SEC post-spring power rankings: Georgia fends Texas off for No. 1 spot, Alabama lands outside top three

1 To be honest, Georgia and Texas were in a tight race for first place. The Bulldogs have the advantage due to Kirby Smart’s track record in the SEC, the fact that Carson Beck looks like the best starting quarterback in the conference and more consistency on defense. Speaking of defense, expect this unit to be similar to the one that utterly crushed opponents in 2021. Georgia is loaded with veterans on both sides of the ball, and anything short of an SEC Championship Game appearance for this team would be downright shocking . two If Georgia’s explainer wasn’t enough of a hint, we predict Texas will adapt well to its new digs. Steve Sarkisian has steadily turned this squad 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 improved every year as the starting quarterback. He has a lot of talent to work with on offense, although much of it is made up of transfers or former blue-chip players with little college experience. The defense has some key areas to replace, particularly the interior defensive line spots and the two starting cornerbacks, but there is reason to believe useful options will emerge. 3 Will this be the year Ole Miss finally emerges? The Rebels certainly flirted with SEC glory during Lane Kiffin’s tenure, although Alabama consistently served as a major roadblock. 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 roster is just as favorable that Kiffin stocked up on veteran transfer talent with his sights set on expanding the College Football Playoff. These newcomers, who could almost form an entirely new team on their own, have to adapt to a real game setting, but there’s a lot to work with here. 4 If you haven’t heard, things are very different in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban decided to call it quits after 17 illustrious years at Alabama, paving the way for former Washington boss Kalen DeBoer. He inherits a tremendous lineup that, despite some major transfer losses, still has the makings of an SEC contender. DeBoer also has a knack for getting the best out of his players, especially defenders, so Jalen Milroe is in line for a big year given his tremendous physical traits. 5 This is Missouri’s year to make a lot of noise. The Tigers will only benefit from the Brady Cook-Luther Burden connection for so long. The first could reach the first round of 2025 NFL Draft, while the latter will almost certainly be a top-15 pick. Mizzou will have to immediately replace five defensemen who were selected in the 2024 draft. New additions like five-star freshman defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri will have to step up quickly to fill the gaps on that side of the ball. 6 It’s Nico time in Tennessee. After sitting behind Joe Milton for most of his freshman season and earning Citrus Bowl MVP honors in his first career start, Nico Iamaleava is entering the 2024 season as Tennessee’s unquestioned starter at quarterback. An experienced offensive line that returns three starters, a backfield led by Dylan Sampson and a wide receiver corps with six players with at least three years of college experience will help it overcome any early growing pains. He keeps an eye on the Tennessee defense; he has quietly improved 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 could make its biggest leap yet. 7 Replacing a Heisman Trophy winner is difficult. Replacing a Heisman Trophy winner with a guy who started just once in three years at LSU would normally cause some consternation. But man, it’s really hard not to get excited about Garrett Nussmeier. Through the few tantalizing glimpses we’ve gotten of him since he signed with the Tigers in 2021, Nussmeier appears to have all the tools to succeed at this level. He has a great frame, balance, immense arm strength and precision at all levels. Nussmeier love aside, LSU’s ceiling is significantly lowered by a defense that consistently let it down last season and faces some major questions heading into the 2024 season. 8 There are two main reasons for concern as Oklahoma transitions to the SEC: It will be signing a new starting quarterback, second-year Jackson Arnold, and will have to replace five offensive linemen with starting experience. While the Sooners have done well in meeting their OL needs through the portal, fielding an entirely new unit while moving to a league like the SEC is certainly not 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 may have one of the deepest defensive units in the SEC, so Arnold shouldn’t be tasked with digging the Sooners out of too many holes. 