Over/Under Win Total: 9.5 -190

Projected Record: 11-1

Offense: A-
Defense: A+

Georgia enters 2026 as the favorite in the SEC and for good reason. UGA is the defending conference champion and until someone knocks them off, the SEC still runs through Athens. Kirby Smart returns his starting quarterback in Gunner Stockton, while the defense is loaded with talent, including preseason All-Americans KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV. Georgia also has a favorable schedule, but two road tests against Alabama and Ole Miss could ultimately determine whether the Bulldogs make it back to Atlanta. If Georgia can navigate those two games, I think the Dawgs have everything they need to make another run at the SEC title.

Schedule

9/5 Tennessee State W

9/12 Western Kentucky W

9/19 @ Arkansas W

9/26 Oklahoma W

10/3 Vanderbilt W

10/10 @ Alabama W

10/17 Auburn W

10/31 vs Florida

11/7 @ Ole Miss L

11/14 Missouri W

11/21 @ South Carolina W

11/28 Georgia Tech W

Over/Under Win Total: 9.5 +120

Projected Record: 10 -2

Offense: A
Defense: A

Texas enters the season as one of the SEC’s frontrunners. Arch Manning showed significant improvement as last season progressed. Sark also went all in at the receiver position, landing former Auburn star Cam Coleman. Defensively, Texas has one of the best pass rushers in the country in Colin Simmons, who will terrorize opposing offensives. The biggest concern is the schedule, as Texas will have to travel to Tennessee, LSU, and Texas A&M (three of the toughest environments in the conference) while also facing Ohio State, Oklahoma, Florida, Ole Miss, and Missouri.

Schedule

9/5 Texas State W

9/12 Ohio State W

9/19 UTSA W

9/26 @ Tennessee W

10/10 vs Oklahoma L

10/17 Florida W

10/24 Ole Miss W

10/31 Mississippi State W

11/7 @ Missouri W

11/14 @ LSU W

11/21 Arkansas W

11/27 @ Texas A&M L

Over/Under Win Total: 8.5 -115

Projected Record: 11-1

Offense: A
Defense: A

LSU could be the most intriguing team in the SEC this season, as Lane Kiffin brings his explosive offense to Baton Rouge. Kiffin has a proven track record of developing quarterbacks, and he’ll now have Sam Leavitt running the show after the former Arizona State star transferred in. LSU also went all in through the transfer portal, bringing in more than 40 transfers in an attempt to build a roster capable of competing immediately. The problem is that LSU’s schedule is tough with Texas, Texas A&M, and Alabama all coming to Tiger Stadium, while the Tigers have to travel to Tennessee and Oxford. Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss will be the most hostile environment ever seen in college football. 

Schedule

9/5 Clemson W

9/12 Louisiana Tech W

9/19 @ Ole Miss W

9/26 Texas A&M W

10/3 McNeese State W

10/10 @ Kentucky W

10/17 Mississippi State W

10/24 @ Auburn W

11/7 Alabama W

11/14 Texas L

11/21 @ Tennessee W

11/28 @ Arkansas W

Over/Under Win Total: 8.5 +140

Projected Record: 11-1

Offense: A –
Defense: A+

Oklahoma is my favorite dark horse in the SEC heading into 2026. John Mateer is back healthy after an injury derailed what looked like a potential Heisman campaign last season. If he returns to the form he showed early in 2025, the Sooners have a legitimate difference maker at quarterback. Defensively, Oklahoma allowed just 15.5 points per game last season and returns a significant amount of its production. The schedule is no cakewalk, with Georgia and Texas among the biggest conference tests. Oklahoma also gets a tough early season test against Michigan before SEC play even begins. I think this team has a ton of upside, and if Mateer stays healthy, I believe Oklahoma is a legitimate candidate to win the SEC.

