ESPN’s Bill Connelly is already circling the 2026 SEC schedule for the games that should matter most, and the league’s top matchups are packed into a few familiar spots.
Connelly’s conference-by-conference look at the best games in the Power 4 is built around a simple formula: the matchups that combine the highest projected SP+ ratings and a scoring margin under eight points. In the SEC, that turns up a slate with plenty of heavyweight showdowns.
LSU makes the list first with its Sept. 26 home game against Texas A&M, which Connelly views as an early read on the SEC title race. He notes that LSU’s Week 3 trip to Oxford to face Ole Miss could be more intense off the field, but the Texas A&M game is the one he points to as the first true barometer.
Georgia is on the board twice. The Bulldogs travel to Tuscaloosa on Oct. 10 for another meeting with Alabama, a matchup that has become one of the SEC’s annual headliners. Georgia also shows up again on Nov. 7 at Ole Miss, after the Bulldogs and Rebels played two great games last season and are headed for a trilogy matchup.
Texas closes out Connelly’s SEC list with a pair of November games: Nov. 14 at LSU and Nov. 27 at Texas A&M. The Longhorns are set to play eight games in 2026 against projected top-20 teams, and those two SEC road trips stand out as the biggest ones on the schedule.
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Georgia Fall Camp Opens With One Lingering Injury Concern
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There was also movement on running back Dante Dowdell, who is improving after the ATV accident that sidelined him. Even so, the next steps for Georgias offense and special teams depth will depend on how quickly the team can get its key pieces back into a fuller practice rhythm, and how much patience the staff is willing to show while camp intensity ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia May Need This Young Pass Rusher More Than Fans Realize
Fall camp has opened for Georgia, and as the Bulldogs sort through their pass-rush options, redshirt freshman edge rusher Chase Linton is starting to look like a name worth watching. Georgia's pressure off the edge was an issue last season, so any young defender who can help change that picture will draw attention quickly, especially in a system that expects the front to set the tone.
Kirby Smart has already spoken highly of Linton's character and the progress he has made since arriving in Athens, which gives him a real chance to carve out a role if things keep trending the right way. The next step is less about reputation than availability and consistency, and Georgia would love for Linton to become the kind of third-down presence that lets the Bulldogs get more disruptive when games tighten up. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias SEC Grip Is Suddenly Facing Its Biggest Test Yet
Paul Finebaum raised the stakes around the SEC race this week by suggesting Georgias run of conference dominance could be headed for its toughest challenge yet. He pointed to Steve Sarkisian and Texas as the team best positioned to knock the Bulldogs off their perch, a reminder that the SEC conversation has shifted with new heavyweights pushing into the picture.
Finebaum also used the moment to widen the lens beyond Athens, noting that Kalen DeBoers early run at Alabama has been tested by recent losses and the way they have affected fan confidence. Even so, his larger point was clear: for Georgia and Texas alike, the SEC crown matters, but the real measure is whether either program can turn that momentum into a national championship. [Read more 🡒]