Early SEC Power Rankings: Where are Lane Kiffin and LSU football

The 2025-26 college football season is over. The Indiana Hoosiers made history on Monday night, beating Miami to go to 16-0, putting the finishing touch on one of the best Cinderella stories the sport has ever seen.

For the SEC, it was a third straight year without a team in the national title game. The SEC isn't used to being out of the picture in January. For years, the SEC was a dominant force in the sport. Alabama was a dynasty under Nick Saban. Then Kirby Smart built Georgia into a similar behemoth. LSU and Florida won multiple championships, too.

The SEC hopes to be in the final game of the season next year, and there's a handful of squads talented to make a run. We'll take a look today with our "Way Too Early SEC Power Rankings."

With the transfer portal window in the rearview, we have a good idea of what rosters will look like come August. Kickoff is eight months away, but here's how the SEC is shaping up in 2026.

16. Mississippi State

Putting the Bulldogs at No. 16 will come off as a slight on Jeff Lebby's program -- it's not intended to. A few teams have a case for this slot, but the Bulldogs need to show more proof of concept before they're considered a threat in this conference.

Lebby has done solid work in the portal with the additions of wide receiver Marquis Johnson, while Tyler Miller, DJ Chester, and Mario Nash provide reinforcements on the offensive line. Mississippi State used the portal to upgrade the secondary, too.

Much of the 2026 outlook for MSU depends on the quarterback situation. Kamario Taylor is dynamic and showed flashes in 2025. Lebby knows how to design an explosive offense and if he gets the most out of Taylor, State will keep moving in the right direction.

15. Kentucky

Kentucky made a change at head coach, firing Mark Stoops and tabbing Oregon OC Will Stein to lead the program. There's optimism in Lexington with the Wildcats going to work in the transfer portal. Kentucky signed Lance Heard, Coleton Price, and Tegra Tshabola to beef up the offensive line. It's hard to build a OL in the portal, but Kentucky figures to be one of the most improved offensive lines in the SEC.

Kentucky lost a handful of players in the transfer portal, but there weren't many quality pieces on this squad that went 2-6 in conference play.

Despite the bright future, Stein is a first-year head coach taking over a roster with several holes. Kentucky has its work cut out for it in 2026.

14. Arkansas

Arkansas is seeing more roster turnover than just about any team in the SEC. New head coach Ryan Silverfield is flipping the house as he arrives from Memphis. With this many question marks, it's hard to know what to expect from this team.

Quarterback is one of those question marks. Taylen Green was one of the best in the SEC in 2025 and Silverfield will have to find a new signal-caller. The staff brings in transfer QB AJ Hill from Memphis, but is he ready to be QB1 in 2026?

Rebuilding a defense that was the worst in the SEC will be pivotal. Nobody is demanding an immediate turnaround, yet Razorback fans will want to see signs of progress this fall. Silverfield brought a chunk of his roster from Memphis and there's a solid talent baseline. For now, Arkansas remains projected near the bottom of the SEC.

13. South Carolina

The story of South Carolina under head coach Shane Beamer has been one of ups and downs. The Gamecocks were 8-5 in 2022, but followed it up with a 5-7 in 2023. The Gamecocks rebounded to go 9-4 in 2024 but answered with a 4-8 in 2025. If that trend continues, 2026 will be a good year for the Gamecocks.

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers returns to lead an offense that was young in 2025. That's some reason for hope, but the offensive line was among the worst in the Power Four and it's hard to fix that in one offseason. The Gamecocks did a nice job in the portal, landing NC State OL transfer Jacarrius Peak.

The defense wasn't as young, though. Dylan Stewart returns at defensive end, but there are questions elsewhere on the unit.

12. Vanderbilt

It feels wrong putting Vanderbilt this low after the two years it just had. Vanderbilt was the doormat of the SEC for a long time. Then QB Diego Pavia injected life into the program. The Commodores were one of the SEC's best in 2025, but Pavia is moving on.

