Berry Tramel: Ranking the 128 SEC football games in the 2024 season – Tulsa World

Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Oklahoma’s Kendel Dolby and Marcus Stripling celebrate against Texas in last year’s Red River Rivalry football game at the Cotton Bowl. This year’s game is No. 12 in the SEC’s preseason rankings.
On the 50th anniversary of this big catch by Oklahoma’s Tinker Owens against Missouri in 1974, the teams will renew their rivalry this year.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs past the Alabama defense in their 2019 game. This year’s meeting has the potential to be another classic between the teams.
Arkansas and Texas will renew their rivalry that was big in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart’s team will be featured in 2024’s top two SEC matchups.
Kalen DeBoer will be involved in four of the top 10 SEC matchups in his first season as Alabama’s head coach.
Sports Columnist
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Southeastern Conference football teams will combine for 128 games before the SEC Championship Game on December 7. Not all are created equal. The Tulsa World has ranked all 128 games, from an early battle of the behemoths to Tennessee Tech’s appearance Between the Hedges in Athens, Georgia. The games are rated on the perceived status of both teams, where the games are played, when they’re played and how competitive they project to be. In other words, how important will they be to the SEC season?
1. Georgia at Alabama, Sept. 28: Sure, Nick Saban is gone. But it’s still Alabama, the game is in Tuscaloosa and the loser faces two months of pressure to avoid another defeat.
2. Georgia at Texas, Oct. 19: UT got a bunch of SEC scheduling breaks, but drawing the ‘Dawgs is not among them.
3. Missouri at Alabama, Oct. 26: Mizzou has scandalously few tough games.
4. Texas at Michigan, Sept. 7: Longhorns test the post-Jim Harbaugh Wolverines.
5. Georgia at Ole Miss, Nov. 9: Wow. What a road schedule for the ‘Dawgs. Tuscaloosa, Austin, Oxford.
6. Alabama at Tennessee, Oct. 19: Vols conceivably could knock the Crimson Tide from SEC Championship Game consideration.
7. Georgia vs. Clemson in Atlanta, Aug. 31: Just the fourth series meeting since 2003, but the 66th overall.
8. OU at Missouri, Nov. 9: If Mizzou is as good as touted, the Sooners could be playing spoiler.
9. Alabama at LSU, Nov. 9: Only two Bama-LSU games this century have not included Saban as head coach.
10. Texas at Texas A&M, Nov. 30: The rivalry returns. Could the Aggies ruin a Longhorn run?
11. Ole Miss at LSU, Oct. 12: Home team has won four straight in this storied series.
12. OU vs. Texas in Dallas, Oct. 12: Will this be the year the SEC learns that strange things happen in the Cotton Bowl?
13. Tennessee at Georgia, Nov. 16: Finally, a Bulldog showdown in Athens, after Clemson, Bama, Texas and Ole Miss outside the hedges.
14. LSU vs. Southern Cal in Las Vegas, Sept. 1: SEC vs. Big Ten on a Sunday night in Vegas. College football has been beamed to an alternate universe.
15. OU at Ole Miss, Oct. 26: The Sooners’ first-ever trip to Oxford might be bigger for Rebels than the Sooners.
16. Missouri at Texas A&M, Oct. 5: Mizzou is 7-5 vs. the Ags, including 4-3 at Kyle Field, since they became conference mates 28 years ago.
17, Alabama at OU, Nov. 23: Can the Sooners win enough to make this a big game?
18. LSU at Texas A&M, Oct. 26: Home team has won nine straight in this series.
19. Notre Dame at Texas A&M, Aug. 31: Fighting Irish makes their second trip to an SEC foe in the last 20 years.
20. OU at LSU, Nov. 30: Will this become a Thanksgiving weekend tradition?
21. Alabama at Wisconsin, Sept. 14: Luke Fickell, whose Cincinnati squad lost to Bama in the 2021 playoffs, gets another shot at the Tide.
