The SEC is stacked as they move to a 16-team conference for 2024. The upcoming season also brings in the new 12-team playoff, with outside teams having a chance to make the big dance. Ole Miss is one of those teams, with the Southeastern Conference looking to see several teams make the top 12 in December.
With media sites and analysts dropping rankings, some teams have landed in questionable spots. Are these three SEC teams being overrated heading into the new season?
Oklahoma Sooners
One of the new SEC teams heading over from the Big 12, Oklahoma, has been a powerhouse in college football. The Sooners dominated the Big 12 conference from 2015-2020, though they have failed to make the championship game in the last three seasons.
The media has Oklahoma as a top-20 team, with some having them as high as No. 12. Going into the first season in the SEC, this looks way too high.
With a talented but inexperienced quarterback in sophomore Jackson Arnold and an offensive line with questions, it could be a below-average season for the Sooners. Losing offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby was a blow, so there is so much transition heading into the new conference.
The SEC competition will be much more challenging in 2024 than previous Big 12 seasons. Aside from the week nine game against Maine, the final five games will test Oklahoma to the max. First Ole Miss on the road, with Alabama wedged between road games against Missouri and Alabama. With Tennessee, Auburn, and Texas to play, too, it's a possibility that they just scrape a bowl game.
If you are looking to be a top-15 team at the end of the season, you will likely be looking at a nine-win season. The Sooners' over/under win total for 2024 is set at 7.5, which is bang on. Vegas does not see them as a top-15 team, a feeling we share.