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Jackson ranks his top 16 SEC teams for the 2025 college football season. Read the notes and analysis for all 16 SEC programs in the NCAA.
The 2024-25 college football season just concluded with Ohio State taking down Notre Dame in the CFP National Championship. However, college football never sleeps, and it's time to start diving into next year's season. It's never too early, right?
The SEC was full of wild games, upsets, triumphs, and heartbreaks in 2024, and with no head-coaching turnover in the conference this offseason, we should be headed toward another exciting campaign in 2025. Nine of the 16 SEC squads will have a new quarterback under center, and the importance of the position has never been more profound as the conference has adopted high-flying offenses.
Needless to say, it's way too early to piece together the final preseason rankings with another signing day and transfer portal window ahead, but let's take a look at the rankings below based on all the relevant information we have at this point in the offseason.
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Head Coach: Jeff Lebby
Projected Starting QB: Blake Shapen
There was a little bit of good and a lot of bad for the Bulldogs in 2024. Looking back, it was impressive that Mississippi State suffered just a single-score loss to Arizona State on the road. However, that performance was followed up by a blowout loss to Toledo. Mississippi State did not win an SEC game in Year 1 under Jeff Lebby, and the Bulldogs had easily the worst defense in the league.
Moving forward to 2025, the Bulldogs lost leading passer Michael Van Buren Jr. and leading receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. to the transfer portal. The good news is that last year's original starter at QB, Blake Shapen, is back. And so is leading rusher Davon Booth.
Mississippi State has brought in some solid pieces from the transfer portal, but no one truly moves the needle. It's hard to see a path out of the basement of the SEC in 2025.
NEWS: Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen announced he will return for the 2025 season🐶
The former Baylor signal-caller missed 8 games due to a season-ending shoulder injury. https://t.co/nOAU5rUSyg pic.twitter.com/m1ydCQjxEM
— On3 (@On3sports) December 10, 2024
15. Kentucky Wildcats
Head Coach: Mark Stoops
Projected Starting QB: Zach Calzada
Overall, Mark Stoops has done an exceptional job at Kentucky. The Wildcats have two double-digit-win seasons and qualified for eight consecutive bowl games under his direction.
In 2024, it seemed like the floor fell out from underneath the program. Despite a big win at Ole Miss, Kentucky went just 1-7 in conference play. Stoops has always brought a solid and physical defense to Lexington, but the Wildcats gave up over 345 yards per game last season.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats will head into 2025 without defensive tackle Deone Walker, who is on to the NFL. And wide receivers Dane Key and Barion Brown leaving for Nebraska and LSU, respectively, is not a great sign for Kentucky's offensive struggles going away.
All that said, the Wildcats have the No. 6 transfer portal class, according to 247 Sports. But the lack of a game-changing quarterback will likely plague the Cats once again next season.
14. Oklahoma Sooners
Head Coach: Brent Venables
Projected Starting QB: John Mateer
Oklahoma could be much improved under fourth-year head coach Brent Venables in 2025. But given the depth and talent of the conference, we're still slotting the Sooners in the No. 14 spot.
The additions of Washington State quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle should give Sooners fans optimism. Mateer threw for over 3,000 yards, 29 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his final season at Washington State, and he added a whopping 826 yards and 15 scores on the ground.
John Mateer takes it HIMSELF for a Washington State touchdown. 😤
📺: Peacock | @WSUCougarFB pic.twitter.com/QHpIbopEOh
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 14, 2024
However, we've seen plenty of productive transfer quarterbacks take a step up in competition and fail to meet expectations, so there are also reasons to be cautious. Offensive line play was a significant issue in 2024, and not much has been done to address that spot.
13. Auburn Tigers
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze
Projected Starting QB: Jackson Arnold
It's now or never time for Hugh Freeze. The former Ole Miss and Liberty coach, whose claim to fame is beating Nick Saban twice, could be out of a job if the Tigers aren't serious players in the SEC next season, and he knows it.
Auburn is hopeful Oklahoma transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold can turn his career around with a better-supporting cast, and the additions of former Georgia Tech wideout Eric Singleton Jr. and former Wake Forest wideout Horatio Fields can only help his cause.
Auburn needs to make quick improvements on both sides of the ball to become relevant again in the SEC title race.
12. Arkansas Razorbacks
Head Coach: Sam Pittman
Projected Starting QB: Taylen Green
Arkansas' 2024 campaign was highlighted by a shocking upset of No. 4 Tennessee in Fayetteville. However, the Razorbacks went 0-5 against all other ranked opponents, including a loss to an Oklahoma State squad that finished the year 3-9.
As always, the Razorbacks won't overwhelm other SEC squads with talent, but the return of quarterback Taylen Green and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino gives us reason to believe they can fight for a middle-of-the-road spot in the conference.
Last season, Arkansas finished second in the league in yards per game (459.2). With Green entering his fifth season of college football, he could sneakily be a contender to be the SEC's best quarterback in 2025. The Hogs have also been aggressive in the portal. A home game against Notre Dame and road trips to Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, and LSU won't be an easy path to another bowl berth.
