SEC Primer: If league depth derails No. 1 Texas, can Georgia rise again?

In this era of bloated conference sizes, none of the other leagues can compete with the depth of the Southeastern Conference.
The SEC has the No. 1 preseason ranked team in Texas and four total teams in the Top 10 as well as six other teams landing a spot in the Top 25.
That’s 10 teams in a 16-team league beginning the season in the national rankings.
The Longhorns are in their second SEC season since exiting the Big 12. They form a formidable quartet with No. 5 Georgia, No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 LSU and there is a strong second layer of No. 13 South Carolina, No. 15 Florida, No. 18 Oklahoma and No. 19 Texas A&M.
But entering this season, Texas and quarterback Arch Manning are the class of the league.
“I think this is a championship roster,” Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said at SEC Media Days. “Now we’ve got to play like a championship team, but I do think it’s a championship roster.”
The Longhorns will be tested immediately. They open on the road against defending national champion Ohio State and the conference road slate includes visits to Georgia and Florida.
Overall, the pressure is definitely on the SEC this season. The Big Ten (Michigan won two seasons ago) have won the past two national championships.
Teams listed in predicted order of finish (predicted record through conference championship game:
1. Texas (12-1 predicted record)
2024 record: 13-3
Last conference title: 2023 (Big 12)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 15 at Georgia
Why the Longhorns will win the SEC: Manning is a first-year starter but in his third college season and has the talent to take Texas all the way. You have heard he has impressive bloodlines to go with that stellar throwing arm.
2. Georgia (11-2 predicted record)
2024 record: 11-3
Last conference title: 2024
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 15 vs. Texas
Why the Bulldogs will win the SEC: Georgia went 2-0 against the Longhorns last season so the Bulldogs arguably can point to themselves as the team to beat. The debate hits triple decibels in mid-November when Athens becomes the center of the football universe.
3. Alabama (10-2 predicted record)
2024 record: 9-4
Last conference title: 2023
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Sept. 27 at Georgia
Why the Crimson Tide will win the SEC: Coach Kalen DeBoer’s second team will be highly motivated to improve on last season when Alabama wasn’t part of the College Football Playoff. The folks in Tuscaloosa are demanding better this season.
4. LSU (10-2 predicted record)
2024 record: 9-4
Last conference title: 2019
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 8 at Alabama
Why the Tigers will win the SEC: Garrett Nussmeier can surpass last season’s 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns but cutting down the 12 interceptions will be the key. LSU is a dangerous “fourth-best team” in a league.
5. Texas A&M (9-3 predicted record)
2024 record: 8-5
Last conference title: 1998 (Big 12)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 28 at Texas
Why the Aggies will win the SEC: The Marcel Reed-squad faded late last season and avoiding another stumble will have them in the mix. Making sure the regular-season finale against Texas is for a spot in the SEC title game is the key.
6. South Carolina (9-3 predicted record)
2024 record: 9-4
Last conference title: 1969 (ACC)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 29 vs. Clemson
Why the Gamecocks will win the SEC: LaNorris Sellers (18 passing TDs, seven rushing scores) is being forecasted to take a huge leap this season. Now if he should deliver the school’s first SEC title since 1969, he would immediately become legendary.
7. Florida (8-4 predicted record)
2024 record: 8-5
Last conference title: 2008
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 1 vs. Georgia at Jacksonville
Why the Gators will win the SEC: Talented DJ Lagway (12 touchdowns, nine interceptions in 2024) could flourish as a sophomore and become one of the top players in the nation. He displayed the winning gene in last season’s upsets of LSU and Ole Miss so perhaps a magical run is possible.
8. Tennessee (8-4 predicted record)
2024 record: 10-3
Last conference title: 1998
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Oct. 18 at Alabama
Why the Volunteers will win the SEC: Perhaps the Nico Iamaleava drama that led to his departure was a bonding moment for the team and the camaraderie is better because of it. And what if Joey Aguilar (56 TDs in two seasons at Appalachian State) proves to be the better quarterback?
9. Oklahoma (7-5 predicted record)
2024 record: 6-7
Last conference title: 2020 (Big 12)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Oct. 11 vs. Texas at Dallas
Why the Sooners will win the SEC: Oklahoma received shaky quarterback play last season but that problem was resolved with the addition of the gambling John Mateer – on the field and perhaps off too if you go by Venmo. The Washington State transfer passed for 29 scores and ran for 15 more last season and repeatedly steps up when winning is on the line.
10. Ole Miss (7-5 predicted record)
2024 record: 10-3
Last conference title: 1963
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Oct. 18 at Georgia
Why the Rebels will win the SEC: Replacing first-round pick Jaxson Dart is a big ask but Austin Simmons has been promoted to QB1 and even set aside his college baseball career. If the hard-throwing lefty is ready to achieve big things on the gridiron, then perhaps he can guide Ole Miss to a stunning season.
11. Missouri (7-5 predicted record)
2024 record: 10-3
Last conference title: 1969 (Big 8 co-champions)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Sept. 6 vs. Kansas
Why the Tigers will win the SEC: Alabama is the lone SEC preseason Top 10 foe on the slate so perhaps Missouri can take advantage of a less than arduous schedule. The Tigers need a starting quarterback to emerge between Sam Horn and Penn State transfer Beau Pribula before a championship parade can be arranged.
12. Auburn (5-7 predicted record)
2024 record: 5-7
Last conference title: 2013
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 29 vs. Alabama
Why the Tigers will win the SEC: Jackson Arnold was a big-time recruit for Oklahoma but things didn’t pan out and he’s now on the Plains. He has the ability to produce and a ferocious run toward the SEC Championship Game would certainly be a surprise revival.
13. Arkansas (5-7 predicted record)
2024 record: 7-6
Last conference title: 1989 (Southwest Conference)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 15 at LSU
Why the Razorbacks will win the SEC: Taylen Green passed for over 3,000 yards and rushed for more than 600 last season so perhaps he continues to get better. The Hogs will have to win a lot of close games to be in the title mix.
14. Vanderbilt (4-8 predicted record)
2024 record: 7-6
Last conference title: 1922 (Southern Conference)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Oct. 4 at Alabama
Why the Commodores will win the SEC: Anything can happen with QB Diego Pavia around. He earned an extra season of eligibility through the courts and he’ll long be remembered in Vandy lore for steering the ‘Dores past No. 1 Alabama last season for the program’s first win against a Top-5 team.
15. Kentucky (4-8 predicted record)
2024 record: 4-8
Last conference title: 1976 (co-champions)
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Oct. 25 vs. Tennessee
Why the Wildcats will win the SEC: Zach Calzada is a seventh-year QB best known for engineering an upset of No. 1 Alabama in 2021 when he was the starter at Texas A&M. Now at his fourth school and third in the SEC, Calzada could save the job of coach Mark Stoops if he leads Kentucky to the third 10-win campaign of Stoops’ 13 seasons in Lexington.
16. Mississippi State (4-8 predicted record)
2024 record: 0-8
Last conference title: 1941
Circle this game on the 2025 schedule: Nov. 28 vs. Ole Miss
Why the Bulldogs will win the SEC: Well, it is sports and anything can happen. The unfortunate death of Mike Leach in December 2022 was a major setback for the program and Mississippi State is just 1-15 in SEC play the past two seasons. Former Baylor starter Blake Shapen had eight TDs in 108 attempts last season before sustaining a season-ending shoulder surgery and he will look to deliver some upset victories.