The SEC’s 2024 football schedule was released Wednesday night, and there some games you’re going to want circle on the calendar.

Sixteen teams. Eight conference games. No more divisions.

“I think this is one of the most exciting, meaningful, seminal moments in the history of the Southeastern Conference,” Paul Finebaum said during the SEC Network’s coverage of the schedule release. …

“I just remember two weeks ago, it feels like a year, we were in Destin and listening to all the critics and all the cynics say, ‘the SEC blew it. They didn’t do the right thing by going to nine.’ I want to see nine. I think most people do. But they did an amazing job. I think they shut everyone up.”

The opponents were determined using this formula:

• As reported, existing conference school will play either Oklahoma or Texas.
• No school will travel to a location it went to in 2023.
• The conference opponents were determined by two factors: traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength. The look at the schedule went back 10 years.

Here’s the who and the where. We’ll have to wait on the when.

In-state rivalries will remain apart of the schedule. Alabama-Auburn, Mississippi State-Ole Miss and Tennessee-Vanderbilt are on the schedule. Other notable games include Alabama-Tennessee, Florida-Georgia, Auburn-Georgia and LSU-Arkansas.

But what is the most notable game on each team’s schedule?

Alabama

The Tide hosts Auburn, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina. Nick Saban’s crew goes on the road to LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

There’s one that stands head and shoulders above the rest: Georgia.

As Finebaum said, “This is really the headliner. We are talking a lot about Oklahoma and Texas, and we should be, but, nationally, people are saying Georgia and Alabama are playing some time during the season and we don’t know when. When that game is will be critical. It will be the game of the day. It will be the game of the year. Furthering the point earlier about the SEC coming under criticism for not going to nine, that one game shuts it up.

“Because what we are talking about is the CFP, and they are going to have an impossible time penalizing the SEC’s two best biggest teams. That game speaks for itself.”

Arkansas

The Razorbacks host LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas, then take to the road for Auburn, Miss. State, Missouri and Texas.

Like Texas, renewing that old Southwest Conference rivalry – in Austin, mind you – will cue the nostalga.

Auburn

Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt come to Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers hit the road for games at Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri.

“The Auburn reaction is I don’t see LSU, but it’s OK. They replaced it with OU at home. You going to play Alabama and UGA on the road. Not really favorable,” Takeo Spikes said Tuesday night.

While the idea of Oklahoma coming to campus will have fans excited, there is still an Iron Bowl on the schedule.

Florida

The Gators host Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. They hit the road for Georgia (Jacksonville), Miss. State, Tennessee and Texas.

Plenty of rivalry games remain on Florida’s schedule, but none more important than Georgia.

Georgia

Kirby Smart’s team has Auburn, Florida (Jacksonville), Miss. State and Tennessee on the home slate, then get Alabama, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Texas on the road.

Best game?

That’s easy. It’s Alabama.

Kentucky

Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Vanderbilt head to Kentucky, but the Wildcats head to Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas.

Going to Austin will be exciting for fans, obviously, that Tennessee game means a lot to fans.

LSU

LSU hosts Alabama, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. The Tigers get Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina and Texas A&M on the road.

The Sooners will experience SEC football under the lights of Tiger Stadium, but LSU has the Alabama game circled on the schedule.

Oklahoma

The Sooners have home games against Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas (in Dallas), while they travel to Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Missouri.

While Nick Saban coming to town is a big one, you can’t ignore the return of former coach Josh Heupel when he brings his Volunteers to town.

Ole Miss

The Rebels host Georgia, Kentucky, Miss. State and Oklahoma. Ole Miss travels to Arkansas, Florida, LSU and South Carolina.

Lane Kiffin’s team hosting Georgia is too good to pass up here.

Miss. State

The Bulldogs get Arkansas, Florida, Missouri and Texas A&M at home. They travel to Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas.

How can you not be pumped for the Scott Strickland Bowl. The Gators travel to Starkville for the first time since 2018.

Missouri

The Tigers host Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. They travel to Alabama, Miss. State, South Carolina and Texas A&M

The Big 8 gets renewed when the Sooners come calling, but it will be a big one.

South Carolina

The Gamecocks host LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri and Texas A&M. South Carolina travels to Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.

South Carolina headed to Norman? Yeah, that’s a big one for the Gamecocks.

Tennessee

The Vols host Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and Miss. State. Tennessee heads to Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.

Most of the games are annual games for the Vols, so, like Oklahoma, we celebrate the return of Heupel to Norman here.

Texas

The Longhorns host Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi State, then travel to Oklahoma (in Dallas), Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Arkansas.

Playing the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl is always a hit with fans, but that’s the problem. It’s an annual rivalry. We give the nod to the old Southwest Conference when the Horns face Arkansas.

Texas A&M

The Aggies host Arkansas, LSU, Missouri and Texas. They hit the road for Auburn, Florida, Miss. State and South Carolina.

Texas A&M hosts Texas. Enough said.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt hosts Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, while the Commodores hit the road for Auburn, Kentucky, LSU and Missouri.

They are all big for the Commodores, but the Longhorns in Nashville has a nice ring to it.