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‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the SEC
Not a coach was stirring, not even the resurgent Clark Lea
Year 1 of the SEC’s new era came and went
Wins were harder than ever even after NIL money was spent
* * * * *
Multiple conference losses were had by all
Though newcomer Texas reached Atlanta before its second fall
The year of fellow newcomer Oklahoma sang a different tune
It made many question the Venables extension back in June
* * * * *
The conference of 16 nearly had a late-season cluster
But points were something that Bama, Ole Miss and A&M failed to muster
Only 3 SEC teams reached the first 12-team Playoff
Though Lane Kiffin’s Twitter fingers opted out of a day off
* * * * *
He argued to all that 3 losses should be overlooked
But his case lacked juice like a Christmas turkey an hour overcooked
On the outside looking in were Kiffin, DeBoer and Beamer
Like the rest, each finished as a mere Playoff dreamer
* * * * *
It was still a year that was full of joy and hope
Billy Napier refused to fall down the slippery slope
But not everyone could avoid an unfortunate slide
Who could ever forget when Vandy took down the Tide?
* * * * *
“NOW STOWERS! NOW SEDRICK! NOW SHERRILL AND PAVIA!
ON, TIM BECK! ON, CLARK LEA! ON, DIEGO’S WHOLE MAFIA!
Nick Saban said Nashville was easy! Bama got burnt!
Diego Pavia forever! Vandy, we’re (expletive) turnt!
* * * * *
No upset was greater than the Tide falling to the Dores
Auburn would’ve been elite if not for the final scores
4th-quarter collapses became the norm for Hugh Freeze
While Georgia’s SEC title run was anything but a breeze
* * * * *
The Dawgs nearly stumbled against Florida and Kentucky
But in Tuscaloosa and Oxford, they weren’t so lucky
Still they prevailed and emerged as conference champs
Ole Miss would’ve won it all if not for those timely cramps
* * * * *
There was no faking it in the new 16-team SEC
You had to be tough like the Volunteers of Tennessee
Josh Heupel continued to provide the post-Pruitt makeover
Just don’t ask about what happened after the Tennessee Takeover
* * * * *
That’s better than Brian Kelly who lost 4 and the nation’s top recruit
A similar 2025 might be enough to make LSU hit “reboot”
Mississippi State reminded us how much rebuilds can stink
While Mizzou fell short of the Playoff in Year 5 with Drink
* * * * *
2024 didn’t quite end up being the Year of the Hog
But Arkansas embraced it enough to beat Tennessee as a ‘dog
Parity in the SEC was the name of the game
Perhaps that’s why every team’s coach will remain the same
* * * * *
As each SEC coach dreamt of Playoff visions for 2025
Sark and Kirby wrestled over how to keep their seasons alive
They fought nightmares of broken tackles by Cam and Love
Each awoke and shouted, “WE NEED GUIDANCE FROM ABOVE!”
* * * * *
Bless us with discipline, they prayed to the college football gods
They sought the right words to inspire each of their squads
Then the gods delivered an assurance they hoped would be taken
“At least you no longer have to face Nick Saban!”
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.
