The SEC already looks like the league to beat before a single snap of the 2026 season, at least if the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll is any guide.
Nine SEC teams landed in the top 25, the most of any conference and one more than the Big Ten. The Big 12 placed four teams in the poll, the ACC had three, and Notre Dame was the lone independent to crack the rankings.
Georgia leads the conference pack at No. 3 overall after winning the SEC championship. The Bulldogs are trying to build on a season that ended in stunning fashion, with Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss knocking them out of the College Football Playoff.
Texas checks in right behind Georgia at No. 4, setting up a major early-season spotlight in 2026 when it hosts top-ranked Ohio State in Week 2 at DKR Texas-Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns enter Arch Manning’s second year as the starter after finishing 10-3 and ending up No. 13 in the CFP rankings last season.
The SEC also owns half of the top 10. Along with Georgia and Texas, the conference placed Texas A&M at No.
8, Oklahoma at No. 9 and Ole Miss at No. 10.
Alabama followed at No. 11, LSU came in at No.
13, Tennessee landed at No. 18 and Missouri rounded out the league’s showing at No. 25.
One small twist: Lane Kiffin’s new team opens three spots behind his former Rebels.
Alabama, meanwhile, enters a pivotal Year 3 for Kalen DeBoer with Ryan Coleman-Williams looking to bounce back and either Keelon Russell or Austin Mack taking over at quarterback.
The full preseason Coaches Poll put Ohio State at No. 1 with 38 first-place votes, followed by Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Notre Dame. Indiana, Miami, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Alabama, Texas Tech, LSU, USC, BYU, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Washington, SMU, Utah, Iowa, Clemson, Houston and Missouri rounded out the top 25.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Gets Its First Real Hype Test Under Pete Golding
The preseason spotlight is about to get a little brighter around Oxford, with the 2026 US LBM College Football Coaches Top 25 poll set to be released Aug. 4. USA TODAY Sports will unveil the rankings live on YouTube, and for Ole Miss, it figures to be the first real public check on how the program is viewed as it enters the Pete Golding era.
Ole Miss is expected to land in the preseason poll, which would add another layer of expectation to a schedule that already has plenty of intrigue. Louisville and LSU headline a slate that also includes Charlotte and Florida, and the ranking on release day should offer an early read on how much respect Goldings first Rebels team is getting before a snap is played. [Read more 🡒]
John David Baker Faces Huge Ole Miss Pressure Right Away
Pete Golding is settling into his first full season as Ole Miss defensive coordinator, and on the other side of the ball, John David Baker is back in Oxford with a title that comes with immediate scrutiny. Baker arrives after helping reshape East Carolinas offense, and now he is being asked to guide a Rebels unit built around quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, with the same up-tempo identity that has defined this program in recent seasons.
The pressure is not just about keeping the pace where Ole Miss wants it. Baker has to make sure the offense stays efficient while leaning more on the run, a shift that can look simple on paper and becomes a lot harder once SEC defenses start forcing decisions. With Golding beginning to put his stamp on the defense, Ole Miss is counting on Baker to settle in quickly and keep the offense moving without losing the edge that made it dangerous in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Enters Fall Camp With One Defense Defining Battle
Fall camp opens Aug. 6 with Ole Miss beginning a new era under Pete Golding, and one of the first places to watch will be along the defensive front. The Rebels are trying to sort out a useful rotation at EDGE, a spot that has to generate more disruption if this defense is going to look different from last season. A projected depth chart already gives some shape to the battle, with Jonathan Maldonado and Kam Franklin penciled in as starters.
What makes the group interesting is the mix of body types and styles competing for snaps, which should give Golding a few ways to build packages once the pads come on. Ole Miss does not just need one standout edge presence, it needs enough dependable pieces to keep pressure coming in waves and hold up over a full game. The next few weeks should reveal which players can turn that promise into a real rotation, and which ones will be waiting for another chance down the line. [Read more 🡒]