Are Texas Longhorns Biggest Threat to Georgia Bulldogs in SEC?

ESPN's Paul Finebaum thinks the Longhorns might be the biggest SEC threat to Georgia in 2024.

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) carries the ball during the Sugar Bowl College / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

The Texas Longhorns are entering their first season in the SEC next fall, and are already projected to be challengers for the conference title.

However, the unsurprising favorites to win the SEC and the College Football Playoff are the Georgia Bulldogs, who have won two of the last three national championships and boast arguably the best roster in college football.

The Bulldogs also boast the nation's best national title odds in 2024 at +320, followed by +425 for Ohio State, and +700 for the Horns, per DraftKings.

And according to ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum, the one team in the SEC that has the best chance to take down the Georgia juggernaut, is none other than the Horns.

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) carries the ball during the Sugar Bowl College / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

"I'm really high on Texas," Finebaum said during an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. "And it's because of getting there last year and experiencing that run. I think when you have a QB room as solid as this it really makes things a lot easier and they have so many compliments around that. They have a coaching staff that has some experience."

Of course, many will wonder why the Alabama Crimson Tide were not at the top of Finebaum's list.

After all, over the past few seasons, the Tide were the perennial challenger for the SEC title alongside Georgia, and have won three of the last four conference championships, two of which came over the Bulldogs.

But according to Finebaum, the coaching change and turnover at Alabama will be too much to overcome, giving the Longhorns the edge.

"I know a lot of people in the SEC when I say that go 'Well, what about Alabama? What about –' and that's fair," Finebaum said. "I think if there had not been a coaching change at Alabama, I would be more likely to include Alabama as the next team. But I think coaching changes do take their toll, especially when you see some of the players that left."

The Horns and Bulldogs will face off for the first time as SEC opponents on October 19 in Austin - a game that could very well decide both the conference and College Football Playoff fates of both teams.