Schedule

9/4 UTEP W

9/12 @ Michigan W

9/19 New Mexico W

9/26 @ Georgia L

10/10 vs Texas W

10/17 Kentucky W

10/24 @ Mississippi State W

10/31 South Carolina W

11/7 @ Florida W

11/14 Ole Miss W

11/21 Texas A&M W

11/28 @ Missouri W

Over/Under Win Total: 8.5 +100

Projected Record: 9-3

Offense: A-
Defense: B+

I’m leaning lower on Texas A&M heading into this season. The Aggies went 11-2 last year, but they had a number of games where they barely escaped teams they should have handled, including a one point win over South Carolina, a six point win over Auburn, and a three point win over Arkansas. That said, Marcel Reed is back with another year of experience, and his development could give the Aggies a much higher ceiling after throwing for over 3,100 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. However, the schedule doesn’t do them any favors, with road trips to LSU, Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas. I think A&M is a good football team, but with that schedule and the number of close calls they had last year, I’m not convinced they’re ready to take the next step into the SEC’s elite.

Schedule

9/5 Missouri State W

9/12 Arizona State W

9/19 Kentucky W

9/26 @ LSU L

10/3 Arkansas W

10/10 @ Missouri W

10/17 The Citadel W

10/24 @ Alabama L

11/7 @ South Carolina W

11/14 Tennessee W

11/21 @ Oklahoma L

11/28 Texas W

Over/Under Win Total: 7.5 -166

Projected Record: 8-4

Offense: A
Defense: B

Ole Miss is one of the hardest teams for me to figure out heading into 2026. The Rebels still have plenty of star power, led by conference All-Americans Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, who give them one of the most dangerous quarterback-running back combinations in the conference. But the biggest question is replacing the head coach, and while Pete Golding knows this roster, he is no Lane Kiffin. The Rebels open with Louisville before facing LSU week three, and I could see this season unraveling quickly if they stumble out of the gates against both. With high expectations and a challenging SEC schedule ahead, Ole Miss can’t afford to dig itself a hole early.

Schedule

9/6 vs Louisville W

9/12 Charlotte W

9/19 LSU L

9/26 @ Florida W

10/10 @ Vanderbilt W

10/17 Missouri W

10/24 @ Texas L

10/31 Auburn W

11/7 Georgia L

11/14 @ Oklahoma L

11/21 Wofford W

11/27 Mississippi State W

Over/Under Win Total: 8.5 -125

Projected Record: 9-3

Offense: B
Defense: A-

I’m pretty low on Alabama heading into 2026, and I think the Tide are trending in the wrong direction. They finished second-to-last in the SEC in rushing yards per game last season and now have to replace Ty Simpson at quarterback, leaving some major questions on offense. Ryan Williams also needs to get back to the form he showed in 2024 if Alabama is going to have enough firepower to compete with the conference’s best. The schedule is challenging without being brutal, but Alabama’s first real test comes in Week 6 against Georgia. Right now, I see Alabama as a team trending down rather than a legitimate SEC title contender.

Schedule

9/5 East Carolina W

9/12 @ Kentucky W

9/19 Florida State W

9/26 South Carolina W

10/3 @ Mississippi State W

10/10 Georgia L

10/17 @ Tennessee L

10/24 Texas A&M W

11/7 @ LSU L

11/14 @ Vanderbilt W

11/21 Chattanooga W

11/28 Auburn W

Over/Under Win Total: 7.5 -125

Projected Record: 9-3

Offense: A-
Defense: B

Tennessee is one of the biggest boom or bust teams in the SEC for me this season. I could see the Vols being really good or really bad. Josh Heupel’s offense has consistently been among the best in the country, and his teams have finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense in six of his eight seasons as a head coach. Tennessee also brought in Jim Knowles to run the defense, giving Heupel a proven defensive mind to help fix what was a major weakness last season. The Vols also get Texas, Alabama, and LSU at Neyland Stadium, and there might not be a better home field advantage in the conference when that place is rocking. The biggest question is obviously quarterback, as George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon have never started a college game, making the position a massive wildcard for a team with such a high ceiling.

Schedule

9/5 Furman W

9/12 @ Georgia Tech W

9/19 Kennesaw State W

9/26 Texas L

10/3 Auburn W

10/10 @ Arkansas W

10/17 Alabama W

10/24 @ South Carolina W

11/7 Kentucky W

11/14 @ Texas A&M L

11/21 LSU L

11/28 @ Vanderbilt W

Over/Under Win Total: 7.5 +130

Projected Record: 7-5

Offense: B
Defense: B

Florida is an interesting one because I think Jon Sumrall has the Gators trending in the right direction, but 2026 is not the year they’re ready to make a serious run at the conference. The Gators will likely turn to Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo at quarterback, and the rest of the roster has some intriguing pieces. The schedule is where things get really difficult, with Ole Miss and Oklahoma at home, but road trips to Missouri, Texas, Florida State, and Georgia in Atlanta. I think Florida has enough talent to be a dangerous team, but there are just too many questions for me to put them among the SEC’s contenders right now. If Sumrall can get the Gators back to a bowl in Year 1, I’d consider that a successful first step toward getting Florida back where it belongs.

