Nick Saban spoke out of turn. The SEC clapped back with 2024 schedule gantlet | Toppmeyer

Nick Saban aired his grievance, but the SEC didn’t budge.

This spring, the longtime coach used an interview with Sports Illustrated to question the fairness of the SEC earmarking Auburn, LSU and Tennessee as Alabama’s annual rivals in a proposed nine-game conference schedule. Alabama pulled its previous support for a nine-game schedule, and, two weeks ago, presidents and chancellors from SEC institutions voted to retain an eight-game SEC schedule in 2024.

The comeuppance came Wednesday, when the Crimson Tide got served a gantlet of a 2024 schedule during the SEC's reveal.

Auburn, LSU and Tennessee are on the docket as rivals, just like the SEC had planned for the spiked nine-game format. In a pitting of bluebloods, Alabama will play at Oklahoma. And here’s the kicker: Alabama will host two-time defending national champion Georgia. Dates have not been announced.

A trip to Vanderbilt presents as a small peace offering to Alabama, but this collection of opponents nonetheless ought to dispel the notion that the SEC office runs through Saban’s desk.

The emperor spoke out of turn from Tuscaloosa, and the commissioner clapped back Wednesday from Birmingham.

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The SEC didn’t go easy on Georgia, either.

The rivalry game against Florida in Jacksonville counts as one of Georgia’s home games in 2024, so Georgia was assigned just three true SEC home games compared to four true road games, including the trip to Bryant-Denny Stadium, where Alabama hasn’t lost since 2019.

The regular-season pairing of top dogs Alabama and Georgia is a nod to the College Football Playoff increasing to 12 teams in 2024.

In a four-team playoff, it worked conveniently for the SEC that Alabama and Georgia were in opposite divisions and did not regularly play during the regular season. That structure helped create the path for both teams to make the playoff in 2017 and again in 2021.

With a 12-team playoff in place, the Georgia-Alabama game remains a marquee matchup, but not a playoff eliminator.

A few more thoughts from the Wednesday reveal for 2024 …

Rivalries, protected and renewed

Of course, the SEC preserved the Iron Bowl, Egg Bowl and Cocktail Party for 2024. That was never in doubt. But, the SEC made a concerted effort to preserve secondary and even tertiary rivalries, too.

Consider, Tennessee’s schedule includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. That opponent lineup ought to look familiar.

The SEC did right by Texas A&M. The Aggies planted their flag with the SEC in 2012, and they earned hosting rights for their rivalry renewal with SEC newcomer Texas.

Other rivalries on tap for 2024 include Auburn-Georgia, LSU-Texas A&M, LSU-Florida, Florida-Tennessee, Arkansas-Texas, Missouri-Oklahoma, and the list goes on.

Auburn-Florida topped the list of omitted matchups I’d hoped to see. Those rivals played 58 consecutive years until the SEC reconfigured its division scheduling in 2003. Playing games like that more frequently is one upside to the SEC dumping divisions upon the arrival of Oklahoma and Texas.

Also notable by its omission is Georgia-South Carolina.

The one-two punch of Alabama and Georgia

Arkansas and Texas A&M, send your thank-you gift baskets to:

Mark Womack

SEC schedule master

2201 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North

Birmingham, Ala., 35203

The Razorbacks and Aggies are the only teams that will not face either Alabama or Georgia in 2024.

Two teams, Auburn and Tennessee, must play each of those twin powers. At least they’re used to it. They’re currently the SEC’s only teams that must play Alabama and Georgia every season. The SEC clearly valued preserving those rivalries.

Lick your chops, Texas. Buckle up, Oklahoma

If the SEC Network’s talking heads said it once Wednesday, they must have said it 100 times: Oklahoma and Texas are in for a tougher schedule in the SEC than they faced in the Big 12.

OK, but Texas pushed Alabama to the brink of defeat last season.

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Now, imagine Texas loudly and boastfully announcing its presence in the SEC. (Probably not hard to imagine if you’ve spent much time in Texas.)

This 2024 schedule grants a prime opportunity. A neutral site game against Oklahoma counts among Texas’ road games, meaning the Longhorns will make three true SEC road trips compared to four home games. And the opponent list includes Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Hosting Georgia may go south, but this schedule, overall, is manageable enough that I could envision Texas making the inaugural 12-team CFP. Yep, I said it.

While the Longhorns should be grinning, the Sooners might be sweating. OU will host Alabama and Tennessee. Its road games include LSU, Ole Miss and Auburn.

Lincoln Riley was onto something when he bolted OU for the coast.

Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: SEC football schedule 2024 claps back on Nick Saban, Alabama