SEC preview: Alabama, Georgia, Texas, LSU ... this conference is wide open

Last we saw the SEC connected the gridiron, it was underachieving dramatically.

Well, benignant of. SEC teams went 8-7 successful bowl/playoff season, falling abbreviated against the dispersed by lone 1.6 points per crippled (which is to accidental that the spreads were beauteous close connected average). But they underachieved by much than that against Big Ten teams, and for the 2nd consecutive play -- gasp! -- an SEC squad failed to triumph the nationalist title. The league inactive comfortably had the champion mean SP+ standing successful the federation acknowledgment chiefly to the tiny fig of genuinely atrocious teams, but it surely didn't decorativeness the 2024 play successful a large mood.

With the Big Ten's Penn State and Ohio State, Notre Dame, and the ACC's Clemson each looking astatine imaginable top-5 hype, there's a decent accidental that the SEC's title-free tally reaches 3 years. But effort to clasp backmost your sympathy tears -- the league inactive has astatine slightest 3 of the astir talented teams successful the federation and the largest enactment of upper-middle-class teams with dreams of 10-2 records and playoff at-large bids. In Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, DJ Lagway, Marcel Reed and possibly Austin Simmons, it has the astir fascinating acceptable of young quarterbacks successful the sport. It has the astir under-pressure Alabama caput manager successful a generation. It has Diego Damn Pavia. And if past twelvemonth is immoderate indication, it mightiness person a fewer much shocking, playoff-turning upsets too.

This league ne'er lacks for talent, grievance oregon storylines. I don't spot wherefore that would alteration successful 2025. Let's preview the SEC!

Every week done the summer, Bill Connelly has been previewing different FBS conference, yet including each 136 FBS teams. The previews see 2024 breakdowns, 2025 previews and team-by-team capsules. Here are the MAC, Conference USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt, AAC, Indie/Pac-12, ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten previews.

2024 recap

The 2024 SEC contention was a cleanable conflict of ceiling versus floor. Texas and Georgia had the precocious floors, losing lone to SP+ top-10 teams and grinding retired wins, often by margins smaller than expected. (Texas underachieved against SP+ projections successful 7 of its past 10 games, Georgia successful 4 of its past six.) Alabama and Ole Miss, meanwhile, enactment unneurotic immoderate of the astir awesome single-game performances of the play -- Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide bushed Missouri 34-0 and LSU 42-13 successful back-to-back weeks, portion Ole Miss pummeled South Carolina 27-3 and became the archetypal squad since 2019 LSU to bushed Georgia by much than 17 points (28-10).

That ridiculously precocious ceiling is wherefore Bama and Ole Miss finished higher than Texas and Georgia successful the last SP+ rankings. But some missed the College Football Playoff due to the fact that they were besides susceptible of losing to 4-8 Kentucky, 6-7 Oklahoma and 7-6 Vanderbilt. Granted, the second 2 were statistically improbable defeats -- Ole Miss had a 76% postgame triumph expectancy* for its 20-17 nonaccomplishment to Kentucky, portion Bama was astatine 99% for its (glorious) 40-35 nonaccomplishment to Vandy -- but they happened.

(* Postgame triumph expectancy looks astatine each the predictive stats that a fixed crippled produces -- the things that get fed into the SP+ ratings themselves -- tosses them into the aerial and says, "With these stats, you could person expected to triumph this crippled X% of the time.)

Elsewhere, Tennessee rode superb defence to a CFP bid, and different hopefuls South Carolina (lost 3 of 4 aboriginal successful the season), LSU (lost 3 successful a row), Texas A&M (lost 4 of 5 to extremity it) and Missouri (a 3-3 midseason stretch) looked the portion astatine times but fell abbreviated due to the fact that of funks.

Continuity table

The continuity array looks astatine each team's returning accumulation levels (offense, defence and overall), the fig of 2024 FBS starts from some returning and incoming players and the approximate fig of redshirt freshmen connected the roster heading into 2025. (Why "approximate"? Because schools sometimes marque it precise hard to ascertain who redshirted and who didn't.) Continuity is an progressively hard creation successful roster management, but immoderate teams propulsion it disconnected amended than others.

Only the Big 12 has a amended returning accumulation mean than the SEC, which, successful a beingness with (legally) well-paid players, is thing you would astir apt expect. The Big 12 ended up with the vantage due to the fact that of its immense fig of beardown returning QBs -- who transportation important value successful the returning accumulation look -- but the SEC has the highest mean of some returning starts and incoming FBS starts. This is going to beryllium an awfully seasoned league successful 2025.

2025 projections

Of the 5 teams that finished successful the SP+ apical 10 past season, 4 fertile 81st oregon worse successful returning production, but the fifth, Bama, ranks successful the apical 30. That is by acold the cleanest, easiest mode to explicate wherefore the Crimson Tide commencement retired connected apical here. Of course, it's looking arsenic if Texas is apt to commencement retired No. 1 successful the preseason polls, but due to the fact that there's nary "Arch Manning is astir to instrumentality The Leap" origin successful these projections, the Horns are simply top-5.

Nationally, determination are 8 teams projected wrong a touchdown of the No. 1 ranking successful SP+, and the SEC has lone 3 of them. (The Big Ten besides has three, portion Clemson and Notre Dame are besides involved.) That so means the SEC doesn't precisely person overwhelming likelihood of producing a nationalist champion. But arsenic I told SEC fans erstwhile the league was winning titles astir each season, that's not the top measurement of league strength. Alabama winning six titles with the champion manager of each clip didn't precisely accidental overmuch astir however bully Mississippi State oregon South Carolina was, right? But portion the SEC has fto its rubric grip slip, the elemental information that it has 10 of the projected apical 17 teams (and 12 of the apical 25) drops immoderate beauteous wide hints regarding which league has the champion wide depth. (I talked much astir the effects of that extent in this piece.)

I ever gush astir however wide unfastened and unpredictable the Big 12 is, and justifiably so, but "No 1 has a amended than 1-in-6 accidental of winning the league title, and 10 teams person astatine slightest a 1-in-20 chance" is beauteous dang wide unfastened and unpredictable! If Texas' Manning is arsenic bully arsenic radical expect, past the Longhorns' likelihood evidently get a large bump, but connected insubstantial this contention could spell astir 100 ways.

10 champion games of 2025

Here are the 10 games -- 8 successful league play, positive 2 of the biggest nonconference games of 2025 -- that diagnostic (A) the highest combined SP+ ratings for some teams and (B) a projected scoring borderline nether 10 points.

Texas astatine Ohio State (Aug. 30) and LSU astatine Clemson (Aug. 30). I person truthful galore questions astir each of these 4 teams, and I'm truthful blessed that they've fundamentally paired disconnected with each different to assistance reply them. Toss successful Alabama astatine Florida State successful betwixt the noon ET kickoff successful Columbus and the evening kickoff successful Clemson and you've got yourself a coagulated SEC headliner for each clip slot connected the archetypal Saturday of the season.

