College Football Conference Previews 2025: SEC
- Om Brown
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
August is slowly turning into September, fall camp is ending, and school is about to start. This can only mean one thing; football is back. While my work at the House mainly focuses on the NFL, this season, I'm diving back into the chaotic realm of college football. As talks of an expanded College Football Playoff pushes the sport further into uncharted waters, allow me to navigate you through the 2025 season.
As we start our journey to the 2026 National Championship Game, let’s break down what the SEC will look like as the Arch Manning era kicks off in Texas.
Cover Photo: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2024 Record: 2-10, 0-8 SEC)
The Bulldogs had a rough 2024 to say the least. They got smacked in conference play, going winless in the SEC. Once again, they face a gauntlet of top teams in the south. However, coach Jeff Lebby snagged one of the best QBs in the transfer portal, former Florida State signal-caller, Luke Kromenhoek. Lebby is widely regarded as one of the best play-callers in the country. Will there be improvement in Starkville during his second season? Maybe a little, but I won't set the bar too high.
2025 Record Projection: 3-9
15. Kentucky Wildcats (2024 Record: 4-8, 1-7 SEC)
Kentucky failed to build on the progress of the Will Levis years of the early 2020’s. Now they find themselves in a position to rebuild the program in the toughest conference in all of college football. The presumed starter under center, Zach Calzada, is entering his 7th season of college play. The former Texas A&M Aggie brings experience to a squad that desperately needs it, especially after losing talent to the portal. Coach Mark Stoops’ club will face an extremely tough conference schedule, littered with the top teams of the SEC. This season is likely focused on seeing how well they compete in those contests.
2025 Record Projection: 3-9
14. Arkansas Razorbacks (2024 Record: 7-6, 3-5 SEC)
The Razorbacks finished last season with a winning record, as well as a bowl win against Texas Tech. Coach Sam Pittman is entering his 6th season at the helm, and his program will face a brutal schedule, including an out of conference game with the national runner-up, Notre Dame. QB Taylin Green returns, but Arkansas loses their leading rusher, Ja’Quinden Jackson, and leading receiver, Andrew Armstrong to the NFL. It may be a rough season in Fayetteville.
2025 Record Projection: 4-8
13. Vanderbilt Commodores (2024 Record: 7-6, 3-5 SEC)
The Commodores were the surprise of last season. Predicted to finish last in the conference by many, including myself, they finished above .500, and beat then-ranked #1 Alabama. While the vibes are high on campus, the success of 2024 may be tough to replicate. Like many of the other bottom-tier SEC teams, they play a loaded schedule with little room for error. Sparkplug QB Diego Pavia returns, but coach Clark Lea and his team face an uphill climb in ‘25.
2025 Record Projection: 5-7
12. Missouri Tigers (2024 Record: 10-3, 5-3 SEC)
Mizzou has the very tough task of replacing their dynamic duo of QB Brady Cook and WR Luther Burden after both were drafted this spring. Pair that with a hard SEC schedule, and coach Eli Drinkwitz has his hands full to say the least. After a couple of seasons near the top of the conference, I think the Tigers will fall off a bit in 2025. The question remains as to how far they'll fall...
2025 Record Projection: 6-7 (Bowl Loss)
11. Tennessee Volunteers (2024 Record: 10-3, 6-2 SEC)
After the Vols lost their starting QB Nico Iamaleava to UCLA over an odd NIL dispute with the former top recruit, they just grabbed Bruin-to-be Joey Aguilar to run the show in Knoxville. With all the drama of the offseason, people may forget that Tennessee did make the CFP last year. However, they lost the SEC’s leading rusher, Dylan Sampson, to the draft. He was the main piece of an offense that struggled to put up numbers when facing top competition. Will coach Josh Heupel have enough to overcome the controversy of the winter? I don’t think so.
2025 Record Projection: 7-6 (Bowl Win)
10. Auburn Tigers (2024 Record: 5-7, 2-6 SEC)
Auburn had their fair share of QB troubles last season, with Payton Thorne being ineffective at best. They brought in Oklahoma transfer and former top recruit, Jackson Arnold, that December. Despite being benched early in the season at Oklahoma, Arnold came back late and showed promise as a player, especially with using his legs to beat teams. The tale of the Tigers' ‘25 campaign will be if Arnold can finally be the guy to bring them to the top once again.
2025 Record Projection: 7-6 (Bowl Loss)
9. #23 Texas A&M (2024 Record: 8-5, 5-3 SEC)
The Aggies started the season hot last year, and throttled LSU on their way to playing for a spot in the conference championship game. However, they lost that game to their rival Texas, and limped to an 8-5 finish. Back is exciting QB Marcel Reed. His dual threat ability gives coach Mike Elko a dynamic playmaker. Elko also added WR Kevin Concepcion and WR Mario Craver to rebuild the receiving corps. However, A&M lost both their stud duo of DE’s in Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton to the draft. Can Reed keep them afloat in the early part of the season while the defense tries to figure it out? Only time will tell.
2025 Record Projection: 8-5 (Bowl Win)
8. #25 Oklahoma Sooners (2024 Record: 6-7, 2-6 SEC)
OU’s first season in the SEC was rough, as their offense was decimated by injuries and their defense struggled, leading to an early exit from the polls. Former 5-Star QB Jackson Arnold left for Auburn after a messy benching last year. To replace him, Washington State QB John Mateer followed his OC Ben Arbukle to Norman. Mateer put up almost 4,000 total yards and 44 touchdowns in three seasons at Wazzu. The competition is a lot better in the SEC, but if Mateer can put up good numbers, the Sooners have a chance to make some noise in the conference.
