2026 SEC Power Rankings: Two-Team Race Between Georgia & Texas?

The 2026 march to the 12-team College Football Playoff is underway, with the SEC looking to send another five teams like last year. 

Georgia won the SEC for the second straight year and third time in four seasons in 2025, while Texas A&M was the last SEC team standing in the regular season at 11-0. Ole Miss crashed the party, beating Georgia in the playoff, while Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss to take over LSU. There are also new faces at Florida and Auburn, two teams that hope to move into the top half of the conference.

Below, we’ll break down our 2026 SEC power rankings and analyze each team’s prospects for the upcoming college football season, along with PrizePicks Team Picks projections for every squad.

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2026 College Football SEC Power Rankings

Our full 2026 SEC power rankings contain a couple of teams that may contend for the College Football Playoff, as well as programs that could be facing uphill battles.

Below, we'll break down each team and list projected win total via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can pick college football winners, spreads, and futures for real money!

The payouts listed below indicate real-money earnings if a prediction is correct; for example, a 2x on a $100 entry pays out $200. The lower the payout multiplier, the higher the chance of the outcome occurring, according to user picks.‍

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Projected Win Total: 11 (Yes: 1.63x | No 2.12x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Gunner Stockton, RB Nate Frazier, RB Chauncey Bowens, TE Lawson Luckie, LB Raylen Wilson, CB Ellis Robinson IV

There’s no arguing who the best team in the SEC was the last two seasons, as Georgia won both SEC titles to make the CFP as one of the favorites to win it all. However, those two appearances have ended in one-and-done losses, first to Notre Dame and then to conference rival Ole Miss. 

Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are again the favorite to win the SEC, returning 3.12x if they win it for the third straight year. QB Gunner Stockton returns and has a 1-2 punch in the backfield of Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens, who combined for over 1,400 yards and 12 TDs last year. The Bulldogs went 9-0 last year when totaling 40+ rushes.

The normally dominant defense let the team down when it couldn't stop Ole Miss in the CFP, and that was a defense that had only one senior and returns six starters this year. With elite talent across the board, Georgia very well could be in line to contend for it all. 

2. Texas Longhorns

Projected Win Total: 10 (Yes: 2x | No 1.72x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Arch Manning, RB Hollywood Smothers, RB Raleek Brown, OT Trevor Goosby, EDGE Colin Simmons

Close, but not close enough has been the story of the Texas Longhorns under Steve Sarkisian, whose team lost in the CFP semis in 2023 and 2024 and just missed the CFP last year after losses to two of the top three teams in the country and Florida.

QB Arch Manning enters his second full season leading the attack, and he has plenty of help with two transfer portal RBs in Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown, who combined for over 2,000 yards in 2025. WR Ryan Wingo leads a talent-rich room, joined by Auburn transfer Cam Coleman. 

The headline for the defense is the return of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who roamed the Austin sidelines before taking the Florida head coaching job and spent last year at rival Georgia. He has EDGE Colin Simmons, who led the SEC with 12 sacks last year, and a talented group of LBs. 

We'll know quickly if Texas is improved from last year and a legit contender as the rematch with top-ranked Ohio State is slated for Week 2. Five additional top-25 opponents could determine if Texas is CFP-bound again. ‍

3. Ole Miss Rebels

‍Projected Win Total: 9 (Yes: 1.96x | No 1.75x)

‍Top Players to Watch: QB Trinidad Chambliss, RB Kewan Lacy, WR Darrell Gill Jr., EDGE Suntarine Perkins

Not many had the Rebels in the national semifinals last year and one play away from playing for the title, but their second-ranked offense knocked off Tulane and Georgia before falling to Miami by 4 points. 

Kiffin and OC Charlie Weis Jr. took their talents to Baton Rouge and did their best to bring everyone on the way out. They were unable to take star QB Trinidad Chambliss or star RB Kewan Lacy, who both return to finish what the 2025 team started.

Ole Miss will need new WRs after Harrison Wallace III and De’Zhaun Stribling left, but transfers Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill Jr. could fill those shoes. 

Pete Golding takes over for Kiffin and will need the offense to continue to excel while rebuilding the defense if the Rebels are to repeat last year’s magic. The showdown with Kiffin and LSU awaits in Week 3, while the Rebels also face Missouri, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma. 

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

Projected Win Total: 9 (Yes: 1.72x | No 2.04x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Keelon Russell, WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, CB Zabien Brown, LB Caleb Woodson, EDGE Yhonzae Pierre

Eleven wins, a berth in the conference championship game, and a playoff win would normally be good for most schools, but not Alabama. The Kalen DeBoer reign has been successful by most measures, but in Tuscaloosa, they count titles, and Alabama hasn’t won the SEC since 2023 or a national title since 2020.

Redshirt freshman Keelon Russell takes over at QB, trying to replicate what Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson have done in recent years. WR Ryan Coleman-Williams didn’t have the follow-up to his sensational freshman season that people expected, but he’s a great target. A lot will come down to the rebuilt offensive line. 

