Jon Rothstein lists early SEC Power Rankings for 2025-26

Football is almost back in the Southeastern Conference with SEC Media Days being last week and kickoff coming in five weeks’ time. However, Jon Rothstein at CBS Sports is already looking ahead to tip-off for the league when they take the court again following an all-time season.

Rothstein previewed and broke down the SEC last week on ‘Inside College Basketball Now’. He went over several topics, including the release of a preseason power ranking for each of the 16 teams. That’s with interest in the conference being as high as it may have ever been after the Southeastern Conference set records with 14 berths in total into the 2025 NCAA Tournament, half of those going on to reach the Sweet 16, and a pair making and meeting each other in the Final Four with Florida going on to win the national championship.

With that, here’s how Rothstein rated the SEC ahead of its next season in ’25-’26:

1. Florida Gators

Florida, coming off their national title win in Houston, is going to have an all-new backcourt with Boogie Fland, Xavian Lee, and AJ Brown, plus a pair of freshmen, taking the places of Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard who were all selected in the NBA Draft. When paired with the returners in the frontcourt, though, in Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Reuben Chinyelu, and Micah Handlogten, the Gators have justified themselves not just as the top team in the conference but among the very best teams in college basketball coming into the year.

“The defending national champions have earned that right,” Rothstein said. “Florida is in the one spot.”

2. Arkansas Razorbacks

With a controversial, connected duo at two and three, Rothstein would go with Arkansas at second-best in the SEC. That’s with him noting the amount of returning production that the ‘Hogs will have in DJ Wagner, Karter Knox, Trevon Brazile, and Billy Richmond, paired with two top transfer bigs and a trio from a top-five recruiting class, for the ‘Hogs going into year two under Coach Cal.

“At two, I’m going with Arkansas because of the amount of returning personnel that John Calipari has at his disposal…John Calipari has a team, unlike a year ago, that has a base of returning experience,” said Rothstein. “That’s why I have Arkansas with a slight edge at two ahead of Kentucky.”

3. Kentucky Wildcats

That then leads into Kentucky in third going into year two for Mark Pope at his alma mater with UK. That said, even with the returns of Otega Oweh, Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, and Trent Noah, Rothstein was a little less sure in how it all comes together for the Wildcats with six additions from the number two portal class, a trio of freshmen, and an international recruit all coming to Lexington.

“Kentucky is in the three-hole for me,” said Rothstein. “How many guys is Mark Pope going to be able to play this season? How many guys is Mark Pope going to be able to use on a nightly basis? Because, if you look at it by the numbers – and every team is different, every year is different. But, if you look at it by the numbers right now, last year for Kentucky, Mark Pope played 11 players in double-figure minutes. Same thing could happen in ’25-’26.”

4. Auburn Tigers

Auburn, after making the Final Four themselves, is also in the top-five for Rothstein at number four. Even so, the Tigers might take some time, unlike last year, to find out what they are with only one notable name back for the team with Tahaad Pettiford to go with multiple new additions, specifically four from a top-ten transfer class.

“In the four-spot, the Auburn Tigers coming off a Final Four appearance for the second time under Bruce Pearl,” said Rothstein. “Auburn last year, entering last season, returned eight players who averaged double-figure minutes, so it was set up for Auburn to enter last season on fire, which (they) did…The only player on Auburn’s roster, in Auburn’s program right now that averaged double-figure minutes that’s returning from the team that lost to Florida in the Final Four is Tahaad Pettiford. Now, I like the other pieces. I like the other pieces in Bruce Pearl’s program…But, if you’re looking big picture now and you’re evaluating Auburn, this is what I want you to remember…Be patient with Auburn early.”

5. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama would then round out the top-five with the Tide having rolled to four appearances in five years in the Sweet 16 with last year leading to an Elite Eight after the one prior got them to the Final Four. ‘Bama will have to have new names emerge, with players returning or coming back who could do that, if they want to continue that run in Tuscaloosa.

“In the five-spot, Alabama and Nate Oats,” Rothstein said. “You lose Sears, you lose Nelson, you lose Omoruyi, you lose Dioubate, you lose Chris Youngblood – but getting back Labaron Philon late in the NBA Draft process was monumental for Nate Oats and company. You also have Aden Holloway back…(and) the guy I think who could be an absolute star for Alabama this year is Aiden Sherrell…Also, remember Latrell Wrightsell, who missed a large portion of last season with an Achilles injury, is expected to return as a shot-maker off the bench.”

6. Tennessee Volunteers

Coming out of the top-five is a team that could make a case for that top-five too in Tennessee, who has made two of the three Elite Eights in the program’s history in the past two seasons. Now, Rothstein thinks the Vols, even with their roster turnover leading to adding a top-tier freshman in Nate Ament and a top-ten portal class over the offseason, could be a dark horse out of the conference this year to make their first-ever appearance in the Final Four.