Georgia astatine Tennessee (Sept. 13). The Bulldogs and Volunteers conscionable successful September for the archetypal clip since 2018. Good. I similar my UGA-Tennessee games early, erstwhile they tin spark the largest imaginable existential crises.

Alabama astatine Georgia (Sept. 27). A rematch of the second-best crippled of 2024*. Aside from Ohio State-Michigan, nary crippled did a amended occupation of reminding america that immense assemblage shot games volition inactive beryllium immense and delightful adjacent if the nationalist rubric stakes are dampened by a bigger playoff.

(* Bama gets a rematch of the best crippled of 2024 the adjacent week erstwhile Vandy comes to town.)

LSU astatine Ole Miss (Sept. 27). Is it excessively precocious to redraw the schedules? Between the Bama-Georgia and Oregon-Penn State main events and an undercard of LSU-Ole Miss, Indiana-Iowa, TCU-Arizona State and USC-Illinois (and, connected apical of everything else, South Dakota astatine North Dakota State), Week 5 mightiness really beryllium too big! Goodness.

Texas astatine Florida (Oct. 4). Texas benefited from a comparatively casual slate (relatively speaking) successful 2024, with conscionable 3 regular-season opponents finishing successful the SP+ apical 20. But if Florida and Oklahoma amended arsenic projected this fall, the Horns are looking astatine 5 specified games, lone 1 of which is successful Austin. That's the other of easy.

Ole Miss astatine Georgia (Oct. 18). Ole Miss mightiness person enjoyed the azygous champion show of the regular play successful past year's 28-10 walloping of the Dawgs. That the Rebels turned close astir and mislaid to Florida, yet eliminating them from CFP contention, has to beryllium 1 of the biggest on-field regrets of the past 50 years successful Oxford.

Alabama astatine South Carolina (Oct. 25). South Carolina began turning its play astir with a near-comeback triumph implicit Bama successful 2024. This volition beryllium the Gamecocks' 3rd consecutive crippled against a projected top-20 team, truthful the play mightiness person already gone successful a mates antithetic directions by the clip Bama gets to town.

LSU astatine Alabama (Nov. 8). Bama crushed LSU successful Baton Rouge past season, past pulled an Ole Miss and fell unfortunate to a devastating upset 2 weeks later. Considering the expectations and unit some of these teams are dealing with, this crippled could person playoff stakes and/or blistery spot stakes. Or both?

Texas astatine Georgia (Nov. 15). Georgia was the lone SEC hurdle Texas couldn't wide past season. There's evidently a accidental this volition beryllium the archetypal of 2 UGA-UT matchups successful a four-week span.

Conference rubric (and, therefore, CFP) contenders

Alabama Crimson Tide

Head coach: Kalen DeBoer (second year, 9-4 overall)

2025 projection: Second successful SP+, 9.8 mean wins (6.0 successful the SEC)

Heading into Week 13 past year, Alabama was chugging close along. Kalen DeBoer's archetypal Crimson Tide squad was 8-2, 2nd successful SP+ and, contempt losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee, seventh successful the CFP rankings. And then, astir overnight, the discourtesy vanished.

Alabama offense, archetypal 10 games: 39.5 points per game, 6.8 yards per play, 1.7% turnover rate, 8.3 yards per dropback

Alabama offense, past 3 games: 14.7 points per game, 4.8 yards per play, 5.1% turnover rate, 6.0 yards per dropback

The pairing of DeBoer with backmost Jalen Milroe seemed awkward from the start, simply due to the fact that Milroe was the polar other of Washington's Michael Penix Jr. -- with whom DeBoer's Huskies reached the nationalist rubric crippled successful 2023 -- successful each ways bully (far much mobile and explosive) and atrocious (far much sack- and mistake-prone). It worked for overmuch of 2024, past it abruptly didn't enactment astatine all.

Milroe is disconnected to the NFL, and Ryan Grubb, Washington's 2023 violative coordinator, is backmost successful tow aft a twelvemonth successful the pros. Likely starting backmost Ty Simpson was the nation's No. 2 dual-threat backmost imaginable successful 2022, and helium showed coagulated wheels successful ripping disconnected a 78-yard should've-been-a-touchdown run successful garbage clip against Chattanooga successful 2023. (He besides showed the incorrect benignant of Milroe similarities successful someway taking 5 sacks successful conscionable 15 dropbacks against South Florida that aforesaid year.) Splitting the quality betwixt Penix and Milroe, and shedding immoderate of the antagonistic plays that doomed Milroe precocious successful 2024, could instrumentality Bama rather a agelong way.

Simpson -- or, if Simpson falters, sophomore Dylan Mack oregon five-star freshman Keelon Russell -- volition surely person coagulated weapons astir him. After an unthinkable commencement to his freshman twelvemonth (544 receiving yards astatine 28.6 per drawback successful his archetypal 5 games), Ryan Williams managed conscionable 321 yards astatine 11.1 per drawback the remainder of the way, but helium was inactive outstanding for a first-year player. Williams, elder Germie Bernard and Miami transportation Isaiah Horton volition pb the mode astatine receiver, portion high-upside youngsters similar Jalen Hale, Rico Scott and, perhaps, converted country Jaylen Mbakwe effort to carve retired niches. At moving back, coagulated seniors Jam Miller and Louisville transportation Dre Washington volition vie for carries with sophomores Richard Young and Daniel Hill. And a perchance spectacular violative line, led by near tackle Kadyn Proctor and halfway Parker Brailsford, could assistance to crook a bully accomplishment corps into a large one.

The defence should already beryllium great. Last play the Tide ranked 5th successful points allowed per drive, combining top-20 ratio (success rate) and big-play prevention (yards allowed per palmy play) with elite reddish portion play and turnover capabilities. Best of all, of the 19 players who saw 200-plus snaps, 13 return. The spine of the defence -- elder tackles LT Overton and Tim Keenan III, linebacker Deontae Lawson and safeties Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard -- has monolithic acquisition and known quality, and connected the outside, country Domani Jackson and sophomores specified arsenic borderline rusher Qua Russaw and corners Zabien Brown and Cam Calhoun (a Utah transfer) person flashed elite upside. If coordinator Kane Wommack tin fig retired however to amended unreserved the passer, backmost mightiness beryllium the lone question people this squad has.

Quarterback is awfully important, though, and Georgia shows up connected the docket by the extremity of September. Simpson has to not lone beryllium acceptable but acceptable quickly. That's not however things ever enactment out.

Georgia Bulldogs

Head coach: Kirby Smart (10th year, 105-19 overall)

2025 projection: Fourth successful SP+, 9.8 mean wins (5.9 successful the SEC)

I talked astir ceilings and floors supra and however Georgia and Texas reached the SEC title crippled chiefly due to the fact that they avoided the debased lows that befell different contenders. In Georgia's case, we got a cleanable illustration of however a precocious level tin enactment for you.

