhorns then draw UGA (could we see Arch Manning vs. Dylan Raiola???), Florida, Kentucky and Mississippi State at home. Red River remains a neutral site affair. 

Meanwhile, it would behoove Brent Venables to stack some wins this fall because the Sooners will play a gauntlet in their first season in the SEC. They have road games at LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss, while hosting both Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina (a fun Shane Beamer storyline reunion). That’s a tough, tough draw for a team used to beating up on the Kansases and West Virginias of the Big 12. 

NO ONE WILL BE DAWG’ING GEORGIA’S 2024 SCHEDULE

The two-time national champion Bulldogs drew one of the tougher slates Wednesday, maintaining their rivalries with Florida, Auburn and Tennessee, while adding away games vs. Alabama and Texas, among others. 

With a season-opener against Clemson, UGA could face as many as four top-10 teams in 2024. One remaining irony about Georgia’s schedule: The Bulldogs will have played at Texas before ever making a trip to Texas A&M. 

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

Nick Saban flipped his longtime stance on a nine-game conference schedule because Alabama’s head coach didn’t want to play Auburn, Tennessee and LSU on an annual basis. 

And while the GOAT might’ve won the current battle on the nine vs. eight debate, be careful what you wish for? 

The Tide are in for a bunch of wars in 2024, as they still play all three rivals — at LSU and Tennessee, home vs. Auburn — while adding a road game at Oklahoma and hosting Georgia. They do get Vandy, Missouri and South Carolina, but overall, that’s arguably as tough a slate as they’ll play his fall — perhaps even harder considering Auburn and Oklahoma should be better a year from now. 

OTHER WINNERS & LOSERS OF THE 2024 DRAW

If Brian Kelly doesn’t lead LSU to the College Football Playoff this fall, he has a very favorable schedule to do so next season — especially in a 12-team playoff format. 

Similarly, Auburn (four winnable home games + road dates at UK and Missouri) looks set up for a potential Year 2 leap under Hugh Freeze if the roster continues to improve. Who knows what’s going to happen at Texas A&M this fall, but if Jimbo Fisher is still around next year, then he could be positioned for his best season since the 2020 COVID year. The Aggies don’t play Georgia or Alabama, and they get Texas and LSU at home. 

Both Arkansas and Missouri (no Georgia or Tennessee but games still vs. Vandy, South Carolina and Kentucky) have to feel decent about their draws, too. 

Conversely, Kentucky (Out: Mississippi State and Missouri, In: Auburn, Texas and Ole Miss) and Florida (LSU, Texas A&M, UGA, Tennessee and Texas) are set for much tougher schedules a year from now. 

Billy Napier is banking on 2024 being the ascendant season for his program, but with that slate — plus non-con games vs. Florida State and Miami — they’re going to have to really earn it if that is going to come to fruition. 

WHAT’S MISSING?

It would’ve been nice to see Florida trade an opponent like Texas A&M for Auburn, a former longtime rival that’s gone away in recent years. It’s also strange not to see South Carolina vs. Georgia, but I doubt too many Gamecock fans are complaining. 

Same for Mississippi State faithful, who likely aren’t too upset about not playing Alabama for the first time in forever.