The 2025 college football season will kick off in just a few weeks. More than ever, the SEC feels wide open this season with a number of teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the conference. The Oklahoma Sooners enter the year with a lot to prove. The Sooners open the season unranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll for the first time in 25 years.
As they say, it’s not how you start, but how you finish.
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It will be an uphill climb for the Sooners in the SEC, and they’ll have to overcome one of the more difficult schedules in the nation. Oklahoma will play seven teams ranked in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. Six of those teams are in the SEC, and each of them ranks ahead of the Sooners in CBS Sports’ ranking of all 136 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Here’s a look at how the SEC stacks up.
SEC Rank: 16
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: at Southern Mississippi
Jeff Lebby has a tough road ahead for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Any success they have will be predicated on the offense scoring a bunch of points, and that’s going to require a bounce-back season from Blake Shapen.
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SEC Rank: 15
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: vs. Toledo
The Kentucky Wildcats are betting big on Zach Calzada after he put up a big season for Incarnate Word. He won’t have to do much to improve on Brock Vandergriff’s season for the Wildcats.
Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates with fans after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
SEC Rank: 14
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: vs. Charleston Southern
Vanderbilt enters the 2025 season just four spots behind the Arkansas Razorbacks in CBS Sports rankings. But Diego Pavia and the Commodores won’t be sneaking up on anyone in 2025. Can they still pull off an upset or two and find their way to a bowl game? Pavia has Vandy believing.
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43. Arkansas Razorbacks
Sep 21, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) carries during the first quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images
SEC Rank: 13
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: vs. Alabama A&M
Taylen Green raises the floor for the Arkansas Razorbacks, but the rest of the roster will keep the ceiling relatively low. They’ll surprise a team or two in SEC play, but are far from a title contender.
32. Auburn Tigers
Sep 14, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze greets fans during Tiger Walk before the game against the New Mexico Lobos at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images
SEC Rank: 12
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: at Baylor
The Auburn Tigers have a talented roster surrounding Jackson Arnold. They could be a surprise contender in 2025 if the former Sooner quarterback has improved his ball security and decision-making since last season. That week one matchup against Baylor will set the tone for the Tigers season.
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28. Missouri Tigers
Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz greets players against the Boston College Eagles prior to a game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
SEC Rank: 11
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: vs. Central Arkansas
Despite losing several really important pieces off of their offense, the Missouri Tigers have a schedule that is manageable, including six home games to start the season. They don’t go on the road until October 18 when they face Auburn.
24. Oklahoma Sooners
Running back Jaydn Ott #0 at the University of Oklahoma (OU) first fall open football practice, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.
SEC Rank: 10
US LBM Coaches Poll: Unranked
Week 1: vs. Illinois State
The Oklahoma Sooners will have one of the best defenses in the SEC in 2025, and the offense will be significantly better. If the offensive line returns to expectation, Oklahoma could be a conference title contender this year.
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22. Ole Miss Rebels
Aug 31, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks at the jumbotron during the second half against the Furman Paladins at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
SEC Rank: 9
US LBM Coaches Poll: 15
Week 1: vs. Georgia State
Lane Kiffin had the Rebels on the cusp of the playoff last year with a fantastic roster. But a lot of those stars are gone, and they’re turning to a first-year starter in Austin Simmons. Stepping back a couple of wins wouldn’t be out of the questions.
20. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel celebrates after a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.
SEC Rank: 8
US LBM Coaches Poll: 18
Week 1: vs. Syracuse
Tennessee lost so much on both sides of the ball that they seem more likely to finish outside the top 25 at the end of the season than they do ranked.
18. Texas A&M Aggies
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – APRIL 19: Head coach Mike Elko of the Texas A&M Aggies stands on the field during the Maroon & White spring football game at Kyle Field on April 19, 2025 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images for ONIT)
SEC Rank: 7
US LBM Coaches Poll: 21
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Week 1: vs. UTSA
Texas A&M will look more like an old school type of football team, playing a smashmouth style with a strong running game and one of the best defenses in the SEC.
16. South Carolina Gamecocks
Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) celebrates with students after scoring a touchdown against the LSU Tigers during the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
SEC Rank: 6
US LBM Coaches Poll: 13
Week 1: vs. Virginia Tech
The Gamecocks lost a lot from a defense that was really good but will have one of the best quarterbacks in the nation leading a South Carolina offense that averaged 30 points per game a season ago. Even if the defense takes a small step back from the 18.1 points per game they allowed last year, the Gamecocks will still be a SEC title contender.
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12. Florida Gators
Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.
SEC Rank: 5
US LBM Coaches Poll: 17
Week 1: vs. Long Island University
The only team that might have a schedule as difficult as the Oklahoma Sooners is the Florida Gators. D.J. Lagway has a high ceiling, but injuries continue to limit his development. If he can shake of the injury bug, the Gators could improve from their 8-5 season a year ago.
SEC Rank: 4
US LBM Coaches Poll: 9
Week 1: at Clemson
Garrett Nussmeier is one of the best quarterbacks in the country heading into 2025 with a great grop of skill players around him. If the defense has made a jump, the LSU Tigers will be a legit title contender.
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8. Alabama Crimson Tide
Jul 18, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; An Alabama Crimson Tide helmet is shown on the main stage during SEC football media day at the College Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
SEC Rank: 3
US LBM Coaches Poll: 8
Week 1: at Florida State
A pair of upsets to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma kept Alabama out of the College Football Playoff, but Kalen DeBoer had a solid first year and has a talented roster led by one of the best players in the game, wide receiver Ryan Williams.
5. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs running back (6) Kregg Lumpkin runs with the football
SEC Rank: 2
US LBM Coaches Poll: 4
Week 1: vs. Marshall
There hasn’t been a more consistent program in the country than the Georgia Bulldogs over the course of Kirby Smart’s tenure in Athens. History suggests the Bulldogs will win 10 games and be in the SEC championship game at the end of the season.
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1. Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, Dec. 21, 2024.
SEC Rank: 1
US LBM Coaches Poll: 1
Week 1: at Ohio State
All eye will be on the Texas Longhorns in 2025. With Arch Manning leading the way, Texas hopes to improve on back-to-back semifinal exits in the College Football Playoff and go the distance to win the national championship.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Where SEC teams land in CBS Sports 1-136 rankings