9 For the third consecutive season, Kentucky enters the year with a previous transfer at quarterback. Is Brock Vandagriff the one to finally reach the next level? He doesn’t come to Lexington with as much experience as his predecessors, but he appears tailor-made for Kentucky’s pro-style offensive scheme. Well, at least the scheme we’ve come to expect from Kentucky in recent years under new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan will certainly feature some of its own wrinkles. Vandagriff will have his pick of weapons with wide receiver Dane Key back and wideout Barion Brown lining up to spread the field alongside him. 10 Mike Elko was an excellent choice for Texas A&M after a turbulent search to replace Jimbo Fisher. In his first year as head coach (2022), Elko led a Duke team that had not had a winning season since 2018 to an 8-4 record and a victory against Gus Malzahn’s UCF in the Miliary Bowl. He followed that up with a 7-5 showing in 2023 that, when you consider the fact that Duke has had to deal with three different quarterback injuries, doesn’t seem all that disappointing. Now he takes over a university that clearly isn’t afraid to spend big on its football program. It’s not strange to think that Elko’s Aggies could contend for at least eight wins this year. 11 Most experts seem to be pretty discouraged about Florida. It’s understandable, given that the Gators are now 11-14 through two years under Billy Napier. This certainly looks like a pivotal season for his tenure. But if there’s one team outside the top 10 of this ranking that I’m confident can move up to that level by the end of the season, it’s Florida. Graham Mertz is an underrated quarterback (and is probably motivated to elevate his game now that rookie DJ Lagway is in the room), wide receiver Eugene Wilson is one of the best playmakers in the SEC, and the defense is really taking shape with transfers reinforcing the return of beginners. 12 Hugh Freeze spent a lot of time and effort upgrading his team around the quarterback. Now it’s up to Payton Thorne to take the next step. The former Michigan State transfer did not impress in his first season on The Plains. Whether it’s a lack of talent spreading the ball around – no longer an issue now that former five-star WR Cam Coleman is on the team – or Thorne’s own limitations, he has to be much better if the Tigers want to avoid embarrassments like lose to New Mexico State. 13 While Shane Beamer has yet to officially announce anything, it appears South Carolina will be turning to a local option to replace quarterback Spencer Rattler. LaNorris Sellers, who impressed the coaching staff from the moment he entered the program, seemed like a comfortable choice this spring. It is not yet known who he will throw the ball to. Xavier Legette, who accounted for more than a third of his former team’s receiving yards last season, is gone. So do three of the top four receivers behind him. Not great for a first-time starting quarterback. 14 Just a few years ago, it looked like Arkansas was turning a corner under Sam Pittman. Now, there is some concern about his job situation after just four SEC wins over the past two seasons. Arkansas has gone through some pretty severe changes in recent months, but we’ll see if this leads to some kind of revitalization. Offensive coordinator Dan Enos was forced out after a year, and a familiar name, Bobby Petrino, was hired to replace him. He will have an entirely new quarterback to work with after KJ Jefferson transferred. Former Boise State starter Taylen Green looked impressive in the Arkansas spring game. As did the acquisition of running back Ja’Quinden Jackson. Will this pair be enough to get Arkansas to a bowl game? It’s going to be a difficult road with this schedule. 15 Jeff Lebby inherits an unenviable situation. The first-time head coach is taking over a program that, in many ways, is still reeling from the sudden and tragic death of Mike Leach. In a difficult situation, Mississippi State promoted former defensive coordinator Zach Arnett to replace Leach. Arnett didn’t even last 12 full games. Lebby’s track record with the likes of Josh Heupel and Lane Kiffin suggests we can expect some fireworks from Mississippi State’s freshman offense, but turning the Bulldogs into a bowl contender so soon seems like a tall order for such a green coach. as Lebby. 16 Simply put, anyone coaching at Vanderbilt will automatically have the toughest job among power conference programs. The Commodores play in one of college football’s top conferences, but do not have the adequate resources to compete. They are at a talent disadvantage almost every week, a gap that is growing given the inherent setbacks that academically elite universities (like Vanderbilt) face in the era of the NIL and the transfer portal. Clark Lea did his best to turn things around this offseason, bringing in Tim Beck as offensive coordinator and taking over defensive duties. It’s hard to imagine this is a team looking for anything more than a decent non-conference showing.