In reverse order.

20. Ole Miss Rebels
The Rebels played a brutal schedule in 2013, but still finished with eight wins as head coach Hugh Freeze continues to build the program into a SEC West contender. This year they welcome back 15 starters, including quarterback Bo Wallace and their top two rushers. Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell had a nice freshman season, and on defense eight of the top nine tacklers are back. The schedule is manageable as well, as the Rebels avoid Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina from the SEC East and host both Alabama and Auburn. They have a chance to make some noise.

19. Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies salvaged a disappointing finish to 2013 with an exciting bowl win over Duke to finish No. 18. However, they face many questions in 2014 starting with who replaces Johnny Manziel at quarterback and Mike Evans at wide receiver. On the plus side, the Aggies do welcome back 15 starters, signed one of the best classes in school history and the defense should be much improved from last year with six of their top eight tacklers returning. The schedule is difficult, as they pull both Missouri and South Carolina from the SEC East and play both Alabama and Auburn on the road.

18. Missouri Tigers
Last year, the Tigers exceeded everyone's expectations by capturing the SEC East crown and each of their 12 wins came by double digits as they finished No. 5 in the country. They do only return nine starters but quarterback Maty Mauk got some added experience with James Franklin missing a couple of games last year. While it remains to be seen how long wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham will be suspended, the schedule sets up nicely for the Tigers. Missouri doesn't have to play Alabama, Auburn or LSU from the SEC West and its eight SEC foes went just a combined 24-40 in SEC play last year, making it the easiest slate for any SEC team.

13. LSU Tigers
Last year, LSU became the first team in SEC history to feature a 3,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. Unfortunately for them, all four of those skill-position players depart, but Tigers coach Les Miles is no stranger to replacing elite talent. This year he brought in the nation's No. 2 recruiting class highlighted by the best running back in Leonard Fournette and the best wide receiver in Malachi Dupre They also have seven returning starters on what figures to be an improved defense, as they returned just four starters a year ago. The schedule features a neutral-site game against Wisconsin in the opener, but they then have four straight home games. The SEC road slate is difficult with trips to Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M, but they do get Alabama at home and will be looking for their fifth-straight double-digit win season.

11. Georgia Bulldogs
Last year's injury-plagued season gave several Bulldogs players a jump-start for 2014. That includes quarterback Hutson Mason, who played much of the last three games with all-time SEC leader Aaron Murray out for the year. He will be surrounded by some of the best skill-position talent in the country, led by running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall, who both figure to be much healthier than a year ago.

After returning just three starters on defense last year, the Bulldogs have nine back on that side of the ball this year and will be much improved with new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, who did a great job at Florida State last year. The schedule has them hosting an inexperienced Clemson team in the opener and then they have two weeks to prep for the all-important game against South Carolina.

10. South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks are one of only three teams (Alabama and Oregon being the others) to finish in the top 10 in each of thepast three years. In 2014, they look poised for a fourth-straight top-10 finish as they welcome back 14 starters. While they will certainly miss quarterback Connor Shaw, replacement Dylan Thompson has plenty of experience filling in over the past couple of years and they also return one of the more underrated running backs in the country in Mike Davis. The defense does lose a likely top-three NFL draft pick in Jadeveon Clowney, but South Carolina has much more experience in its back seven on defense than it did a year ago.

The Gamecocks open up the season with a marquee home game against Texas A&M on Thursday, Aug. 28, and also host SEC East rivals Georgia and Missouri in September. They do pull Auburn from the SEC West and have to travel to Jordan-Hare while also having road trips to Florida and Clemson in November. However, they have won three of the last four against the Gators and have won five straight over their in-state rivals.

4. Auburn Tigers
The Tigers will want to prove that last year's remarkable run to the BCS Championship game wasn't a fluke -- and they are well-positioned to stay near the top. They return 14 starters, including eight on offense, led by quarterback Nick Marshall. Almost remarkably, Marshall will become the first two-year starting quarterback that Gus Malzahn has had at the college level (coordinator or head coach). They do have to replace running back Tre Mason, but return four of their top five running backs and their top four receivers.

The biggest question might be trying to navigate a tough schedule, as Auburn travels to Kansas State in nonconference action. The Tigers pull both Georgia and South Carolina from the SEC East and while they get LSU and Texas A&M at home, they do have to visit Tuscaloosa to take on the revenge-seeking Crimson Tide in the Iron Bowl. It will be some feat to maintain this ranking, but being a top-four team means more now.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide ended the 2013 season on a sour note, losing back-to-back games for the first time since 2008. However, they are well-positioned to return to the top in 2014, starting with head coach Nick Saban bringing in his third straight No. 1 recruiting class -- one that many analysts believe might be his best one yet.

The biggest questions will naturally be finding a replacement for three-year starting quarterback AJ McCarron and what type of adjustments there will be with new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. Whoever wins the quarterback job will have some of the best skill-position talent in the country surrounding him, led by running backs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry and wide receivers Amari Cooper and Christion Jones. The schedule features tough road trips to Ole Miss and LSU, but the Crimson Tide get the all-important revenge game against Auburn at home in the finale. Also noteworthy is the fact the Tide have not been an underdog in any game since the 2009 SEC Championship game, a span of 54 games!

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