Biscuits & SEC Week 1 game-by-game previews 2024
Some massive matchups headline Week 1. Can Georgia start hot? Will Florida notch a signature win? Can A&M become contenders overnight? Time to strap'em up.
By: Bossman Slim, Hammer, Waco Kid
We are back with another year of SEC football and another year of Biscuits & SEC picks and previews. The addition of Texas and Oklahoma should make for a fun, exciting, and crazy year in the SEC. Thanks for joining us for the ride.
It’s a clean slate to start the year. Bossman took the crown last year going 10 games above .500 in games against the spread, which is piping hot. Can he keep the hot streak alive in 2024? We’ll see.
Let’s dive into week one!
Bossman: You’re darn Tuten! Virginia Tech senior RB Bhayshul Tuten is a former 1,000+ yard back. Kyron Drones is looking like one of the best players in the ACC. Drones threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 TDs last season to go along with 642 rushing yards and four TDs. The Hokies are also stacked with experienced talent at wide receiver. I think this Tech offense is too much for Vanderbilt, who was easily the worst defense in the SEC in 2023. Hokies, high.
VT 31
Vandy 13
Hammer: This should be an interesting game. Virginia Tech finished the 2023 season on a hot streak and has high hopes this year, with many considering them a dark horse ACC title contender. On the other side, Vandy appears to be in a bad spot. Vegas has their over/under win total set at 3 games, so expectations of the Commodores outside of Nashville are low. Clark Lea desperately needs to get the season off on a good note, especially with this game in Nashville. Vandy transfer QB Diego Pavia is frisky but it’s hard to look at this roster and expect much. The Hokies return plenty, including starting QB Kyron Drones who I think has a good game here and leads VT to a relatively easy dub. Give me the Hokies to win and cover.
VT 31
Vandy 17
The Waco Kid: This is an easy one. You have arguably the worst team in the SEC playing a pretty good ACC opponent. Vandy doesn’t play much defense and going up against a stacked offense does not fair well for them. However, that being said, we’ve already seen on multiple occasions how teams find it hard to get their footing the first couple of weeks of the season. I think it may be closer than expected especially if the ‘Dores can put some points on the board early. I’ll take Tech by 24.
VT 45
Vandy 21
Bossman: How far has Clemson fallen? Or will they show that they’re back on the rise? We shall see. I think Clemson’s defense isn’t getting enough credit as Georgia’s defense hogs the spotlight. Because of that Tiger defense, I think Clemson keeps it close for three quarters. Georgia will eventually break through and I don’t like the weapons, if you can call them that, that Cade Klubnik has to throw to on the outside. I think the Dawgs will be able to shut down the Clemson passing attack for most of the game. Give me the Dawgs to cover late.
#1 Georgia 28
#14 Clemson 14
Hammer: All the pressure here seems to be on Clemson and Dabo. I know Kirby and Georgia don’t see it this way, and the Dawgs always have a ton of pressure on them, but this feels like a referendum on the Clemson program. Fair or not, Clemson was recently a CFP mainstay and won two titles. Since their last natty, the transfer portal and NIL have drastically changed the college football landscape, and Dabo has been stubborn to change, insisting his way can still work. Admirable as it may be, the Tigers have not made a CFP since 2020 and are nearly two-touchdown underdogs to Georgia, a program they were better than just a handful of years ago. This should be a dogfight, just as it was a few years ago. Clemson has a talented defense that could give Carson Beck and Georgia some trouble. But can we trust Cade Klubnik and the Clemson offense? I’m not there yet. I think Georgia will frustrate Garrett Riley’s unit all day and the Dawgs eventually pull away.
#1 Georgia 24
#14 Clemson 10
The Waco Kid: There are very few quarterbacks in the nation that can face a Dawg defense and be competitive. Luckily for Clemson, Cade Klubnik has all of the talent to be able to keep pace with Georgia. Unluckily for the Tigers, Carson Beck practices against that same defense and is a second-year starter and a Heisman favorite. Georgia is once again atop the college football rankings and I do not see many teams being able to knock them out. This will be a good one until halftime, that is when the Mean Machine can be expected to step on the gas and not let up. Dawgs by 17.
