Week 0 is here, and with it comes the first look at where the SEC sits in USA TODAY Sports’ preseason 1-138 rankings for 2026. The conference is packed near the top, crowded in the middle, and still dangerous enough to make the race to Atlanta look like a fight from start to finish.
Paul Myerberg’s rankings put eight SEC teams in the top 25 and nine in the top 30. Eleven of the league’s 16 programs land inside the top 50. And at the sharp end, there are seven teams that look like real contenders for the conference title: Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and LSU, all of them inside the top 18.
For Oklahoma, the ranking is only part of the story. The Sooners check in at No. 7, but the road ahead is brutal.
They’ll face nine teams ranked in the top 51, including Michigan at No. 22 and New Mexico at No. 45.
If Oklahoma can get through that schedule with two or fewer losses, the College Football Playoff picture should take care of itself.
Texas comes in at No. 3, and the Longhorns are once again being judged through the same offseason lens: plenty of talent, plenty of questions, especially up front. Even if Arch doesn’t end the year as a Heisman winner, Texas still has a defense good enough to hang with anybody and skill players who can flip a game in a hurry. The real issue, as it is with Oklahoma and Alabama, is whether the offensive line can make a meaningful leap.
Georgia follows at No. 6, and that spot feels familiar. Kirby Smart has built one of the most steady programs in the sport, and the Bulldogs are being treated as one of the safest playoff bets in the country.
Alabama sits at No. 9 after Kalen DeBoer named former five-star quarterback Keelon Russell the starter to open the 2026 season. Russell has the talent to steer the Tide into the playoff, and Alabama’s defense gives him plenty of support. The biggest lingering question is the offensive line.
Ole Miss checks in at No. 11 after Pete Golding’s first offseason as head coach, one that followed a semifinal run and a drama-heavy stretch filled with tampering accusations flying from Clemson to Ole Miss and from Ole Miss to LSU. Golding, more than anyone, is ready for the season to start.
Texas A&M lands at No. 13 with one of the most talented rosters in the country and a quarterback in Marcel Reed who keeps improving. The challenge is the schedule, which is a step up in difficulty from what the Aggies dealt with a year ago.
LSU comes in at No. 18, and the buzz around the Tigers is impossible to ignore. Lane Kiffin has put together a roster loaded with talent, but the question is whether he can get all of it working in sync. The setup has LSU in villain mode, and the popcorn line fits.
Tennessee is right behind at No. 19, and Josh Heupel is making a bold move by turning to true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. The former five-star has the tools to thrive in this offense, and DeSean Bishop gives him a ground game to lean on after rushing for 1,079 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
Missouri is also one of the more interesting SEC teams in the mix. The Tigers are not listed in the top 30 here, but the thought is clear: if they can keep their quarterback healthy all season, Eli Drinkwitz has a path to 10 wins and a College Football Playoff berth.
Florida arrives at No. 36, where Jon Sumrall takes over with a reputation already built at Tulane. Gainesville has talent, led by running back Jadan Baugh, and if the Gators get better play on the offensive line and at quarterback, the win total could jump fast.
Vanderbilt is next at No. 40, and while Clark Lea deserves credit for the talent he’s brought in, there’s still skepticism until the Commodores show they can win without Diego Pavia. Their opener is Week 1 against Austin Peay.
South Carolina comes in at No. 51 after a season in which the Gamecocks struggled to block anybody and had trouble scoring. LaNorris Sellers was not the problem, and now Shane Beamer is banking on offensive coordinator Kendal Briles to help him rebound from a rough 2025 and rediscover the form that made him such a talking point in 2024.
Auburn is entering a new era under former Tennessee offensive coordinator and USF head coach Alex Golesh. There’s real optimism around quarterback Byrum Brown, and the defense should be strong again. The Tigers could end up as the most improved SEC team in 2026.
Mississippi State lands at No. 78, where Jeff Lebby may have his best roster yet. Kamario Taylor brings more upside than the quarterback situation last season, and Anthony Evans is one of the most electric wide receivers in the country.
The Bulldogs should score points. The question is whether they can stop anyone.
Kentucky checks in at No. 95 as the Will Stein era brings fresh energy. The Wildcats added major help through the transfer portal, including offensive tackle Lance Heard, and they’re hoping former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey can pull everything together.
Arkansas rounds out the SEC group at No. 97, where Ryan Silverfield begins with limited expectations but no shortage of pressure. The Razorbacks have named K.J. Jackson the starter, and the sophomore showed flashes last season with more than 200 passing yards, a touchdown and a rushing score against Texas.
In Other News...
Four Former Sooners Are Suddenly Fighting For Their NFL Futures
With NFL teams facing a Sunday deadline to trim rosters, several former Oklahoma players are in the thick of the final cutdown scramble. Deion Burks, Trace Ford, Sterling Shepard and Robert Spears-Jennings are all trying to turn promising preseason moments into something more permanent, even as the numbers game across the league makes every spot harder to secure.
For Sooners fans, it is a reminder that August can be just as consequential as the regular season for players trying to stick in the pros. Each of these former OU standouts has put something on tape, but the next few days will decide whether that work earns an active-roster place or leaves them waiting on the other side of the cut. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Revealed Who Will Set The Tone This Season
Oklahoma has settled on the voices it wants setting the standard this fall, naming nine team captains ahead of the opener. The group spans the roster, from offensive linemen Jake Maikkula, Eddy Pierre-Louis and sophomore Michael Fasusi to quarterback John Mateer and defensive standouts David Stone, Taylor Wein, Kip Lewis, Owen Heinecke and Peyton Bowen, giving the Sooners a leadership mix that touches every phase of the team.
Fasusis inclusion stands out most, since he is the first sophomore captain since 2024 and the first sophomore offensive lineman to earn the honor since 2019. Several of the captains addressed what leadership means during media availability, a sign Oklahoma is trying to define its identity early as it prepares to open the season against UTEP on Sept. 4. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Added A Transfer Brent Venables Could Use All Over The Field
Oklahoma kept busy in the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in 16 newcomers and adding another layer to a defense that already has some experience at linebacker. Among the additions is Cole Sullivan, who arrives from Michigan with the kind of profile Brent Venables tends to value: versatility, leadership and the ability to help on special teams while learning multiple roles.
Venables has made it clear Sullivan can be used all over the field, which matters for a defense that likes flexibility and depth. Sullivans path to Norman opened after Michigan changed head coaches, and his arrival gives Oklahoma another piece to work with as it sorts out how to deploy an already strong linebacker room. [Read more 🡒]