The Bulldogs finished sixth successful SP+ (their worst ranking since 2020), 10th connected discourtesy (worst since 2020) and ninth connected defence (worst since 2018). The Dawgs were intelligibly a mates of steps disconnected wherever they were portion going 42-2, with 3 consecutive top-2 SP+ finishes, from 2021 to 2023. And yet, they dominated successful the reddish zone, avoided third-and-longs, dominated connected 4th downs erstwhile indispensable and played large peculiar teams. They had the extent to relationship for astir of the injuries that came their way, and they bushed Texas doubly -- erstwhile via a comeback engineered by backup backmost Gunner Stockton aft Carson Beck's season-ending wounded -- and won the SEC successful this expected down year. Stockton couldn't pb the Dawgs past Notre Dame successful the CFP quarterfinals, but it's beauteous wide Georgia's down years stay amended than astir teams' large years.

There's crushed to wonderment if Georgia is successful for different 1 of these "down" years. Kirby Smart inactive recruits an absurd fig of blue-chippers and, therefore, has 1 of the champion roster bases successful the country. And portion helium surely hasn't utilized the transportation portal to large effect similar rival coaches, helium did bring successful alternatively proven entities successful moving backmost Josh McCray (Illinois), borderline rusher Elo Modozie (Army) and possibly nickel Adrian Maddox, on with physically awesome -- if comparatively unproven -- players specified arsenic receivers Zachariah Branch (USC) and Noah Thomas (Texas A&M), antiaircraft tackle Josh Horton (Miami) and safeties Jaden Harris (Miami) and Zion Branch (USC). I'm guessing Georgia's level volition inactive beryllium arsenic precocious arsenic anyone's.

I conflict to spot galore units that mightiness amended implicit past year, however. Sophomore moving backmost Nate Frazier could beryllium acceptable for a prima turn, with the bull-like McCray providing a scary alteration of pace, and if the caller safeties are solid, the secondary could amended a bit, adjacent if it isn't arsenic elite arsenic past Georgia secondaries. Special teams should stay awesome too, with the instrumentality of kicker Peyton Woodring and punter Brett Thorson and the summation of Zachariah Branch arsenic a scary instrumentality man.

The incoming receivers' per-route numbers, however, fundamentally lucifer those of the starters who conscionable left; Beck didn't get capable from his receiving corps past year, and there's nary warrant Stockton will. Despite this, Beck inactive finished eighth successful Total QBR with 3,485 passing yards and 28 TDs, and Stockton volition person to play awfully good to lucifer that. Meanwhile, past year's apical 4 violative linemen are gone, arsenic are 7 of the 10 antiaircraft linemen and linebackers who saw 300-plus snaps. The beforehand seven's accumulation dipped successful 2024, and present it's double-dipping successful the turnover department.

No substance however galore holes Georgia has, determination are countless blue-chippers vying to capable them. That could enactment retired beautifully. But it's easier to spot a repetition of 2024 than a instrumentality to 2021-23 successful Athens this year. With the close breaks, that could beryllium capable to punctual different SEC rubric tally oregon more. But it besides leaves the doorway unfastened for different contenders.

Texas Longhorns

Head coach: Steve Sarkisian (fifth year, 37-17 overall)

2025 projection: Fifth successful SP+, 9.6 mean wins (6.3 successful the SEC)

Reading the beverage leaves and sussing retired the accepted wisdom, it definite seems similar Texas is going to beryllium the No. 1 squad successful the preseason polls. And I get it. There truly is simply a accidental that Arch Manning is arsenic bully arsenic we've been assuming he'd go for years, and if helium is, past thing other matters each that much.

The Longhorns person lone a mates of past year's cardinal receivers returning -- DeAndre Moore Jr. and sophomore Ryan Wingo -- and portion some battled ups and downs successful 2024, their upside is obvious. So is that of big-time freshmen similar Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench. Manning volition person a beardown acceptable of moving backs astatine his disposal, with starring rusher Quintrevion Wisner returning and sophomore C.J. Baxter, a cardinal 2023 piece, backmost from injury. And portion the enactment is replacing 4 starters, including unthinkable near tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., Manning's athleticism and Manning-esque smarts would marque their jobs easier up front. The defence has holes to capable up front, but it's going to beryllium bully nary substance what, and if Manning is dominating, the Horns volition person much borderline for mistake connected that side.

As I asked successful my Ifs List, however, what if Manning is simply precise good? What if helium flashes epic upside -- similar helium did against UTSA, completing passes of 75, 51 and 36 yards and ripping disconnected a 67-yard touchdown tally successful little than 30 snaps -- but besides gets fooled astatine times, similar helium did against Louisiana-Monroe (and successful cameos against Georgia and Florida)? What if helium needs an unproven receiving corps to bail him retired and an unproven violative enactment to support him more?

What if, against a tougher docket than past season, the discourtesy gets held successful the 17-point scope a mates of times and the defence has to marque much stops than usual? The backmost 8 volition surely bash its job, acknowledgment to the champion linebacking corps successful the state -- Anthony Hill Jr. (15.5 TFLs past year) is otherworldly, arsenic are borderline rushers Trey Moore and Colin Simmons -- and a secondary featuring country Malik Muhammad, information Michael Taaffe and nickel Jaylon Guilbeau. But what astir a antiaircraft enactment that mislaid 5 of past year's apical six and is double-dipping turnover similar Georgia's beforehand seven? Can elder Ethan Burke and a load of incoming transportation tackles, including the mammoth Travis Shaw (North Carolina) and Cole Brevard (Purdue), get the propulsion required? And if the wounded bug bites much than it did past year, erstwhile the Horns ranked fourth successful lineup stability, volition that wreck what already appears to beryllium tenuous extent successful immoderate areas?

I person a batch much questions astir Texas than I bash the emblematic (expected) No. 1 team, but it could crook retired that the answers lucifer the hype. Steve Sarkisian has dilatory built rather the juggernaut, and Manning is simply a Manning. Regardless, we hardly person to hold different period to commencement getting answers. Having Texas astatine Ohio State successful Week 1 perfectly rules.

LSU Tigers

Head coach: Brian Kelly (fourth year, 29-11 overall)

2025 projection: Ninth successful SP+, 8.5 mean wins (5.2 successful the SEC)

In 3 years astatine LSU, Brian Kelly has had 3 top-15 offenses, the champion violative subordinate successful the state (Jayden Daniels successful 2023) and the champion antiaircraft subordinate successful the state (Harold Perkins Jr. precocious successful 2022). His Tigers person beaten 3 top-10 teams, and they've spent parts of each 3 seasons successful the AP apical 10.

They're besides 0-3 successful play openers, they've mislaid to 3 unranked teams and they've mislaid 4 games by astatine slightest 20 points. Their offenses person been consistently good, but they've averaged conscionable a 36.3 ranking successful antiaircraft SP+ and 73.3 successful peculiar teams. When Kelly arrived successful Baton Rouge, helium instantly restored LSU's top-15ish credentials aft down seasons astatine the extremity of the Ed Orgeron era. But the Tigers were 10th successful SP+ successful 2022, 11th successful 2023 and 15th successful 2024. That's good, but it's not moving successful the close direction.

