SEC College Football: Simplest 2024 Schedule Revealed

There is no debate that the best college football conference is the SEC, followed by the Big 10, and then a significant gap with the Big 12 and ACC. Some believe that an SEC schedule is insanely difficult and that teams play in an elite league week in and week out.

That is not always the case.

Some SEC schedules are actually… simple?

Looking at Georgia’s schedule last year, and if we’re being completely honest, it was pretty easy. No one dared say it on national television, but it’s possible that Georgia’s schedule ultimately hurt them and (among other factors) cost them a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Here is their schedule from last year.

• UT Martin (FCS)
• Ball status (4-8)
• South Carolina (5-7)
• UAB (4-8)
• Chestnut brown (6-7)
• Kentucky (7-6)
• Vanderbilt (2-10)
• Florida (5-7)
• Missouri (11-2)
• Ole Miss (11-2)
• Tennessee (9-4)
• Georgia Tech (7-6)

Overall opponents record: (71-69)

Outside of its last three SEC games, Georgia never faced a team with a record better than 7-6 overall and did not face a winning record until the sixth game of the season. Was this a respectable schedule? Absolute. Was it insanely difficult? Outside of the two games against Missouri and Ole Miss (both at home), that’s not really the case.

Without the SEC logo on the chests of most of their opponents, no one would have looked at Georgia’s schedule and opponents and thought the Bulldogs were playing a gauntlet of a schedule every week.

2024 will have a tougher schedule for everyone

Without divisions, teams like Georgia will no longer benefit from playing in the much weaker Eastern Division. Furthermore, with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma to the league, the chances of the weaker teams getting on the schedule and not hitting stronger teams are significantly reduced.

Despite this, some teams have a much easier path to a bowl game or even the College Football Playoff than others. Again, I’m not saying all of these schedules are MAC or CUSA caliber, but perhaps they can be compared to a more expensive ACC or Big 12 schedule.

Aspects that play a role in determining the strength of a team’s schedule include when matches are played, when they are played in relation to other matches (are two matches in a row), where they are played, and the FPI from ESPN, which watches these games. factors and more, although it can sometimes be invoked as certain teams are favored too much/not enough (such as never ranking G5 teams high early in the season despite always finishing higher).

Ole Miss easily has the easiest schedule in the SEC

Ole Miss is preparing for a very favorable schedule. With head coach Lane Kiffin and the type of offense they run, they will likely ride a huge wave of momentum when they take their first real test of the season six weeks into the season.

In terms of teams you want to play, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and South Carolina, Ole Miss plays all four of those teams. At the same time, they somehow avoid Texas, Alabama, Missouri, and Tennessee; Ole Miss only has to worry about Georgia while avoiding the other four teams. Every other team on their schedule is expected to be a mid-tier team.

In fact, all three of their toughest games, Oklahoma, Georgia and Kentucky, are played at home. Their toughest road game will come against LSU.

Again, this isn’t an easy schedule, but in the new SEC, where six teams could realistically play for the SEC championship, Ole Miss pulled off about as close a tie as possible.

Scheme:

• Furman
• Middle Tennessee
• at Wakebos
• South Georgia
• Kentucky
• in South Carolina
• at LSU
• BYE
• Oklahoma
• in Arkansas
• Georgia
• near Florida
• The state of Mississippi

Get more NFL and College Football content

Check out more of my stories, or leave a comment below! For more of the top storylines from College Football, the transfer portal or the NFL, click here or follow along with me Twitter/X.