The SEC 2024 schedule release: Best games, what’s missing and winners and losers
The SEC releasing its yearly schedule is always big offseason news. When the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns are joining the conference, it’s paramount.
On Wednesday night, the SEC released its schedule for the 2024 season, the first year the Sooners and Longhorns will be playing alongside Alabama, Georgia and the rest of the teams from the most dominant conference in college football.
The conference already made news by sticking with an eight-game schedule when a nine-game slate was on the table earlier this spring. The news now shifts to the gridiron where the conference’s biggest matchups are officially set.
So, who are the biggest winners and losers of the schedule release and what games should we be excited for? More importantly, what games are we going to miss as Oklahoma and Texas crash the party?
Our writers take you through the biggest questions coming out of the SEC schedule release.
Game you’re most excited for
Georgia vs. Alabama: This will be only the fifth time in the past 20 years that we’ve seen this game in the regular season, and if we’re lucky, we’ll see both of these teams still at or near the top of their powers when this game rolls around in 2024. Alabama has been the standard of college football since 2009, with Georgia coming on in the last handful of years as not just a challenger for that throne, but as a successor the last two seasons. Assuming Nick Saban is still around, I don’t think any of us would complain about not having to wait until the SEC championship or national championship to watch these two programs get after it. It’s college football at its peak. — Harry Lyles Jr.
Texas at Texas A&M: They’ve met 118 times, but not since 2011, when Justin Tucker broke the Aggies’ hearts with a walk-off field goal to send A&M off to the SEC with a 27-25 loss. But that hasn’t prevented the non-stop will-they-or-won’t-they discussion from popping up every few years, all while fans of the two schools continued to chirp and compare everything between the two programs. Finally, the Lone Star Showdown is back, and bragging rights won’t be decided by arguments about recruiting rankings, brands or revenue or who needs the game the most, but instead by lining up and actually playing football against each other. What a concept. — Dave Wilson
Tennessee at Oklahoma: In just two years, Josh Heupel has Tennessee’s program nationally relevant again. The Vols’ trip to Norman has a few different storylines. Brent Venables will be in his third season as Oklahoma’s head coach, and the Sooners’ fans will be expecting a breakthrough by then similar to what Tennessee accomplished in Heupel’s second season. Moreover, Heupel will be returning to his alma mater, where he was a Heisman Trophy finalist. But that doesn’t necessarily mean Heupel has warm and fuzzy feelings about his alma mater after being fired as offensive coordinator by former coach Bob Stoops following the 2015 season. — Chris Low
Oklahoma at Mizzou(!): Hey, sue me, I grew up in Oklahoma, I live in Columbia, and I miss this game a lot. Okay, fine, the real answer is Aggies-Horns, but either way, one of the unique things about OU and Texas moving to the SEC is that it actually reignites a few matchups that either had a long history (A&M-Texas, but also Arkansas-Texas and Mizzou-Oklahoma) or a short but interesting history (OU-A&M, a.k.a. the 77-0 Bowl; Mizzou-Texas, a.k.a. the “Our bad years are better than their good years” Bowl). That is small consolation for the Big 12 schools that lost their most big-name rivals, but in realignment we take what we can get. — Bill Connelly
Biggest game we’re missing?
Georgia at Texas A&M: I’m starting to wonder if we’ll ever see Georgia and Texas A&M play an SEC game at Kyle Field. Yes, I know it will happen at some point. But the Aggies have been a member of the league since 2012, and the Bulldogs have yet to visit College Station. Part of the excitement of the new-look SEC is seeing an established power like Georgia go from its own football-obsessed state into another football-obsessed state like Texas. And now that Bobby Petrino is back in the league as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator, seeing his offense go up against Kirby Smart’s defense would make for high drama. — Low
Georgia at South Carolina: Maybe it doesn’t qualify as a top-tier rivalry game — the Bulldogs may not even count the Gamecocks as a rival at all — but it’s a shame the two soon-to-be-former SEC East members won’t continue a series that dates back to 1992. There have been some great moments in the series. I’m thinking of 2019, in particular. And I’m bullish on what Shane Beamer and his staff are building in Columbia. It would have been fun to see the upstart try to take down the reigning champ. — Alex Scarborough
Texas vs. LSU: Honestly, I was hoping for Longhorns vs. Tigers. They brewed some bad blood after fighting over Tom Herman in 2016 (remember that?), and that’s a rivalry that has plenty of potential. But I’m just going to calmly continue to assume that eventually right minds will prevail, the league will move to a nine-game conference schedule, and everyone will play everyone every couple of years. That will create enough rivalry opportunities in itself. — Connelly
1:41
SEC commish talks challenges of football scheduling
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey discusses the many factors that go into the league’s scheduling format.
