The 2024 College Football season is promising to be top-notch with many juicy narratives in every top conference. After its expansion to 16 teams, the SEC is home to multiple of these storylines. Kirby Smart’s Georgia is still going strong. Who will make the SEC championship game in December? Can any team half Georgia’s run to that game or beat it in the final? There are some obvious contenders in Alabama and Ole Miss. An unlikely team looking to improve on its 2023 performance is LSU, coached by Brian Kelly.

Georgia has been ranked 1st in both AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll rankings. In 2023, Smart’s men fell to Nick Saban’s Alabama in the SEC championship game and missed out on the playoffs. Despite that, everyone is still wary of the Bulldogs because of their stacked roster and brilliant coaching apparatus. To improve on his first two seasons at LSU, Brian Kelly has taken the lead from Smart in re-building his team.

LSU’s rank in the AP Top 25 is 13th. However, with multiple additions to the offense, LSU, in 2024, may mirror Georgia’s team last year. The similarities are too obvious for anyone to ignore! Following the departure of the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, LSU will have the services of 4-star QB Garrett Nussmeier in 2024. The opportunity for Nussmeier came in his 4th year, similar to Carson Beck for Georgia in 2023. Moreover, there are apparent similarities between the Tigers’ RB Kalab Jackson this year and the Bulldogs’ RB Kendall Milton last year. In 2023, Georgia’s offense gained strength due to the additions of some quality wide receivers; the same can be said for the Tigers in 2024. The biggest commonality? The strength of their respective O-lines.

Can the Tigers under Brian Kelly really mount a challenge?

Until now, we needed the services of the GOAT, Nick Saban, to halt Georgia’s progress in the last three years. With Saban retired, the task may be too big for other coaches in the conference. Importantly, Smart is the only coach remaining to have won a national championship. He has done it twice. However, Brian Kelly’s Tigers will not rest without giving a tough fight.

The biggest strength for LSU in 2024 is going to be its O-line. Emery Jones, Will Campbell, Frazier, Dellinger, and DJ Chester- this O-line can battle any D-line. Similarly, on the defensive side, Harold Perkins is a promising linebacker. The Tigers may miss the services of Malik Nabers, but its wide receivers are still a force to reckon with. There are three worthy starters: Chris Hilton Jr., CJ Daniels, and Kyren Lacy. The depth is not too bad, either. QB Garrett Nussmeier has a point to prove. Replacing a Heisman trophy winner is no small feat, but Nussmeier has already shown that he may have what it takes.

The defense remains a concern for the Tigers. D-line lacks experience. The same is true for the defensive backs. However, despite these obvious weaknesses, the offense is just too strong, and the team may have enough in its tank to reach the playoffs this year. Can it go further in the playoffs? That’s the question. What do you think? Tell us your opinion!