Schedule

9/5 Florida Atlantic W

9/12 Campbell W

9/19 @ Auburn W

9/26 Ole Miss L

10/3 @ Missouri L

10/10 South Carolina W

10/17 @ Texas L

10/31 vs Georgia L

11/7 Oklahoma L

11/14 @ Kentucky W

11/21 Vanderbilt W

11/28 @ Florida State W

Over/Under Win Total: 6.5 -120

Projected Record: 7-5

Offense: B
Defense: B

Missouri is one of the more stable programs in the SEC, and a lot of that has to do with Eli Drinkwitz. The Tigers have been remarkably consistent throughout his tenure and have established themselves as a program that rarely beats itself. Missouri will turn to Austin Simmons, who was Lane Kiffin’s guy at Ole Miss before an injury opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss to take over. Simmons now gets a fresh start in Columbia and has plenty of talent around him to succeed. I don’t think Missouri is going to compete for the SEC crown, but with Drinkwitz at the helm, I expect the Tigers to once again be a tough out and a reliable football team.

Schedule

9/3 Arkansas Pine Bluff W

9/11 @ Kansas W

9/19 Troy W

9/26 @ Mississippi State W

10/3 Florida W

10/10 Texas A&M L

10/17 @ Ole Miss L

10/31 @ Arkansas W

11/7 Texas L

11/14 @ Georgia L

11/21 Kentucky W

11/28 Oklahoma L

Over/Under Win Total: 6.5 +110

Projected Record: 6-6

Offense: B+
Defense: B-

South Carolina is looking for a major bounce back in 2026 after a disappointing 2025 season. Just a year removed from a 9-4 campaign that saw the Gamecocks come within a few plays of the College Football Playoff, South Carolina stumbled to 4-8 last year. The good news is that LaNorris Sellers is back at quarterback, giving the Gamecocks a proven playmaker, while they also return one of the most physically gifted receivers in the country in Nyck Harbor. Despite the disappointing record, South Carolina showed it could compete with good teams, losing by just seven points to Alabama and one to Texas A&M (despite leading the Aggies 30-3). The biggest question now is whether Shane Beamer can turn that talent into wins. How many games does he need to win to keep his job?

Schedule

9/5 Kent State W

9/12 Towson W

9/19 Mississippi State W

9/26 @ Alabama L

10/3 Kentucky W

10/10 @ Florida L

10/24 Tennessee L

10/31 @ Oklahoma L

11/7 Texas A&M L

11/14 @ Arkansas W

11/21 Georgia L

11/28 @ Clemson W

Over/Under Win Total: 6.5 -115

Projected Record: 5-7

Offense: B
Defense: B

Auburn is a program in desperate need of a fresh start after Hugh Freeze was fired following a 10-3 home loss to Kentucky last season. The Tigers have turned to Alex Golesh, who went 23-15 in three seasons at USF and brought a large group of Bulls with him, including quarterback Byrum Brown, who gives Auburn an explosive dual-threat option. The Tigers also return plenty of talent, including linebacker Xavier Atkins, who had 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season. After going just 1-7 in SEC play last year, Auburn has plenty to prove, especially with road trips to Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. I think getting back to a bowl game would be a very successful first season for Golesh.

