Alabama Gazette panel has Alabama in the playoffs

Southeastern Conference football cranks up the 2024 season starting this weekend - August 31.

The Alabama Gazette panelists ranked the SEC and found Georgia to be the class of the SEC. 4 of the 5 panelists picked Georgia to finish the regular season in first place in the SEC. Luisa Reyes was the lone vote picking Alabama. Texas was second, followed by Alabama. Historically that would be a disappointing year for Tide fans, but with the 12 team playoff format this year, third place will get you a playoff berth, and fourth in the SEC has a really good chance.

"Georgia, Texas and Alabama are easy predictions," said Perry O. Hooper Jr. "After that, it's get's very competitive."

Our panel was much more divided once it got out of the top 3 teams. Oklahoma tied with LSU for fourth place with only Luisa picking Oklahoma fourth and only Christopher Peeks picking LSU that high.

Sixth place went to Texas A&M with Harry Still picking them as high as second. Ole Miss finished in seventh place in the panel average, although Christopher had the Rebs (or whatever they are called now) in second.

Missouri finished in eighth place, even though Brandon and Christopher both had them in fifth.

"I think Auburn and Missouri are sleepers in the conference this year, so watch out!" said Hooper.

The panel is picking another bad year for Auburn with a ninth place finish. Harry has Auburn in third place; but the rest of the panel believes that Hugh Freeze has another year of rebuilding to do on the Plains this season.

The panel believes that Tennessee is going to take a step back this year at tenth place. Brandon has them in fourth place but the rest of the panel is less optimistic about this Vols team.

The panel has Florida in 11th place. That is better than what the Gators have done recently, but that might not be enough to save Billy Napier's job.

The panel has Arkansas in 12th place, followed by Kentucky and South Carolina in 13th and 14th.

Mississippi State is at 15 and Vanderbilt is at 16. Four of the five panelists picked Vanderbilt to finish in last place in the SEC with one choosing Mississippi State.

"There are lot of great quarterbacks, receivers and running backs in the conference this year," said Hooper. "It's going to be interesting."