2024 SEC football Strength of Schedule: Preview of toughest game for all 16 teams ft. Alabama, Florida

The Southeastern Conference has long been the toughest league in college football. Now, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma in 2024, it's only going to get tougher.

There's no easy way through the SEC schedule. That said, here's a quick look at each team's toughest game on the 2024 slate.

Toughest game for all 16 SEC teams

Alabama

Nov. 9 at LSU.

The Tigers have given Alabama a good battle historically, having won two of the last five matchups in the series. The game being at LSU and likely being a night game makes it even more compelling. Both this game and the Georgia game early in the season will come after bye weeks for Alabama.

Arkansas

Nov. 16 vs. Texas.

The Razorbacks get a fairly light road SEC slate. But by the end of the season, it's likely that Arkansas will be wearing thin when they host Texas. The Hogs will be coming off an open date, but with Texas likely to be in prime competition for the College Football Playoff, this one looks tough.

Auburn

Oct. 5 at Georgia.

This is the Tigers' first road game of the season and it comes the week after playing Oklahoma. The Bulldogs hold a 16-3 edge in this series and this doesn't look like a good opportunity for Auburn to whittle away at that advantage.

Florida

Nov. 9 at Texas.

This comes at a bad time on UF's SEC schedule, sandwiched between the annual rivalry game with Georgia and a home matchup with LSU. Texas is one of the best teams in the nation, and going on the road in the middle of that brutal three-game run looks tough.

Georgia

Sept. 28 at Alabama.

Does Georgia have challenging games? Well, these two have played for the SEC title in three of the last six years... and Alabama has won all three. UGA does come in off a week off, but this one is still a tall challenge.

Kentucky

Nov. 2 at Tennessee.

Kentucky is just 2-10 in the last 12 games with UT, and this one comes on the road, where the Wildcats have been especially dire in the series. This is also the fourth SEC game in a row before a bye week for Kentucky. The Wildcats will have their work cut out in Knoxville.

LSU

Oct. 12 vs. Ole Miss.

The Rebels have won two of the last three in this series, and last year's 55-49 defeat hamstrung Ole Miss's CFP chances. The Tigers do get this game at home and are coming off a week off. But the Lane Kiffin offense has challenged LSU as of late.

Mississippi State

Oct. 12 at Georgia.

The last time Mississippi State won in Athens? 1956. Granted, the two haven't played often, but that's 11 in a row in Athens for Georgia. This feels next to impossible for MSU.

Missouri

Oct. 26 at Alabama.

The last Tigers win over Alabama came in 1975. This is the fourth game in four weeks before a bye week for Mizzou. The good news is that Mizzou will likely come into this game with a good record. The bad news is that it'll be a tough road battle.

Oklahoma

Oct. 26 at Ole Miss.

The annual game with Texas comes off a bye week. Late-season games at home against Bama and at LSU were also considered. But Oxford has been a tough place to win, and Oklahoma comes in off two conference games while Ole Miss will have had a week off.

Ole Miss

Nov. 9 vs. Georgia.

The Bulldogs have won 11 of the last 12 in this series. A year ago, Ole Miss came into this game playing like a national power. It came out with a 52-17 loss.

South Carolina

Oct. 12 at Alabama.

The Gamecocks are actually 3-3 in the last six meetings with the Crimson Tide, but that is based on most games being played in a fallow period for Alabama. The last meeting was a 47-23 Tide win at Carolina. Coming off a meeting with Ole Miss, the Gamecocks will have their hands full.

Tennessee

Nov. 16 at Georgia.

Georgia has won the last seven games in this series and the margins have been 41, 26, 29, 23, 24, 14 and 28 points. Tennessee comes in off a pair of league games and will have their hands full trying to keep this one close.

Texas

Sept. 7 at Michigan.

A non-league game? Yes. UT gets Georgia at home and Oklahoma on a neutral field. Playing the defending champs in the Big House in week two is a massive challenge.

Texas A&M

Nov. 30 vs. Texas.

The Aggies get a pretty nice draw here. They play LSU at home and missed Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss. But by the end of the season, the depth edge of Texas could be surfacing in a serious way.

Vanderbilt

Oct. 5 vs. Alabama.

The temptation is to say that any SEC game will be tough for Vandy, and that's true. But the last time the Commodores beat Alabama? 1984. (If that sounds technical, Alabama technically forfeited its 1993 win due to NCAA penalties, but they still won 17-6 in the actual game). In 2017, Vandy students claimed they wanted Bama after an early-season win. They lost 59-0.

Which games look toughest to you on the SEC slate? Let's hear your comments below!