Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball in the first half of a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. USA TODAY Sports

3 SEC Teams That Will Disappoint in 2026

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mark Pszonak | Last updated Mar 14, 2026 6:41 PM ET

Many programs have high expectations during the spring, but most won’t be able to reach them. Here are three SEC programs that will end up disappointing during the 2026 season.

LSU

The skinny: Expectations will be through the roof for LSU and new head coach Lane Kiffin in 2026. And they won’t meet them. This isn’t to say that Kiffin will flop at LSU, but I just don’t think that he will immediately take the Tigers to the elite tier of the SEC. Keep in mind that during his first three seasons at Ole Miss, he led the Rebels to a 23-13 record, before exploding with a 31-6 stretch over his final three seasons.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt was a top tier quarterback addition through the portal, but he doesn’t arrive as a player without questions. One of those questions is injuries, which are currently keeping him out of spring practice. That, on top of a massive roster turnover, will make instant success very difficult in 2026.

Texas A&M

The skinny: After an 11-0 start in 2025, Texas A&M’s season ended with an ugly 0-2 finish. I’m expecting more disappointment in 2026. The defense needed to improve, and while they tried to answer some of the issues through the portal, there are still questions. And on offense, the offensive line lost four starters, including All-SEC tackle Trey Zuhn III.

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball in the first half of a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field.

Most importantly will be the continued development of quarterback Marcel Reed. While he played like a Heisman candidate in spurts last season, he lacked the consistency that the Aggies need to truly become elite. If he is able to take the next step, the Aggies have a chance to avoid this list, but for now they are firmly included.

Alabama

The skinny: No matter the level of the program, when an inexperienced starting quarterback takes over an offense, there will be concern. And that is the situation at Alabama, who will have to deal with a quarterback battle between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell throughout the spring and summer.

The lack of quarterback experience will only magnify Alabama’s need to improve their running game, which struggled immensely in 2025. Whoever wins the quarterback battle will need a reliable running attack to fall back on when things start going sideways during a game. If the Tide doesn’t solve this issue, it won’t matter who the starting quarterback is.

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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