Preseason SEC football power rankings entering 2026 season

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The SEC is once again expected to be one of college football's premier conferences during the 2026 season.

In the preseason, an argument could be made that the SEC has anywhere from seven-to-eight teams that could end up making the College Football Playoff later this year. Of that group, there are likely two-to-three who enter the year among the top preseason national title contenders, with the remainder of the group certainly capable of joining that conversation as well.

The SEC offseason was also loaded with storylines, as not only did the conference bring in an extensive amount of talent via transfer portal and high school recruiting classes, but numerous head coaching changes also occurred.

With the conference set to remain in the spotlight this season, here are our preseason 2026 SEC football power rankings, which includes who each team will play in Week 1 and where.

16. Arkansas Razorbacks

Jul 23, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Ryan Silverfield speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Razorbacks are among multiple SEC teams set to begin a new era in Week 1, as Ryan Silverfield takes over an Arkansas program that finished last season at 2-10 overall, not winning a conference game for the first time since 2019. Arkansas will be big favorites in Week 1, hosting North Alabama in Fayetteville.

15. Kentucky Wildcats

Jul 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Will Stein speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Will Stein takes over in Lexington this fall, marking the first time since 2013 that Kentucky will take the field led by a new head coach. The Wildcats will be heavy favorites in Week 1, opening the Stein era at home against Youngstown State.

14. South Carolina Gamecocks

Nov 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer leads his team onto the field before their game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

South Carolina will open the 2026 season at home during Week 1 against Kent State as the favorite. The Gamecocks are looking to bounce back from a 4-8 season which saw South Carolina win only one conference game for the first time since 2015.

13. Auburn Tigers

Jul 21, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Auburn begins the Alex Golesh era playing in one of the SEC's neutral site Week 1 games by facing Baylor inside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Tigers previously defeated Baylor in Waco last season during Week 1, 38-24.

12. Vanderbilt Commodores

Nov 29, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt kicks off the 2026 season as big favorites at home against Austin Peay. Clark Lea and the Commodores are coming off their first 10-win season in program history.

11. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Nov 28, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby looks on before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Mississippi State is set to open the 2026 season in Starkville against UL Monroe. The Bulldogs enter year three of the Jeff Lebby era looking to build off a 5-8 season.

10. Florida Gators

Jul 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Jon Sumrall era in Gainesville begins with a Week 1 home in-state showdown against Florida Atlantic. Florida's 2025 season featured a 4-8 record, their lowest single-season win total since 2017.

9. Missouri Tigers

Nov 15, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz reacts to play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Missouri will be the first SEC team to play in Week 1, doing so Thursday, Sept. 3, at home as big favorites against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Tigers will also have a new starting quarterback in Week 1 as Austin Simmons is likely to takeover Missouri's offense.

8. Tennessee Volunteers

Nov 22, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel walks the sideline against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Volunteers are a big favorite at home in Week 1 against Furman. Tennessee is likely to play both of George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon at quarterback against Furman.

7. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables locks arms with players before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Missouri Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.

Oklahoma's season will begin as heavy favorites at home against UTEP on Friday, Sept. 4. The Sooners enter the season as one of the SEC's more intriguing teams following a CFP appearance in 2025.

6. Alabama Crimson Tide

Nov 15, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on during the first half of the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images

Year three of the Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama begins with a home showdown against East Carolina in Week 1. The Crimson Tide will be favored in Week 1 coming off a season that included their first CFP appearance under DeBoer.

5. Texas A&M Aggies

Nov 15, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko on the sideline during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Aggies' 2026 season will begin as a big favorite at home against Missouri State. Texas A&M made their first CFP appearance a year ago, and return multiple prominent players off that same team, headlined by quarterback Marcel Reed.

4. LSU Tigers

Jul 23, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Lane Kiffin era at LSU begins with arguably the SEC's premier game of the Week 1 slate, as the Tigers will host Clemson in a huge Saturday night matchup inside Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Clemson on the road a year ago in Week 1, 17-10.

3. Ole Miss Rebels

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding (center) looks on from the field during a stoppage in play during the second half of the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Ole Miss will be the final SEC team in action during Week 1, with the Rebels playing a high-profile neutral site game against Louisville on Sunday, Sept. 6, from Nissan Stadium in Nashville. This will be the Rebels' first regular season game played under head coach Pete Golding.

2. Texas Longhorns

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and team gesture after the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Texas will open the 2026 season at home with a Week 1 in-state matchup against Texas State. The Longhorns are coming off a 10-3 season that saw Texas miss the CFP.

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart on the sideline against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia sits atop the preseason SEC power rankings, and will open the 2026 season as heavy favorites at home against Tennessee State. The Bulldogs made the CFP last season, and have won the last two SEC championships.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Preseason SEC football power rankings entering 2026 season

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