11. Vanderbilt Commodores
Head Coach: Clark Lea
Projected Starting QB: Diego Pavia
Vanderbilt not being listed among the bottom-dwellers of the SEC is rare, but the return of quarterback Diego Pavia looms large in 2025. Vandy compiled a 7-6 record last season and took down No. 1 Alabama in Nashville. Heading into next season, the Commodores did not lose many impact transfers but have added at least 10 transfers from Power Four schools.
All that said, there is plenty of room for improvement next year. Despite Pavia's excellence, Vandy ranked dead last in the SEC in yards per game (318.4) and 13th out of 16 in points per game (27.5). If the Commodores want to get beyond a 7-6 season and consistently compete with the SEC's elites, a more explosive offensive attack will be required.
VANDERBILT GETS ITS FIRST BOWL WIN SINCE 2013 💪
Diego Pavia's 5 Total TD is the most in a bowl game in Vanderbilt history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AlblxVbl9q
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 28, 2024
10. Missouri Tigers
Head Coach: Eli Drinkwitz
Projected Starting QB: Beau Pribula
Missouri picked up Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula and Mississippi State wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. in the transfer portal, but the losses of quarterback Brady Cook, running back Nate Noel, and wide receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. are significant.
Mizzou is tasked with replacing the majority of its offensive production in 2025, but luckily for the Tigers, they have the easiest schedule in the SEC.
Missouri does not have to face the top four teams on this list, and its toughest games against Alabama, Texas A&M, and South Carolina are all at home. Eli Drinkwitz could be headed toward his third double-digit-win season in a row, but that doesn't mean the Tigers will be a top team in the league.
9. Texas A&M Aggies
Head Coach: Mike Elko
Projected Starting QB: Marcel Reed
It was a decent Year 1 in Aggieland under first-year head coach Mike Elko in 2024. Texas A&M started the year with a tough loss to Notre Dame before ripping off seven consecutive wins, including two victories over top 10 teams. The program was in the SEC title race late in the year, but late losses to Auburn and Texas eliminated it from SEC and playoff contention.
Marcel Reed enters the 2025 season as the clear-cut starter after beating out Conner Weigman a few games into the 2024 campaign. In his redshirt freshman season, Reed totaled nearly 2,500 yards and 22 touchdowns. He's one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the nation as a rusher, which is always a handy skill set to have in the SEC.
The addition of North Carolina State transfer Kevin Concepcion gives Reed a true No. 1 in the passing game, and Elko will have the Aggie defense ready to compete at a high level, as he's always done.
8. Florida Gators
Head Coach: Billy Napier
Projected Starting QB: DJ Lagway
If there was one coach in the country who was largely expected to be fired last season, it was Florida's Billy Napier. After a blowout loss against Miami in the Swamp to begin the 2024 season, it looked like that could happen anytime soon.
However, the Gators navigated the toughest schedule in the country more successfully than expected and finished the year 8-5. Florida's late-season wins over No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss give the fan base reason to believe in 2025, especially since last year's leading passer and rusher were freshmen.
Quarterback DJ Lagway has a sky-high ceiling, and running back Jadan Baugh looks like a future star in the league. Once again, Florida will have a daunting road ahead of it, but the team improved in essentially every area of the game late in the year, and the momentum could carry into next season. Florida is a College Football Playoff dark horse.
TOUCHDOWN! DJ Lagway with a BOMB to Aidan Mizell!
28-7 🐊 pic.twitter.com/U3y0lA3MqX
— Stadium and Gale: A Florida Gators Podcast (@StadiumAndGale) September 8, 2024
7. Ole Miss Rebels
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin
Projected Starting QB: Austin Simmons
The Rebels won 10 games in 2024, a great season for the program overall. That said, Ole Miss fell short of expectations after compiling one of the nation's strongest rosters. If someone told you Ole Miss would beat No. 3 Georgia, you would've thought the Rebels were a lock for the 12-team playoff.
Well, disastrous losses to Kentucky and Florida proved to be their undoing. Heading into 2025, Ole Miss loses several impact players, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Trey Harris, and defensive linemen Walter Nolan and Princely Umanmielen.
But do not fear, as Ole Miss is once again one of the top spenders in the transfer portal, and there are reasons to believe Austin Simmons will light up the scoreboard next season. Lane Kiffin will always have a top-notch offense, and Ole Miss enjoyed one of the best defenses in the nation last year. Simply put, if the program avoids the inexcusable losses, it'll be in the 12-team playoff field next season.
6. South Carolina Gamecocks
Head Coach: Shane Beamer
Projected Starting QB: LaNorris Sellers
After a 9-4 campaign, head coach Shane Beamer earned a contract extension through 2030. The 47-year-old was approaching the hot seat after a 3-3 start last year, but a six-game winning streak that included victories over No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 23 Missouri, and No. 12 Clemson righted the ship.
By the end of the year, South Carolina was firmly on the College Football Playoff bubble. With LaNorris Sellers back in 2025, the hope is that it will get there.
