Phil Steele predicts order of finish for SEC Football in 2025

College football teams across the country will be immersed in fall camp and the final stages of the offseason over the next couple of months. Fans are eagerly anticipating another exciting season in 2025, particularly in the Southeastern Conference.

It’s been two seasons since the SEC last claimed a national championship, and there are multiple teams within the conference would could lay claim to a potential College Football Playoff bid by the end of the regular season. With that in mind, Phil Steele attempted to predict the final standings in the SEC at the end of the regular season.

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia has been in the SEC Championship in each of the last four seasons under head coach Kirby Smart. The Bulldogs have won two national championships during that stretch, and look to be in the mix once again in 2025.

The Bulldogs are aided by a three-game SEC road schedule, including Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss. Moreover, Georgia is set to start Gunner Stockton under center. He appears to have a stronger supporting class compared to what Carson Beck had coming into 2024.

2. Texas Longhorns

Arch Manning‘s success in 2025 will determine Texas’ ceiling in the SEC and in turn, the College Football Playoff. Manning has impressed with the handful of opportunities he’s received over the past two seasons, and expectations will be through the roof for him to lead the Longhorns to a third consecutive CFP.

Texas came up just short of the SEC championship as well as the national championship last season. Losing to Georgia in Atlanta, the Longhorns answered with a run to the national semifinal in the CFP before losing to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide

Year two of the Kalen DeBoer era will come with even greater expectations than he had last season. An outright third-place finish in the SEC standings behind two preseason national championship contenders would ease qualms fans have of their head coach.

A finish this high in the standings would likely amass a 10-win season for the Crimson Tide, as well as a potential College Playoff Berth. If everything goes right, Alabama could even find itself back in the SEC Championship game this season.

T4. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma didn’t have the easiest transition from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2024. After winning 10 games the previous season, the Sooners just made the cut when it comes to bowl qualification after finishing the regular season 6-6.

However, they’re expected to improve greatly upon their 2-6 record against conference opponents last season if this prediction pans out. How a similar season would impact head coach Brent Venables’ future with the program remains to be seen.

T4. LSU Tigers

LSU appeared poised to make a bid for the College Football Playoff after beginning the season 6-1 last year. However, three-straight losses ended those hopes toward the back end of the regular season.

The Tigers ultimately finished 9-4 overall and finished shy of the final field of 12. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is expected to be among the top quarterbacks in the country next season, and LSU fans are hoping their record reflects that expectation when the regular season is finished.

T4. 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. Tying for fourth is a great second step for Texas A&M in 2025 under his guidance.

T7. Florida Gators

DJ Lagway will lead Florida into the 2025 season as the full-time starter after a fantastic start to his college career last year. Even as a sophomore, he’s expected to be looked at as one of the top players at his position in the SEC.

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.

T7. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons said there are a lot of new faces around the Rebels program this offseason. However, head coach Lane Kiffin’s reputation as one of the best transfer portal recruiters in college football has kept Ole Miss toward the top of the SEC in the past couple of seasons despite the turnover.

The Rebels enjoyed consecutive 10-win seasons the past two years, and another one would be the first time in program history Ole Miss did so three-straight times. Lane Kiffin is still looking for his first CFP berth as a head coach, and what a statement it would be for him to do it this fall.

T7. Tennessee Volunteers

The Nico Iamaleava storyline is sure to follow the Volunteers throughout the 2025 season. In response, the hard reset under center this offseason has readjusted expectations for Tennessee. Tying for seventh place is a long way from their expectations when spring began.

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.

T10. 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.

T10. Auburn Tigers

As is customary for the Auburn Tigers, their schedule isn’t an easy one in 2025. Beginning the season on the road at Baylor, they’ll also travel to Oklahoma and Texas A&M in SEC play. They will also host Georgia and Alabama during the regular season.

Hugh Freeze addressed the Tigers’ quarterback issues this offseason, picking up Jackson Arnold out of the NCAA transfer portal. With a load of opportunities to win key games in 2025, a bowl game at minimum should be expected out of Auburn this fall.

T12. Arkansas Razorbacks

Year six for Sam Pittman at Arkansas will be a pivotal one for the 63-year-old head coach. He’s pieced together a 30-31 record throughout his first five years with the program, including a 7-6 record in 2024.

However, this came after a four-win season in 2023. This means 2025 could be a make-or-break season for the Arkansas head coach. Making a bowl will be crucial for the Razorbacks this season.

T12. 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 this 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.

14. Vanderbilt Commodores

The Commodores have come a long way from losing 26-straight games against SEC competition. Making a bowl game for the first time since 2018 last year, there’s good reason to believe they’ll be back in the postseason in 2025 as well.

Quarterback Diego Pavia talks a big game off the field, and backed it up at times during the 2024 college football season. If one thing is for sure, he’s the heartbeat of the Vanderbilt football team.

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.

It doesn’t help that the Wildcats top recruiter, who wore many hats within the program, Vince Marrow, as he jumped ship to be the football GM in-state rival Louisville. His loss could spell disaster for Stoops’ tenure in Lexington.

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, many preseason lists expect 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.