SEC Post-Spring Bold Predictions for the 2026 College Football Season
College football's long offseason reached another milestone in May, as spring practice for all 138 teams wrapped up. Now the process begins to assess takeaways and what the spring practice session might mean for the ‘26 season. Spring practice around the SEC provided plenty of intrigue, especially with new coaches leading the way at Florida (Jon Sumrall), LSU (Lane Kiffin), and Auburn (Alex Golesh). Despite some injuries, the progression of the Texas offense was under the spotlight. Additionally, the development of the offensive lines at Oklahoma, Alabama, and Texas A&M were also major storylines and a source of intrigue.
With spring practice completed, conference media days and preseason predictions are right around the corner. With the first look at all 16 SEC teams in the books, it's never too early to make some bold predictions at how the ‘26 season could play out.
Athlon Sports' editors Steven Lassan and Kyle Wood hand out 11 bold predictions from the SEC following spring practice:
SEC Post-Spring Bold Predictions for 2026
Florida finishes 2026 as a top-25 team
Talent wasn't the issue under former coach Billy Napier. I expect new coach Jon Sumrall to do a much better job of maximizing that talent in ‘26, and the schedule is favorable enough for the Gators to win at least eight (maybe nine?) games. - Steven Lassan
Georgia finishes the regular season undefeated
Since winning back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022, the Bulldogs have lost just three regular-season games. Georgia's 2026 schedule breaks right for its first 12-0 start since 2023. Alabama and Ole Miss have both been a thorn in coach Kirby Smart's side in recent years, and a visit from Oklahoma could prove challenging. Still, the Bulldogs have a remarkably manageable schedule by SEC standards and more than enough talent to take advantage of that favorable draw. - Kyle Wood
Texas quarterback Arch Manning wins the Heisman Trophy
After a slow start amid high preseason expectations, Manning was outstanding down the stretch for Texas. From November until the end of the year, Manning compiled 15 total touchdowns and threw for 1,368 yards. After ending the season looking like the top QB in the nation, Manning enters ‘26 with more firepower at his disposal with impact transfers at receiver with Cam Coleman (Auburn) and running backs Raleek Brown (Arizona State) and Hollywood Smothers (NC State). The Longhorns should also be much-improved along the offensive line. - Lassan
Trinidad Chambliss breaks Jaxson Dart's Ole Miss passing yardage record
Chambliss' 3,937 passing yards in 2025 were good for the third-most in the FBS. That mark also ranked No. 3 all-time for a Rebels signal-caller, behind only Chad Kelly (4,042) and Jaxson Dart (4,279). That's despite the fact that Chambliss threw for just 59 yards in his first two games in relief of Austin Simmons. Another season as the full-time starter in Oxford surrounded by a revamped receiving corps could take Chambliss to the top of the Ole Miss record books. - Wood
Tennessee's defense will be among the most-improved in the nation
The Volunteers regressed significantly on defense last season, allowing 6.1 yards per play and 33.6 points a contest in SEC action. However, coach Josh Heupel took steps to fix this group by hiring veteran coordinator Jim Knowles and bringing in impact transfers at all three levels. Expect Tennessee to show marked improvement on this side of the ball. - Lassan
Jadan Baugh will lead the SEC in rushing
Baugh almost doubled his freshman season rushing output to 1,170 yards as a sophomore, finishing behind only Kewan Lacy (1,567) and Ahmad Hardy (1,649). Offseason changes in Gainesville could lead to another uptick in production for Baugh. Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner favors a run-first attack, which will be especially important as Aaron Philo or Trammell Jones Jr. finds their footing under center. Baugh has eclipsed 100 yards in all four games he's handled 20-plus carries, including a career-high 266 in the season finale. He should see a larger workload this season in what projects to be a better all-around offense. - Wood
Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell is college football's breakout star for 2026
Russell's spring game showing certainly didn't hurt, but this prediction isn't based on the limited sample size for A-Day scrimmage. Instead, this is a pick on Russell's significant talent, along with coach Kalen DeBoer and coordinator Ryan Grubb's track record of getting the most out of quarterbacks and building prolific passing attacks.
Russell made only two appearances and attempted 15 passes in his redshirt year in ‘25. Some growing pains are likely - especially if Alabama struggles to find the right mix up front and a lackluster ground game doesn't improve. However, the talent and system is in place for Russell to emerge as one of college football's new stars this fall. - Lassan
There will be no coaching changes for the second time in three seasons
This prediction is largely a bet on a bounce back season for Shane Beamer at South Carolina and continued progress from Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State. Those are really the only two head coaches in the conference whose seats are warm, and there's reason to believe good health for the Gamecocks and a favorable schedule for the Bulldogs will keep their jobs safe. Florida, LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Kentucky all made coaching changes last season, making for a busy coaching carousel. With so much of the conference either so new or safe, the carousel should be stable like it was in 2024. - Wood
Auburn will go bowling in coach Alex Golesh's first year
The Tigers return only three starters, so Golesh's first team has a lot of new faces stepping into major roles. Expect coordinator DJ Durkin to find the right answers on defense as the season progresses, while the offense should show marked improvement under Golesh. A handful of transfers following Golesh from South Florida to the Plains - including quarterback Byrum Brown - will ease the transition.
The schedule is also manageable for Auburn to return to a bowl after a two-year drought. The Tigers open with a swing game against Baylor in Atlanta, followed by home matchups against Southern Miss, Florida, and Vanderbilt. And with Samford on tap, along with winnable road treks to Arkansas and Mississippi State in November, the schedule features enough favorable or toss-up games to find a path to six (or more) victories. - Lassan
Vanderbilt goes bowling for the third season in a row
Coach Clark Lea has the Commodores cooking after their first 10-win season in program history. Even though Diego Pavia has moved on, Vanderbilt is well-positioned to keep on winning. A third consecutive bowl bid hinges largely on the development of five-star freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, but the roster around him is in a good place and the ease of the schedule makes six wins a very manageable benchmark after last season's success. – Wood
LSU puts the pieces together late in ‘26 to make the playoff
The health of quarterback Sam Leavitt is certainly an x-factor in LSU's quest to make the playoff in ‘26, but I'll buy stock in coach Lane Kiffin to find the right answers as the season progresses and get the Bayou Bengals to the playoff. With matchups against Clemson, Ole Miss (road), and Texas A&M in September, a slow start wouldn't be a surprise. However, once all of the new faces on both sides of the ball have a chance to mesh, Kiffin's offense should be significantly better than the one LSU had in ‘25, while the defense will rank among the best in the SEC.
That time to mesh is critical for the roster with Alabama and Texas coming to Baton Rouge in November, along with a tough road trip to Tennessee on Nov. 21. The expectations are extremely high for Kiffin's debut. However, the combination of a standout haul of transfers, Kiffin's offense, and coordinator Blake Baker's defense, should equal a trip to the playoff this year. - Lassan
Related: Jon Sumrall Is Back in the SEC. Can He Bring the Florida Gators Back to Glory?
Related: SEC Football: Post-Spring 2026 Power Rankings
Related: 10 College Football Teams Poised to Rebound in 2026
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 9:05 AM.