As a redshirt freshman, Sellers completed over 65 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. But his rushing skill set is what sets him apart. In the must-win game at Clemson in Week 14, Sellers accumulated 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground, and that performance was just two weeks after torching Missouri for 353 passing yards.
South Carolina won't be the most talented team in the SEC next year, but a game-changing quarterback can make up for any shortcomings.
LaNorris Sellers TD, sheesh 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/NgL4zNYLuh
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 30, 2024
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer
Projected Starting QB: Ty Simpson
For the majority of the Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was a fixture in the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in these rankings. However, after the Crimson Tide won fewer than 10 games for the first time since 2007, we're tempering expectations just a little bit.
However, any of the teams ranked inside the top five could reasonably win the SEC crown, and head coach Kalen DeBoer has historically made a big leap in Year 2 at any program he's led.
At Sioux Falls, he won the NAIA Championship in Year 2. At Fresno State, he won nine games following a three-win campaign. And at Washington, he had the Huskies in the College Football Playoff National Championship in his second year at the helm.
The Alabama fan base is hoping that trend continues, and the transition from Jalen Milroe to more of a prototypical pocket passer could be beneficial for DeBoer's offensive system. The Crimson Tide fan base expects to compete for championships every season, so he doesn't have much time to waste.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
Head Coach: Josh Heupel
Projected Starting QB: Nico Iamaleava
Remember when everyone clowned Tennessee for getting blown out by Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff? Well, that loss doesn't look so bad now after the Buckeyes dominated the field.
The Vols have major holes to fill on offense. 2024 SEC Player of the Year Dylan Sampson is headed for the NFL, and the team loses its top-3 pass-catching options and some key starters on the offensive line. The good news is that the offensive line and wideout group were weaknesses last year, so there is plenty of room for improvement.
Tennessee has been quiet in the transfer portal, but former Notre Dame guard Sam Pendleton and Arizona guard Wendell Moe Jr. should be effective Day 1 starters. Running backs Peyton Lewis and DeSean Bishop are talented enough to replace the production of Sampson, but everything rides on quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former five-star signal-caller must take a Year 2 leap to get the Vols back to the CFP, and we believe that will happen under Josh Heupel's tutelage.
Don’t care if it counted….this throw🤯 pic.twitter.com/ISnplFYyvt
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) September 23, 2024
3. LSU Tigers
Head Coach: Brian Kelly
Projected Starting QB: Garrett Nussmeier
Head coach Brian Kelly is entering his fourth season as the lead man in Baton Rouge, and he has yet to seriously contend for a national championship. LSU's last three coaches, Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron, each won a national title, so the pressure is on for one of the winningest coaches in college football history.
The Tigers have the No. 1-ranked transfer portal class, and key additions include wideouts Barion Brown (Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (Oklahoma), offensive linemen Braelin Moore (Virginia Tech) and Josh Thompson (Northwestern), and cornerbacks Ja'Keem Jackson (Florida) and Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech).
Most importantly, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier decided to come back to school rather than enter the 2025 NFL Draft. Nussmeier showed flashes to suggest he could be one of the nation's best quarterbacks last year, so if he takes any step forward, he could be the prime contender for the Heisman Trophy.
2. Georgia Bulldogs
Head Coach: Kirby Smart
Projected Starting QB: Gunner Stockton
It's tough to know what to make of Gunner Stockton as the next starting quarterback for Georgia after Carson Beck's departure, but as long as Kirby Smart and a ridiculously loaded roster are in place in Athens, we're not counting them out.
The defending SEC champions lost three games last year, which might as well be a 6-6 season for some of the other SEC programs. The Dawgs should be more dangerous in the passing attack after the addition of USC wideout Zachariah Branch, and we don't expect Georgia to lose the line of scrimmage for two seasons in a row.
Despite some key losses on defense, the unit could be better overall. Last year's squad had a significant number of freshmen and sophomore contributors that will be further developed in 2025. Will Smart get Georgia back to elite status next year?
1. Texas Longhorns
Head Coach: Steve Sarkisian
Projected Starting QB: Arch Manning
While Texas did not win the SEC title last season, its only two losses in the conference came against Georgia, and the Longhorns were the lone SEC team standing in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Steve Sarkisian's squad is the only program in the nation to be in the semifinals in each of the last two seasons.
Yes, Texas is losing close to a dozen players who could be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but that was the case last offseason, too. The roster is loaded with depth, so high-end talent is far from a concern.
Quinn Ewers had a mostly successful reign as a three-year starter in Austin, but Longhorn Nation is optimistic that Arch Manning will take the program to the next level, which is winning the CFB National Championship.
Sure, Manning has had limited snaps, but his flashes have been intriguing, and the college football world has been clamoring for him to take over the QB1 job since he stepped foot on campus.
ARCH MANNING TAKES IT A CAREER LONG 67 YARDS TO THE HOUSE 😱
(via @TexasFootball)
pic.twitter.com/Critoviw3Y— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 15, 2024
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