By: Joe Delaney

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

This year for the first time ever in college football we have a new piece to the equation. That’s the new 12 team playoff scenario.

Many across the country felt that Georgia was the best team in the country in 2023. And that was after the Michigan Wolverines spanked the Washington Huskies in the NCAA National Championship game.

But they picked a bad time to play a very average game and lost the SEC championship to old nemesis Alabama 27-24. With the 4-team playoff in place all Georgia could say was woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Well hopefully this new format will give a more rounded playoff and throw a little more excitement into it. Let’s take a way too early look at the SEC contenders for a spot in the 2024 playoffs.

ALABAMA: The biggest news in college football this year was Nick Saban heading off into the sunset.

In comes Washington Huskies Kalen DeBoer to lead the Crimson Tide. Offensively the Tide return Jalen Milroe, who came on at the end of the season and was instrumental in the upset of then #1 Georgia.

Add in budding star Justice Haynes at RB and a solid returning O-line with experience and the Tide could be tough on Offense. Losing Isiah Bond and Amari Niblack to the portal won’t help though.

The defense was wrecked by the NFL draft, the portal, and the coaching change. While they ranked 17th in the country giving up only 19 PPG in 2023, 2024 could be a different story. Bama’s season will rest on the D.

GEORGIA: While Dawg nation had all the respect in the world for Nick Saban, they are damn glad he’s gone.

Playing a sub-par game when it counted, the Dawgs fell 27-24 to the Tide in the SEC championship and missed a chance at a 3-peat.

Well, the Dawgs are back and reloaded for 2024.

Back is Carson Beck, who threw for 22 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. He has first round NFL written all over him.

The RBs should be one of the best in the country with the addition of Trevor Etienne. Add in a massive, talented O-line and a very good returning receiving corp and the Dawgs are loaded on offense.

Defensively, the Dawgs return starters and experience throughout. Nazir Stackhouse, Mykel Williams, Smael Mondon, Daylen Everett, and Malaki Starks all return.

There is talent, speed and experience and the defense should be solid.

Add in a great placekicker in Peyton Woodring and the Dawgs are ready for run. The #1 recruiting class this year won’t hurt either.

TEXAS: Welcome to the SEC, Texas!

The Longhorns bring a great winning tradition, a rabid fanbase and a loaded experienced outfit to the SEC in 2024.

Texas returns Quinn Evers at QB and 4 of 5 starters on the O-line. That’s 2 major pieces to the puzzle in the rugged SEC.

The WR room has been bolstered by the addition of Matthew Golden and Silas Bolden from the portal. Add in Isiah Bond from Alabama and this could be a team strength.

On the defensive side the Horns will miss T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II.

They do have returning experience and starters throughout the defense and should be solid. This will be a very good football team in 2024.

How they deal with the week-in week-out physicality of the SEC will be fun to watch.

So, those are the three top dogs in the SEC for 2024? But there is a sleeper or two.

OLE MISS: Nobody likes the Portal as much as Lane Kiffin.

And so far in 2024 the Rebs have added 17.

Ole Miss returns Jaxson Dart at QB and he leads an offense that is flat loaded.

The O-line is experienced and SEC proven and includes Jeremy James, a two-year starter who grew up in Brunswick and played for our U-12 all-stars, the Broncos. Great kid and family.

Add in a great group of WRs for Dart to connect with and the Rebels will be formidable on offense.

Defensively Pete Golding likes to rotate, rotate, then rotate players. That leads to a lot of experience on that side of the ball. Add in the portal additions and the Rebels will be improved on D in 2024.

LSU: You’ve got to hand it to Brian Kelly,  the dude can coach football.

He brings a squad to the table that on any given day can beat any of the above.

Offensively, look for Garrett Nussmeier to have a great year. The second-string gunslinger from 2023 will lead the Tigers in 2024 and he is one of the better QBs in the league right NOW.

The O-line is physical and returns 4 starters.

The defense is experienced and returns players throughout the lineup. Add in Harold Perkins, one of the most electric defensive players in the nation and LSU is loaded. You better bring you’re A game with these guys.

The SEC is going to be fantastic in 2024. We could very easily see 3 teams in the 12-team playoff.

Don’t sleep on Missouri, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Oklahoma.  I just hope we haven’t beaten ourselves to death by playoff time.