On the defensive front, Bama should have one of the top secondaries in the game behind Zabien Brown and a loaded LB corps. The defensive line, usually a strong part of Bama’s team, has gotten decimated by the NFL Draft. A tough SEC schedule features trips to Tennessee, A&M, and LSU, along with hosting Georgia and a revenge game against FSU. 

5. Texas A&M Aggies

Projected Win Total: 9 (Yes: 1.92x | No 1.72x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Marcel Reed, RB Rueben Owens II, WR Mario Craver, TE Micah Riley, S Marcus Ratcliffe

On one hand, the Aggies started 11-0 last year, made the CFP, and were one win away from the SEC Championship Game. On the other hand, they lost that game to rival Texas, then put up a whimper vs. Miami in the playoff. 

There’s no doubt Mike Elko has talent in College Station, starting with returning QB Marcel Reed, who passed for over 3,000 yards and 25 TDs and added 6 more on the ground. Even though WR KC Concepcion is in the NFL, the Aggies are loaded at the position with Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman. 

A&M will have to replace four starters on the offensive line and dug deep into the portal to do so. The big question is if the Aggies can win the big game when it matters. This year, A&M has trips to LSU, Alabama, and Oklahoma and gets Arizona State, Tennessee, and Texas at home. 

6. Oklahoma Sooners

Projected Win Total: 9 (Yes: 1.96x | No 1.78x)

Top Players to Watch: QB John Mateer, WR Isaiah Sategna III, LB Kip Lewis, DE Taylor Wein

Oklahoma was one of the best defensive teams in the nation last year, ranking sixth overall and third against the run. They returned LBs Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke to a defense that led the nation in sacks. 

The issue last year was the offense after QB John Mateer injured his hand. The Sooners were 92nd in total offense and 79th in scoring and would need that to change to return to the CFP and survive a schedule that includes 16th-ranked Michigan and four top-10 SEC opponents. 

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7. LSU Tigers

Projected Win Total: 9 (Yes: 1.75x | No 2x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Sam Leavitt, WR Jayce Brown, S Tamarcus Cooley, OT Jordan Seaton, EDGE Princewill Umanmielen

The Lane Train has arrived in Baton Rouge, along with the best team money can buy in today’s new college football world. Kiffin takes over for Brian Kelly at LSU, where the expectations are sky-high. 

There are portal transfers all over the roster, including Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt, Kansas State WR Jayce Brown, and pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen, coming over with Kiffin from Ole Miss. 

The offseason moves have masked a 2025 flawed team that was last in the SEC in rushing and struggled on the offensive line. Can Kiffin pull it all together in his first year? He’s done it before at FAU and Ole Miss. 

8. Florida Gators

Projected Win Total: 6 (Yes: 1.88x | No 1.85x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Aaron Philo, RB Jadan Baugh, WR Dallas Wilson, WR Vernell Brown III 

Florida enters the Jon Sumrall era with high expectations despite having four losing seasons in the last five years. Sumrall replaced Billy Napier and immediately hit the transfer portal. That included Georgia Tech QB Aaron Philo, who gets to play under his Yellow Jackets OC, Buster Faulkner, who also joined the staff. 

Philo will have no shortage of weapons, as star RB Jadan Baugh returns after rushing for 1,170 yards and 8 TDs in his breakout season last year. The WR corps of Dallas Wilson, Vernell Brown III, and Eric Singleton Jr. is one of the best in the country.

It won’t be easy with a midseason stretch of Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma on the schedule, but games with Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Auburn, Kentucky, and FSU give the Gators hope. 

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9. Tennessee Volunteers

Projected Win Total: 8 (Yes: 1.61x | No 2x)

Top Players to Watch: RB DeSean Bishop, QB Faizon Brandon, EDGE Tyree Weathersby, LB Amare Campbell

One day, Tennessee football is going to break through. It may not be this year or next, but the school has been on the cusp for a long time. Two years ago, they tasted the CFP, but only for a 42-17 blowout loss to the eventual champion Buckeyes. 

Can they get back there? That depends on if HC Josh Heupel can continue his mastery with true freshman QB Faizon Brandon. RB DeSean Bishop comes back after a 1,000-yard season, and the WR corps is better than advertised. The defense now belongs to journeyman coordinator Jim Knowles, who has Penn State transfer Amare Campbell and his 103 tackles headed to Knoxville.  

An early trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech will be a good test. As far as SEC schedules go, this one is manageable, as Tennessee gets Texas, LSU, and Bama at home with only one tough road game on the schedule (at Texas A&M).  

10: Missouri Tigers

Projected Win Total: 7 (Yes: 1.78x | No 1.96x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Austin Simmons, RB Ahmad Hardy, WR Cayden Lee, WR Caleb Goodie Sr.

Unlike other teams, Missouri has been easy to figure out. They beat the bad teams and lose to the good ones. The Tigers have lost 14 straight regular-season games vs. power conference teams that finished with 10+ wins. Last season, all eight wins were vs. teams with losing records. 

