OXFORD — SEC Media Days are around the corner, and that can mean only one thing: college football is almost back at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
The 16 teams in the new-look SEC will converge in Dallas starting Monday for the conference’s annual media event. Head coaches and player representatives from each team — as well as commissioner Greg Sankey — will be available for group interviews from the attending media.
This year’s event features a particular flair with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, formerly of the Big 12. Five of Athlon’s preseason top-10 teams are from the SEC — No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 6 Alabama and No. 10 Missouri. The Rebels are coming off the program’s first 11-win season and a No. 9 finish in the final AP poll after defeating Penn State in the Peach Bowl. Ole Miss opens its 2024 season at home with Furman on Aug. 31.
Here are a few things to look for this week at SEC Media Days regarding Ole Miss and the conference as a whole.
How does Ole Miss handle the pressure of being the hunted?
For the first time in a long time, Ole Miss is considered a legitimate preseason contender for the national championship. The College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 slots, giving teams like the Rebels a chance to play for the sports’ top prize after being on the outside looking in recently (Ole Miss was ranked No. 8 in the final/selection day CFP poll in 2021 and No. 11 in 2023).
The Rebels return talent across the roster, particularly on offense. Senior quarterback Jaxson Dart is back for his third season as the starter and will have a plethora of weapons to choose from in returners Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins and Caden Prieskorn and South Carolina transfer Antwane Wells Jr., a former All-SEC performer with the Gamecocks. The defense brings back stalwarts like linemen Jared Ivey and J.J. Pegues and added star transfers like tackle Walter Nolen, edge rusher Princely Umanmielen and linebacker Chris Paul Jr. The talent is apparent all across the roster, and the schedule is manageable by lofty SEC standards. How will the Rebels handle being a contender from the very start of the season?
What’s next for Alabama?
Nick Saban — who won a whopping six national titles at Alabama — retired this offseason, ending one of the most dominant runs by a coach in college football history. The Crimson Tide won double-digit games in 16 of Saban’s 17 seasons (the exception being his first) and did not lose more than two games in any season from 2011-2023. Former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, who led the Huskies to last season’s CFP title game, is now the head coach at Alabama. How do you follow up Saban? What are the realistic expectations in Year 1 under DeBoer, and should there be any drop off expected? What’s the next step in the progression of quarterback Jalen Milroe? DeBoer will be fielding more than a few tough questions next week.
Can Missouri follow up on its 2023 masterpiece?
Missouri came out of seemingly nowhere last season, starting the 2023 season as an unranked team coming off consecutive 6-7 campaigns and finishing No. 8 in the final AP Poll. The Tigers won their final four games of the year, including ranked wins over Tennessee and Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Quarterback Brady Cook and star receiver Luther Burden return, and Missouri has the No. 29 strength of schedule according to ESPN, which is the lowest in the SEC. Can Missouri make its own playoff push in 2024?
Welcome home, Texas and Oklahoma
To an extent, the hype around many of the conference’s teams will likely take a backseat next week to newcomers Texas and Oklahoma, whose addition to the SEC led to mass conference realignment around the country. The Sooners and Longhorns are fifth and seventh in all-time winning percentage in FBS history, respectively. Texas made it to the four-team playoff last season while Oklahoma has nine double-digit winning seasons since 2015. Two of the most-storied programs in college football history are coming to what was already the toughest conference in America. Buckle up, because it’s going to be a fun ride.
Who is on the hot seat?
Five SEC teams that finished with sub-.500 records in 2023 return their head coaches — Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Arkansas. A few of those seats seem particularly warm. Florida has the toughest schedule in the country according to ESPN while Vanderbilt and Arkansas are 14th and 21st, respectively. Are the coaches of these teams safe? Are bowl berths a must to ensure job security?
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