#1 Georgia 31
#14 Clemson 14
Bossman: Vegas seems to think this one is a toss-up and I do too. I could absolutely see it going either way. Miami has the most talented team it’s had in years, but much of that talent has come through the transfer portal. That means those kids are in a new system and it has to mesh QUICKLY. Will the Hurricanes gel enough to walk into The Swamp in Week 1 and nab a win? I DON’T THINK SO. Cam Ward is a helluva player, but I like Graham Mertz in year two in Gainesville to lead the Gators to a BIG, must-win, Week 1 victory. I give the nod to Billy Napier and Co. because this one is in The Swamp. Gators win and cover.
Florida 30
#19 Miami 27
Hammer: Speaking of referendums, this is a must-win for both teams. I know it’s only Week 1, but whoever loses this game will be dragged through the coals. Billy Napier is already on a red hot seat in Gainesville, and he cannot start his third season with a loss at home in The Swamp to in-state rival Miami. It just can’t happen. Gator fans will be furious, and rightfully so. Mario Cristobal, on the other hand, has been pointing to this year since he arrived at Miami. His first two seasons, like Napier's, have been sorely disappointing. Miami is never short on hype, but Cristobal and their big splashes in the portal have fans and media really buying in. Miami is a top 3 favorite to win the ACC. Can he afford to lose the opening game to an instate rival in which the Canes are favored? Not without losing a ton of hope and momentum he can't. And believe me, the Miami administration and fanbase are ready for results. They have paid Cristobal tons of money, granted his every wish, have a huge NIL budget, and so far have gone 12-13 in his two seasons there. Not even close to good enough. Transfer QB Cam Ward can play, and he will need to have a big one for the Canes to win this. I think Florida’s defense could give him trouble, and Graham Mertz should take care of the ball for the Gator’s offense, so Ward and Miami will have to earn it. Can they go into The Swamp and get this done? I doubt it. With Miami, I have to see it to believe it. Give me the home underdog Gators to pull an upset.
Florida 31
#19 Miami 30
The Waco Kid: Napier could be on the hot seat and needs a top-25 win to start the season to cool it off. His first two seasons in the SEC have been lackluster, to say the least, but year three is when coaches typically start to turn programs around. Graham Mertz was solid at Wisconsin and had a few hiccups last year for Florida but I think he’s found a home in Gainesville and will hit the ground running. The loss of receiver Ricky Pearsall will obviously leave a gaping hole but with a seasoned quarterback that can rip it, the Gators should start the season with a win. UF by six.
Florida 34
#19 Miami 28
Bossman: You have to love Week 1 matchups like this. Two major programs with history playing a night game ON CAMPUS. Not in some sterilized corporate stadium like Lucas Oil or NRG Stadium. No thanks. Kyle Field will be ROCKING (especially if they play Power upon entrance). There are plenty of question marks on the A&M sideline with a new regime and many new faces from the transfer portal, but the team has a high ceiling and is loaded with talent. Notre Dame is starting a green offensive line against an Aggie front that could be the best in the nation by season’s end. Riley Leonard will need to be mobile, avoid pressure, and gash the Aggie defense upfield a few times to keep that pass rush honest. I think this game is extremely close, but because it’s in Kyle Field at night, I’m taking the Aggies to cover.
#20 Texas A&M 23
#7 Notre Dame 20
Hammer: The Elko era begins in Aggieland with a massive night game at Kyle Field. College GameDay is in town and the atmosphere will be off the charts. The Aggies have a ton of unknowns with an all-new coaching staff and 20+ transfer portal players on the roster. What isn't an unknown is the A&M defensive line that still includes former 5-star recruits Shemar Turner, Shemar Stewart, DJ Hicks, Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, and transfer EDGE Nic Scourton who led the Big Ten in sacks a year ago. They are loaded up front. That’s the difference in the game to me because Notre Dame’s offensive line is thin. They lost several starters from last year’s unit to the NFL and their presumed starting left tackle got hurt in fall camp and will miss the entire 2024 season. The Fighting Irish are going to start a true freshman at left tackle and the entire offensive line unit has a combined six starts. That will not bode well against the Aggie D-line and the 100,000-plus screaming Aggies. I think Notre Dame will have some false start issues, and just get beat too often for a talented Riley Leonard to get much going on offense. On the other side, Collin Klein’s new-look Aggie offense has some talent but will heavily lean on Conner Weigman to deliver to a typically inconsistent wide receiver group. I think Klein will dial up enough plays for A&M to win this one, but Notre Dame will be ready on defense so don’t expect a ton of fireworks. I’ll take the Aggies to win a close one and cover in a smashmouth game.
