The 2025-26 college football season revealed some hard and unusual truths about the sport. For one, the usual suspects of championship contenders didn't come close to sniffing a national title. Three of the four College Football Playoff finalists had never been crowned national champions.
Ultimately, a classic battle between Big Ten and ACC foes decided the final game of the year and the first undefeated, 16-0 tema since the 19th century walked away with the trophy.
So, where was the SEC in all of this? Doesn't it just mean more?
Well, that's another hard truth we all learned this year. The SEC appears to have lost its championship-winning touch. The last three national title holders all hail from the Big Ten.
That lack of consistency can be attributed to sub-par coaching, something the conference is not used to hosting. With the SEC sure to be back in the title conversation in 2026, let's evaluate where each head coach sits in the heirarchy.
Tier 5: Not power four level
Jeff Lebby - Mississippi State
While the Bulldogs did improve from 2-10 in 2024 to 5-8 in 2025 under Lebby, Mississippi State is still nowhere near competing for any kind of title. The fanbase is craving 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 Lebby can ensure this offseason is used to make the team better.
Ryan Silverfield - Arkansas
This is no insult to Silverfield and the rest of the following coaches in this category but they are literally coming from outside the power four conferences. Arkansas fans always have expectations higher than what is usually achievable so Silverfield will have his hands full in Fayetteville even with bringing some decent talent from his former home in Memphis.
Jon Sumrall - Florida
There's a little more reason for optimism with Sumrall and 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 losing 41-10 to Ole Miss in the CFP.
Alex Golesh - Auburn
The Tigers are yearning for a reset after multiple previous resets failed. 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 Bulls QB Byrum Brown with him will improve the program's odds of not being terrible but only slightly.
Tier 4: They are what they are
Josh Heupel - Tennessee
This is a big slip for Heupel, who led the Volunteers to their first ever CFP berth in 2024. Tennessee missed out on the tournament this year after finishing 8-5, a two game fall from the 10-3 that got them in a year prior. Heupel didn't make much of a splash in the transfer portal so the team's success is going to largely ride on his coaching skills this offseason. His 45-20 (.692) overall record in Knoxville should be encouraging he won't post a losing season but finding his way back to the CFP may be a long shot.
Will Stein - Kentucky
Stein is an unproven commodity in the SEC but his credentials coming from Dan Lanning's Oregon give him a boost into this tier. 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 can actually do for the program.
Shane Beamer - South Carolina
There always a lot of promise in Columbia but the Gamecocks always seem to finish in the middle of the pack. Beamer gets everyone hyped when the team pulls off its signature upset each year but then it falls back under the radar with near-.500 record. He's 33-30 all-time with South Carolina and he's only got LaNorris Sellers for one more year. He's gotta make the most of it in 2026.
Tier 3: Solid with room to rise
Mike Elko - Texas A&M
Aggies fans have a lot to be excited about having seen their program lead the SEC standings for the vast majority of the 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 Elko's standing here. Get to Atlanta in 2026 and he's automatically in the next tier up entering the following offseason.
Eli Drinkwitz - Missouri
Drinkwitz and 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 but nobody really expected them to sneak into the 12-team field this year. Despite some elite talent running through Columbia, Drinkwitz hasn't shown enough to be considered a true contender just yet.
Pete Golding - Ole Miss
Golding actually has a worthy sample to examine having taken over for Lane Kiffin after he departed for LSU. He led the Rebels to a pair of massive wins in the CFP over Tulane and SEC-champion Georgia. Golding nearly engineered a comeback over eventual national runner-up Miami in the semifinal which should give the whole fanbase a lot of optimism. The only problems he'll have entering 2026 are dealing with the potential loss of QB Trinidad Chambliss (eligibility) and a tough schedule.
Clark Lea - Vanderbilt
Well, Vanderbilt emerging as an actual threat in the SEC was not on my CFB bingo card entering the season. Lea facilitated the legend of QB Diego Pavia in 2024 and that continued in 2025, earning the latter a Heisman Trophy finalist nod. He won't have Pavia in 2026 so expect some regression but never say never in any game the Commodores will be playing in.
Tier 2: Automatic contenders
Kalen DeBoer - Alabama
We all know Alabama can never be considered out of contention for anything, especially not after the CFP committee put the Crimson Tide in the 12-team bracket with three losses. But eventual national champions Indiana exposed the massive cracks in Alabama's structure during the quarterfinal. DeBoer essentially had one foot out the door 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 coach would kill for, anything less than a championship (conference or national) will result in his ouster.
Lane Kiffin - LSU
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, the Tigers will be serious threats. The only reason Kiffin hasn't made the jump to elite is because he has no championships to his name... yet.
Brent Venables - Oklahoma
The Sooners impressed folks by showing up way ahead of schedule in 2025. Nobody expected them to get to the CFP, especially with as tough a schedule as they had. Venables took that doubt personally and got QB John Mateer to play at an SEC level. On top of that, Oklahoma's defense was top five in the conference, a clear carry over from Venables time as defensive coordinator for Clemson's championship runs.
Steve Sarkisian - Texas
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's not entirely on Sarkisian but he couldn't keep his team from cracking under the pressure. 2026 could prove different with the expectations lowered but Sarkisian still has a lot to prove before being considered elite.
Tier 1: Elite level
Kirby Smart - Georgia
The only head coach on this list with a national championship to his name (won as a head coach), Smart enters every season with a team that could convince anybody it's national championship-caliber. The Bulldogs have won four SEC titles and two national championships under his leadership. Nick Saban used to be the bane of his existence but with the legend gone, he's dominated the conference and will continue to do so until one of the previous challengers finishes the job.