Will Texas rise to the top? Is Alabama ready to bounce back?

The entirety of college football outside of the SEC derived much joy last season from watching the SEC land only three College Football Playoff berths and none of its teams reach the national championship.

This year, I predict, the SEC will come storming back.

The league’s offenses last year largely stank. No team averaged 30 points in conference games. Not coincidentally, many of the SEC’s highest-profile QBs in 2024 — Georgia’s Carson Beck, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, even Texas’ Quinn Ewers — regressed from the year before.

This year’s group should fare better. It’s a strong cast, led by Texas’ Arch Manning, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Florida’s DJ Lagway and Oklahoma’s John Mateer, all of whom rank in the top 10 of The Athletic’s preseason QB Tiers. Oh, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia.

But a couple of the prime contenders will need a new guy to deliver. I’m betting on Alabama’s Ty Simpson. I’m selling Georgia’s Gunner Stockton.

Manning is going to be good. How good? We’ll see. But the Longhorns, who won 13 games last season, should have a much more potent rushing attack with the tandem of Quintrevion Wisner and a healthy CJ Baxter. The front seven will be dominant. If Texas flops, it will be because a less-experienced offensive line took a significant step back.

Kalen DeBoer’s 9-4 debut was a disaster, particularly on offense. But it’s a big deal that he’s reuniting with his former Washington offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb. Bama has a great receiving corps led by Ryan Williams, a huge offensive line and a defense teeming with vets like linebacker Deontae Lawson and defensive tackle Tim Keenan III. I’m all in on a Tide bounce-back.