2025 Record Projection: 8-5 (Bowl Win)
7. #17 Florida Gators (2024 Record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC)
The Gators had a turbulent ‘24, but came away with 8 wins. Down the stretch, QB DJ Lagway showcased his ability to be a potential superstar, and will play a big part in their success for 2025. The dual-threat signal-caller will throw to a revamped group of receiver, headlined by UCLA transfer J. Michael Sturdivant. Coach Billy Napier will look to build on the late-season push that the team made with Lagway last year as he tries to restore the program’s past glory.
2025 Record Projection: 9-4 (Bowl Loss)
6. #20 Ole Miss Rebels (2024 Record: 10-3, 5-3 SEC)
Ole Miss was in the picture for the CFP late in the year, but a crushing loss to Florida led to another disappointment from coach Lane Kiffin. The Rebels lose some talent to the NFL, but also return key contributors to pair up with solid portal acquisitions. Kiffin will start former baseball pitcher, the southpaw Austin Simmons, at QB. He has the ability to be a nice dual-threat scoring option for an offense that will only go as far as he goes. Like Jaxson Dart was last season, Simmons will be the X-Factor for the team’s success.
2025 Record Projection: 9-4 (Bowl Loss)
5. #10 South Carolina Gamecocks (2024 Record: 9-4, 5-3 SEC)
QB LaNorris Sellers was one of the big breakout stars of 2024. He propelled the team to a red hot finish, nearly putting them into the CFP. However, the Gamecocks defense lost some firepower to the draft, putting a lot of pressure on Sellers to continue his dynamic play in '25. The D will get some time to work out the kinks as South Carolina doesn’t play a ranked team until mid-October. Does coach Shane Beamer have enough to get the team into the Playoff?
2025 Record Projection: 9-4 (Bowl Win)
4. #12 Alabama Crimson Tide (2024 Record: 9-4, 5-3 SEC)
It is year two in Tuscaloosa for coach Kalen Deboer, and he hopes to get the Tide back in the CFP. In 2024, the squad had an electric win against Georgia to catapult them to #1, only to lose to Vanderbilt the next week. A late-season collapse saw them limp to 9 wins and miss out on the Playoff. New starting QB Ty Simpson is the last big-time field general recruit from the Nick Saban era, and is a better pure passer than Jalen Milroe from last season. Deboer re-hired OC Ryan Grubb from his days at Washington, when they had one of the best offenses in the nation. Sophomore WR Ryan Williams is also back in the picture looking to build on an electric freshman year.
2025 Record Projection: 10-3 (10-2 Regular Season, First Round Loss)
3. #7 LSU Tigers (2024 Record: 9-4, 5-3 SEC)
The Tigers were in prime position to possibly make the CFP last year, but they collapsed and failed to reach double-digit wins. Coach Brian Kelly saw his former team, Notre Dame, make the championship game last year, so the pressure is on in Baton Rouge. He revamped the receivers room with Nic Anderson and Barion Brown, and the defense returns star LB Harold Perkins. LSU has the best returning QB in the conference in Garrett Nussmeier, who had a very good 2024, following up a Heisman Trophy season from Jayden Daniels. It’s now time for Kelly to coach like the guy LSU expected when they brought him in.
2025 Record Projection: 12-3 (10-2 Regular Season, Semifinals Loss)
2. #3 Georgia Bulldogs (2024 Record: 11-3, 6-2 SEC, SEC Champions)
Georgia overcame adversity to reclaim the SEC, but then sputtered in the Quarterfinals when facing Notre Dame. QB Carson Beck is off to Miami, letting QB Gunner Stockton take over. He showed flashes of stardom in the SEC Championship game, but struggled vs. the Irish. Coach Kirby Smart reloaded with stud receivers Zach Branch and Noah Thomas to inject talent into a corps that led the country in drops a season ago. It’ll be up to them to help Stockton elevate the Dawgs back into title contention come January.
2025 Record Projection: 11-3 (11-1 Regular Season, SEC Runner-Up, Quarterfinals Loss)
1. #1 Texas Longhorns (2024 Record: 13-3, 7-1 SEC, SEC Runner-Up)
It's Arch Manning time in Austin. After sitting behind now-Miami Dolphin Quinn Ewers, Arch will go into this season as a Heisman favorite on what is one of the most talented teams in the country. Coach Steve Sarkisian adds the #1 recruiting class on top of a roster that returns defensive stars in LB Anthony Hill, S Michael Taaffe, and EDGE Collin Simmons. Offensively, the Longhorns get back former #1 RB recruit CJ Baxter from a knee injury to pair with dynamic wideouts in Ryan Wingo and Deandre Moore. There are no excuses for Sark this season to get the job done.
2025 Record Projection: 13-3 (10-2 Regular Season, SEC Champions, National Runner-Up)
Final Thoughts:
Last season, I over-represented the SEC in the Playoff. I do still think they are the best conference due to their depth, but because of this, the conference ends up cannibalizing itself. However, having 4 teams from the SEC make the CFP is very possible, and I think it’ll happen. It will be very interesting to see how the top teams do, especially the Longhorns and Arch Manning in his first season as the starter. Stay on the lookout for my full prediction for what will happen this winter in the Playoff!
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