1. Georgia - To be honest, Georgia and Texas were in a heated race for the No. 1 spot. The Bulldogs get the edge given Kirby Smart's SEC track record, the fact that Carson Beck looks like the conference's best starting quarterback and more consistency on defense. Speaking of defense, expect that unit to look similar to the one that absolutely thrashed opponents in 2021. Georgia is laden with veterans on both sides of the ball, and anything short of an SEC Championship Game appearance for this squad would be downright shocking.

2. Texas - If Georgia's explainer wasn't enough of a hint, we anticipate that Texas will acclimate well to its new digs. Steve Sarkisian has steadily built this roster into a powerhouse, and after a breakthrough run to the College Football Playoff last year, the bar is higher for this program than it has been since Colt McCoy was running the offense. Quinn Ewers has gotten better in each year as a starting quarterback. He's got a load of talent to work with on the offense, though much of it is comprised of transfers or former blue-chip prospects with little collegiate experience. The defense has some key areas to replace, notably both interior defensive line spots and both starting boundary cornerbacks, but there's reason to believe serviceable options will emerge.

3. Ole Miss - Is this the year Ole Miss finally breaks through? The Rebels have certainly flirted with SEC glory throughout Lane Kiffin's tenure, though Alabama has consistently served as a major barrier. Ole Miss can finally step out from behind Alabama's shadow now that divisions are a thing of the past and the Crimson Tide are nowhere to be seen on the 2024 schedule. In fact, Ole Miss' 2024 slate is so favorable that Kiffin absolutely loaded up on veteran transfer talent with his eyes on a deep run to the expanded College Football Playoff. Those newcomers, who could almost comprise an entirely fresh team on their own, need to jell in an actual game setting, but there's plenty there to work with here.

4. Alabama - If you haven't heard, things are quite different around Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban decided to hang it up after an illustrious 17 years at Alabama, making way for former Washington boss Kalen DeBoer. He inherits a tremendous roster that despite a handful of key transfer losses still has the makings of an SEC competitor. DeBoer also has a knack for getting the best out of his players, particularly quarterbacks, so Jalen Milroe is in line for a big year given his tremendous physical traits.

5. Missouri - This is Missouri's year to make some serious noise. The Tigers will only benefit from the Brady Cook-Luther Burden connection for so long. The former could work his way into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, while the latter will almost certainly be a top-15 pick. Mizzou does immediately have to replace five defenders that were selected in the 2024 draft. Fresh additions like five-star freshman defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri will have to come along quickly to plug the gaps on that side of the ball.

6. Tennessee - It's Nico time in Tennessee. After sitting behind Joe Milton for a majority of his freshman season and winning Citrus Bowl Bowl MVP honors in his first career start, Nico Iamaleava is gliding into the 2024 season as Tennessee's unquestioned starter at quarterback. An experienced offensive line that returns three starters, a backfield paced by Dylan Sampson and a wide receiver corps featuring six players with at least three years of collegiate experience will help him overcome any early growing pains. Keep an eye on Tennessee's defense; it's quietly gotten better every year under Josh Heupel. With a deep rotation along the line and an edge rusher like James Pearce Jr. wreaking havoc in opposing backfields, this group might take its biggest leap yet.

7. LSU - Replacing a Heisman Trophy winner is hard. Replacing a Heisman Trophy winner with a guy that has just one start in three years at LSU would normally cause some consternation. But, man, it's really hard not to be excited about Garrett Nussmeier. Through the few tantalizing glimpses we've gotten of him since he signed with the Tigers in 2021, Nussmeier seems to have all of the tools to succeed at this level. He has a great frame, poise, immense arm strength and accuracy at every level. Nussmeier love aside, LSU's ceiling is significantly lowered by a defense that constantly let it down last season and faces some major questions ahead of the 2024 season.

8. Oklahoma - There are two primary reasons for concern as Oklahoma transitions into the SEC: It will be breaking in a brand new starting quarterback in sophomore Jackson Arnold, and it has to replace five offensive linemen with starting experience. While the Sooners have done well addressing their OL needs via the portal, fielding an entirely new unit while moving to a league like the SEC certainly isn't ideal. Having Arnold take his first consistent snaps -- outside of a bowl game -- behind that line certainly complicates things. On the other side of the ball, Oklahoma might have one of the SEC's deepest defensive units, so Arnold shouldn't be tasked with digging the Sooners out of too many holes.

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