The 10 most important games in SEC football that will shape the 2024 season

It's been a long time since the Texas Longhorns and Michigan Wolverines met on the football field. Their only meeting came in the Rose Bowl following the 2004 college football season. That last-second victory sparked a run to the BCS title the following season. Perhaps another win two decades later could spark a Texas run to the title?

For Michigan, it's about setting the tone for the season after head coach Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL shortly after winning the title. Not to mention a mass exodus of talent to the NFL draft and transfer portal. What does that version of Michigan look like when Sherrone Moore takes over as head coach?

The LSU Tigers and USC Trojans face many questions heading into their season opener in Las Vegas. For the Tigers, it's about replacing reigning Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jaden Daniels and their top two wide receivers. Garrett Nussmeier has waited patiently and it seems like now is his time to shine. His bowl performance gives them hope, but what if he's the one to lead them into 2024?

The Trojans' story seems to be very similar. Lincoln Riley, coming off his worst season as a head coach, must replace his Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams. Miller Moss looked good in their final game of the season, but they have a lot of questions of their own. It should be quite a show when they get going on September 1st.

The Big 8-Big 12 rivalry will reignite when the Oklahoma Sooners and Missouri Tigers meet in Columbia on Nov. 9. The Sooners will have a new quarterback after Dillon Gabriel transferred to Oregon. Jackson Arnold previewed OU in the Alamo Bowl, but it didn't quite go their way. They still have plenty of talent, but they're facing a Missouri team that was on a mission last year.

The Missouri Tigers defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and have their two best offensive players back: quarterback Brady Cook and former Oklahoma freshman Luther Burden III at wide receiver. Brent Venables will have his hands full trying to slow down Missouri's offense.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to College Station to face the Texas A&M Aggies for the first time since 2001. On that September day, the Aggies were victorious, ending a three-game winning streak for the Irish. Notre Dame brought in former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard to run Mike Denbrock's offense after he returned to Notre Dame.

New Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko also has ties to the Irish, where he was defensive coordinator before joining Jimbo Fisher in College Station. In this matchup, he will look to set the tone for his tenure, and ironically, he will face off against his former quarterback Riley Leonard, who was the starter during his two years as Duke's head coach.

Finally, we'll see a renewed rivalry when the Lone Star Series returns to the football field. Texas had the last laugh when Justin Tucker kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired in 2011 to beat the Aggies 27-25. That was the last time they faced each other until they finish the regular season in 2024. Many fans outside of Texas have been waiting for this matchup as well.

Overall, Texas has dominated this rivalry with a record of 76-37-5. They split the last six meetings before the end in 2011, but Texas has won nine of the last 12 games. While those numbers don't mean much in the grand scheme of things, there's a lot at stake in the battle for state supremacy. How will head coaches Steve Sarkisian and Mike Elko fare on the field in their first taste of the rivalry?

When it comes to college football border wars, the Red River Rivalry is one of the best in the country. The crowd is split right at the 50-yard line and it's easy to tell who's cheering for who, with a sea of ​​burnt orange on one side and crimson on the other.

This season marks the 120th meeting between these two teams. While Texas has the edge with a 63-51-5 overall record, Oklahoma has dominated as of late. The Sooners have won 11 of the last 15 meetings, including last year's 34-30 game. Texas is ready for redemption and welcomes Jackson Arnold to the rivalry.

This matchup, with two Nick Saban disciples as head coaches, is more about the Ole Miss Rebels than the Georgia Bulldogs. UGA has proven its worth with national championship wins in two of the last three years and another berth in the CFP title game in 2017. The Dawgs are ready for another run.

Ole Miss is coming off its best season in school history, as Lane Kiffin led them to an 11-2 record. Those two losses came at the hands of Alabama and Georgia. For the Rebels to compete for an SEC title for the first time since 1963, Hotty Totty needs to win these types of matchups. Can Lane beat Kirby after UGA dismantled them 52-17 last season?

The last time the Bayou Bengals played in Tuscaloosa, they emerged victorious by taking a last-minute two-point gamble instead of going to overtime. It paid off, and Brian Kelly and the Tigers headed to the SEC title game. This time, things will be a little different in this matchup.

Kalen DeBoer takes over for the legendary Nick Saban, so expect things to look different when the Crimson Tide take the field. They may be a little more explosive on offense, but what will the defense look like after watching a dominant unit during Saban's tenure? With a lot of questions for both teams, it will be worth watching.

What more can be said about the years-long rivalry between UGA and Alabama? They have battled for the SEC title and the national championship, and even with a change in leadership from the Alabama Crimson Tide, it should still be a hard-fought matchup when the Bulldogs head to Tuscaloosa.

Since 2008, Georgia has only defeated Alabama once, in the 2022 CFP National Championship game. This is the game where Kirby Smart will make his mark on Alabama and the college football scene. Can the Bulldogs turn the tide against their longtime conference rivals?

Was there really any other option at the top than the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns meeting on October 19 in Austin, Texas? Both teams were considered the top two teams in the SEC according to the latest projections. That doesn't mean much, but this game will be a slugfest between two coaches who know each other well.

Sark's offense was able to score 41 points against Kirby's defense in the 2020 matchup in Tuscaloosa. Can Quinn Ewers and this offense have similar success against one of the best defensive coaches in college football? Only time will tell, but this could be one of the most important must-see games of 2024, and not just from an SEC perspective.