Phil Steele releases Preseason SEC Football Rankings

The start of the 2025 football season is less than two months away. And that means by now most of the annual college football preview magazines are in the hands of the fans. Included with them? The rankings of teams in each conference.

Phil Steele has completed his magazine and one of the foremost experts on college football has some interesting selections in his rankings. He did a power poll of all the teams in the FBS, which you can find on Page 46 of his annual preview magazine.

So, how did the SEC football rankings stack up? Well, more than half of the league’s schools (10) ranked in the Top 25. Let’s take a deeper dive below (national rankings in parentheses).

1. Texas Longhorns (3)

The Longhorns must replace a ton of skill position talent, but Steve Sarkisian has the chops to do so. He was mobile in the transfer portal, bringing in a pair of ACC transfer pass-catchers to help fill the void. He also signed five-star prospect Kaliq Lockett.

Can an offensive line that replaces some key parts give Arch Manning time to grow into the role as the full-time starter? There’s little doubt about Manning’s talent, so as long as he’s got the tools to work with, there’s no reason to think Texas won’t once again be a top contender.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (4)

Kalen DeBoer had an up-and-down first season, and now he’s got to replace starting quarterback Jalen Milroe. That won’t be easy, by any stretch of the imagination. But getting even better play isn’t out of the realm of possibility, either.

The schedule out of the gate is challenging but manageable, with non-conference games against Florida State and Wisconsin preceding a major road trip to Georgia. Get off to a 4-0 start and Alabama might just be favored to win out the rest of the way.

3. Georgia Bulldogs (7)

Like Alabama, Georgia has a manageable schedule off the bat. It isn’t until Week 3 that a road trip to Tennessee will start to put the Bulldogs to the test. That gives time for new quarterback Gunner Stockton to settle in.

There isn’t quite as much hype around Georgia this year, but that might be just what the doctor ordered for Kirby Smart. He can coach a team that will be itching to prove itself, particularly because some think the talent has slipped a bit — even though there’s no real evidence of that.

4. Oklahoma Sooners (8)

In perhaps the first eyebrow-raising bit of the SEC football rankings, Phil Steele has Oklahoma checking in at No. 8 nationally and No. 4 in the SEC. That came off a 6-7 campaign that saw the team’s quarterback head elsewhere in the offseason.

But there are reasons for optimism. Elite Washington State quarterback John Mateer transferred in, and Brent Venables brought in his offensive coordinator to ease the transition. That’s similar to what Vanderbilt did with Diego Pavia a year ago. Will it pay off and help get Venables off the hot seat?

5. Texas A&M Aggies (9)

Going into Year 2 of the Mike Elko era, the talent is elite at Texas A&M. The addition of wide receiver transfers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver should really help an offense that returns promising quarterback Marcel Reed.

Meanwhile, a handful of transfers have helped shore up the defense. The schedule, though, is tough. A non-conference road trip to Notre Dame will be an early test, then a back-to-back-to-back road stretch against Arkansas, LSU and Missouri will be taxing. Can the Aggies survive? Maybe even thrive?

6. Florida Gators (10)

Few teams have their hopes as squarely pinned on one player as Florida. The Gators will go how quarterback DJ Lagway goes, and given some concerns about an offseason shoulder injury, that’s a potentially dicey proposition.

All eyes will be on Lagway’s health in the preseason. If he’s fully functional, he could be good enough to contend for the Heisman Trophy. That would likely put Florida into playoff contention. But those are some big ifs.

7. LSU Tigers (11)

Brian Kelly has done a wonderful job building LSU up over the past few years, but it’s time for the Tigers to see some real payoff. With a veteran quarterback returning in Garrett Nussmeier, there’s little reason LSU shouldn’t contend for a playoff spot.

Things will start off with a bang, though. LSU travels to Clemson for the season opener. Win that one and some hurdles remain, but they’d all be manageable. The Tigers, though, have struggled in the last half decade in season openers.

8. Tennessee Volunteers (20)

Tennessee had an unexpected change at quarterback, following Nico Iamaleava‘s decision to transfer to UCLA after he hit a snag in NIL negotiations with the Volunteers. In comes Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar, who had initially transferred to UCLA before Iamaleava’s arrival.