22. Tennessee at OU, Sept. 21: Josh Heupel’s return to Owen Field.
23. Florida at Miami, Aug. 31: First of three in-state, non-conference showdowns for the Gators.
24. Georgia at Kentucky, Sept. 14: UK has lost 14 straight to the Bulldogs; Mark Stoops could use an upset.
25. LSU at Florida, Nov. 16: Can Gators coach Billy Napier make it to mid-November?
26. Auburn at Alabama, Nov. 30: Wonder if Auburn ever tried to get Bama and Georgia on one-home-one-road rotation?
28. Ole Miss at Florida, Nov. 23: Did you know that Rebels and Gators met as SEC foes in the 1958 Gator Bowl?
27. North Carolina State vs. Tennessee in Charlotte, Sept. 7: Sneaky test for the Volunteers.
28. Georgia vs. Florida in Jacksonville, Nov. 2: UGA has entered the last three “Cocktail Party” games ranked No. 1 and won all three easily.
29. Texas at Arkansas, Nov. 16: The renewal of a grand old rivalry from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
30. Central Florida at Florida, Oct. 5: Give the Gators credit for scheduling this game.
31. LSU at South Carolina, Sept. 14: Tigers and Gamecocks have played just thrice since 2008.
32. Texas A&M at Florida, Sept. 14: Ags have played at Gainesville just once in their SEC era.
33. Louisville at Kentucky, Nov. 30: Mark Stoops has won five straight in the Governor’s Cup.
34. Auburn at Missouri, Oct. 19: Second trip ever to Faurot Field for War Eagle.
35. Florida at Tennessee, Oct. 12: Not that long ago, this annually was the biggest game in the SEC.
37. Auburn at Georgia, Oct. 5: Tigers have won just one of the last 10 meetings.
38. Florida at Florida State, Nov. 30: Mike Norvell is what UF wishes Napier was.
39. Mississippi State at Ole Miss, Nov. 30: Hey, the Egg Bowl is off Thanksgiving. Bummer.
40. OU at Auburn, Sept. 28: The Sooners’ easiest SEC road assignment. For some, Auburn would be the toughest road foe.
41. Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech, Aug. 31: Commodores could make a big statement early.
42. LSU at Arkansas, Oct. 19: The last four meetings have been decided by three points.
43. Texas A&M at Auburn, Nov. 23: Seems unlikely this game will have a bearing on the playoff or the SEC title game.
44. UCLA at LSU, Sept. 21: Strange. Tigers playing both Los Angeles teams.
45. Ole Miss at South Carolina, Oct. 5: How much will the Gamecocks miss Spencer Rattler?
46. Texas A&M vs. Arkansas in Arlington, Sept. 28: The Southwest Classic in JerryWorld could be ending, unless the SEC goes to a nine-game conference schedule.
47. South Carolina at Clemson, Nov. 30: Gamecocks won at Clemson in 2022.
48. Texas A&M at Mississippi State, Oct. 19: Wherefore art thou, Jackie Sherrill?
49. South Carolina at Kentucky, Sept. 7: Big game for Mark Stoops, who flirted with Texas A&M in the off-season.
50. Tennessee at Arkansas, Oct. 5: Border rivals are 707 miles apart. That’s Norman to El Paso (710).
51. Kentucky at Florida, Oct. 19: Gators have lost three straight to the Wildcats.
52. Ole Miss at Arkansas, Nov. 2: Strange. Houston Nutt was a winner with the Hogs (75-48) but not with the Rebels (24-26).
53. Missouri at South Carolina, Nov. 16: Quick poll. Who has the better Columbia?
54. Ole Miss at Wake Forest, Sept. 14: Easy non-conference schedule for the Rebels.
55. Texas A&M at South Carolina, Nov. 2: Rough home schedule for Gamecocks; this might be Carolina’s easiest SEC home game.
56. Missouri at Mississippi State, Nov. 23: Mizzou is 0-2 vs. the Bulldogs in the SEC era.
57. Kentucky at Ole Miss, Sept. 28: Two of the four schools that never have made the SEC Championship Game (A&M and Vanderbilt, also).
58. Florida at Texas, Nov. 9: What a cool game this would be if these were vintage Gators.
59. Georgia Tech at Georgia, Nov. 29: Yellow Jackets played UGA tough last season in Atlanta.
60. Kentucky at Tennessee, Nov. 2: Vols coach Josh Heupel is 3-0 vs. UK after the Wildcats had risen up in the ancient rivalry.
61. Arkansas at Oklahoma State, Sept. 7: Long-time rivals haven’t met since 1980.
62. Mississippi State at Texas, Sept. 28: Bulldogs won in 1991 at Austin, their only previous trip to Royal-Memorial.
63. South Carolina at OU, Oct. 19: Gamecock coach Shane Beamer returns to Owen Field, where he was a Lincoln Riley lieutenant 2018-20.
