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Saturday Down South ranks Texas No. 2 in 2024 SEC power rankings

joey hickey
·6 min read
30

How will Texas fare in the SEC? One outlet that covers the conference seems confident in how the Longhorns will perform.

Saturday Down South, one of the more popular sites for SEC athletics coverage, has the Texas Longhorns ranked No. 2 in the conference for the 2024 football season. The ranking comes in stark contrast to the pervasive narrative that Texas would struggle in the SEC.

Texas is set to lose several contributors, but they return quite a few as well. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers is likely to return behind an offensive line with several seasoned starters in Kelvin Banks, Hayden Connor, Devon Campbell Jr. and Cole Hutson. Several other players like Neto Umeozulu, Cam Williams and Malik Agbo could prove reliable as well.

The Longhorns have received significant help through two transfer portal additions in wide receiver Matthew Golden and defensive back Andrew Mukuba. We’ll see how much more help they add, but those two additions could be enough to contend again.

Here’s a look at Saturday Down South’s power rankings for 2024.

Vanderbilt Commodores

When in doubt, people are going to rank Vanderbilt last in football. The Commodores improved in 2023, but it wasn’t enough to get out of the basement of these rankings. Next season’s schedule does the team no favors.

Arkansas Razorbacks

After what appeared to be a breakout year in 2021, the arrow points down for Arkansas over the last two seasons. The departure of transfer quarterback KJ Jefferson doesn’t help the team.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State could surprise with new head coach Jeff Lebby. The program was in need of offense and should get more of it with their new offensive system. Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen comes in to operate the offense.

South Carolina Gamecocks

The ranking might be generous given what South Carolina loses this offseason. That said, Shane Beamer has proven capable of fielding a strong team in his time in South Carolina.

Florida Gators

Florida should field a competitive football team, but competitive might not be good enough against the team’s schedule. The Gators face Miami and Florida State in nonconference in addition to conference games against Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Kentucky and Texas A&M.

Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky faces a tough schedule, but could certainly win six games and make a bowl. Georgia transfer and former five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff could lead the team at quarterback in 2024.

Auburn Tigers

Auburn could break out in 2024, but the transfer portal is working against them with 11 departures and just two additions. We’ll see what head coach Hugh Freeze can accomplish in his second season at Auburn.

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M has a favorable schedule. A good team would win double digit games. We don’t think the Aggies will be a good team in 2024.

Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee had a down year over the past season, but there’s reason for optimism next fall. Former five-star quarterback and former 247Sports No. 2 overall recruit Nico Iamaleava has the ceiling to bring the team back to its 2022 iteration.

Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners should be a solid football team in 2024, but losing an entire offensive line and breaking out a first year starting quarterback is suboptimal. Now freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold will have unlimited weapons to throw the ball, but will he have time?

LSU Tigers

LSU’s ranking might be generous given the team loses Heisman quarterback Jayden Daniels and several offensive contributors. Perhaps the Tigers will field a better defense next season.

Missouri Tigers

Missouri will continue to be a problem as long as wide receiver Luther Burden is there. The Tigers should be one of the best in the conference again next season.

Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss is a legitimate SEC title contender after adding South Carolina receiver Juice Wells and Tennessee edge rusher Tyler Baron. The Rebels might not be done in the portal.

Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia should compete for a national title again in 2024. They just happen to be in the same conference as two other national title contenders.

Texas Longhorns

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is building a title contending machine in Austin. He reeled in his fourth five-star player on the same day he added a three-year Clemson starter in safety Andrew Mukuba. The Longhorns should be all gas and no brakes in 2024.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe should be the Heisman favorite heading into next season. He will have a strong supporting cast around him. We ranked Alabama No. 1 in our way-too-early Top 25 with Georgia and Texas at No. 2 and 3.

Story originally appeared on Longhorns Wire