A playoff team a year ago and a mainstay in the top 25 rankings, Tennessee is looking to maintain and the schedule sets up reasonably well to do so. A home date with Georgia and a road trip to Alabama are the toughest outs. Then, a potentially high-stakes matchup with Florida on the road late in the season.

9. Ole Miss Rebels (22)

Under Lane Kiffin, the Rebels have utilized the transfer portal as heavily as any team in the country. Last year’s crop is mostly gone, as is starting quarterback Jaxson Dart. But in comes a new group, with plenty of its own star power.

As much as half of the team’s starting lineup on defense could be manned by transfers, so how well they mesh will be key. The early season schedule does plenty of favors, though, with a home date against LSU not coming until Week 5.

10. Auburn Tigers (24)

All of the pressure is on Hugh Freeze going into 2025, perhaps more than any other coach in the country. The offseason has not helped, either, with headlines about Freeze’s golfing habits doing some damage to his credibility with the fan base.

But there are reasons for optimism, too. Freeze might finally have a capable signal-caller in Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. Throw in Georgia Tech receiver transfer Eric Singleton to go with Cam Coleman and the makings of an explosive offense are there.

11. South Carolina Gamecocks (27)

A team that was in borderline playoff contention a year ago, South Carolina simply has to figure out how to finish in the marquee games. But having a quarterback as talented as LaNorris Sellers back typically goes a long way toward that end.

Sophomore EDGE Dylan Stewart is back to lead the defense. And it’s a defense that could field as many as nine starters who are in their junior or senior year. In other words, it should be a very good and experienced group this fall.

12. Arkansas Razorbacks (33)

Sam Pittman quieted some of the noise around his job a year ago, but he still needs to keep stacking results to stave off the heat long term. He’ll be turning to a large group of transfers on the offensive side of the ball to help returning quarterback Taylen Green.

Arkansas will be tested reasonably early in 2025, facing a road trip to Ole Miss in Week 3. A non-conference game against Notre Dame will be tough. But the Razorbacks do avoid Alabama, at least. Still, it’s one of the toughest road slates in the conference this year. Pittman will have his work cut out for him.

13. Vanderbilt Commodores (38)

Despite the fact that Vanderbilt surprised everyone last year and returns a good core from that team, Phil Steele doesn’t have the ‘Dores particularly high in his SEC rankings. But that might be more a reflection of the league than Vanderbilt, as Clark Lea‘s squad still checks in at No. 38 nationally.

Diego Pavia is back at quarterback, instantly providing a huge lift and an emotional spark plug for the team this fall. Back-to-back road trips to Virginia Tech and South Carolina in Week 2 and Week 3 could tell us whether Vanderbilt is a bit of a flash in the pan or has more legitimate staying power.

14. Missouri Tigers (43)

Perhaps the single most surprising choice in Phil Steele’s SEC football rankings is Missouri at No. 14. The Tigers were in playoff contention at one point last season, and some of the parts are back. Quarterback is a big question mark, where Beau Pribula from Penn State takes over for Brady Cook.

Missouri should once again be pretty strong defensively, though. A handful of transfers have rounded out the depth chart, including the inclusion of former Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon in the back end. Can Eli Drinkwitz manage one of the Power Four’s weakest schedules? He needs to.

15. Kentucky Wildcats (50)

Another SEC coach near the top of most hot seat rankings, Mark Stoops has had a forgettable offseason. Losing key assistant coach Vince Marrow to Louisville was a dagger through the heart, given his importance to Kentucky’s recruiting.

Former Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada is set to take over at quarterback. He’ll be throwing to a retooled receiver corps after some of Kentucky’s top options bolted via the transfer portal. This will be an uphill climb for Stoops and company.

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (55)

Jeff Lebby is back for his second full season with the program, and he’ll have his starting quarterback back. Blake Shapen was lost just four games into the 2024 campaign due to a shoulder injury. Can he spark the offense Lebby is known for?

Meanwhile, a good chunk of Mississippi State’s front seven defensively will be made up of transfers. The Bulldogs need a much more staunch unit than they had a year ago if they hope to meaningfully turn things around.