Predicting the 2025 SEC football standings ahead of media days

Next week, all 16 SEC head coaches and three players from each team will head to the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta for this year’s SEC Media Days.

A lot will happen during the week, including the preseason All-SEC teams being announced and the media’s predicted order of finish. The media in attendance at next week’s SEC Media Days will vote on how they think the final SEC standings will look like.

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We will have a reporter in attendance, but not this one. So, I’ve decided to make public vote that won’t be counted and will, hopefully, be forgotten by the end of the year so nobody points out how wrong I am.

You can find my full prediction below but, spoiler alert, I do have Mississippi State finishing last.

Did I want to do that? No, but I just don’t see the Bulldogs being favored in any of their SEC games and there wasn’t enough shown last year to even warrant a random upset pick. I do think Mississippi State will win an SEC game this season, but have no clue who that could come against.

Here are some other random notes/thoughts about my predictions:

• Texas is my predicted conference champion and it has little do with its quarterback. That defense has one of the nation’s best at every level (line, linebackers, secondary) and should be one of the best;
• Georgia is up that high because it’s Georgia, but I’m not fully sold. I am really close to being sold on Texas A&M after doing the early opponent preview story. All five returning starting offensive linemen, including future NFL first rounder? Sign me up for that every time;
• After the first three, I think the next six will finish very close together and there may even be some ties. There’s a lot to like about Florida and Lanoris Sellers may end up being the best quarterback in the SEC for South Carolina;
• Full disclosure, I spent the last few months covering Vanderbilt so I do have some familiarity with the team and think the Commodores will go to another bowl game this season;
• Pick I’m most nervous about: Auburn. The Tigers brought in some great players from the transfer portal and could make this prediction end up looking very foolish;
• Pick I’m most confident about: Texas A&M. As someone that went to a Longhorns’ football camp in high school, this is tough. But with that offensive line, a returning quarterback, two stud running backs, one of the best receivers in the portal and a defense that should be better than No. 35 in the nation, it's hard for the "football guy" in me to write off the Aggies; and
• Pick I won’t be upset about if proven wrong: Texas A&M. See above.

2025 SEC Final Standings Prediction

1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Texas A&M
4. Florida
5. South Carolina
6. LSU
7. Ole Miss
8. Alabama
9. Tennessee
10. Arkansas
11. Auburn
12. Oklahoma
13. Vanderbilt
14. Missouri
15. Kentucky
16. Mississippi State