the 2024 football season, four SEC clubs are prepared to challenge Alabama.

In the 2024 football season, four SEC clubs are prepared to challenge Alabama.

Alabama football has dominated collegiate football for the past 20 years, beginning with their own league. Nine of the previous 20 SEC crowns have been won by them, and four of the previous six have come from upset victories over Georgia, which prevented the Bulldogs from winning the national championship three times in a row last year.

The Crimson Tide haven’t always started as the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC, as Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs have had a strong run over the past few seasons, reminiscent of Nick Saban’s tenure with Alabama. But now that Saban is no longer in charge, Alabama football sneaks into the top five rather than the top two.

With +950 odds to win the SEC, the Crimson Tide are now fourth in the standings, behind Ole Miss, Texas, and Georgia. Saban’s departure is probably the reason for this fall from the top two rankings. That’s what happens when the all-time best college football coach steps down.

The team lost a lot of players when Saban left, so Kalen DeBoer, the new head coach, had a lot to make up for. Nevertheless, this is among the nation’s most skilled rosters. As soon as the spring window opened, DeBoer was able to log into the transfer portal. With that addition, combined with the roster that remained (including Heisman Trophy candidate Jalen Milroe) and DeBoer’s stellar coaching background, Alabama is still a strong contender to win the conference once more.

But Alabama will once again be the bullseye on their back since they are still regarded as the gold standard in the sport. In addition, a few clubs will be joining the SEC this season, bringing the total number of teams to 16 and doing away with divisions, a move that will challenge Alabama’s long-standing hegemony.

Bulldogs of Georgia
First up, we have the most evident choice and the clear favorite to win the SEC. Generally speaking, Smart and Georgia football have had setbacks, just like a lot of the other teams that faced Alabama football and Saban. In 2022, Georgia managed to unseat them for the national crown, but it required two attempts.

Everything changes now that Saban is no longer there, even though DeBoer is a great successor.