Schedule

9/5 vs Baylor W

9/12 Southern Miss W

9/19 Florida L

9/26 Vanderbilt W

10/3 @ Tennessee L

10/17 @ Georgia L

10/24 LSU L

10/31 @ Ole Miss L

11/7 Arkansas W

11/14 @ Mississippi State L

11/21 Samford W

11/28 @ Alabama L

Over/Under Win Total: 5.5 -130

Projected Record: 5 -7

Offense: B-
Defense: B

Vanderbilt is coming off the best season in program history, but replacing Diego Pavia will be a massive challenge. Clark Lea has consistently done more with less, dating back to his time at New Mexico, and he has completely changed the trajectory of Vanderbilt since taking over. The Commodores now turn to five star freshman Jared Curtis, the highest-rated recruit in program history, to take over at quarterback. The schedule is challenging, with Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee among the biggest tests, while road trips to Auburn and Florida add to the difficulty. I don’t expect Vanderbilt to repeat its 10 win season, but Clark Lea has proven he can get the most out of this program, and the Commodores should once again be a well coached, tough opponent, even if their record doesn’t necessarily reflect it.

Schedule

9/5 Austin Peay W

9/12 Delaware W

9/19 NC State W

9/26 @ Auburn L

10/3 @ Georgia L

10/10 Ole Miss L

10/17 Arkansas W

10/24 @ Kentucky L

11/7 @ Mississippi State W

11/14 Alabama L

11/21 @ Florida L

11/28 Tennessee L

Over/Under Win Total: 4.5 -148

Projected Record: 3-9

Offense: B-
Defense: C

Kentucky is finally entering a new era after years of Mark Stoops and an offense that was painful to watch. Will Stein brings a modern approach to Lexington, and his success as a play caller at both UTSA and Oregon gives me plenty of confidence that the Wildcats will at least be much more entertaining. Kentucky also landed Kenny Minchey, who chose the Wildcats over Nebraska, giving Stein and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan a talented quarterback to build around. Sloan had an up and down tenure during his time as LSU’s offensive coordinator, but he is still a phenomenal recruiter and should help Kentucky modernize its roster. It would take a miracle for this team to make a bowl game in 2026, but I expect Kentucky to be much more entertaining and a significantly better football team than its final record might indicate.

Schedule

9/5 Youngstown State W

9/12 Alabama L

9/19 @ Texas A&M L

9/26 South Alabama W

10/3 @ South Carolina L

10/10 LSU L

10/17 @ Oklahoma L

10/24 Vanderbilt W

11/7 @ Tennessee L

11/14 Florida L

11/21 @ Missouri L

11/28 Louisville L

Over/Under Win Total: 4.5 -120

Projected Record: 3-9

Offense: C+
Defense: C

Mississippi State enters Year 3 of the Jeff Lebby era in a true make or break season after improving from two wins in 2024 to five in 2025. Lebby says this is his best roster in Starkville, led by Kamario Taylor, Anthony Evans and Fluff Bothwell. However, even with these skill guys, the offensive line remains a major concern after allowing 45 sacks last season. The Bulldogs also welcome back Zach Arnett as defensive coordinator, giving them a proven defensive mind to help fix a unit that struggled against the run. The schedule is tough with games against Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas. If Lebby can’t get this team to a bowl, his seat will be getting very warm.

Schedule

9/5 Louisiana Monroe W

9/12 @ Minnesota L

9/19 @ South Carolina L

9/26 Missouri L

10/3 Alabama L

10/17 @ LSU L

10/24 Oklahoma L

10/31 @ Texas L

11/7 Vanderbilt L

11/14 Auburn W

11/21 Tennessee Tech W

11/27 @ Ole Miss L

Over/Under Win Total: 3.5 -160

Projected Record: 2-10

Offense: C-
Defense: C-

Arkansas is starting over after a disastrous 2-10 (0-8 SEC) season that saw Sam Pittman fired and Bobby “neck brace” Petrino finish the year as interim coach. The Hogs hired Ryan Silverfield from Memphis, where he went 50-25 in six seasons, and he now has the task of rebuilding a program that has lost its way. The roster has been completely overhauled through the transfer portal. The biggest question will be whether the new staff can find enough consistency on both sides of the ball, especially with Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Texas and LSU all on the schedule. Bowl eligibility shouldn’t even be on Hogs fans’ minds right now. Instead, the goal should simply be to see this program take a step in the right direction and give fans something to believe in again.

Schedule

9/5 North Alabama W

9/12 @ Utah L

9/19 Georgia L

9/26 Tulsa W

10/3 @ Texas A&M L

10/10 Tennessee L

10/17 @ Vanderbilt L

10/31 Missouri L

11/7 @ Auburn L

11/14 South Carolina L

11/21 @ Texas L

11/28 LSU L