This twelvemonth could further the stagnation, but the Tigers stay truly adjacent to a breakthrough. Garrett Nussmeier threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns past season, taking fewer sacks and distributing the shot beautifully -- 7 players caught astatine slightest 20 passes, with 3 betwixt 55 and 61. Of the 7 superior receivers, slot antheral Aaron Anderson, wideout Zavion Thomas and moving backmost Caden Durham return. They're joined by immoderate perchance amusive transfers successful Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barion Brown (Kentucky). Plus, choky extremity Trey'Dez Green hinted astatine large things arsenic a freshman, and if vessel standout Chris Hilton Jr. ever achieves consistency, he's going to beryllium scary: He has averaged 21.2 yards per drawback successful his career, but helium has caught lone 31 balls successful parts of 4 seasons.

Nussmeier was awesome connected third-and-longs, but helium had to beryllium due to the fact that the tally crippled wasn't giving him overmuch help. Durham averaged a fantastic 3.8 yards per transportation aft contact, but helium faced interaction quickly, and present his enactment is replacing 4 starters. Including 2 transfers, six linemen person starting experience, but it's going to beryllium an highly young group.

After stumbling to 52nd successful antiaircraft SP+ successful 2023, LSU rebounded to 34th successful Blake Baker's archetypal play arsenic coordinator. That's beauteous bully considering Perkins made it conscionable 4 games earlier getting injured for the season, but it's not bully capable for rubric contention. If Perkins and Whit Weeks, different disruptive linebacker who suffered a superior wounded past season, are 100% steadfast astatine the aforesaid time, that's 1 of the champion linebacking duos successful the country. Kelly tried to motion each antiaircraft extremity successful the portal and came distant with Florida State's Patrick Payton, among others, positive a 10-TFL tackle successful Bernard Gooden (USF). The secondary returns country Ashton Stamps (13 walk breakups) and an progressive trio of transfers successful country Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech), information A.J. Haulcy (Houston) and nickel Tamarcus Cooley (NC State). Baker loves to attack. How galore times LSU gets burned successful the process volition find the people of the season.

The docket is loaded with trips to Clemson, Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma, but erstwhile LSU is cooking, the Tigers tin romp done immoderate schedule. It's conscionable been a small portion since they cooked.

Ole Miss Rebels

Head coach: Lane Kiffin (sixth year, 44-18 overall)

2025 projection: 11th successful SP+, 8.9 mean wins (5.1 successful the SEC)

On 1 hand, I was beauteous satisfied with Ole Miss missing the playoff. I americium blessed with the thought that losses substance -- adjacent truly adjacent ones (they mislaid 3 by 13 combined points) and statistically improbable ones.

On the different hand, damn, Ole Miss was really, truly bully past year. Per SP+, this was the champion Rebel squad since 1963, with its champion discourtesy since 1971 and its champion defence since 1966. Lane Kiffin channeled John Vaught past season, but the Rebels came up conscionable abbreviated of a playoff shot. Blow a accidental to marque a large rubric tally with a squad similar that, and you whitethorn extremity up regretting it for rather a while.

Ole Miss violative players made 143 starts past season; those liable for conscionable 31 return: slot receiver Cayden Lee (12 starts), tackle Diego Pounds (nine), choky extremity Dae'Quan Wright (six) and tackle Jayden Williams (four). Among 17 incoming transfers, moving backmost Damien Taylor (Troy) and receivers De'Zhaun Stribling (Oklahoma State) and Harrison Wallace III (Penn State) should beryllium coagulated immediately, and young erstwhile blue-chippers successful moving backmost Kewan Lacy (Missouri) and receiver Caleb Odom (Alabama) person evident upside. With 2024 LSU transportation Logan Diggs steadfast and acceptable to roll, the accomplishment corps should beryllium solid. I don't spot immoderate guaranteed stars among the incoming linemen, though.

The astir important subordinate connected the discourtesy isn't really a transfer, though. Granted, Kiffin signed 3 caller QBs, including 1 of my favorites, Division II prima Trinidad Chambliss (2,925 passing yards and 1,019 rushing yards astatine Ferris State past year). But the occupation is sophomore Austin Simmons' to lose.

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Ole Miss' Austin Simmons connected caller role: 'I consciousness older than my age'

As Simmons present holds the rubric arsenic starting backmost for the Rebels, the 19-year-old assemblage postgraduate explains however his acquisition prepares him to beryllium the person successful the locker room.

Simmons is simply a redshirt sophomore who finished precocious schoolhouse 2 years aboriginal and already earned his undergrad grade (and pitched for the shot squad arsenic a freshman). He was beauteous bully successful a tiny illustration past play -- helium went 5-for-6 for 64 yards filling successful for Jaxson Dart successful the large triumph implicit Georgia -- and if he's awesome, the Rebels volition beryllium too.

Pete Golding's defence enjoyed an unthinkable breakthrough past season, jumping from 23rd to 3rd successful antiaircraft SP+, but of the 18 players with 200-plus snaps, lone 4 return. The beforehand six is breathtaking -- extracurricular linebacker Suntarine Perkins (10.5 sacks, 10 tally stops) is dynamite, sophomore tackle Jamarious Brown is ace progressive for his size (6-foot-1, 315 pounds) and linebacker transfers Jaden Yates (Marshall) and Andrew Jones (Grambling) were large playmakers astatine their past school. But the secondary volition beryllium wholly transfer-dependent. Corners Ricky Fletcher (South Alabama) and Jaylon Braxton (Arkansas) and safeties Kapena Gushiken (Washington State), Wydett Williams Jr. (ULM) and Sage Ryan (LSU) could each beryllium good, but the deed complaint needs to beryllium astir 100% among them.

By SEC standards, the Rebels' docket is again manageable, but it wasn't the large games that wounded Ole Miss past year. If Simmons clicks, and the caller defence doesn't autumn disconnected excessively much, possibly they'll get a accidental to close 2024's wrongs.

Tennessee Volunteers

Head coach: Josh Heupel (fifth year, 37-15 overall)

2025 projection: 13th successful SP+, 8.8 mean wins (5.0 successful the SEC)

Tennessee had suffered 3 losing seasons successful 4 years (and, somehow, 8 successful 13) earlier Josh Heupel took over. He has already enjoyed 2 top-10 finishes with nary losing seasons. Better yet, his 2 top-10 teams were wholly antithetic from 1 another: Per SP+, the 2022 squad was driven by the Vols' champion discourtesy since 1940, and past year's was driven by their champion defence since 1999.

The 2025 Vols volition apt besides beryllium defense-first. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks deploys a immense rotation, and astatine slightest 12 of the 25 guys with 150-plus snaps return, including 1 of the SEC's champion run-stopping antiaircraft ends (Joshua Josephs), 1 of its astir progressive 300-pounders (Bryson Eason), the team's starring tackler (Arion Carter) and up to 3 starting antiaircraft backs.

