The SEC opens the 2026 season with the usual mix of heavyweight expectations and plenty of noise around the edges. Georgia is back where it has lived lately, at No. 1 in the league hierarchy after Kirby Smart led the Bulldogs to their second straight SEC title and third in the last five years. Texas slots in right behind at No. 2, while the rest of the conference starts the year trying to chase down the standard the Bulldogs set.
There’s no shortage of intrigue before a snap is even played. Texas A&M came within one game of reaching Atlanta for the first time in program history, only to have Texas spoil that run in the Lone Star Showdown and hand Mike Elko his lone regular-season loss in 2025.
And then there’s the Lane Kiffin move that shook up the league: the former Ole Miss coach is now in Baton Rouge, becoming the first person in college football to coach at three different SEC programs. Ole Miss gets LSU in Week 3, but the Rebels have to keep their attention on Sunday’s matchup with Louisville first.
Here’s how the SEC stacks up heading into Week 1:
Georgia leads the way at No. 1, followed by Texas at No. 2.
Ole Miss checks in third, with Oklahoma at No. 4 and Texas A&M at No. 5.
LSU lands sixth, and Alabama sits seventh.
Alabama opens against East Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 11 a.m. CT on ABC.
South Carolina comes in at No. 8 and starts with Kent State on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 11:45 a.m. CT on SEC Network.
Florida is ninth and plays Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6:45 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Tennessee is 10th and opens against Furman on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 2:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
Mississippi State is 11th and meets ULM on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Missouri ranks 12th and gets Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Auburn is 13th and draws Baylor in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC/Disney+.
Kentucky is 14th and takes on Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 12 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
Vanderbilt comes in at 15th and faces Austin Peay on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
Arkansas rounds out the rankings at No. 16 and opens against North Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Opens With One Problem Fans Need Solved Fast
Texas A&M enters the new season with a different look on the staff and a familiar standard hanging over everything. Holmon Wiggins has been promoted to offensive coordinator, Lyle Hemphill is now running the defense, and the Aggies are trying to turn that structure into steadier results after a season in which the roster showed enough promise to keep the national-title conversation alive.
The immediate concern is not hard to spot. The Aggies want cleaner play, especially when it comes to turnovers, and they still have a couple of spots to settle, including tight end and kicker. David Olano has won the Week 1 kicking job, but the bigger question is whether the rest of the operation can tighten up quickly enough for Texas A&M to turn optimism into the kind of start that matters in September. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has Plenty Of Bulletin Board Material This Week
Texas A&M is heading into the week with a little extra edge, thanks to Missouri State captain and offensive lineman Isaiah Villanueva, who publicly predicted a Bears win before the matchup. The comment stands out not just because of its confidence, but because Villanueva is a Texas native with familiar ties to the Aggies, having played high school football alongside DJ Hicks and Daymion Sanford.
Statements like that tend to linger in a locker room, especially when an underdog is willing to say it out loud before kickoff. For Texas A&M, it adds a layer of intrigue to a game that already carries the usual early-season uncertainty, with the Aggies now having a chance to answer the chatter on the field rather than in a back-and-forth outside it. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Already Has One Big Offensive Line Concern
Texas A&Ms first depth chart ahead of the 2026 season opener against Missouri State offered an early look at just how much turnover the offensive line is facing. Four new starters are penciled in up front, including former blue-chip guard Blake Ivy along with transfers Trovon Baugh and Wilkin Formby, a group that will be asked to settle in quickly as the Aggies try to build some cohesion before league play ramps up.
Mike Elko already made clear the line is not locked in, and that uncertainty is part of the concern. For a team that knows consistency in the trenches can swing the tone of a season, the competition up front figures to remain one of the more important things to watch as Texas A&M moves from the opener into the SEC portion of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]