Upsets happen. That is part of college football. While typically fans are loyal to their team, defend it until the end and never think an upset will happen involving their team being on the receiving end, the truth of the matter is that it happens. If upsets did not happen and betting lines always held with the favorites winning the game, then we would not play the games.
Being the best conference top to bottom in college football, the SEC is far exempt from upsets happening, and 2024 will be no different. In years past with a four-team playoff, many teams already felt their season was over after just losing one game. Therefore, you can argue that the motivation factor was not as high the rest of the season for them as a collective unit.
With the expansion to a 12-team playoff, expect more teams throughout the year to remain highly motivated for a chance to compete in a meaningful post season even if they lose a game or two. And what that could mean is even more upsets.
Here are six upsets to watch for this season in the SEC
Kentucky vs. Georgia (Lexington, Kentucky)
The Kentucky Wildcats return nine of their 11 starters on defense, four offensive lineman and their top two wide receivers in Barion Brown and Dane Key from their 2023 team. At the quarterback position, the Wildcats have Georgia Bulldogs transfer, Brock Vandagriff.
Vandagriff spent three seasons in Athens as was a part of two national championship teams. The former four-star product backed up Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck. Talk about a player that has experienced what it takes to win.
The Bulldogs on the other hand are what they are- a team that has won two national championships in the last three years under head coach Kirby Smart. They have ranked first in the SEC in defense each year since 2021 and 2024 looks to be no different.
The Wildcats catch the Bulldogs early in the season, which is typically before the Bulldogs are fully clicking on both sides of the ball. It is no question the Bulldogs will be elite in 2024, but timing-wise this is a better scenario for Wildcats than later in the season.
Georgia vs. Auburn (Athens, Alabama)
Both teams have a strong chance of entering this one undefeated. If the Tigers want any chance of upsetting the Bulldogs, they will need to take care of business in three home contests before in California, Arkansas and Oklahoma. If they drop any of these games, I do not see this upset happening simply due to momentum.
If again however the Tigers can manager to be 5-0 going into the contest, that would mean in theory they have had improved quarterback play for returning starter Payton Thorne and the team as a whole is playing much better than they did in 2023.
Mississippi State vs. Florida (Starkville, Mississippi)
The Mississippi State Bulldogs do not figure to have a great season overall in 2024. However, entering this contest, they will have played Eastern Kentucky, Arizona State and Toledo. If they can enter this contest presumably 2-1 or 3-0, do not be surprised at all if they rally behind the cowbells in Starkville to upset the Gators.
A loss here for Gators head coach Billy Napier who is already on the hot seat in Gainesville could make it too unbearable factoring in that the Bulldogs are projected to finish towards the bottom of the SEC in 2024 under first year head coach Jeff Lebby.
Texas vs. Kentucky (Austin, Texas)
The Longhorns have been decimated at the running back position this offseason with the loss of Cedric Baxter and Christian Clark. This could help a Wildcats team that is loaded for bear on defense help to sink its teeth in in this late season contest.
This game also comes one week before the Longhorns take on their in-state rival Texas A&M Aggies for the first time since 2011. The anticipation around the return of the “Lonestar Showdown” could see the matchup with the Wildcats a week prior as a trap game if the Longhorns look ahead.
Tennessee vs. Alabama (Knoxville, Tennessee)
This one may not even be considered an upset by the time the game happens seeing as it is in Knoxville to be honest. But the fact that the Crimson tide return starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, bring in a stable of running backs and a ton of other weapons are a big reason the Tide could trend as the favorite and it could also be seen as an upset.
The last time the Tide played in Neyland Stadium, they walked out with a 52-49 loss. On the other side of the coin, that was the only time the Volunteers have defeated the Volunteers in the last 17 years.
While the Tide and the Volunteers will both have strong seasons in 2024 and may come in with similar records, watch for the Volunteers to defeat the Tide on Rocky Top behind the energy of the crowd and elite quarterback play from redshirt freshman former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
By this point in the season, Iamaleava will have seven games of experience as a starting quarterback. His level of confidence should be much higher as it would be for any first year starter compared to the beginning of the season.
Texas vs. Texas A&M (College Station, Texas)
The Aggies should not factor into the College Football Playoff conversation in 2024 under first year head coach Mike Elko, but could give the Longhorns fits in the “Lonestar Showdown.” This is the first time the two will play as conference foes since 2011 when the Aggies left the Big 12 for the SEC.
If the Longhorns who are projected to have a strong season as sitting in position to potentially make the playoffs in 2024, the Aggies could have motivation to play spoiler in the last week of the regular season. Starting quarterback Conner Weigman also let it be known that beating the Longhorns was going to happen. If that holds true, this is an upset we could definitely see.