Where the NCAA's governance failed, the U.S. justice system prevailed. A Mississippi judge ruled on Feb. 12 that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss may receive one last year of eligibility by granting an injunction on the NCAA's denial of his injury waiver request. The judge came down hard on the NCAA in his ruling, saying it acted in bad faith in Chambliss' case, according to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.
Chambliss' return doesn't just impact the fortunes of the Rebels but also the entire heirarchy of the SEC entering the 2026 season. So much so, Ole Miss very well could be poised to return to the College Football Playoff instead of regressing to the middle of the pack like many assumed it might.
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs
While the Bulldogs did improve from 2-10 in 2024 to 5-8 last season, Mississippi State is still nowhere near competing for a bowl game let alone any kind of title. The fans are missing the days of having Dak Prescott under center and just missing out on a College Football Playoff berth a decade ago. Kamario Taylor looks to be serviceable as a dual-threat QB but only head coach Jeff Lebby can ensure this offseason is used to make the team better.
15. Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas fans always have expectations higher than what is usually achievable. Though finishing 0-8 in SEC play feels like it pretty avoidable. New head coach Ryan Silverfield will have his hands full in Fayetteville even though he's bringing some decent talent from his former home in Memphis. Coaching in the SEC is a whole different beast than the American Athletic, so expect some growing pains in 2026 (and possibly beyond).
14. Kentucky Wildcats
New head coach Will Stein is an unproven commodity in the SEC but his credentials coming from Dan Lanning's Oregon should give the program some confidence. He's directly responsible for the Ducks' offensive success, which featured QBs like Dylan Gabriel and Dante Moore. Flipping former Notre Dame QB Kenny Minchey should encourage Wildcat fans, but only time will tell what Stein and the rest of the team are actually capable of on the field.
13. Auburn Tigers
The Tigers are in desperate need of a reset after multiple previous resets failed (looking at you Hugh Freeze). New head coach Alex Golesh led South Florida's impressive charge during most of the 2025 season which earned him this gig. However, Auburn's recruiting has been hit or miss for several years now. Bringing the Bulls' sensational QB Byrum Brown with him will improve the program's odds of not being terrible. He led all FBS quarterbacks with 42 total touchdowns and 347.2 yards of offense per game as a Bull and racked up an additional 1,008 rushing yards last season (fourth-most nationally).
12. South Carolina Gamecocks
There is always a lot of promise in Columbia but at the same time the Gamecocks always seem to finish in the middle of the pack. Head coach Shane Beamer gets everyone hyped when the team pulls off its signature upset each year but then it falls back under the radar with a near-.500 record. He's 33-30 all-time with South Carolina and he's only got the Heisman Trophy-caliber LaNorris Sellers for one more year. Beamer and the Gamecocks must make the most of it in 2026.
11. Florida Gators
There's a little more reason to be optimistic with Jon Sumrall head coaching the Gators. Despite losing QB DJ Lagway to the transfer portal, there's still a decent amount of talent in Gainesville to mold. Expectations should be low in year one, however, as Sumrall will be making the significant jump from Tulane to the SEC. His Green Wave found out what that's like the hard way after getting smoked 41-10 by Chambliss and Ole Miss in the first round of the CFP.
10. Vanderbilt Commodores
You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who would've guessed prior to 2024 that Vanderbilt would be the emerging threat in the SEC. Head coach Clark Lea facilitated the legend of QB Diego Pavia over the past two seasons, earning the latter a Heisman Trophy finalist nod. Lea won't have Pavia in 2026, so expect some regression. That being said, never say never in any game the Commodores will be playing in with five-star recruit Jared Curtis flipping from Georgia to play for Lea in Nashville.
9. Missouri Tigers
The Tigers always feel like the perpetual also-rans in the SEC. Missouri hung around in the CFP race until the final regular season games this year but nobody really expected them to pull off an appearance in the 12-team field. Despite some elite talent running through Columbia, head coach Eli Drinkwitz hasn't shown enough to be considered a true contender just yet. Losing QB Beau Pribula was a big blow but Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons will be an intriguing watch in 2026.
