SEC football: 10 sizzling questions that need answers in Week 1 (2024)

First-year defensive coordinator Corey Batoon faces a ton of pressure at Missourigiven the losses on that side of the football and the fact this team ranks inside the preseason top 15 coming off 11 wins. Part of what made Missouri an elite football team in 2023 was the edge this defense played with at the line of scrimmage. The Tigers finished third in the SEC in havoc numbers (tackles for loss and sacks) and tied with Alabama for takeaways (19). Pass rusher Darius Robinson, linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper, safety Jaylon Carlies and cornerbacks Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. were drafted and the Tigers lost Georgia transfer edge rusher Darris Smith for the season last week.

There will not bea final answer to this question with the Commodores hosting a quality opponent from the ACC like Virginia Tech. However, getting blitzed at home would be a horrific start to Year 4 for Clark Lea, whose been mentioned in various hot-seat conversations throughout the summer around the conference. He's calling the defense this season, made wholesale changes on the other side of the football and has a quarterback transfer in Diego Pavia who the Commodores are cautiously optimistic will be a difference-maker at the position. All that to say how Vanderbilt looks matters during opening weekend.

Throughout camp, the Ole Miss defense was aheadof the offense — which says a lot considering the wealth of returning production on that side of the football. And it's exactly what the Rebels need if they plan on being one of several SEC teams expected to reach the College Football Playoff. The defensive line impressed over both fall scrimmages, a unit anchored by a couple high-end transfers and returning seniors JJ Pegues and Jared Ivey. Ole Miss should beat Furman by 50 points, but more importantly, its new pieces on defense must dominate.

Every season under Shane Beamer, the Gameco*cks ran variations of a pro-style offense with average production. First, it came under Marcus Satterfieldand then with Dowell Loggains last season and Spencer Rattler as his quarterback. Now, with very different personnel, this unit has the look of a group that could be RPO-heavy thanks to a transfer-infused backfield and two dual-threat quarterbacks — LaNorris Sellers and Robby Ashford — running the show. During the offseason, the Gameco*cksbrought back former offensive line coach Shawn Elliott, who was leading Georgia State, to coach tight ends. He was part of South Carolina's offensive staff the last time this program went zone read and power football heavy under Steve Spurrier with heightened success.

With the wideout room "completely different" at Auburn according to Hugh Freeze, there are no excuses for a faulty passing game. Payton Thorne is Freeze's pick to start after a 16-touchdown, 10-interception season with a 57.7 QBR (69th nationally). It was a middle-of-the-road performance and not what the Tigers need again if the plan is competing near the top of the SEC title race this fall. Thorne finding a rhythm early with five-star wideout Cam Coleman and a couple new pieces against Alabama A&M could do wonders for his confidence level given the talent that's waiting behind him on the Plains.

Only two quarterbacksmake their first official starts at the college level during Week 1, but there are two others who are first-year starters for top 20 teams equally important to their programs' respective seasons. Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff gets the nod at Kentucky, which undergoes a slight schematic shift with Bush Hamden now calling plays. Sellers at South Carolina, who redshirted behind Rattler, is now QB1 with considerable upside. At Oklahoma, Jackson Arnold started last season's bowl loss, butis now fully-engagedas "the guy" for the Sooners.Another former five-star like Arnold — Nico Iamaleava — fueled Tennessee's bowl win over Iowa, but this season, the Vols are his team.

Blown coverages. Missed tackles. Guys out of position. Last season's terrible defensive play at LSU featured a comedy of errors, especially when opposing teams dropped back to throw. Well, this season's opener against USC is going to truly test a secondary that has a reputation to repair under new DC Blake Baker, one of Brian Kelly's key staffing additions this offseason. A marquee game against the Trojans is a great time for Harold Perkins Jr. to reintroduce himself to a national audience as well as a prolific playmaker.

Watch out forWashington transfer Germie Bernard, Kendrick Law and Kobe Prentice. Five-star freshman Ryan Williamsdazzled and he's going to play. Emmanuel Henderson and Cole Adamsget reps, too. Team captain Jalen Milroemakes this group look good thanks to his ability to extend plays and find open targets at the second level. WKU isn't going to put up much of a fight from its secondary, so the Crimson Tide's opener should provide plenty of opportunitiesfor various multi-wide receiver setsso that Alabama's offensive staff gets a full look at the position.

For a preseason national championship contender like the Longhorns, depth issues at running back are dire at the moment. Texas lost two scholarship ballcarriers during fall camp to extensive injuries, including former five-star C.J. Baxter. That means Jaydon Blue is going to get a heavy workload early, and freshman Jerrick Gibson will undoubtedly see game action. Former walk-on Colin Page is the current fourth-team option and there are players who have moonlighted in the backfield from other positions to aid the depth concerns. Steve Sarkisian said after the second scrimmage that Texas is exploring all options back there.

Top-ranked Georgia, Florida, No. 13 LSU and 20th-ranked Texas A&M all have a chance in Week 1 to show out against nationally-ranked competition. The Bulldogs and Tigers are favored to beat Clemson and USC, respectively, in neutral site affairs while the Gators and Aggies are home underdogs to Miami and Notre Dame. The rest of the conference has extremely favorable openers and we're not going gleam much from those given the talent differential. Georgia edged Ohio State in the preseason rankings for top billing and beating Clemson for the second time in three years would be a feather in the SEC's cap. LSU is expected to handle USC out in Las Vegas, while Texas A&M's bout with the Fighting Irish is essentially a toss-up. Offseason narratives in Gainesville could really change if the Gators impress.