Five things Texas and Oklahoma need to know about the SEC as they join the conference before the 2024 college football season.
Conference realignment has become a major talking point in college football. This season, teams are moving to new conferences, and two of the most notable are Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC. The two programs were in the Big 12 for many years and are now joining arguably the most prestigious conference in all of college football. This is new territory for them and their fans, so here are five things you should know about the SEC.
1. It really means more
It may sound like a cliche from an outsider’s perspective, but college football really means more in the South and in the SEC. Tailgating is taken to a whole new level, the passion fans show at games for all four quarters is relentless, and rivalries are more toxic than perhaps anything else in the world. If you’re planning a fall wedding in the South, chances are you’re going to get your fair share of complaints and cancellations on the RSVP list, because nothing can replace a college football Saturday.
2. Avoid Death Valley at night at all costs
When the schedule is released for each season, there are many intimidating venues in the SEC each year that you should avoid, but one in particular is LSU’s Death Valley, especially for a night game. It’s considered one of the greatest environments in all of college football for good reason, and when your team is scheduled for a late-night kickoff on the road at LSU, you start hoping and praying.
3. Jordan-Hare has voodoo magic
If you want to know anything about Auburn’s Jordan-Hare, you have to look at two programs: Alabama and Georgia. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide once watched the Tigers complete one of the most incredible and wild Hail Mary passes to beat the Bulldogs (The Prayer at Jordan-Hare), but that wasn’t even the best moment of the entire season. Auburn then capped that off with the kick-six against Alabama when they returned a field goal for a touchdown to beat Alabama. Even last season, Auburn had Georgia in trouble at home until the fourth quarter and then against Alabama were one deflected pass away from pulling off two incredible upsets last season, though they lost to New Mexico State in 2023. None of this ever makes sense and the only logical explanation is that there is voodoo magic at Jordan-Hare Stadium, so you have been warned.
Let’s put it this way: Auburn hasn’t beaten Georgia in Athens since 2007, and the three wins since then have all come at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Coincidence?
4. Yes, they actually bark
Throughout the college football season, there is usually plenty of evidence of Georgia fans yelling at opposing fans and players, not only during games but also when simply walking by on the sidewalk. They take great pride in it and love the reaction they get for it. So don’t be alarmed, this is actually normal behavior and Texas fans can expect a lot of it when they face the Bulldogs in Austin this season.
5. SEC football is really different
That take probably sounds biased, and probably is a bit, but there are reasons why SEC football is considered a different animal than any other conference. Football players in the Southeast grow up playing football unlike any other group of people in the country. Football is what people live for, and football is what they love, and it shows in the players on Saturdays. There’s a reason this conference has won 13 national titles since 2006, and it’s not just because of Nick Saban. The sport feels and looks different in this conference, and that’s not just something fans brag about on Twitter to make other conferences mad.
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