Athlon Sports predicts SEC football order of finish in 2025

The 2025 college football season is swiftly approaching, and all signs point toward the Southeastern Conference once again featuring some of the best programs in the country this fall. The Big Ten has claimed the last two national titles, and the SEC is looking to end that streak — but which team has the best shot at claiming all of that glory?

With several teams looking to stake their claim in the College Football Playoff, only one team can stand alone atop the SEC heading into the postseason. Athlon Sports recently revealed its predictions for the SEC’s final standings at the end of the 2025 season.

Predicting a rematch of the 2024 SEC Championship between Texas and Georgia, the publication believes the Longhorns will emerge as the conference’s champion heading into the CFP. Find out where they ranked the rest of the SEC teams below.

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1. Texas Longhorns

Texas is expected to enjoy its best season yet under head coach Steve Sarkisian, and this prediction from Athlon Sports reaffirms that expectation. After leading Texas to each of the last two College Football Playoffs and an SEC Championship game in 2024, they’re expected to be right back there in 2025.

Their success will be based on whether Arch Manning lives up to his expectations as well. A former blue-chip prospect with a blue-chip last name, he has little experience as a starting quarterback at the college level. Still, he’s predicted to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country if all goes well. If that pans out, Texas will be the team to beat in the SEC this season.

2. Georgia Bulldogs

While Athlon Sports expects the Bulldogs to lose in the SEC championship game, their presence in the title matchup means they’re likely a lock for the College Football Playoff. In turn, Georgia will be seeking its third national title under head coach Kirby Smart.

Georgia is one of the long list of SEC teams to have undergone a makeover under center this offseason. Gunner Stockton is the presumed starter after Carson Beck left for Miami via the NCAA transfer portal.

3. LSU Tigers

A leap from last season’s fifth-place finish in the final SEC standings to third-place in 2025 may be the difference between a CFP berth and a regular bowl game for LSU. In 2024, only the top-three teams in the final SEC standings made it to the postseason tournament.

A season like this would be a major statement for Tigers head coach Brian Kelly, who has been criticized for not being able to push LSU over the hump since arriving in Baton Rouge in 2022.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama underwent a hard reset last offseason when Nick Saban suddenly retired and the Crimson Tide hired Kalen DeBoer fresh off a run to the national championship game with Washington. Alabama would go on to finish 9-4 during DeBoer’s first season in Tuscaloosa.

In the end, Alabama finished just shy of the field of 12, missing out on the College Football Playoff during DeBoer’s first season at the helm. Many expect the Crimson Tide to be right back in contention for a CFP spot this fall.

5. Florida Gators

Florida is expected to surge up the SEC rankings this season during the first full season with DJ Lagway as starting quarterback. He heads into his sophomore season 6-1 as a starting quarterback.

This comes after head coach Billy Napier appeared to be on the hot seat after posting an 11-14 record during his first two seasons as head coach with the Florida Gators. The program missed out on the postseason in 2023, but took a giant leap forward in 2024 after Lagway joined the program.

6. South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina was playing as well as any team in the country toward the end of the regular season last year. Still not expected to be among the major powers in the SEC, there’s a strong sense of optimism in Columbia that head coach Shane Beamer can piece together his best season yet in 2025.

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers figures to be a first-round draft choice by this time next season. He appears to be firmly in the conversation for being one of the top QBs in the conference.

7. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss is coming off its first back to back 10-win season for the first time in program history. They’ve made a bowl game in each of Lane Kiffin’s five seasons at the helm, and more of the same is expected this fall.

More importantly, Ole Miss will have to go about replacing Jaxson Dart — a first-round draft choice who set multiple school records during his time under center in Oxford. For the last two seasons, Ole Miss has prepared Austin Simmons behind Dart and figures to be the new QB1 for the Rebels. However, his inexperience could be an issue for Ole Miss down the stretch.

8. Texas A&M Aggies

Quarterback Marcel Reed is poised for a breakout season in 2025. After finishing 2024 with a 15-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio along with seven more touchdowns on the ground, Texas A&M’s offense is expected to be diverse and explosive this fall.

Head coach Mike Elko finished his first season at the helm of the Aggies program with an 8-5 record. Based on this prediction, they’re likely to finish roughly in the same spot.

9. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma finished its first season in the SEC with a 2-6 record against conference opponents. In the end, they would qualify for a bowl game with six wins. However, it is a steep decline from the 10-win season they enjoyed in 2023.

As the Sooners continue to adjust to its new conference, there is a certain expectation in Norman that wasn’t met last season. How a similar season would impact head coach Brent Venables’ future with the program remains to be seen.

10. Tennessee Volunteers

For better or for worse, the Nico Iamaleava storyline will follow the Volunteers throughout the 2025 season. The hard reset under center this offseason has readjusted expectations for Tennessee. Thus, Athlon Sports knocked them down to No. 10 in the final SEC rankings prediction.

Tons of question marks are surrounding the Tennessee program this season. Less than one calendar year after leading the program to its first CFP, 2025 could be a pivotal year in Josh Heupel’s tenure in Knoxville.

11. Auburn Tigers

Auburn’s issues at quarterback were front and center last season. In response, head coach Hugh Freeze dove into the transfer portal and nabbed former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold to lead his offense this fall.

Beginning the season on the road at Baylor, they’ll also travel to Oklahoma and Texas A&M in SEC play, and will host Georgia and Alabama during the regular season. This gives Auburn multiple opportunities to snag key wins down the stretch.

12. Missouri Tigers

Eli Drinkwitz led Missouri to consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in a decade. However, the Tigers may experience a decline this fall if Athlon Sports’ prediction pans out.

Missouri lost quarterback Brady Cook to graduation, who spent five seasons with the school and three as its starting quarterback. 2025 may be a reloading year for the Tigers.

13. Arkansas Razorbacks

Sam Pittman will return for his sixth season in Fayetteville this fall. After compiling a 30-31 record during his first five years with the program, 2025 could prove to be a make-or-break season for the Arkansas head coach.

Following a four-win season in 2023, Arkansas finished 2024 with an improved 7-6 record. The Razorbacks finished having won the Liberty Bowl. Without a bowl game in 2025, Pittman’s time in Fayetteville may be numbered.

14. Vanderbilt Commodores

For all of the confidence quarterback Diego Pavia has, Athlon Sports doesn’t have much confidence in Pavia’s team. The Alabama win got people talking, but the Commodores lost four of their last five games to end the regular season including the finale against in-state rival Tennessee.

Still, Vanderbilt will make for an intriguing watch this fall. With a favorable schedule, there’s no reason to believe the Commodores can’t make a bowl game this season.

15. Kentucky Wildcats

Fans will get to see just how motivated Mark Stoops was this offseason when the Wildcats take the field to begin the season. After winning just four games last year and losing much of what little production it had offensively this offseason, 2025 could be a long season for the Wildcats.

Kentucky snapped its eight-year bowl streak in 2024 — a program record. Three years removed from a 10-win season, it’s interesting to see the Wildcats finish in the final SEC standings.

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State finished 2-10 overall during the first season of Jeff Lebby’s head coaching tenure. Unfortunately for Bulldogs fans, Athlon Sports expects MSU to repeat as last-place finishers in the final SEC standings.

However, Lebby is going through his first full offseason as head coach and is bringing back players who have experience in his system. Their familiarness with Lebby’s system could aid in leading the Bulldogs an extra win or two down the stretch.