Why "up to four" DBs? Because the presumption of prima cornerback Jermod McCoy remains chartless aft a January ACL tear. The Vols won't beryllium astatine their champion until/unless he's 100%. They ranked sixth successful lineup stability past year, but 2025 instantly got disconnected to a mediocre commencement with McCoy's injury.

The discourtesy was inactive coagulated successful 2024, slipping lone to 23rd successful violative SP+, but the large plays person decidedly vanished done the years.

Opponents person dilatory adjusted to Heupel's speedy discourtesy and look fundamentally to beryllium giving the Vols the Patrick Mahomes attraction astatine this constituent (let them person immoderate they privation adjacent to the enactment of scrimmage and signifier a unreality successful the backmost to forestall the immense gashes).

Of past year's starters, lone receiver Chris Brazzell II, choky extremity Miles Kitselman (who was injured successful the spring) and near tackle Lance Heard return. The Vols basically traded quarterback Nico Iamaleava to UCLA for Joey Aguilar successful the spring. Iamaleava was the acold much highly touted recruit, but Aguilar, who transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA past winter, is simply a acold amended scrambler and takes acold less sacks. (He besides throws much picks.)

Learning a 3rd discourtesy successful little than a twelvemonth isn't optimal, and if Aguilar isn't up to speed, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger could instrumentality over. The Vols are astir apt good astatine moving back, wherever sophomores DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis could replicate caller Cleveland Brown Dylan Sampson's production, but sophomore Mike Matthews and redshirt freshman Braylon Staley some mightiness commencement aft combining for 10 catches past year, portion the 2nd drawstring is littered with freshmen and, potentially, Carter, who played connected some sides of the shot successful the spring. It's a akin communicative up front, wherever the two-deep volition dwell of Heard, transfers Wendell Moe Jr. (Arizona) and Sam Pendleton (Notre Dame) and an assembly enactment of redshirt freshmen and sophomores. It feels similar the Vols could extremity up with their champion defence and worst discourtesy yet successful the Heupel era.

A mates of breaks distant from a run

Texas A&M Aggies

Head coach: Mike Elko (second year, 8-5 overall)

2025 projection: 15th successful SP+, 7.7 mean wins (4.5 successful the SEC)

It wasn't LaNorris Sellers, it wasn't DJ Lagway, and it wasn't Michael Van Buren Jr. oregon Michael Hawkins Jr. either. Who was the champion freshman backmost successful the SEC past year, per Total QBR? Texas A&M's Marcel Reed.

A four-star existent freshman from Nashville, Tennessee, Reed archetypal filled successful for an injured Conner Weigman, past took Weigman's occupation outright aft starring a astir cleanable second-half show against LSU. He wasn't the astir explosive passer, helium scrambled a spot excessively overmuch and opponents baited him into much mistakes precocious successful the season. But among the 17 SEC QBs with astatine slightest 150 dropbacks, helium ranked 4th successful occurrence complaint with the third-lowest sack rate. He kept the Aggies moving guardant with his limb and his legs (633 non-sack rushing yards).

The tally crippled volition beryllium perfectly dynamite with Reed and seniors Amari Daniels and Le'Veon Moss (combined: 1,426 yards and 18 TDs past year) and sophomore Rueben Owens moving down an tremendous enactment that returns past year's apical six, 5 of whom are seniors (average size: 6-6, 333 pounds). A&M volition perfectly maul opponents that don't person a bully capable antiaircraft front.

When Reed has to pass, he'll thin connected a caller receiving corps that mislaid past year's apical 5 targets. He should person an fantabulous possession enactment successful NC State slot transportation KC Concepcion, but he'll request a fewer youngsters to travel through, similar sophomore (and erstwhile top-20 prospect) Terry Bussey, all-or-nothing Mississippi State transportation Mario Craver and less-tested options similar redshirt freshmen Ashton Bethel-Roman and Izaiah Williams and freshman Jerome Myles.

The Aggies defence was spectacularly all-or-nothing past season: In their past 5 games, they allowed 44, 3, 43, 17 and 35 points. That's however things spell erstwhile you halt 39% of snaps astatine oregon down the enactment of scrimmage (eighth nationally) but fertile 119th successful yards allowed per palmy play. The secondary is wherever astir of the booms and busts originated -- the Ags were 4th successful completion complaint allowed but 121st successful yards allowed per palmy dropback -- and acquisition should assistance to tamp down the glitches. Starting safeties Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe and country Dezz Ricks were each freshmen oregon sophomores, and they should amended alongside elder country Will Lee III. I emotion the summation of nickel Jordan Shaw (Washington), different sophomore with playmaker instincts.

The Aggies ranked conscionable 85th successful sack complaint contempt coagulated enactment from second-round NFL draught prime Nic Scourton, but the summation of transportation ends Dayon Hayes (Colorado), T.J. Searcy (Florida) and Samuel M'Pemba (Georgia) could assistance successful that regard. Big tackle Albert Regis and linebackers Taurean York and Scooby Williams made double-digit tally stuffs past season; if the walk unreserved improves a hair, the defence volition too.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Head coach: Shane Beamer (fifth year, 29-22 overall)

2025 projection: 17th successful SP+, 7.2 mean wins (4.1 successful the SEC)

Shane Beamer makes memories. He has struggled to physique momentum astatine South Carolina, bouncing from 48th to 19th to 51st to 14th successful SP+. His Gamecocks person mislaid 9 games by astatine slightest 21 points. But helium finished his archetypal play by christening the mayo bath tradition, and his Gamecocks bushed No. 5 Tennessee and No. 7 Clemson back-to-back precocious successful 2022. Last season, aft a 3-3 start, they won six successful a enactment and got 2 highlight-reel touchdowns from LaNorris Sellers to bushed Clemson again.

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Highlight: Sellers seals scintillating South Carolina triumph astatine Clemson

QB LaNorris Sellers scores connected a 20-yard touchdown tally with 1:08 remaining to clinch the No. 15 Gamecocks' 17-14 roadworthy triumph implicit the Tigers successful the Palmetto Bowl.

South Carolina has been truthful each implicit the representation nether Beamer that either a complaint into the apical 10 oregon a .500 play wouldn't beryllium a surprise.

From a axenic amusement standpoint, you mightiness privation to basal for the top-10 complaint due to the fact that that would mean Sellers took a spectacular leap. He took excessively galore sacks past twelvemonth and finished 42nd successful Total QBR, but his large plays were unreal. The Clemson crippled was indicative: He took 3 sacks, committed 2 turnovers and led conscionable 1 scoring thrust successful South Carolina's archetypal 8 possessions but ripped disconnected the 2 superb runs to triumph the game. With immoderate consistency whatsoever, he'd beryllium scary.

The remainder of the squad is retooling. The discourtesy mislaid its starring rusher (Raheim Sanders) and receiver (tight extremity Joshua Simon) and full interior violative line, portion the defence mislaid astir its full beforehand six extracurricular of extremity Dylan Stewart.

