The college football season is right around the corner. That makes it the perfect time for preseason prognostications.
Looking at the SEC, the race for the conference championship should be one of the most interesting in college football.
There are some clear favorites, but also some potential dark horse candidates. The schedules tend to matter a lot.
You’d expect three or four SEC teams to make the College Football Playoff. But who will win the conference? Can Georgia repeat? Will Texas win its first SEC crown?
Based on everything we know right now, one of these four teams will win the 2025 SEC Championship.
Texas (+290)
With Arch Manning taking over as the starting quarterback, Texas feels like the smart pick to win the SEC.
The offense should be elite once again under the direction of Steve Sarkisian, and the defense, which was fifth in scoring defense a season ago, should be dominant again, led by defensive stalwarts Anthony Hill and Collin Simmons.
However, the schedule is a beast. Even outside of the road game against Ohio State to open the season, Texas also plays at Georgia and Florida, plus the neutral-site game against Oklahoma.
Texas will need to win away from home, but as long as it splits those road games against Georgia and Florida, it should have a good shot at a one-loss finish.
Making the title game is half the battle. If Texas can get there, the Longhorns should win it this time around.
Georgia (+290)
Fans and pundits are down on Georgia, but should they be?
The Bulldogs will need to get more out of quarterback Gunner Stockton than they did during the College Football Playoff last season, but they have had an entire offseason to do that.
The good news is that Stockton doesn’t have to carry the team. Georgia is loaded on defense and might have the best unit in the SEC.
However, the offense has added explosive wideout Zachariah Branch (from USC) via the transfer portal, along with former Illinois running back Joshua McCray. The offensive line is deep, and with leading rusher Nate Frazier back, the running game should be stellar.
Like Texas, the schedule does UGA no favors. Road trips to Tennessee and Auburn, and a neutral game against Florida, are on top of home games with Texas and Alabama.
A 10-2 record with a playoff berth is realistic, but just like Texas, reaching the title game will be a challenge.
Alabama (+500)
The Crimson Tide are fifth in all of college football in terms of returning starters, according to CBS Sports. Alabama has to navigate a quarterback competition, though. Former five-star Ty Simpson could get the nod, but Keelon Russell could also work his way into the mix.
With 14 starters, though, including wide receiver Ryan Williams, who might be the second-best player in college football outside of Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, Alabama has talent.
Kalen DeBoer’s team will have to navigate a tough schedule that features trips to Georgia and Missouri. Alabama will also host Missouri, Auburn and Tennessee.
LSU (+700)
The schedule isn’t easy. LSU plays at Alabama, Ole Miss and Oklahoma, plus has home games against Florida, South Carolina and Texas A&M.
Winning four or five of those games won’t be easy. Yet, LSU avoids Georgia and Texas. Garrett Nussmeier is back at quarterback. The Tigers also signed a top transfer portal class, so there are no excuses.
Brian Kelly needs to deliver or his seat will get scorching hot.