Can Eli Drinkwitz get Missouri over the hump in his seventh season? The Tigers begin the season ranked, so the media thinks so. RB Ahmad Hardy is the star piece on offense, but he's recovering from a gunshot wound. He led the SEC with 1,649 yards and 16 TDs last season. QB Austin Simmons and WR Cayden Lee both come over from Ole Miss to replace Beau Pribula and others.

The defense quietly finished eighth in the nation last year but did lose a bunch of starters. The schedule is easy early, although visits from Florida and A&M — followed by a trip to Ole Miss — make for a tough three-week stretch. Then come games vs. Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma. If the Tigers get to the CFP, they'll have earned it.

11. Auburn Tigers

Projected Win Total: 7 (Yes: 1.61x | No 2.17)

Top Players to Watch: QB Byrum Brown, LB Xavier Atkins, WR Keshaun Singleton, S Kaleb Harris

The Alex Golesh era begins on the plains, hoping to erase five straight 7-loss seasons. The former South Florida coach is bringing his high-flying offense to a school that finished 79th in total offense last year. By comparison, the Bulls were third under Golesh at 489 yards per game, scoring 40.5 PPG (fifth). 

Golesh brings QB Byrum Brown with him, along with four of the top five WRs from Tampa as a total of 13 Bulls head north. A soft early non-conference schedule should help with all the new pieces, but can they win at Tennessee, Georgia, Ole Miss, or Alabama?

12. South Carolina Gamecocks

Projected Win Total: 7 (Yes: 1.79x | No 1.96x)

Top Players to Watch: QB LaNorris Sellers, WR Nyck Harbor, LB Justin Okoronkwo

South Carolina’s goodwill from a 9-4 season in 2024 is gone after a disappointing 4-8 follow-up. Shane Beamer’s sixth season will once again feature QB LaNorris Sellers, who stumbled last year, resulting in South Carolina’s offense being second-to-last in the SEC.  

The offensive line was awful, both in pass protection and run blocking, and was a focus in the transfer portal. It’s given up 125 sacks over the last three seasons.

The potential bounce-back could begin in Tuscaloosa in Week 4. The Gamecocks also have trips to Gainesville, Norman, and Clemson on the schedule. 

13. Vanderbilt Commodores

Projected Win Total: 6 (Yes: 1.56x | No 2.27x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Jared Curtis, WR Junior Sherrill, RB Sedrick Alexander, TE Cole Spence

It’s back to reality for a Vanderbilt team that earned its first 10-win season in 122 years of football, sent a QB to New York for the Heisman finals, and was in the mix for a spot in the CFP.

Now HC Clark Lea has a rebuilding project with QB Diego Pavia gone and being replaced by 19-year-old prospect Jared Curtis. Vandy didn’t have the hardest schedule last year but has to play at Auburn and Florida this year, also getting visits from Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. 

14. Kentucky Wildcats

Projected Win Total: 5 (Yes: 1.75x | No 2x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Kenny Minchey, TE Willie Rodriguez, WR Nic Anderson, DE Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace

New HC Will Stein was off and running in the transfer portal, overhauling a poor Kentucky roster with players from big-time schools such as OT Lance Heard (Tennessee), S Jordan Castell (Florida), and RB Jovantae Barnes (Oklahoma).

It remains to be seen if Stein can bring it all together in Lexington against the fourth-toughest schedule in the country that features home games vs. Alabama, LSU, and Louisville and road games at A&M, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Missouri. 

15. Arkansas Razorbacks

Projected Win Total: 5 (Yes: 2.5x | No 1.47x)

Top Players to Watch: DE Quincy Rhodes Jr., RB Sutton Smith, TE Jaden Platt, LB Bradley Shaw

Coming off a winless SEC campaign in 2025, the Razorbacks changed coaches, with Ryan Silverfield taking over for Sam Pittman, who was fired after a 2-3 start last year.

The former Memphis coach's first goal should be to win an SEC game, which Arkansas didn't do last year. The key will be to improve a defense that was 122nd last season while maintaining a successful offense (13th in yards in 2025) under new QB KJ Jackson. 

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Projected Win Total: 5 (Yes: 1.63x | No 2.12x)

Top Players to Watch: QB Kamario Taylor, WR Anthony Evans III, LB Zakari Tillman

Going 2-22 in SEC play over the last three years is how you end up at the bottom of this article. There's some optimism on offense, with QB Kamario Taylor and WR Anthony Evans III returning and the addition of Missouri transfer Marquis Johnson.

The defense has been at or near the bottom of the conference for the last two years. The sixth-hardest schedule in the country (per ESPN’s FPI) adds to a long year ahead in Starkville. 

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Can anyone end Georgia’s reign at the top of the SEC? Many teams will try, but could this be the year someone like Tennessee or Missouri breaks through? 

The college football season kicked off last week with Week 0 and continues with a full slate of games this week, where users can make college football predictions for 2026.

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