#20 Texas A&M 21
#7 Notre Dame 17
The Waco Kid: There’s no better day than College Gameday at Kyle Field. The atmosphere, the smell of barbecue throughout the air, and the cold beer flowing as students and fans alike walk into one of the best venues in the nation. The stands will be trembling with the sounds of the war hymn and screaming of loyal fans. Conner Weigman’s season was derailed last year due to injury but before he looked like the real deal. Now he’s back to take snaps for the Ags and looking to lead this team into the top 10 before the end of the season. The Aggies return a massive defensive line that will get after the backfield and linebacker Taurean York is back at linebacker after leading the defense as a true freshman. Elko is back in College Station and brings a new offensive scheme with him after hiring Collin Klein from Kansas State. Elko is known for defense so expect the Wrecking Crew to be disruptive. A&M by 10.
#20 Texas A&M 27
#7 Notre Dame 17
Bossman: I am very interested in this game. A lot on the line for both teams. If USC wins, Lincoln Riley will get some pressure off his back, and if LSU wins, they’ll seem like a serious contender in the SEC and potentially beyond. Everyone wants to dog on USC defense, but both of these defenses are bad. LSU was 13th in total defense in the SEC in 2023. They have some studs like Harold Perkins, but this secondary is a BIG question mark. And against that Lincoln Riley passing attack…? I'm worried. This one has all the makings of a shootout. I’m taking USC to win and cover.
#23 USC 41
#13 LSU 35
Hammer: Like the rest of these Week 1 games, I have so many questions about both of these teams. Both overhauled their defensive staffs after truly abysmal 2023 campaigns on defense. Lincoln Riley has been soft since before he even got to USC and that has carried over to his time in LA. The Trojans defense has been putrid his entire tenure. Riley went out and hired the UCLA defensive coordinator and added former North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz as his linebackers coach. That leads me to believe the Trojan defense will be better, but I still have questions about their personnel. The same goes for LSU. The hiring of Blake Baker as DC from Mizzou was a great hire. But do the Tigers have quality personnel on that side to see a drastic improvement from a year ago? Harold Perkins is uber-talented but their defensive line is very thin and their secondary is mostly the same as it was a year ago when they got steamrolled. This game just comes down to who can fend off the opposing offense longer cause both these programs should be able to score. I like the LSU offensive line and could see them really lean on the run game to try and limit USC’s offensive snaps. I’m taking LSU here but I don’t feel great about it.
#13 LSU 35
#23 USC 28
The Waco Kid: I’m not buying the Lincoln Riley experiment in California. He had arguably the best quarterback in the nation as well as the number 1 pick in the NFL draft and still couldn’t get it together. On the other hand, Brian Kelly has done something in Death Valley that I never saw coming. He has LSU competing at a high level once again and just needs to figure out how to beat the Alabamas of the world. The lowest-ranked team LSU lost to last year sat at number nine, so with USC ranked 23rd, it seems like it may be a stretch that the Tigers will lose. Add in the fact that Garrett Nussmeier is coming off a tremendous bowl win for his first start and teams could be in trouble. Harold Perkins may be the top linebacker in the country and anchors that Tiger defense. I think USC has difficulties stopping the air attack from the purple and gold while LSU will have no issues with a West Coast offense that just lost their best player to the NFL. Geaux Tigers by 20.
#13 LSU 41
#23 USC 21
Other games on the slate:
Tempe at #16 Oklahoma - Friday at 7:00pm ET on ESPN (OU -43.5)
Chattanooga at #15 Tennessee - 12:45p ET on SEC Network (Tenn -38.5)
Colorado State at #4 Texas - 3:30pm ET on ESPN (Texas -33.5)
Old Dominion at South Carolina - 4:15pm ET on SEC Network (SC -20.5)
Eastern Kentucky at Mississippi State - 6:00pm ET on ESPN+ (Miss State -26.5)
Western Kentucky at #5 Alabama - 7:00pm ET on ESPN (Bama -30.5)
Furman at #6 Ole Miss - 7:00pm ET on ESPN+ (Miss - 42.5)
Alabama A&M at Auburn - 7:30pm ET on ESPN+ (Auburn -47.5)
Southern Miss at Kentucky - 7:45pm ET on SEC Network (UK -27.5)