Jon Joseph No. 1 Share Posted March 8 ESPN (paywall, at least for me) has an article forecasting each top 25 team's (top 25 according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach) 'Season Defining Game.' I disagree not only with several of Schlbach's rankings but also in several instances with this list, as so noted below. I am not going 25 teams deep. I think 25 is archaic in this 12-team playoff 'era.' Florida State is No. 15 in Shlabach's ranking. So I'll dive this deep. No. 1 - Georgia - At Texas on October 19, 2024. This will be the Dawgs's first game vs. Texas since a 1958 Sugar Bowl loss, 28-21, to the Horns. The SEC scheduled this game the same weekend that the Grand Prix is in Austin. Three-star hotel rooms are going for $14,000 a night. The Four Seasons, $20,000 + a night. I have no quibble with Georgia being ranked No. 1. But the game of more importance to Georgia fans and the nation will be on September 26, 2024, when Georgia plays Alabama in Tuscaloosa. (Hotel rooms are cheap; going from $10K to $12K.) Athlon Sports agrees with me. Athlon has the UGA/Bama game ranked No. 1 in the SEC in 2024. Kirby Smart is 1 - 5 vs Alabama (vs Saint Nick) and this game Just Means More to Georgia fans. (Nevada Dawg, am I correct?) No. 2 - Ohio State - November 30, 2024, vs. That Team Up North. The game at Oregon is impactful for the Buckeyes, see below, but this is The Game that Just Means More to Buckeyes fans. Based on Georgia having the more difficult strength of schedule in 2024, at Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas, an argument for Ohio State being No. 1 can be made but I agree that Georgia should start the season No.1 if for no other reason than Georgia is coming into the season with Carson Beck as a proven starting QB for Georgia. No. 3 - OREGON - October 12, 2024, the first B1G Battle of the Os in what could be three games between OREGON and Ohio State in 2024/25. One record that I believe will be broken is the secondary ticket price for this game. UW is the Ducks's permanent B1G opponent and the hate factor is higher than for Ohio State, but this game on October 12th could determine whether OREGON plays in the B1G champ game. Ohio State will come into Autzen with a far better roster than UW will bring. No. 4 - Texas - The Red River Rivalry on October 12th, 2024. Many great CFB games will be played on 10/12. UT fans would Sooner forget Dillon Gabriel leading Oklahoma to a last possession-winning touchdown in the 2023 game. I think Texas is overrated at No. 4. I also think that Texas fans are torn between this game and the game at Texas A+M, as being the most impactful on the Longhorns's schedule. A schedule that overall is not that strong even with Georgia and Oklahoma on the schedule. No. 5 - Notre Dame - November 9, 2024 vs Florida State. The first six of Notre Dame's eight opponents play the Irish in South Bend and finished 6-6 or worse in 2023. In addition to Navy, the Irish also play Army in 2024. And, of course, without a conference champ game play only 12 games. I have a feeling that the November 30, 2024 game in LA vs. USC could have a major impact on both teams. Even with a light schedule, I think ND is overrated. With four G5 teams on the schedule, Notre Dame's opening game at Texas A+M with QB Riley Leonard going against his coach at Duke, Mike Elko now at A+M, should be very interesting and important for playoff seeding. No. 6 - Ole Miss - October 12th, 2024 (that date again) vs LSU in Baton Rogue. This is a big game for both teams no doubt but the game vs. Georgia in Oxford is also a very big game. No. 7 - Missouri - In 2024, Missouri as a member of the SEC will play only two teams ranked in the top 25 with the Oklahoma game being played in CoMo. In 2024, Mizzou has the easiest strength of schedule in the SEC. Accordingly, it is logical for the Tigers's game at Alabama to top this list. The intra-conference differences in 2024 strength of schedule in the SEC vary significantly and will impact the 12-team playoff field. No. 8 - Penn State - West Virginia in Morgantown is a tricky opener but the November 2nd game vs Ohio State in Happy Valley is the biggest game for a Penn State team that will miss Michigan. PSU has not defeated Ohio State since 2016. The October 12th (that date again) game in LA vs. USC will probably be PSU's 2nd toughest test. PSU travels to LA the Saturday after playing UCLA at home. No. 9 - Alabama - September 28th vs Georgia. A No.9 ranking for Bama would mean a first-round playoff away game if Bama made the playoff field as the No. 9 seed. A first-round playoff road game would have the Tide fans upset with Kalen DeBoer. Missing the 12-team field? No. 10. Utah - No. 10? In a conference where no team has a Blue Chip Roster and every game, especially the game at Oklahoma State on September 21st the week before playing No. 11. Arizona, coming off an idle week, in SLC, will be competitive. No. 11 - Arizona - ESPN picks the Arizona game vs. Kansas State in the Little Apple on September 14, 2024, as being the most significant. I do not see the B12 champion being ranked as high as No. 10 in the playoff committee's final ranking. No. 12 - LSU - vs. USC in Las Vegas on September 1, 2024. Horse Hockey! The game on November 9th vs. Alabama is the game that Bayou Bengal fans are looking forward to and it being a conference game, will have more of an impact on LSU's season than an opening out-of-conference game. IMO, LSU is underratted. LSU does not play Georgia and Texas and plays Alabama and Ole Miss in Baton Rouge. No. 15. FSU - Schlabach has both FSU and No. 19, Clemson ranked too low IMO. I think the champion of the ACC will have two or fewer losses and be one of these two teams. Clemson vs. Georgia in the opening game is a huge out-of-conference game but Clemson playing FSU in Tallahassee on October 5th is the conference rubber-meets-the-road game. Come on August 31, 2024, and Vandalize the Vandals! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author No. 2 Share Posted March 8 Athlon's take on the 2024 top SEC games. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/sec-football-15-must-see-games-in-2024 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author No. 3 Share Posted March 8 As I was saying ... ESPN picks USC as ‘season-defining game’ for LSU in 2024. The Tigers know otherwise from experience WWW.SATURDAYDOWNSOUTH.COM LSU's Week 1 game against USC will be season-defining, according to ESPN. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
