College football rankings: SEC teams in preseason US LBM Coaches Poll top 25

There will be no shortage of headlines within the Southeastern Conference this college football season.

That includes the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, where the SEC had nine teams represented in the top 25 — one more than second-place Big Ten. The Big 12 had four representatives, while the ACC had three. Notre Dame was the only independent ranked in the top 25.

Defending SEC champion Georgia came in as the highest-ranked SEC team at No. 3 overall, and will look to improve on a season that saw its year end with a shocking upset by Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff.

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The Bulldogs were followed immediately by No. 4 Texas, which will have perhaps the most anticipated early-season matchup in 2026 when it hosts top-ranked Ohio State in Week 2 at DKR Texas-Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns are entering their second season with Arch Manning under center and coming off a 10-3 campaign in which they finished No. 13 in the CFP rankings.

The SEC also had five top-10 teams, most of any conference, with No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 10 Ole Miss. No. 11 Alabama and No. 13 LSU rounded out the SEC's top-15 teams, with No. 18 Tennessee and No. 25 Missouri rounding out the remainder of the top 25. Curiously, Lane Kiffin's new team starts the season three spots below his former Rebels squad.

Elsewhere, the Crimson Tide is looking for Ryan Coleman-Williams to have a bounce-back season in a critical Year 3 under coach Kalen DeBoer with either Keelon Russell or Austin Mack operating the offense.

USA TODAY Sports unveiled the preseason US LBM Coaches Top 25 live on YouTube with instant analysis from our team of college football experts Blake Toppmeyer, Matt Hayes, John Brice and Paul Myerberg.

That said, here's a look at how the SEC stacked up with other Power Four Conferences in the first US LBM Coaches Poll of the 2026 season:

College Football Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll

First-place votes in parentheses. SEC teams bolded.

1. Ohio State (38)
2. Oregon (6)
3. Georgia (7)
4. Texas (2)
5. Notre Dame (5)
6. Indiana (14)
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Oklahoma
10. Ole Miss
11. Alabama
12. Texas Tech
13. LSU
14. USC
15. BYU
16. Michigan
17. Penn State
18. Tennessee
19. Washington
20. SMU
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Clemson
24. Houston
25. Missouri

Others receiving votes: Louisville 153; Florida 147; TCU 63; Illinois 62; Arizona 50; South Carolina 50; Virginia 40; Vanderbilt 37; Auburn 29; Georgia Tech 26; Boise State 24; Oklahoma State 22; UNLV 17; Florida State 13; North Carolina State 13; Nebraska 12; Virginia Tech 12; Memphis 9; Arizona State 8; Duke 6; James Madison 6; New Mexico 4; Pittsburgh 4; Navy 3; Western Michigan 3; San Diego State 2; Cal 1; Hawaii 1; Jacksonville State 1; Kansas State 1.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: College football rankings: SEC teams in preseason US LBM Coaches Poll top 25