Rowland: 2025 SEC Predictions

SEC Media Days is the start of talking season so over the next few weeks you will see plenty of predictions for the upcoming college football season.

Here Cats Illustrated publisher Justin Rowland makes his predictions for the upcoming SEC season.

1. Texas

This year is probably more wide open than most years in the SEC. I think there are four leading contenders for the championship and Texas is at the top of that group because of the overall talent and the trajectory under Steve Sarkisian. Arch Manning has a lot of pressure but I think he will handle it well. As of right now I’ve got Texas winning the league but losing two regular season games. They open at Ohio State and have to travel to Georgia.

2. LSU

You can go a number of directions here and I believe Brian Kelly finally has a solid defense to pair with an elite offense in Baton Rouge. The road schedule is pretty brutal. It would help the overall resume a ton if LSU could win on the road at Clemson to start the season.

3. Georgia

UGA will go as far as Gunner Stockton can go. This team has the talent to win the national championship, once again. The offensive line will be retooled. UGA has a more favorable schedule than LSU and the Bulldogs get Texas at home. There are only three road games but two neutral site contests, against Florida and Georgia Tech.

4. Alabama

If Alabama had a more settled, proven, and promising quarterback situation the Crimson Tide could be higher. They’re one of four teams that I would call frontrunners for the SEC title because of the overall talent level. Alabama’s defense started to play at a very high level at the end of last season and that should carry over. Ryan Williams will make the transition to Ty Simpson much easier.

5. Ole Miss

This ranking is not based on ceiling. I don’t think Ole Miss has the parts to challenge on the national level the same way the teams ranked above it do here. I’ve got the Rebels higher than some will rank them because Lane Kiffin’s recent track record is very strong and the Rebels do not have the most brutal schedule. There are road games against UGA and Oklahoma but there are a lot of winnable games on this schedule and I think Ole Miss will take care of business in those, ensuring a relatively high floor with a chance to punch up and win an upset or two. They get LSU and Florida at home, for instance.

6. Florida

The Gators are interesting to me. They’re somewhat similar to South Carolina in that the hype is based on a dynamic returning quarterback and the momentum they generated last season. How much will momentum carry in the portal era? This team faces LSU, Miami, Texas, and Texas A&M in a one-month span during the first half of the season. We’ll learn a lot about the Gators quickly. They’d better get it figured out fast.

7. Texas A&M

Texas A&M would be in a large second tier of schools that have the potential to contend in the SEC if a lot of things go right. Marcel Reed had a promising freshman season and it’s easy to have confidence in Mike Elko getting the team playing at a high level. Early-mid season home games against Auburn and Florida will be important for this team. They will have to become road warriors after the halfway point.

8. Oklahoma

The hope in Norman is that Brent Venables pairs another strong defense with an offense that improves with John Mateer at quarterback. Some will be higher on the Sooners, but given that Venables has been 6-7 in two of his three seasons at Oklahoma, wait and see is the right approach. If Mateer clicks right away this team could become very interesting on the national level. There were just so many offensive issues at times. The receiver room will be healthy.

9. Tennessee

The departure of Nico Iamaleava will overshadow a lot until the games start. Quarterback is in focus and Josh Heupel is saying that he has won games with all kinds of players behind center. Tennessee will lean on a strong defense that returns a lot and there’s the potential to generate some momentum early in the season. UT will be favored in five of its first six games and the other is UGA in Knoxville.

10. Auburn

Auburn is a little bit like OU-lite perhaps. The Tigers played good defense at times last year but the offense wasn’t nearly consistent enough against SEC teams. We also saw Auburn lose four times at home. That rarely happens. Jackson Arnold should improve the situation on offense. The opener at Baylor will be a very important tone setter.

11. Missouri

I’m actually more intrigued by Missouri this year than some. Eli Drinkwitz has said it’s his most talented team but there’s a new quarterback. It does seem like Mizzou has benefited from an easier SEC schedule recently, so that makes it hard to put too much into last years 10 wins. But they have a strong defense and another relatively manageable slate so it wouldn’t surprise me if they win eight games.

12. South Carolina

Some will have the Gamecocks higher. I’m a believer in LaNorris Sellers’ ability but the Gamecocks lose a lot of the defensive front that made them such a formidable matchup. I’m not predicting that this team falls off a cliff but the schedule is tough as always for the Gamecocks.

13. Arkansas

Arkansas was good enough to knock off Tennessee at home but it was a lackluster season for the Razorbacks otherwise. They lost to just about every other quality team they faced in 2025. The home game against Notre Dame in late September will be interesting.

14. Vanderbilt

The Commodores always have narrow margins in the SEC. There’s more potential with Diego Pavia and another bowl game certainly isn’t out of the question. But it will be all about lulling SEC teams into the style of game Vanderbilt is comfortable playing, as it was last season.

15. Kentucky

Kentucky has 50 new players and will rely on a lot of players from the portal. The hope is an improved offensive line will pair with an opportunistic defense and allow the program to start moving back in the right direction.

16. Mississippi State

The Bulldogs have 60 new players under Jeff Lebby and it’s hard to predict anything except it will be another year of transition in Starkville.