Stewart is fantastic -- helium had 11 TFLs and 6.5 sacks arsenic a existent freshman -- but he's the lone known quantity, and the lone semi-proven walk rusher arriving via the portal is Campbell's George Wilson. The secondary was young, assertive and sometimes error-prone successful 2024, but it returns 5 of past year's apical seven, including outstanding nickel Jalon Kilgore, and added coagulated corners successful Brandon Cisse (NC State) and Myles Norwood (Ball State).

The 6-3, 240-pound Sellers volition signifier an imposing backfield with transportation moving backs Rahsul Faison (Utah State) and Isaiah Augustave (Colorado), and the violative enactment volition beryllium big, albeit patched unneurotic with transfers. The receiving corps is semi-proven astatine best. Former prima enlistee Nyck Harbor is ridiculously imposing (6-5, 235) and grew somewhat much accordant precocious successful 2024, but helium has been much jock than receiver to date.

After a somewhat manageable start, South Carolina volition play 7 projected top-21 teams successful its last 9 games. That brutal agelong volition astir apt preclude the Gamecocks from making a superior tally astatine the CFP, but erstwhile Beamer and Sellers are involved, thing is possible.

Missouri Tigers

Head coach: Eliah Drinkwitz (sixth year, 38-24 overall)

2025 projection: 21st successful SP+, 7.7 mean wins (4.0 successful the SEC)

If you person sturdy backmost play, you tin decently execute a bully two- oregon four-minute drill, and with a beardown kicker who tin weaponry successful clutch tract goals, you're astir apt going to triumph much adjacent games than you lose. Missouri had each those things successful 2023 (while ranking 10th successful SP+) and 2024 (19th), but winning 21 combined games required a 10-1 grounds successful one-score finishes. With coagulated QB play, the Tigers could beryllium a top-25 squad again connected paper, and the docket is affable by SEC standards. But nary 1 wins 90% of their adjacent games forever.

Drinkwitz did a bully occupation of fundamentally adding a transportation for each starter lost. Either Penn State transportation Beau Pribula oregon erstwhile blue-chipper Sam Horn volition capable Brady Cook's shoes astatine quarterback. As Drew Allar's backup astatine Penn State, Pribula threw mostly short, astute passes and kept PSU connected docket with his feet, but helium ne'er truly had to amusement disconnected his limb oregon marque large plays successful crunch time. We'll spot however that goes.

Drinkwitz besides added Louisiana-Monroe moving backmost Ahmad Hardy. Among 32 backs with 200-plus carries, Hardy ranked sixth successful yards per transportation aft interaction (3.7) and archetypal successful forced missed tackles per interaction (0.33), and helium was a freshman playing connected an outmanned team.

With past year's apical 2 receivers gone, Drinkwitz added 900-yard transfers successful Kevin Coleman (Mississippi State) and Xavier Loyd (Illinois State), and with 5 of the apical 7 linemen gone, successful travel 5 transfers, including cardinal near tackle Johnny Williams IV (West Virginia). The discourtesy volition person tons of starting experience, but astir of it came elsewhere.

On defense, things look awfully dependable for coordinator Corey Batoon. Mizzou has ranked 24th oregon amended successful antiaircraft SP+ for 3 consecutive seasons and returns 7 starters. The walk unreserved was cardinal to having the No. 5 third-down defence successful FBS, and losing extremity Johnny Walker Jr. hurts successful that regard, but returnee Zion Young and a big of antiaircraft extremity transfers, led by Damon Wilson II (Georgia), should connection coagulated options. And if the unreserved is good, the secondary could beryllium fantastic; it returns 5 of past year's apical six, including disruptive nickel Daylan Carnell, and adds 4 starters from elsewhere, including well-traveled information Jalen Catalon (UNLV). The offense's main occupation could beryllium to power the ball, debar mistakes and effort to manus the crippled to an fantabulous defense. Come to deliberation of it, that besides sounds similar a beauteous bully close-game recipe.

Florida Gators

Head coach: Billy Napier (fourth year, 19-19 overall)

2025 projection: 14th successful SP+, 7.0 mean wins (3.9 successful the SEC)

I talked astir plentifulness of fortunate teams above, but you cognize who wasn't precise fortunate successful 2024? The Florida Gators. They were 134th retired of 136 teams successful lineup stability.

They started 3 antithetic quarterbacks, 3 moving backs, 10 receivers and choky ends, 7 violative linemen, 11 antiaircraft linemen, 3 linebackers and 12 antiaircraft backs. Among each these starters were tons of freshmen and sophomores. But somehow, contempt the changeless shuffling and a docket that featured 7 of the nation's apical 15 teams per SP+, the Gators proved incredibly resilient. They mislaid their archetypal 5 games against apical opponents during a 4-5 start, but they bushed LSU and Ole Miss successful November, past smoked Florida State and Tulane to circular retired an encouraging eight-win campaign.

If you past injuries and shuffling, you travel retired connected the different broadside with a wonderfully experienced team. Of the 49 players who started astatine slightest erstwhile connected discourtesy oregon defense, 29 return. The discourtesy boasts a brace of imaginable all-conference linemen (tackle Austin Barber and halfway Jake Slaughter), on with ESPN BET's existent No. 6 Heisman favorite, backmost DJ Lagway. Lagway was inconsistent successful emblematic freshman ways, moving himself into unit occasionally, throwing a prime each 21.3 passes and producing a substandard completion rate. But helium besides averaged a whopping 16.7 yards per completion. He was a large big-play outlier.

Lagway has plentifulness of acquainted faces astir him, including chap sophomores successful starring rusher Jadan Baugh and receivers Eugene Wilson III and Aidan Mizell. Wilson was a prima successful the making but missed astir of past season. This isn't the league's deepest accomplishment corps, but it is beauteous dangerous. And successful summation to Slaughter and Barber up beforehand are 4 others who started astatine slightest 1 game.

The defence had a immense relation to play successful 2024's success. The Gators pulled a coagulated bend-don't-break routine, forcing capable turnovers and reddish portion stops to marque it work. Considering injuries and wide inexperience, that's impressive. There aren't galore surefire stars present -- extremity Tyreak Sapp and nickel Sharif Denson are the closest things, and with much snaps blue-chip sophomore Myles Graham mightiness go 1 -- but the extent is outstanding.

I'm beauteous precocious connected this team, but the docket inactive has 7 projected top-15 teams. The Gators drew the abbreviated straw successful the existent SEC scheduling rotation, and it could outgo them presumption arsenic a CFP contender.

Auburn Tigers

Head coach: Hugh Freeze (third year, 11-14 overall)

2025 projection: 25th successful SP+, 6.9 mean wins (3.6 successful the SEC)

On paper, Hugh Freeze's 2024 Auburn Tigers were conscionable astir the slightest fortunate squad you'll ever see. They were 125th successful turnovers luck, and according to the postgame triumph expectancy measurement I discussed adjacent the apical of this piece, they managed to suffer games with postgame triumph expectancies of 94%, 76% and 61%. SP+ saw an 8-4 squad that accidentally went 5-7, and that tends to astir warrant betterment the adjacent season. But if you really watched Auburn, the breakdowns were truthful reliable -- present comes different reddish portion breakdown, present comes different missed tract goal, present comes different turnover -- that it was hard to spot the losses arsenic specified mediocre fortune.

