Friday night the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Oklahoma Sooners will begin the SEC's playoff and bowl game play. In the 2024-25 postseason 13 SEC football teams participated. The SEC finished with a disappointing 8-7 record.
The biggest disappointments came from Oklahoma losing to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl, Alabama losing to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, Tennessee being throttles by Ohio State, 42-17 in a playoff game, and Georgia losing to Notre Dame in a Sugar Bowl playoff game.
The SEC's 2024 postseason record was described as disappointing and the end of an era. Paul Finebaum, uncharacteristically using an understated tone, said, "The conference’s fall from grace was cause for a lot of concern.”
Others argued that rapidly expanding parity in college football was the reason the SEC slipped. That parity has grown this season. Cinsider one example. Last season, the Arkansas Razorbacks beat Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl 39-26. This season, the Red Raiders are in the CFB Playoff. Some say the difference is the largess of one billionaire, which afforded the Red Raiders a rebuilt and much-improved roster. In multiple ways, parity comes with a price.
SEC Football in the 2025-25 Postseason
Eleven SEC football teams will participate in postseason play. In eight games against already set opponents, SEC teams are favored by FanDuel spreads in seven contests. Only LSU, against Houston, is an underdog. Georgia will also be favored when its quarterfinal playoff opponent advances. The SEC slate will get a win and a loss in Norman, OK.
SEC Postseason Schedule
- Dec. 19 - Alabama Crimson Tide at Oklahoma
- Dec. 20 - Miami at Texas A&M and Tulane at Ole Miss
- Dec. 27 - Missouri vs. Virginia in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and LSU vs. Houston in the Kinder's Texas Bowl
- DEC. 30 - Tennessee vs. Illinois in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl
- Dec. 21 - Vanderbilt vs. Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl and Texas vs. Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
- Jan. 1 - Georgia vs. to be determined in the Allstate Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
- Jan. 2 - Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl