RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesHaving switched to a nine-game conference schedule over the offseason, the week-to-week grind of the SEC is set to become even more difficult to navigate in 2026.
With a challenging path toward the SEC Championship Game, the conference enters the 2026 season with a number of teams expected to be among the best in college football, sporting anywhere from 7-8 in the preseason that could be in contention to make a run to Atlanta.
The road certainly won't be easy for any of the conference's 16 teams, as many SEC programs will own some of the toughest regular season schedules the sport has to offer this fall.
Here is a preseason prediction for what every SEC team's record will eventually be in 2026.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Prediction: 10-2 overall (7-2 SEC)
Alabama 's schedule is headlined by challenging road trips to Tennessee and LSU, while the Crimson Tide will get a game with two of the SEC's top teams, Georgia and Texas A&M, in Tuscaloosa. Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide played in the SEC title game a year ago after a 10-2 regular season, and it feels like that could repeat itself in 2026, especially if Alabama takes care of business at home.
Arkansas Razorbacks
Prediction: 3-9 overall (1-8 SEC)
Ryan Silverfield's first season in Fayetteville could look similar to 2025 when the Razorbacks went 2-10, not winning a SEC game. The Razorbacks' schedule is headlined by a road trip to Texas, as well as home games against Georgia and LSU.
Auburn Tigers
Prediction: 7-5 overall (4-5 SEC)
Auburn's first season of the Alex Golesh era features four very challenging road trips to Tennessee, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Alabama. The Tigers will also host Florida and LSU this fall, and will likely need to upset multiple teams in order to make a potential run toward Atlanta.
Florida Gators
Prediction: 7-5 overall (4-5 SEC)
Year 1 of the Jon Sumrall era in Gainesville is headlined by a neutral showdown with Georgia, as well as road trips to Texas and Auburn, among others. The Gators will also host both Ole Miss and Oklahoma this fall, and will need to pull some upsets in order to reach the 10-win mark.
Georgia Bulldogs
Prediction: 11-1 overall (8-1 SEC)
Georgia's regular season slate is headlined by two massive road games at Alabama and Ole Miss, both of which are certain to present a challenge for the Bulldogs. Aside from those two, the Bulldogs should take care of business in their other games, one of which is a noteworthy home showdown with Oklahoma.
Kentucky Wildcats
Prediction: 4-8 overall (2-7 SEC)
The Wildcats' first season under head coach Will Stein features a challenging conference slate headlined by trips to Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, as well as home games against Alabama and LSU. A similar 2026 could be in store for Kentucky to how their 2025 campaign played out.
LSU Tigers
Prediction: 9-3 overall (6-3 SEC)
Lane Kiffin's tenure in Baton Rouge begins with a home nonconference showdown against Clemson and features a few other noteworthy games at Ole Miss, as well as against Texas A&M, Alabama, and Texas inside Tiger Stadium. The Tigers also travel to Auburn and Tennessee in 2026, but even despite this schedule, they should be considered a candidate to make it to the SEC title game.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Prediction: 6-6 overall (3-6 SEC)
Mississippi State plays three of the SEC's top projected teams all away from Starkville this fall: LSU, Texas, and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs do get Alabama and Oklahoma at home, though, and could very easily take another step forward in 2026.
Missouri Tigers
Prediction: 7-5 overall (4-5 SEC)
The Tigers are an interesting team to watch in 2026, as Missouri gets Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma all at home, but also have to travel to Ole Miss and Georgia. Missouri is likely set for a solid season, one where a big upset or two could make things interesting.
Oklahoma Sooners
Prediction: 9-3 overall (6-3 SEC)
Oklahoma finished last season with 10 wins but will have to run through a gauntlet of a schedule in order to do so once again. The Sooners travel to Michigan in Week 2 and will also face Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M during SEC play, a majority of which come at home.
Ole Miss Rebels
Prediction: 10-2 overall (7-2 SEC)
The first full season under head coach Pete Golding is headlined by the anticipated home showdown with LSU, but the Rebels will also travel to Texas and Oklahoma later in the year. Ole Miss will host Georgia in 2026. The Rebels will face plenty of tests this fall, but will likely be capable of beating any team they face.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Prediction: 5-7 overall (3-6 SEC)
The Gamecocks need a big 2026 following a 4-8 season a year ago, and it certainly won't be an easy task by any means. South Carolina is tasked with traveling to Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma, as well as Clemson in nonconference play, but the Gamecocks will get Georgia at home.
Tennessee Volunteers
Prediction: 8-4 overall (5-4 SEC)
Tennessee gets both Texas and Alabama at home this fall but will also have to travel to Texas A&M as well as Georgia Tech in the nonconference. The Volunteers also host LSU this fall, meaning a 10-win season could be in the cards if they can pull some upsets at home.
Texas Longhorns
Prediction: 9-3 overall (7-2 SEC)
Despite sporting one of college football's most talented rosters, Texas also has a challenging schedule in 2026 that features a huge nonconference showdown with Ohio State in Week 2. The Longhorns will also travel to Tennessee, LSU and Texas A&M this fall, as well as host Ole Miss.
Texas A&M Aggies
Prediction: 8-4 overall (5-4 SEC)
The Aggies do host Texas in College Station this fall, but their season will likely be decided by a trio of road games to LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma. If Texas A&M can take care of business on the road, the Aggies could find themselves in Atlanta come December....
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