8. Tennessee Volunteers
Head coach Josh Heupel led the Volunteers to their first ever CFP berth in 2024 but Tennessee missed out on the tournament this year after finishing 8-5. That's a two game slip from the 10-3 that got the team there a year prior. Heupel didn't make much of a splash in the transfer portal this cycle so the team's success is going to largely ride on his coaching skills and whoever's already in the locker room. Redshirt freshman QB George MacIntyre earned an offer from the Volunteers for a reason but there's reason to be wary for now. They probably won't post a losing season but finding their way back to the CFP may be a long shot.
7. LSU Tigers
Head coach Lane Kiffin had Ole Miss 11-1 before he jumped ship for Baton Rouge. Just his name alone puts LSU in the SEC championship conversation, but add in transfer QB Sam Leavitt and the fact that the program is a factory for NFL-caliber receivers, and the Tigers will be serious threats. However, the year-one uncertainty is the only reason LSU isn't higher on this list. Everyone thought Brian Kelly and Jayden Daniels would win the SEC, but that didn't materialize. LSU is in the "We'll believe it when we see it" category.
6. Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama can never be considered out of contention for anything, especially not after the CFP committee (controversially) put the Crimson Tide in this year's 12-team bracket with three losses. But eventual national champions Indiana exposed the massive cracks in Alabama's foundation during the quarterfinal. Head coach Kalen DeBoer essentially had one foot out the door to go to Michigan because the fanbase isn't convinced he's the right guy for the job in Tuscaloosa. Despite a 20-8 record any other college coach would kill for, anything less than a championship (conference or national) will result in his ouster. That kind of pressure usually breeds chaos unless your name is Nick Saban.
5. Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners impressed folks by showing up way ahead of schedule in 2025. Hardly anybody expected them to get to the CFP, especially with as tough a schedule as they had. Head coach Brent Venables took that doubt personally and got QB John Mateer to play at a high SEC level. On top of that, Oklahoma's defense was top five in the conference, a clear carryover from Venables' time as defensive coordinator for Clemson's championship runs. The Sooners have five projected Top 25 opponents on their 2026 schedule, so it'll be far from easy to return to the CFP, but that also means ample opportunity to establish themselves as the team to beat in the SEC.
4. Texas A&M Aggies
Aggies fans have a lot to be excited about having seen their program lead the SEC standings for the vast majority of the 2025 season and qualify for the CFP. But the last-minute stumble that prevented the team from competing for the SEC title is what docks the most from their standing here. If head coach Mike Elko and QB Marcel Reed (fifth-best passer in the SEC last season) get to Atlanta in 2026, watch out. The Aggies could be the most dangerous member of the conference.
3. Georgia Bulldogs
Head coach Kirby Smart enters every season with a team that could convince anybody it's national championship-caliber. The Bulldogs are getting QB Gunner Stockton back for one last run and are positioned well to repeat as SEC champions. If Georgia's players remain healthy (and out of trouble) then there's little standing in their way from returning to the CFP and overcoming the bye-week(s) curse. Well, save a couple teams with a lot of runway to truly take off in 2026.
2. Ole Miss Rebels
One of those teams is Ole Miss, especially with Chambliss returning. Head coach Pete Golding led the Rebels to a pair of massive wins in the CFP over Tulane and Georgia. He also nearly engineered a comeback over eventual national runner-up Miami in the semifinal, which should give the whole fanbase a lot of optimism. A tough schedule that features the likes of LSU, Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma will test how ready the Rebels are for the challenge.
1. Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns entered the 2025 season as the No. 1 team in the country. QB Arch Manning was the clear Heisman favorite. Texas finished the year No. 12 and Manning wasn't even a finalist. That feels like a lot to weigh on a program but with expectations lowered, 2026 could prove different. Manning is still a potential elite-level talent and head coach Steve Sarkisian's guidance can only do good. Being doubted should be exactly where Texas wants to be, which is why I think it's going to be the best SEC team next season.