Maybe nary squad successful the country, therefore, combines earthy upside with utmost load of impervious similar Auburn.

There's imaginable everyplace you look. Blue-chip sophomore receivers Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons instrumentality aft combining for 1,049 yards and 11 TDs, and they're joined by portal standout Eric Singleton Jr. (Georgia Tech). Longtime moving backmost Jarquez Hunter is gone, but returnee Damari Alston and transportation Durell Robinson (UConn) are explosive. And the violative enactment returns 4 starters and adds 2 much successful tackles Mason Murphy (USC) and Xavier Chaplin (Virginia Tech).

On defense, extremity Keldric Faulk became a prima successful 2024, and corners Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford combined for 18 passes defended. Freeze besides added 2 of my Group-of-5 portal favorites successful borderline rusher Chris Murray (Sam Houston) and country Raion Strader (Miami-Ohio).

Notice I haven't said the connection "quarterback" successful this capsule yet. Freeze hasn't gotten what helium needs from the position, and helium fundamentally flipped the full QB room: All 4 players who took snaps past twelvemonth are gone, and 3 transfers -- Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma), Ashton Daniels (Stanford) and Tanner Bailey (South Carolina) -- and blue-chip freshman Deuce Knight are in. Arnold, the No. 3 imaginable successful the 2023 recruiting class, is the presumptive favorite; helium does everything with maximum urgency and intensity, and helium ran each implicit Alabama successful OU's upset win. But helium besides seems to deficiency patience erstwhile looking to pass, and that created immoderate awfully atrocious habits erstwhile helium was dealing with breakdowns from a mediocre Oklahoma line. By the extremity of the season, his pouch consciousness and interior timepiece were wholly broken. That's hard to fix, but he'll astatine slightest get immoderate favorable reads successful Freeze's RPO-heavy system.

Freeze has been recruiting good and could permission past year's crippling mistakes successful the past if -- IF -- helium has a quarterback.

Oklahoma Sooners

Head coach: Brent Venables (fourth year, 22-17 overall)

2025 projection: 16th successful SP+, 6.9 mean wins (3.5 successful the SEC)

The past clip Oklahoma had a three-year grounds this bad, the Sooners won the nationalist rubric the pursuing season. They jolted from their late-1990s descent to spell 13-0 successful 2000 with a trendy discourtesy and a speedy, assertive defense. Brent Venables was the antiaircraft co-coordinator for that run; present he's the caput manager trying desperately to apprehension a slide. OU has gone 6-7 successful 2 of his 3 seasons. It took until past play to get the defence up and moving -- per SP+, the Sooners had their champion defence since 2009. But the discourtesy wholly fell apart, dragged down by its worst enactment successful ages, a deficiency of steadfast accomplishment corps standouts and inexperienced quarterbacks who fell into atrocious habits.

The defence should beryllium fantastic again. The enactment is loaded with seniors similar extremity R Mason Thomas and tackle Gracen Halton, and Venables made a mates of amusive additions successful extremity Marvin Jones Jr. (Florida State) and tackle Siolaa Lolohea (Utah State). It's a akin communicative astatine linebacker, wherever Kendal Daniels (Oklahoma State) joins standouts Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie. The biggest contented past twelvemonth was occasional big-play breakdowns successful the back, but aft surviving a fig of injuries, the secondary returns six players with starting acquisition and imaginable stars successful safeties Robert Spears-Jennings and Peyton Bowen and nickel Kendel Dolby.

Even against a docket featuring 9 projected top-25 teams (!), the defence volition springiness the Sooners a accidental successful astir games. The offense's betterment volition find whether they tin really triumph a few. Venables brought some violative coordinator Ben Arbuckle and backmost John Mateer implicit from Washington State. It's not hard to spot why.

Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and rushed for 1,032 not including sacks. He tin scramble into occupation sometimes, which mightiness beryllium an contented if the enactment hasn't improved -- Venables did motion 3 OL transfers -- but the accomplishment corps has been wholly restocked with moving backmost Jaydn Ott (Cal) and 8 caller walk catchers. None of the 4 caller FBS transfers stroke maine distant connected paper, but JaVonnie Gibson (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) is 1 of 4 immensely explosive smaller-school transfers. The Arbuckle discourtesy leans heavy connected slot receivers, and if returnee Deion Burks tin enactment healthy, helium could station immense numbers. Even conscionable a top-30ish offense, this is simply a top-15ish team. The ridiculous docket volition enactment a ceiling connected the triumph total, but the barroom for betterment isn't peculiarly high.

Just looking for a way to 6-6

Arkansas Razorbacks

Head coach: Sam Pittman (sixth year, 30-31 overall)

2025 projection: 38th successful SP+, 5.1 mean wins (2.5 successful the SEC)

Sam Pittman's Arkansas squad doesn't basal still. In 2021, the Razorbacks surged from 3-7 to 9-4. In 2023, they collapsed to 4-8. Last autumn saw a promising rebound to 7-6 and 24th successful SP+, but a 1-3 grounds successful one-score finishes kept the excitement tamped down a bit. In 2025, some the discourtesy and defence commencement implicit to a degree.

The Razorbacks improved from 56th to 40th successful violative SP+ successful Bobby Petrino's archetypal play backmost successful Fayetteville arsenic violative coordinator. Volatile backmost Taylen Green returns aft throwing for 3,154 yards and rushing for 838 (not including sacks); helium takes excessively galore sacks and is simply a changeless turnover threat, but helium makes countless large plays arsenic well. His enactment returns 3 starters and adds 3 power-conference transfers, but the accomplishment corps is astir wholly new. Sophomore moving backmost Braylen Russell is the lone noteworthy returnee, and Pittman added 9 transportation walk catchers and 2 moving backs. New receiver O'Mega Blake (Charlotte) was possibly the astir all-or-nothing receiver successful FBS past season, averaging 24.8 yards per drawback with a hardly 50% drawback rate. If different newcomers similar Raylen Sharpe (Fresno State) and Ismael Cisse (Stanford) tin supply coagulated possession options, Green should person what helium needs.

Travis Williams' defence improved to 35th successful antiaircraft SP+ past year, with a sturdy tally defence and problems astatine the backmost with an injury-laden secondary. Linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. is outstanding (100 tackles, 15 tally stops), and large tackle Cameron Ball is simply a keeper, but of the 18 players with 200-plus snaps, they're 2 of lone six returnees. And beyond country Julian Neal (Fresno State) and possibly borderline rusher Phillip Lee (Troy), Pittman didn't motion galore surefire portal standouts. It mightiness instrumentality Williams a portion to fig retired his champion lineup.

With 8 projected top-25 opponents, Arkansas is the 3rd of the "short straw" teams with Florida and Oklahoma. Green is simply a must-watch QB, for reasons bully and bad, and Blake could marque the Hogs' discourtesy adjacent much explosive. But I'm not definite they person the defence to flooded the schedule.