64. Kentucky at Texas, Nov. 23: Figures to be a better basketball rivalry.
65. Arkansas at Missouri, Nov. 30: Tigers could be playing for a playoff berth — or more.
66. Auburn at Kentucky, Oct. 26: Tigers are 18-1 vs. UK since 1966.
67. Mississippi State at Tennessee, Nov. 9: Jeff Lebby vs. Heupel, a battle of former OU offensive coordinators.
68. Arkansas at Auburn, Sept. 21: All 12 Razorback games will be played in the Central Time Zone.
69. Tennessee at Vanderbilt, Nov. 30: I know no one will believe it, but the Volunteers are just 7-5 against Vandy the last dozen years.
70. Florida at Mississippi State, Sept. 21: This is one funky league. The Gators and Bulldogs played 38 times in 40 years, 1954-93, and have played just seven times since.
71. South Carolina at Vanderbilt, Nov. 9: Commodores’ FirstBank Stadium seated just 28,500 last season and this, down from 41,000. The next-smallest SEC stadium is 61,000.
72. Mississippi State at Arizona State, Sept. 7: ASU is struggling mightily.
73. Texas at Vanderbilt, Oct. 26: Take heart, Vandy. There’s always the Kansas story to emulate.
74. Arkansas at Mississippi State, Oct. 26: Sam Pittman could need this game to relieve his hot-seat status.
75. South Carolina at Alabama, Oct. 12: The Gamecocks have been to Tuscaloosa four times since 1967.
76. Vanderbilt at LSU, Nov. 23: Commodores haven’t beaten the Tigers since 1990 and haven’t won in Baton Rouge since 1951.
77. Alabama at Vanderbilt, Oct. 5: Man, the Sooners could have used a road game at Vanderbilt.
78. Houston at OU, Sept. 7: Sooners’ first-ever non-conference game against a Big 12 foe.
79. Mississippi State at Georgia, Oct. 12: Lebby is going with Baylor transfer Blake Shapen at quarterback. Uh-oh.
80. Vanderbilt at Auburn, Nov. 2: The Tigers lead the series 22-21-1. Auburn jumped in front of Vandy last November.
81. Alabama-Birmingham at Arkansas, Sept. 14: The Razorbacks have lost to Liberty, San Jose State, Western Kentucky, Colorado State and North Texas in the past six years.