Biggest winner
The fans: For the most part, the SEC did a great job keeping its most important games intact. Even less prestigious rivalries like Arkansas-LSU and Alabama-Tennessee will continue. Each school will play one of the two conference newcomers in Oklahoma and Texas. And there are no repeat trips from the 2023 season. The only thing that would be better for the fans is if the SEC came out on Wednesday and said they will be playing a nine-game schedule in 2025 and beyond. Because a long-term eight-game conference schedule won’t satisfy this many people. So enjoy it while you can. — Scarborough
Rivalries: Kudos to the SEC for doing everything it could to match up schools that have some type of history and not forgetting about tradition. Some of the games were obvious (Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Georgia, Mississippi State-Ole Miss, Oklahoma-Texas, Texas-Texas A&M and Alabama-Tennessee), but it’s nice to see other matchups such as Alabama-LSU, Arkansas-Texas, Florida-Tennessee, Florida-LSU, Georgia-Tennessee and LSU-Ole Miss preserved. — Low
Arkansas: They kept LSU, they kept Ole Miss (one of the most underrated games on the college football slate), they kept Missouri (for whatever that’s worth), they kept A&M and they added Texas. That’s almost perfect for the Hogs. — Connelly
Texas A&M: The Aggies made the most noise about Texas entering the SEC, and athletic director Ross Bjork even made it clear he expected the league to schedule the first A&M-Texas game in College Station, “just because of everything that’s transpired,” he told The Athletic. Not only did Bjork get his wish, but the Aggies also get LSU at home, miss Alabama and Georgia completely and have a road slate that includes trips to Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida and South Carolina. In this lineup, that’s a very friendly schedule. — Wilson
Biggest loser
Alabama: Good luck finding any easy schedules in 2024, but Alabama’s road slate is brutal. Not only do the Crimson Tide have to play at LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee within the conference, but they also visit Wisconsin the second week of the season in a nonconference game. The “good” news is that they get two-time defending national champion Georgia at home. — Low
Georgia: Bye-bye Vanderbilt. So long Missouri. There will be no more running roughshod over a down SEC East for Georgia. The Bulldogs will face a gauntlet as the conference goes division-less with Florida in Jacksonville, Auburn and Tennessee at home, and road trips to Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss and Kentucky. — Scarborough
Oklahoma: It’s hard to say either the Sooners or the Longhorns can be “losers” coming into the SEC. And while I agree with Alex, I think fans in Norman might understandably feel some type of way about only having three true home games in 2024 (Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee) because of their designation as the home team against Texas at the Cotton Bowl. The positive in this: Two of their three toughest games are going to be at home against the Crimson Tide and Volunteers, while they get a trip to Death Valley against LSU. — Lyles Jr.
Savings accounts: If you are a Texas fan, can you miss a road trip to an old rival against Arkansas? Another one to Texas A&M? You can’t miss Oklahoma. Then there are home games against Georgia and Florida. Oklahoma fans get a road trip to LSU, and home games against Alabama and/or Tennessee. It’s all great for fans, but rough on the ol’ pocketbook. — Wilson
Every team’s 2024 SEC opponents
Away: LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Home: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina
Away: Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M
Home: LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas
Away: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri
Home: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Away: Georgia (Jacksonville), Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas
Home: Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
Away: Alabama, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Texas
Home: Auburn, Florida (Jacksonville), Mississippi State, Tennessee
Away: Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas
Home: Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
Away: Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Texas A&M
Home: Alabama, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt
Away: Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas
Home: Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Texas A&M
Away: Alabama, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas A&M
Home: Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt
Away: Auburn, LSU, Missouri, Ole Miss
Home: Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (at Dallas)
Away: Arkansas, Florida, LSU, South Carolina
Home: Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Oklahoma
Away: Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt
Home: LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri, Texas A&M
Away: Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt
Home: Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State
Away: Arkansas, Oklahoma (Dallas), Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Home: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State
Away: Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State, South Carolina
Home: Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Texas
Away: Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri
Home: Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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