The excitement will remain and there's plenty to be hopeful about with five-star QB Jared Curtis arriving. Vandy head coach Clark Lea has the boosters energized and this coaching staff has proven it can make the most out of a team with less talent than its peers.

It's hard to win like that every year, though. Vanderbilt is replacing significant production on both sides of the ball and a new group of transfers will have to prove it again.

11. Missouri

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz saw his name associated with several open jobs during carousel season, but he elected to remain with the Tigers. It's been a solid three years for Drinkwitz and Missouri, winning 29 games since the start of the 2023 season.

Missouri had a veteran team on both sides of the ball in 2025, which means key pieces need to be replaced. This staff has proven its capability of identifying and recruiting talent in the portal, along with landing a handful of blue-chip prospects from the high school level every year.

There's talent in the building and Missouri welcomes Ole Miss transfer QB Austin Simmons. Missouri hopes Simmons' big arm can inject life back into its passing game. If the run game is anywhere close to as effective in 2026 as it was in 2025, paired with a more explosive downfield passing attack, the ceiling for this offense is high.

10. Florida

New head coach Jon Sumrall has made some strong moves in his early days on the job. Sumrall hired Georgia Tech's Buster Faulkner to lead the offense, landing one of the most coveted offensive coordinators of the cycle. Faulkner brings transfer QB Aaron Philo with him from Georgia Tech, and there's no reason to think the duo can't hit the ground running right away in 2026.

Florida took a few hits in the transfer portal, but Sumrall made a strong effort to retain key pieces on offense and defense.

This won't be a one-year rebuild, so the Gators don't justify a higher ranking just yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if Florida ended up a top-eight team in the SEC.

9. Auburn

Auburn's offense was inept under Hugh Freeze as the Tigers failed to figure out the QB situation. That won't be a problem for new head coach Alex Golesh in 2026, bringing star transfer QB Byrum Brown from USF. Brown figures to be an immediate difference maker and his talent will carry over to the SEC.

Auburn took some hits in the portal, losing wide receiver Cam Coleman and cornerback Jay Crawford, and this roster is far from being ready to compete at the top of the SEC. The floor has been raised, though. With a decent offense, Golesh's teams won't bottom out like Freeze's did.

After living at the bottom of the SEC, Auburn can get back to the middle of the pack in 2026.

8. Tennessee

The Vols were one of the youngest teams in the conference in 2025 -- on both sides of the football. Still, Josh Heupel managed an 8-5 record. It wasn't a bad year, but it wasn't the year Tennessee was hoping for as the Vols failed to notch a signature win.

Tennessee is hoping a more veteran roster can get this program closer to the ceiling in 2026. Tennessee made a splash hire with the addition of high-profile defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who will bring a collection of players from his previous stop at Penn State. Knowles has been the architect of some of the best defenses in the sport this decade, and he has the resources to do the same at Tennessee.

The major question is the quarterback. The Vols went after Sam Leavitt, but lost out to LSU. Tennessee will trust the answer is already on the roster.

7. Oklahoma

Oklahoma made the College Football Playoff in 2025 thanks to an elite defense and QB John Mateer making enough plays when it mattered. The Sooners were sent home in round one, blowing a lead to Alabama in Norman. Oklahoma didn't get the happy ending it hoped for in 2025, but head coach Brent Venables is hoping it laid the groundwork for 2026.

Both the offense and defense finished the year in the top 15 in ESPN's SP+ and OU had some big moments while playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Oklahoma has a case to be higher on the list, but the offense has some things to figure out. Oklahoma's run game was one of the worst in the SEC, and Mateer looked like a different player after returning from injury.

6. Texas A&M

If this were an AP Poll, Texas A&M would be higher. The Aggies did enough in 2025 to justify a high preseason ranking in 2026, but this isn't an AP Poll -- it's a power ranking.

A&M has the roster to compete for the SEC and CFP again in 2026. QB Marcel Reed is back and the Aggies have added an impressive collection of transfers. OL Wilkin Formby and WR Isaiah Horton should be key on offense. On defense, CB Rickey Gibson and DE Anton Saka arrive.