Kentucky Wildcats

Head coach: Mark Stoops (13th year, 77-73 overall)

2025 projection: 43rd successful SP+, 4.7 mean wins (1.9 successful the SEC)

The past clip Kentucky slipped beneath .500 (5-6 successful 2020), Mark Stoops made an inspired violative coordinator prosecute (new Jacksonville Jaguars caput manager Liam Coen), fielded the champion discourtesy of his tenure, won 10 games and, per SP+, fielded Kentucky's champion wide squad since 1977. Four years later, the Wildcats request different changeable successful the arm. The defence has slipped a bit, the discourtesy collapsed to 89th successful violative SP+ successful Coen's lack and UK went conscionable 4-8 successful 2024. Stoops kept violative coordinator Bush Hamdan, alternatively attempting a portal-based rebound. Two erstwhile FCS stars mightiness dictate the destiny of the program.

If the discourtesy is bully again, it volition mean redemption for Hamdan and backmost Zach Calzada. The erstwhile Texas A&M and Auburn backmost returns to the SEC aft throwing for 6,342 yards successful 2 seasons astatine Incarnate Word. He'll get assistance from beardown backs -- burly transfers Dante Dowdell (Nebraska) and Seth McGowan (New Mexico State) articulation speedy sophomore Jamarion Wilcox -- and a remodeled line, but the receiving corps is simply a question mark. Incoming receivers Kendrick Law (Alabama) and Troy Stellato (Clemson) volition effort to proviso ratio and escaped up all-or-nothing heavy threats Ja'Mori Maclin and J.J. Hester (Oklahoma).

The defence has been simply bully and not elite for a mates of years, and of the 9 guys with 200-plus snaps successful the beforehand six, 7 are gone. The instrumentality of elder tackle Josaih Hayes from an Achilles wounded should help, but I'm astir intrigued by the summation of the champion defender successful FCS, South Dakota's Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace. He had 18.5 TFLs past season, and he's got fantastic size (6-4, 265 pounds). The secondary mislaid a large nickel successful Zion Childress but returns seasoned safeties Jordan Lovett and Ty Bryant and country JQ Hardaway.

Stop maine if you've heard this 1 before, but the docket isn't going to assistance UK's rebound attempt. The Wildcats are semi-comfortable favorites successful lone 3 games and play 8 against projected top-25 teams. If Calzada is coagulated and Humphrey-Grace shines, vessel eligibility is possible, but different 10-win rebound is astir surely not successful the cards.

Vanderbilt Commodores

Head coach: Clark Lea (fifth year, 16-33 overall)

2025 projection: 55th successful SP+, 4.7 mean wins (1.6 successful the SEC)

The New Mexico State gambit worked!

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Diego Pavia gives electrical postgame interrogation aft Vandy's stunning upset of Alabama

Diego Pavia credits his teammates for Vanderbilt's historical upset of Alabama earlier getting mobbed by his household connected the field.

Needing a boost successful some toughness and playmaking, Clark Lea imported the erstwhile caput manager (Jerry Kill), violative coordinator (Tim Beck), backmost (Diego Pavia) and choky extremity (Eli Stowers), among others, from the champion NMSU squad successful decades. They delivered. Pavia became 1 of the SEC's biggest personalities, the defence leaped from 124th to 59th successful antiaircraft SP+ (with minimal NMSU assistance) and the Commodores upset Bama for the archetypal clip successful 40 years and enjoyed their archetypal winning play successful 11. Pavia evidently enjoyed the acquisition truthful overmuch that helium sued to travel backmost for different year. And won.

Here's wherever I person to beryllium a Debbie Downer and constituent retired that Vandy ranked seventh successful turnovers luck and 11th successful close-game fortune past play and mightiness woody with comeuppance successful some regards. Pavia's willingness to some instrumentality and inflict hits is incredibly endearing, but it besides meant that helium spent a bully information of 2024 banged up and lone somewhat effective. He gets Stowers, wideout Junior Sherrill and RB Sedrick Alexander back, and Lea added a big-play receiver transportation successful Tre Richardson (Washburn). But the enactment mislaid 4 starters and got thinned retired capable that Lea had to bring successful 7 transfers.

The defence should amended further. Of the 16 players with 200-plus snaps, 12 return, and I similar caller additions successful tackle Mason Nelson (Western Michigan) and borderline rusher Keanu Koht (Alabama). Honestly, the biggest nonaccomplishment for the defence mightiness beryllium punter Jesse Mirco. The Commodores benefited from large tract presumption advantages that allowed their wide bend-don't-break enactment to prosper -- 118th successful occurrence complaint allowed, 42nd successful yards allowed per palmy play -- and Mirco averaged 48.0 yards per punt.

If turnovers and close-game bounces (and tract position) crook against Vandy, the downsides volition beryllium beauteous obvious. But the Commodores instrumentality capable of past year's cardinal players to perchance make immoderate much memories regardless.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Head coach: Jeff Lebby (second year, 2-10 overall)

2025 projection: 71st successful SP+, 3.8 mean wins (1.0 successful the SEC)

Near the bottommost of each of these previews, I usually brushwood a squad that (A) stunk past twelvemonth and (B) returns nobody. Their preview conscionable becomes a database of transfers. With Mississippi State bottoming retired past play nether first-year manager Jeff Lebby, you'd person figured the Bulldogs were candidates for a full roster culling. But portion Lebby brought successful much transfers than anyone successful the SEC and added double-digit jucos arsenic well, helium besides held connected to 20 players who started astatine slightest erstwhile past season. Granted, nary of the returnees could forestall the Bulldogs from suffering their worst grounds since 2003, but immoderate continuity is astir apt amended than none, right?

The discourtesy was terribly inefficient past season, but it was little truthful earlier Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending enarthrosis injury. He scrambles into occupation similar galore others successful this conference, but he's solid, and he'll payment from a beardown brace of backs successful Davon Booth and dynamic transportation Fluff Bothwell (South Alabama), 1 of 2024's champion freshman backs. The violative enactment returns 2 starters and welcomes 4 from different FBS schools, and portion the receiving corps has small known quality, it has quantity with 2 superior returnees (tight extremity Seydou Traore and wideout Jordan Mosley) joined by 8 transfers.

The MSU defence bent acold excessively overmuch and forced acold excessively fewer turnovers to propulsion a decent bend-don't-break regular (133rd successful occurrence complaint allowed). Lebby focused astir of his portal enactment connected the beforehand six and landed imaginable upgrades successful tackle Will Whitson (Coastal Carolina) and linebacker Jalen Smith (Tennessee), among others, and the summation of 4 caller 300-pounders can't hurt. If the propulsion up beforehand improves, the secondary could beryllium coagulated with progressive information Isaac Smith and 3 of past year's apical 4 corners returning.

The bar's beauteous debased here, some due to the fact that MSU was comfortably the league's worst squad past twelvemonth and due to the fact that determination weren't excessively galore surefire upgrades. But the premix of newcomers and returning endowment should make amended depth, astatine least, and hey, it's not hard to amended connected 2-10.