SEC Football Playoff Contenders
No. 5 - Ole Miss Rebels - Oxford is abuzz about Lane Kiffin's new quarterback, Austin Simmons. If he can come close to matching the hype, he might be better suited to run Kiffin's offense than any of his predecessors. If the Rebels can overcome losing key defenders to the NFL and match last season's strong defensive performance, Ole Miss should be a solid Playoff contender. As always with a Kiffin team, there's a risk every season, like the 2024 Kentucky game, when the team is mentally flat and loses to a weaker team.
No. 4 - LSU Bengal Tigers - Brian Kelly and LSU went Portal-crazy, with Kelly even kicking in some of his salary. With a current No. 2-ranked Portal class and still adding players, it is now or never in Baton Rouge. LSU will be a top team, but away games at Clemson, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Oklahoma make for tough road challenges.
No. 3 - Georgia Bulldogs - Yes, the Dawgs will be very good again, but possibly down a tad from recent seasons. Georgis gets a scheduling break with Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas going to Athens. The road schedule, at Tennessee, Auburn, and Mississippi State, is not daunting. Discounting Georgia could be a mistake, but the Dawgs may not be the SEC's 'Big Dog' in 2025.
No. 2 - Alabama Crimson Tide - Go ahead, call me a homer. Throw in 'Pollyanna' label if inclined, but I expect Alabama to be much improved. The defense should be outstanding. Whomever is QB1 should be more than competent. No transfer exits by scholarship players during the Spring Portal says much about the first Alabama group of players to all be Kalen DeBoer's team. If the offensive tackles are solid, with no serious injuries, Alabama is a Playoff team.
No. 1 - Texas Longhorns - The Horns have two almost unbeatable things going for them. One is the most money in the SEC for player payroll; somewhere north of $35M. The second thing is in this offense-driven era of college football, Steve Sarkisian has one of college football's best offensive minds. Atlanta Falcons fans will argue Sark is no Offensive Guru. Alabama Crimson Tide fans will strongly disagree. Many credit Sarkisian for being Bama's all-time best Offensive Coordinator. Sure, Texas can be beat. They may open the season with a loss, but during the full SEC season, the Longhorns are likely the class of the SEC.
Note: Team and players stats provided by Sports Reference and cfbstats.com