Who will be Alabama football's toughest opponent on 2024 schedule? Ranking all 12

The Alabama football schedule for 2024, Kalen DeBoer's first season leading the Crimson Tide, doesn't lack for compelling matchups or difficult games.

Georgia and Kirby Smart make a trip to Tuscaloosa to kick off SEC play in September. In November, Alabama welcomes Oklahoma to the SEC with the Crimson Tide's first trip to Norman since 2002. Oh and two rivalry games will be played on the road against LSU and Tennessee.

Which games will be the most difficult for DeBoer's team? Here's a ranking of each game, based on level of difficulty. Location of the game and quality of opponent are factored into the rankings.

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12. Mercer (Nov. 16)

Alabama's team is sure to enjoy devouring its first FCS cupcake of the DeBoer era. Easy choice to put lowest on this list.

11. South Florida (Sept. 7)

The Bulls gave Alabama plenty to handle in Tampa a season ago but couldn't get the job done. That was South Florida's best shot at beating the Crimson Tide.

10. Western Kentucky (Aug. 31)

Coach Tyson Helton has had the Hilltoppers plenty competitive over his five seasons, leading them to nine wins in three of five years. He's only had one losing season, too. He will look to tally a fourth-consecutive winning season in 2024, but one of those Western Kentucky wins probably won't occur at Bryant-Denny Stadium this year.

9. At Vanderbilt (Oct. 5)

Until something gives reason to believe otherwise, this will be the easiest SEC game on the schedule. Sorry, Commodores.

8. South Carolina (Oct. 12)

After an impressive 2022, the Gamecocks took a step back in 2023, going 5-7. Perhaps South Carolina surprises and takes a big step forward in 2024, but for now, it will have to prove that before being marked as a difficult game for Alabama. Especially in Tuscaloosa.

7. Auburn (Nov. 30)

This game would be higher on the list if the game was on the Plains, but it's at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Year 2 of Hugh Freeze coaching the Tigers. Quarterback Payton Thorne has some intriguing weapons, particularly those whom Auburn added this offseason, such as Penn State transfer receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith as well as freshmen Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson. Thorne will need to step up his game if he wants to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, though. There are plenty of questions in the Auburn secondary, too.

6. At Wisconsin (Sept. 14)

This game has two primary challenges: Alabama has only been to Madison once in program history, and that was almost a century ago. Also, the Crimson Tide has a colossal SEC opener the next game against Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium to which it might be easy to look ahead. The Badgers won't be the most difficult matchup of the season, but the circumstances dictate a predicament for the Crimson Tide to overcome early in the season.

5. At Oklahoma (Nov. 23)

A matchup against the Sooners on the road figures to be a challenge, especially with the Iron Bowl looming the following week. The Sooners are fresh off a 2023 season in which the team took a notable leap forward with a 10-win season, but how Oklahoma adjusts to a season in the SEC remains to be seen. Until there's more of a sample size, we'll keep this game at No. 5. Though, it could probably be slotted anywhere from No. 2 through No. 4 as well. Games ranked No. 2 through No. 5 are all expected to be in the same range of difficulty.

4. At Tennessee (Oct. 19)

The Vols have a shot to be a problem for Alabama in Knoxville, and quarterback Nico Iamaleava brings plenty of intrigue. It will be difficult to play Tennessee on the road no doubt, but it's not the most difficult game on the schedule; and this version of the Vols won't likely be as tough to face as the 2022 team that beat Alabama in Knoxville on a game-winning field goal.

3. Missouri (Oct. 26)

Fresh off an 11-2 season capped with a Cotton Bowl victory, the Tigers proved to be one of the better teams in the SEC in 2023. That figures to be the case again this season, as Missouri returns Brady Cook at quarterback and Luther Burden at receiver, who could be the best wide receiver in the SEC this season. It won't be easy for the Tigers to beat Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but Missouri figures to provide one of the more problematic games this season.

2. At LSU (Nov. 9)

The Tigers' defense is expected to improve in 2024 after bringing ex-Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker back to Baton Rouge, but there's really nowhere to go but up for LSU on that side of the ball. The offense will be hard pressed to be as good as it was in 2023, but quarterback Garrett Nussmeier figures to lead a solid attack. No matter how potent the offense, a game in Death Valley often proves tough most seasons.

1. Georgia (Sept. 28)

The Bulldogs are the easy pick here for most difficult; Georgia is expected to be a top contender to win a national championship this season. Quarterback Carson Beck returns to lead the Bulldogs; They might not have tight end Brock Bowers anymore but still will likely be a tough matchup for any team in 2024. This game is in Tuscaloosa, which will help Alabama's chances, but DeBoer couldn't have gotten a much tougher draw for his first SEC matchup while coaching the Crimson Tide.

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football schedule: Ranking 2024 opponents