ATHENS —This is now, and that’s then, but ….. how will things look entering the 2024 season?

Somewhere Kirby Smart is rolling his eyes, focused intently on scheming the first fall practice and not looking beyond objectives for the 2023 opener against UT-Martin.

But the 2024 SEC schedule reveal has fans talking and debating, each fanbase feeling short-shrifted in some way or another.

READ: Georgia has dent in 2024 home schedule, fans pressed to follow team on road

A look at Georgia’s 12-game schedule reveals representation of three programs — Clemson, Alabama and UGA — that have combined to win seven of the past eight national championships.

And, yes, there’s still a chance Georgia might face the “other” CFP Champion since 2015 — LSU — in the SEC title game.

Georgia fans will note some long road trips and only three home games, as its designated home game with Florida in 2024 was recently sold to the City of Jacksonville.

But just how good will those Gators be?

And, what will Nick Saban’s Alabama football team look like when the Bulldogs travel to Bryant-Denny Stadium for the second time in five years?

Here’s a way-way-too-early ranking of the difficulty of playing the teams on the 2024 Georgia football schedule:

1. At Alabama: On the road in Tuscaloosa with what will be a rebuilding offensive line.

2. In Atlanta, Clemson: Dabo Swinney is not done yet, recently taking the best player out of the 2024 Georgia class.

3. Vs. Tennessee: At home against the fastest rising threat from the “old” East Division, Vols investing as heavily as most any other program

4. At Texas: The Longhorns are “most any other program” with the richest athletic department in the nation and Arch Manning.

5. Vs. Auburn: Hugh Freeze and the Tigers will be sneaky good for millions of NIL reasons. Auburn folks ready to pony up money needed to buy players that win.

6. In Florida: The Gators are down but not dead, and if Billy Napier survives the 2023 season, it translates to this game having upset potential.

7. At Kentucky: Mark Stoops typically has strong play from his defensive front, and that’s the No. 1 way to slow down Georgia.

8. At Ole Miss: Kirby lost badly the last time Georgia traveled to Oxford, so you can bet he’ll have his Bulldogs on high alert.

9. Vs. Georgia Tech: Brent Key had Tech outplaying Georgia in Athens most of the first half last year. They’re only going to get better.

10. Vs. Mississippi State: It’s hard to replace a legend like Mike Leach anywhere, much less at an underfunded, overshadowed SEC school.

11. Vs. UMass: Andy Isabella ain’t running out of that tunnel! Remember that UMass WR who had 219 yards on 15 receptions in 2018 vs. UGA?

12. Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles were 4-7 last season, including a 56-10 season-opening loss to Kansas.