But while the portal class is strong, there's a lot to replace in College Station, too. Reed also needs to show he can move the ball through the air vs. the SEC's best defenses before A&M is viewed as a legit national title contender.

5. LSU

When Lane Kiffin first arrived in Baton Rouge, I thought it was a two-year rebuild. Progress would be made in year one, but year two is when expectations would pick up.

But the timeline has been accelerated. LSU is assembling an elite roster through the transfer portal. The Tigers landed coveted QB Sam Leavitt along with a handful of proven and talented wide receivers. On defense, DC Blake Baker added talent while retaining what was already here.

If Leavitt pans out, LSU has a national championship ceiling in 2026. Lane Kiffin built a CFP team at Ole Miss in 2025, and this offensive staff is one of the best in the country. Kiffin's offense, paired with Baker's defense, is a dangerous combo.

4. Alabama

Alabama snuck in the CFP in 2025 after losing the SEC title to UGA. The Crimson Tide won a game, upsetting Oklahoma in Norman, but Indiana ran Alabama out of the building in the Rose Bowl.

The expectations are sky-high at Alabama. It'll be something head coach Kalen DeBoer has to deal with as long as he's there. It's hard following a legend -- Saban built a dynasty and that's what Tide fans have come to expect.

When Alabama's offense was on, it was one of the best in the country. When it was off, it looked like a below-average SEC unit. Alabama has to figure out a way to run the ball.

There are a ton of questions with this team, but DeBoer's record as a head coach, paired with the talent level in Tuscaloosa, is enough to justify this ranking.

3. Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin is gone, but the Rebels aren't going anywhere. New head coach Pete Golding led Ole Miss to the final four after Kiffin's departure and Ole Miss is once again building one of the best transfer portal classes in the country.

By putting Ole Miss at No. 3, I'm assuming QB Trinidad Chambliss finds a way to get his waiver approved as it's taken to court. If the court rules against Chambliss, the picture changes for Ole Miss. But the Rebels like their insurance plan with transfer QB Deuce Knight.

The defense returns a lot while making significant upgrades in the portal. New additions in the secondary should let Ole Miss get back to playing man-to-man coverage on the backend, allowing the defense to get more aggressive upfront.

Kiffin brought most of his offensive assistants to Baton Rouge, but Golding tabbed ECU OC John David Baker to call the plays. Baker was there under Kiffin before leaving to run ECU's offense. That should help maintain some continuity despite all the change.

2. Georgia

There are few safer bets in college football than the Georgia Bulldogs. Sure, they won't win 15 games and a national championship every year, but they're always a lock to be in the top five and competing for the SEC and more.

In 2026, QB Gunner Stockton returns to lead an offense that finished 2025 No. 14 in SP+. That's a fine ranking, but not where this group wants to be to win a national title. Georgia didn't take any OL transfers, so the staff likes what it has returning. It'll be interesting to see who emerges as the Dawgs' top pass catcher, but there's enough talent in the building that that's not a concern.

The defense was young and the pass rush needs to take a step forward in 2026. Georgia lacked an elite edge rusher in 2025 and it showed up at times. It would be a surprise if Georgia wasn't a contender again next fall.

1. Texas

I know, you're going to roll your eyes. Another year with massive expectations for Steve Sarkisian and Texas. The Longhorns began 2025 with high hopes, only to miss the College Football Playoff. But it's possible those grand predictions about Texas weren't wrong, just a bit early.

Texas was one of the youngest teams in college football this year. QB Arch Manning looked rough early in the year, but totaled 19 TDs while throwing just two picks over his last six games. Manning looked like the one who was promised when he was the No. 1 overall recruit coming out of New Orleans. Manning will have no shortage of weapons with Ryan Wingo returning and the addition of Cam Coleman.

On defense, legendary DC Will Muschamp takes over as defensive coordinator. Defense hasn't been a problem for Texas in recent years, so Sark is gambling by making the change. Muschamp's track record suggests the Longhorns' D will be stout, especially with DE Colin Simmons figuring to be one of the best defenders in the country.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Early SEC Power Rankings: Where are Lane Kiffin and LSU football