Many SEC college football fans believe the Georgia Bulldogs still should have made last year’s College Football Playoff.
In 2024, the big question will be how many SEC teams will make it?
The Athletic’s preeminent college football expert Bruce Feldman has dropped his initial 2024 College Football Playoff predictions, and the Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns, Ole Miss Rebels, and Alabama Crimson Tide make the cut.
Georgia survives a “murderous schedule” to prevail as SEC champions and secure the No. 2 seed (and the all important first-round bye) behind the No. 1 seed Ohio State Buckeyes.
Even though Feldman points out the “murderous schedule,” he writes, “Georgia is too deep and too talented not to make it deep into the postseason.” The Sporting News’ Bill Bender only has the Bulldogs’ schedule as the seventh toughest.
Texas just misses out on a bye as the No. 5 seed (presumably losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship game) and has a favorable matchup against the No. 12 seed Memphis Tigers.
“The Longhorns came within one play of making the title game last year,” Feldman notes. “Don’t be surprised if they get there this season.”
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Ole Miss has a primetime matchup as the No.7 seed against the No. 10 seed Penn State Nittany Lions. Now that would be electric at “The Vaught” with both fans enjoying an epic tailgate scene at “The Grove.”
“A 10-2 season seems very realistic,” says Feldman. (Of course Feldman has much deeper analysis in his story.)
But the most epic matchup is Alabama, the No. 9 seed, heading to Notre Dame to face the No. 8 seed Fighting Irish. Can you imagine the hype and ratings for that game alone?
First-year Bama head coach Kalen DeBoer and Tide fans would be ecstatic with making the CFP 12, and then to travel to “The House that Rockne Built,” that would be a dream scenario.
“Kalen DeBoer led Washington to the national title game only two years removed from a 4-8 Huskies campaign,” asserts Feldman. “Now, he has an even bigger challenge: replacing Nick Saban. Jalen Milroe had a fantastic second half of last season. DeBoer has raved about his new QB’s work ethic. If Milroe can continue to blossom, he could become an even bigger problem for opposing defenses.”
There are so many intriguing storylines for the SEC in 2024. Now the line has been drawn. Four teams will make the CFP 12.