82. Vanderbilt at Kentucky, Oct. 12: Commodores have two SEC wins the previous four seasons; one was against UK.
83. Tulane at OU, Sept. 14: Green Wave nearly shocked the Sooners in 2021.
84. Vanderbilt at Missouri, Sept. 21: Mizzou is closer to Nashville (431 miles) than to Norman (489).
85. California at Auburn, Sept. 7: Tradition at its finest — SEC vs. ACC.
86. Boston College at Missouri, Sept. 14: Each program has been in one major bowl over the last 50 years.
87. Vanderbilt at Georgia State, Sept. 14: Vandy lost at Nevada-Las Vegas last season.
88. Ohio at Kentucky, Sept. 21: Bobcats are 3-2 vs. UK, all in modern times.
89. Toledo at Mississippi State, Sept. 14: Rockets are the Mid-American Conference’s most consistent program.
90. South Florida at Alabama, Sept. 7: USF played Bama tough last September.
91. Texas-San Antonio at Texas, Sept. 14: A Holy War for the Roadrunners.
92. South Alabama at LSU, Sept. 28: Jaguars won big in Stillwater last season.
93. New Mexico State at Texas A&M, Nov. 16: Aggies won at Auburn last season.
94. Temple at OU, Aug. 30: Sooners’ first game as an SEC school is against a Philadelphia team.
95. Colorado State at Texas, Aug, 31: Rams coach Jay Norvell was UT’s play-caller in 2015.
96. Ball State at Vanderbilt, Oct. 19: Cardinals were just 4-8 last season.
97. Bowling Green at Texas A&M, Sept. 21: Most MAC upsets come vs. the Big Ten.
98. Western Kentucky at Alabama, Aug. 31: Hilltoppers among the better teams in the weak Conference USA.
99. Texas-El Paso at Tennessee, Nov. 23: Miners go from Rockies to Rocky Top.
100. Missouri at Massachusetts, Oct. 12: An SEC team playing in Amherst. Who would have thought?
101. Louisiana Tech at Arkansas, Nov. 23: Bulldogs just 6-18 under Sonny Cumbie.
102. Middle Tennessee at Ole Miss, Sept. 7: Former OSU defensive coordinator Derek Mason now Middle’s head coach.
103. Old Dominion at South Carolina, Aug. 31: Monarchs have beaten Virginia Tech twice in recent years.
104. New Mexico at Auburn, Sept. 14: Having lost to New Mexico State in ‘23, Tigers take a swing at the Lobos.
105. Georgia Southern at Ole Miss, Sept. 21: Some Rebel teams might have sweated the Eagles.
106. Akron at South Carolina, Sept. 21: Former Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead leads the Zips.
107. Massachusetts at Mississippi State, Nov. 2: Yep, two SEC teams playing UMass.
108. Southern Mississippi at Kentucky, Aug. 31: Remember when Southern was a mid-major powerhouse? That was a long time ago.
109. Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn, Nov. 16: Say, is Duck Dynasty still a big thing?
110. Buffalo at Missouri, Sept. 7: Mizzou playing three teams from New York or New England.
111. Kent State at Tennessee, Sept. 14: Golden Flashes were 1-11 last season.
112. Louisiana-Monroe at Texas, Sept. 21: Longhorns routed ULM 52-10 in 2022.
113. Alcorn State at Vanderbilt, Sept. 7: Could the Commodores be susceptible? Probably not.
114. Massachusetts at Georgia, Nov. 23: Commonality? Two of the original 13 colonies.
115. Furman at Ole Miss, Aug. 31: Paladins made the I-AA quarterfinals in 2023.
116. Eastern Kentucky at Mississippi State, Aug. 31: Lebby’s debut in Starkville.
117. Nicholls at LSU, Sept. 7: The in-state Colonels were 7-0 in the Southland Conference last season.
118. Chattanooga at Tennessee, Aug. 31: Moccasins will be motivated, but good luck.
119. Samford at Florida, Sept. 7: Bobby Bowden’s beloved school vs. the Gators.
120. Wofford at South Carolina, Nov. 23: If you’re going to play a lower-division foe, at least keep it in-state.
121. Murray State at Kentucky, Nov. 16: Second SEC foe for these Racers.
122. Alabama A&M at Auburn, Aug. 31: The Bulldogs have played the Tigers twice, losing 55-0 and 51-7.
123. Arkansas vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock, Aug. 29: UAPB lost to Tahlequah’s Northeastern State in the 1994 NAIA national championship game.
124. Mercer at Alabama, Nov. 16: The Bears made the I-AA second round last season, but still.
125. Murray State at Missouri, Aug. 29: Racers were 2-9 last season.
126. McNeese at Texas A&M, Sept. 7: Cowboys’ only victory last season was via forfeit.
127. Maine at OU, Nov. 2: Black Bears were 1-7 in the Coastal Athletic Association last season.
128. Tennessee Tech at Georgia, Sept. 7: Bulldogs typically take it easy on I-AA foes, but still.
berry.tramel@tulsaworld.com
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sports Columnist
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Without Kelly Maxwell, OU doesn’t win a fourth consecutive title Thursday night. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Women’s Coll…
For more than a decade, OU has been saddled with a full third of its games kicking off at 11 a.m., but the SEC has come to the rescue.
“I’m ready to start coaching again,” Gasso said, explaining that she had it easy this year with a knowledgeable and determined group of senior…
OU is now conducting a national search for its next director of athletic fields. The man who kept its playing surfaces pristine has gone back …
Homer Rice had the chance to be the OU football coach, but honor stood in his way and Chuck Fairbanks got the job.
Oklahoma’s Kendel Dolby and Marcus Stripling celebrate against Texas in last year’s Red River Rivalry football game at the Cotton Bowl. This year’s game is No. 12 in the SEC’s preseason rankings.
On the 50th anniversary of this big catch by Oklahoma’s Tinker Owens against Missouri in 1974, the teams will renew their rivalry this year.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs past the Alabama defense in their 2019 game. This year’s meeting has the potential to be another classic between the teams.
Arkansas and Texas will renew their rivalry that was big in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart’s team will be featured in 2024’s top two SEC matchups.
Kalen DeBoer will be involved in four of the top 10 SEC matchups in his first season as Alabama’s head coach.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

source