The SEC has unveiled its highly anticipated 2024 football schedule, featuring a plethora of compelling matchups that fans are greatly looking forward to.
Notably, every SEC team will have the opportunity to face newcomers Oklahoma or Texas, while the Longhorns will reignite their contentious rivalry with Texas A&M for the first time since 2011.
The release of the schedule on brought excitement and speculation among fans and pundits alike. Some of the standout games include Alabama’s clash with Georgia, Georgia’s visit to Texas, and Oklahoma’s anticipated matchup against LSU.
Who's got the toughest slate in 2024? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/3iiUpB8Cne
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) June 14, 2023
One of the most highly anticipated games on the schedule is the meeting between perennial powerhouses Alabama and Georgia. Shockingly, these two dominant programs have faced each other in the regular season only five times in the past 20 years.
The two historic programs have captured five of the last eight college football national championships.
The long-awaited clash with Georgia is just one of many major challenges the Tide will face next year.. In fact, they will embark on arguably the toughest schedule in college football history.
“Alabama in 2024 is playing road games at Wisconsin, LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee. And Georgia at home. That’s … incredible.”
Alabama in 2024 is playing road games at Wisconsin, LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
And Georgia at home.
That’s … incredible.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 14, 2023
Last month, the SEC made significant changes to its scheduling format by eliminating divisions and approving a temporary eight-game conference schedule for the upcoming 2024 season.
However, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey indicated that the league will continue to explore scheduling options beyond 2024, hinting at the possibility of a return to a nine-game schedule in the future.
Sankey stated, “While we are excited about the upcoming season’s schedule, we remain committed to finding the optimal scheduling structure for the SEC. Our goal is to strike a balance that preserves the historic rivalries cherished by fans while also promoting competitive fairness and overall strength of the conference.”
The temporary eight-game conference schedule for 2024 will likely involve each team having only one permanent opponent, preserving cherished annual rivalries such as Alabama-Auburn and Florida-Georgia.
One of the most storied rivalries in college football, the Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas, will continue and remain a fixture in Dallas.
The Sooners 2024 schedule includes hosting formidable opponents like Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina, while also facing challenging away games against LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Missouri.
The Longhorns, on the other hand, will host Mississippi State, Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky, and will embark on road trips to face Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt.
The clash between Texas and Texas A&M, eagerly awaited since the Aggies’ departure for the SEC in 2012, promises to reignite the passions of fans.. The Longhorns currently hold a 76-37-5 lead in the historic series.
In determining the opponents for each team, tradition and overall schedule strength played significant roles, with the calculations based on each school’s conference winning percentage since 2012.