“In the six-spot, I’ve got Tennessee, coached by Rick Barnes who has led the Vols to back-to-back appearances in the Elite Eight,” Rothstein said. “Looking now at Tennessee, I think Tennessee is a dark horse Final Four team.

7. Texas Longhorns

At seven is one of two teams in the conference under a new tenure with Texas as Sean Miller takes over in Austin. He’ll do so with a roster that will be infused with the top portal class in the country but one which does return players like Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope, and Chendall Weaver.

“In the seven-spot, you’ve got the Texas Longhorns, who are being coached by Sean Miller now, taking over for Rodney Terry,” said Rothstein. “This is a team that has elements of continuity.”

8. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State made it into the top half of the conference, and just ahead of their in-state opponent, coming off of three appearances in the NCAA Tournament in three seasons under Chris Jans. Rothstein now expects the Bulldogs to be right back in March Madness, namely after the return of Josh Hubbard to go with six additions in a portal class that rated in the Top-25 nationally.

“Eight, Mississippi State,” said Rothstein. “Chris Jans should have another NCAA Tournament team.”

9. Ole Miss

Beginning the back half of the league is then Ole Miss, who returned to the NCAA Tournament last spring in year two under Chris Beard. He’ll now try to get the Rebels back into it for back-to-back berths for the first time since the turn of the century with an essentially all-new roster with seven additions from a portal class which rated in the Top-20.

“In the nine-spot, I’m going with Chris Beard and Ole Miss, which is an incredibly low spot to put a Chris Beard-coached team but, again, that reiterates the quality of this league,” noted Rothstein.

10. Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M is the other program under new leadership with Bucky McMillan taking over for Buzz Williams in College Station. Still, the Aggies made it into the top-ten for Rothstein with a completely new roster coming out of last season which has double-digit additions to it going into his debut with the school.

“In the ten-spot, I have Texas A&M,” said Rothstein. “Bucky McMillan has quietly done a really nice job building out his roster via the transfer portal.”

11. Missouri Tigers

Missouri, coming off a bounce-back season in year three under Dennis Gates, would then come in at eleventh for Rothstein. He again expects them to be in position to be in the bracket again with his next team that’ll be led again by Mark Mitchell.

“In the eleven-spot, I’m going with Missouri,” said Rothstein. “Missouri again should compete for an NCAA Tournament berth.”

12. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma played its way into the NCAA Tournament to make it into the field for the first time in the tenure of Porter Moser. They’ll now try to do so again amidst the roster turnover that saw several key names leave but four portal pickups as a top-ten transfer class, which Rothstein appreciated, arrive in Norman.

“Then, at the twelve-spot, you have Porter Moser and Oklahoma,” said Rothstein. “Porter Moser has adapted to this portal world and really, in my opinion, got some guys who are very under the radar because they’re guys who, again, at one point in time were very, very highly sought after…(They) give Oklahoma a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in as many years.”

13. Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt overachieved last season in their debut under Mark Byington by posting their best record in thirteen years and returning for the first time in eight years to the NCAA Tournament. Now, despite having them this low, Rothstein won’t be discounting the Commodores again going into this season.

“I don’t want to dismiss this next team because, again, I had this team as well during the NCAA Tournament. This, to me, was one of the great stories last year in college basketball…I talked to Mark Byington last week. He likes his team, he likes the depth of his team. You have to like the fact that there are a couple of players back…You also have to like some of the players that were added,” Rothstein said. “It wouldn’t shock me to see Vanderbilt back in the NCAA Tournament picture.”

14. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia, the final team of the fourteen teams on this list who made the field a year ago, won enough games by the end of last year to have their best record under Mike White, and best overall in a decade, and make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in ten years. However, the Bulldogs have a lot to replace after losing pieces to the NBA Draft as well as the NCAA Transfer Portal.

“Georgia is in the fourteen-spot after losing, obviously, Asa Newell and Silas Demery as a transfer to UConn,” Rothstein noted.

15. LSU Tigers

LSU was one of the two teams in the conference who didn’t make the field last year after going 14-18 in year three under Matt McMahon. That said, Rothstein thinks there’s enough there for both of the bottom teams in the conference to be better this year, including the Tigers who brought in seven transfers this offseason.

“LSU and South Carolina are 15, 16,” said Rothstein. “I’m looking at LSU and South Carolina and I think one story in the SEC is the teams at the bottom of this conference are going to be better in ’25-’26 than they were in ’24-’25

16. South Carolina Gamecocks

The same applies for South Carolina after being 12-20 in year three for Lamont Paris. That’s with the Gamecocks having some retention and bringing in six additions from a Top-25 transfer class to Columbia.

“LSU and South Carolina are 15, 16,” Rothstein said. “I’m looking at a South Carolina team that got Meechie Johnson back and I’m also looking at a South Carolina team that got Myles Stute back…I’m looking at LSU and South Carolina and I think one story in the SEC is the teams at the bottom of this conference are going to be better in ’25-’26 than they were in ’24-’25