An early look for college football at the 'enhanced' SEC

The Southeastern Conference is clearly the marquee league in college football. Now, it’s deeper than ever. Oklahoma and Texas join the SEC this season. That will only make it even tougher.

The Missouri Tigers (11-2, 6-2 SEC) were a major surprise last season, and will be a program to contend with in 2024. Mizzou, ending at No. 8 nationally last season, was able to land a great quarterback in the ever-popular transfer portal this time around. 

Here’s a look at the new Tiger star as well as the odds to win the Southeastern Conference next season. 

Pyne to Columbia

The Missouri Tigers, led by quarterback Brady Cook, were among the nation’s best offenses in 2023. Cook is still at the controls, but the Tigers brought in a capable understudy in Drew Pyne. 

Pyne is coming aboard after stops at both Notre Dame and Arizona St. He’s had much success throughout his career and was 8-2 as a starter in South Bend, but left the after losing his job.

Pyne is currently enrolled at Notre Dame, as he plans to graduate. He will join the Tiger program after the spring semester. Cook, meanwhile, was one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC last season (3,317 yards, 21 touchdowns, six interceptions).

Pyne's injury-plagued 2023 saw him appear in just two games during the last campaign. He had been eying a new home, and a friendship with Cook helped make his decision.

Missouri is going to enter 2024 nationally-ranked, but will have its work cut out in this enhanced version of the SEC. If you’re a fan/believer, try the Tigers at 12-1 (+1200), according to Southeastern Conference title odds.

The Two Choices

Looking at the odds to win the SEC next season, there’s two teams expected to be better than the rest - shockingly, the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns. Georgia is the clear choice on the futures odds board at 2-1 (+200), having recently brought two national titles between the hedges to Athens.

So, after the Bulldogs, the second choice in the wagering is the newly-arrived Texas Longhorns, priced at 5-2 (+250). Georgia is the 17-5 (+330) overall choice to win the National Championship in 2025, Texas at 7-1 (+700), as per college football championship odds. Texas ended '23 at No. 3, 12-2 overall (8-1 in the Big 12).

With the College Football Playoff expanding to a dozen teams this season, more teams out of this conference are going to get invited. That’s unfortunately after a bruising in-house schedule. 

While the ‘Dawgs (13-1 last season) and ‘Horns are favored entering the season, there are some other quality teams in the mix as well. 

Plenty of Contenders

This conference is just too good to only focus on two teams. The Ole Miss Rebels (11-2, 6-2 in 2023) are quite good, and quite intriguing at 13-2 (+650). Mississippi ended No. 9 last season.

Alabama, loser in the national title game (that after knocking off Georgia to win the SEC title) is a team in flux at 9-1 (+900). It’s no longer Nick Saban, but ex-Washington Huskies’ coach Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa. There are serious questions within the roaster as well, but it’s still ‘Bama.  

Louisiana State is right behind Alabama at 19-2 (+950), and now the Tigers are without Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. LSU ended 2023 ranked No. 12, with a record of 10-3 (6-2 SEC). 

Tennessee (10-1, [+1000]) and aforementioned Missouri (12-1, [1200]) could also be in the mix.

Legion of Longshots

Missouri is realistically the cutoff when it comes to teams with a legitimate chance to win the SEC, but there are the midlings and bottom-feeders as well.

Here are the rest of the odds to win the SEC in 2024:

It’s stunning to see Oklahoma (10-3, 7-2 Big 12) ranked 15th nationally a season ago, as such an outsider this time around.