3. Alabama Crimson Tide: Kalen DeBoer’s year-one acumen
The ex-Washington coach has gargantuan shoes to fill in Tuscaloosa, taking Nick Saban’s spot atop the Alabama program. DeBoer is a bona fide winner, though, with a career head coaching record of 104-12, and he has never finished with fewer than nine wins in a full season. However, overcoming the Crimson Tide’s transfer exodus poses a big challenge.
2. Texas Longhorns: Defense keeping up with the offense
The Longhorns should not have much difficulty moving the ball with Quinn Ewers back to lead the offense, C.J. Baxter carrying the ball and transfer receivers Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden likely keeping the aerial attack potent. Texas lost immense amounts of talent to the NFL, though, and the defensive departures could be particularly noticeable.
1. Georgia Bulldogs: Road game success
Georgia will be as talented, and often more so, than every team it meets during the 2024 season. If all of its games were played on a neutral field, it might be favored in each and every one of them. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, though, their three toughest matchups come away from Athens in the form of trips to Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss.
