With the Kalen DeBoer era underway, opposing teams across the nation look to fill the void of Alabama’s seemingly fallen dynasty. With AP rankings out and Alabama at No. 5, these teams are the most fearsome contenders for a 19th national championship this season.
No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs
It’s the national championship or bust in Athens this season. After managing to only lose two games in three years, Georgia returns what is arguably the strongest overall roster in college football.
Georgia holds 16 returning starters, including star quarterback Carson Beck. The team’s three toughest challenges are all road games, with its first being in Tuscaloosa Sept. 28. Georgia’s second test, in October, may be the most-watched regular season game, as the Bulldogs head to Austin to face Texas, a team that beat Alabama 34-24 last season.
Georgia will most likely be favored to win both games and could head to the SEC championship game with an undefeated record. If Alabama has to face Georgia in a postseason rematch, it could very well be the last game of Kalen DeBoer’s inaugural season.
The rivalry between the Crimson Tide and Georgia has come to a head over the past few years. Georgia beat Alabama in 2022 for the national championship, but the Crimson Tide came back with vengeance in 2023 to take the SEC championship and the Bulldogs’ chance for a third straight national championship.
“From afar, you follow the best of the best, and he [UGA coach Kirby Smart]’s been at Alabama, he’s got a great coaching history there and as the head coach at Georgia,” DeBoer said at the 2024 SEC Media Day.
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State has utilized the transfer portal perhaps more effectively than anyone this offseason. The Buckeyes brought in quarterback Will Howard from Kansas State, landed one of the best running backs in the nation from Ole Miss in Quinshon Judkins and stole star safety Caleb Downs from Alabama.
The Buckeyes consistently have expectations for their teams to be elite, and they deemed last year’s 11-win team a disappointment. This year, their schedule includes games at Oregon and Penn State, which could pose as a real challenge
Ohio State has its sights set on the playoff. A potential Ohio State vs. Alabama playoff game would be pure theater, with the Crimson Tide seeking vengeance for Julian Sayin, Seth McLaughlin and Caleb Downs, all of whom Ohio State took in the transfer portal.
No .3 Oregon Ducks
The third-ranked Oregon Ducks enter their first season in the Big 10 with legitimate title expectations. Adding elite Oklahoma transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel to an already stacked roster bolsters the hopes of fans in Eugene.
The Ducks are led by third-year head coach Dan Lanning who is widely regarded as one of the top young defensive minds in the sport. His lead role at Oregon comes after spending time as an assistant coach at Alabama during its 2015 campaign. Lanning has led Oregon to an impressive 22-5 record since taking over the reins in 2021 and has set fan expectations on competing for a national championship in 2024.
No. 4 Texas Longhorns
Texas is ready to play in the SEC. The Longhorns beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa last season en route to a CFP semifinal appearance, sending a dramatic farewell to the Big 12. They returned 14 starters and have one of the highest-quality and most stable quarterback rooms in the country with Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.
Ewers is a staple in Texas’ starting lineup. In 2023 he had a 69.0% completion rate on 3,479 yards — the fourth-most yards in a season in Texas history — 22 touchdowns and six interceptions.
He also played a major role in the team’s 34-24 win over Alabama in 2023: He connected on 63% of his passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns against the then-No. 3 Crimson Tide. The win snapped Alabama’s 21-game home winning streak.
Texas made a transfer portal splash by landing standout wide receiver Isaiah Bond from Alabama, who replaced star wide receiver Xavier Worthy after he was drafted 28th overall in the 2024 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Entering the SEC is something that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian doesn’t take lightly.
“We have to go earn their respect,” Texas head coach Steven Sarkisian said at SEC Media day. “We’re not going to get anything in this deal. Nothing is going to be free. We have to go earn the respect of our opponents, our opposing fans, opposing coaches, and that’s going to be on the forefront of what we do.”
No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels
Going into the 2024 campaign, this loaded roster may be what head coach Lane Kiffin needs to put Ole Miss in the running. Despite losing star running back Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss gained more than it lost in the transfer portal with additions like defensive tackle Walter Nolen from Texas A&M, defensive end Princely Umanmielen from Florida and safety Key Lawrence from Oklahoma.
Like every SEC team, Ole Miss has a tough schedule. The Rebels play Georgia and Oklahoma at home and travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU.
With the exception of the Georgia game, the Rebels should be the favorite every week they play in 2024. In a potential postseason matchup with Alabama, Kiffin would have his best shot yet to finally beat his former employer.
