Now that the dust has settled a bit in the earliest days of June, it's a good time to determine how all 16 SEC teams will stack up on the college football field. Last year, the SEC sent three teams to the College Football Playoff. Georgia won the SEC over Texas, with the Longhorns and the Tennessee Volunteers getting in as at-large teams. Could the SEC get four (or more) teams in next year?
I think it is certainly possible, but the league cannot cannibalize itself like it tends to do. This is because the middle of the Big Ten is nowhere near what the middle of the SEC is. What that means is the 10th-best team in the SEC can conceivably beat the third-best team on any given Saturday. I do not see the middle of the Big Ten reaching the SEC's level yet.
In power ranking all 16 SEC teams heading into the summer, I find myself struggling to make sense of the rock-hard middle of this conference. As many as 10 teams in the SEC that could vie for College Football Playoff berths this season, and I think the league will send four into the much-anticipated postseason format — but we have to play all of the games first.
Here is how I see the SEC stacking up when football season rolls around.
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Someone had to be last, as there was no other choice than the hapless Mississippi State Bulldogs. While I was impressed with how hard the team played for its first-year head coach in Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State was at a massive talent disadvantage all season long. I think they will improve this season, maybe steal a game or two, but this is not a team ready to go bowling just yet.
15. Kentucky Wildcats
Wow... The Kentucky Wildcats had been an institution under the longest tenured head coach in the SEC in Mark Stoops. The Brock Vandagriff experiment blew up in Kentucky's face big time. I failed to realize how much Kentucky playing in the SEC East propped up the Wildcats for years on end. Now that John Calipari is out of the building, I would not be shocked if Mitch Barnhart fired Stoops soon.
14. Arkansas Razorbacks
It was not easy putting Sam Pittman's Arkansas Razorbacks in at No. 14, but somebody had to be in the bottom quartile of the league with Kentucky and Mississippi State. While Taylen Green could be a difference-maker under center for the Hogs, they have a brutal SEC schedule, as well as getting Notre Dame and Memphis in the non-conference. I struggle to see this team winning eight games.
13. Auburn Tigers
It is not by much, but I have the Auburn Tigers as the last team in the bottom quartile of the SEC for a reason. Hugh Freeze is a good head coach, but I do not trust Jackson Arnold under center one bit. This team needs to do more than merely make a bowl game. As it is with many teams in the bottom half of the SEC, the schedule is difficult. Could Auburn steal a game vs. Alabama or Georgia in 2025?
12. Vanderbilt Commodores
The reason why I have the Vanderbilt Commodores over the Auburn Tigers is quite simple. Vanderbilt still has Diego Pavia at quarterback, who has completely owned any team Hugh Freeze has coached over the last few years. Vanderbilt is not going to sneak up on anyone, but I have a hard time seeing this team fail to build off last year's success. The Commodores should be going bowling again.
11. Missouri Tigers
I do not know what to make of the Missouri Tigers. Former Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula could be an upgrade over Brady Cook, but that remains to be seen. There is talent on this roster because Eliah Drinkwitz knows how to coach. I just feel that every time you bank on Missouri being great, the Tigers are not and vice versa. The team does not have the juice of other teams ranked ahead of them.
10. Tennessee Volunteers
Docking the Tennessee Volunteers down to No. 10 seems so incredibly harsh, but who is their starting quarterback? If Nico Iamaleava returned for another season, I would have no issues ranking the Vols comfortably inside of the top five. While I do trust Josh Heupel's ability to get the most out of his players, Tennessee really has to take advantage of its softer schedule comparatively in the SEC.
9. Oklahoma Sooners
Unless Tennessee proves otherwise, the Oklahoma Sooners may be the worst team in the SEC that can semi-realistically contend for the College Football Playoff. The offseason additions of John Mateer at quarterback and Jadyn Ott at running back have me so excited about this team. My biggest issue Brent Venables as a head coach. He must show he can do more than win six or seven games.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
I know that Mike Elko is a great head coach, but I think he may need another year to flush out all the bad seeds to get the Texas A&M Aggies to where they need to be in the SEC hierarchy. Having Marcel Reed do his best Collin Klein at Kansas State impersonation will go a long way. Texas A&M will beat somebody of note this season. The problem is they will also get blown out by a team who is not great.
7. Ole Miss Rebels
For better or worse, the floor of the Ole Miss Rebels is incredibly high with Lane Kiffin as their head coach. I am eager to see what Austin Simmons can do in his first year as the starting quarterback. Ole Miss feels like a team that is going to win between eight and 10 games for the foreseeable future. My concern is they have some rough games. Will they beat Georgia and South Carolina again this fall?
6. Florida Gators
Not to say that I am all-in on the Florida Gators, but I cannot overlook how they played down the stretch last year. Florida may have the hardest schedule in the country for the second year in a row, but DJ Lagway could be the real deal under center. Billy Napier has his team believing in itself. What keeps Florida from being a probable playoff team is Napier seems to shrink in big moments a ton.
5. South Carolina Gamecocks
I am starting to get the feeling that my FanSided.com colleague and False Start co-host Cody Williams and I are a bit too bullish on the South Carolina Gamecocks. We love LaNorris Sellers at quarterback, as well as what physical freaks like Nyck Harbor and Dylan Stewart can be for this team. Shane Beamer is a great head coach as a frontrunner, but he does not thrive when he is behind at all.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
Against my better judgement, I have the Alabama Crimson Tide in the top quartile of the SEC for one reason, and one reason alone. Nick Saban recruited most of the upper classmen who will be in charge of leading this team back to the promised land. Kalen DeBoer is an excellent head coach, but he has to find himself in Tuscaloosa this season. It could go either way for this team, but I will have optimism.
3. LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers definitely, maybe, might be good. Although the Brian Kelly pop year came and went last season, his fourth year leading the Bayou Bengals might be when it happens. Garrett Nussmeier could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and potentially win the Heisman Trophy at quarterback. It all comes down to LSU starting fast, and whether Blake Baker's defense can play a lick.
2. Texas Longhorns
It may be controversial, but I have the Texas Longhorns slotted in at No. 2. The upside with this team is undeniably tremendous. However, I need to see head coach Steve Sarkisian grow in a big spot, especially when Texas takes on emerging rival Georgia Between the Hedges. I also need to see Arch Manning be more than just an idea. There will be growing pains for him this year, but I am optimistic.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Yes, I have my beloved Georgia Bulldogs at No. 1. It is not by much, but I has everything to do with its schedule. Outside of the early-season road date at Tennessee, Georgia gets seemingly everyone of note at home this fall, including Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas. This team is not winning a national title with Gunner Stockton at quarterback this fall, but it can repeat as SEC champs to make the playoff.