Why Tennessee football is 8th right now in my SEC power rankings for 2025 | Adams
College football won’t crown its 2024 national champion until Monday. But that doesn’t mean it’s too early to think about the 2025 season.
Here are my early, early SEC power rankings for 2025:
1. Texas: Finally, after two years on the bench and a Heisman candidate’s worth of publicity, Arch Manning will become a starter. I don’t expect him to disappoint.
His talent was obvious as a backup. And how can you ignore his genetics? Uncles Peyton and Eli quarterbacked winning Super Bowl teams.
Arch won’t be the only talented player returning on offense. The Longhorns should be deeper and better at running back.
They’ve strengthened their schedule with an opener at Ohio State.
2. LSU: The Tigers got great news before their bowl game. Garrett Nussmeier, who should be one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in 2025, announced he was returning. So did linebacker Harold Perkins.
Moreover, coach Brian Kelly has upgraded his depth chart across the board via the transfer portal.
3. Texas A&M: The Aggies might have the deepest running back corps in college football. Quarterback Marcel Reed will give them another running threat, but he needs to become more consistent as a passer.
They should return most of their starters on both sides of the ball.
4. Georgia: The Bulldogs could return more than half their starters from the SEC championship team. But even if they incurred more attrition, how could you count them out with Kirby Smart as coach?
Georgia won four games against CFP teams this season. It next schedule will be challenging, too, but the Bulldogs will get Texas, Ole Miss and Alabama at home.
Why Tennessee football is 8th right now in my SEC power rankings for 2025 | Adams
John Adams
College football won’t crown its 2024 national champion until Monday. But that doesn’t mean it’s too early to think about the 2025 season.
Here are my early, early SEC power rankings for 2025:
1. Texas: Finally, after two years on the bench and a Heisman candidate’s worth of publicity, Arch Manning will become a starter. I don’t expect him to disappoint.
His talent was obvious as a backup. And how can you ignore his genetics? Uncles Peyton and Eli quarterbacked winning Super Bowl teams.
Arch won’t be the only talented player returning on offense. The Longhorns should be deeper and better at running back.
They’ve strengthened their schedule with an opener at Ohio State.
2. LSU: The Tigers got great news before their bowl game. Garrett Nussmeier, who should be one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in 2025, announced he was returning. So did linebacker Harold Perkins.
Moreover, coach Brian Kelly has upgraded his depth chart across the board via the transfer portal.
3. Texas A&M: The Aggies might have the deepest running back corps in college football. Quarterback Marcel Reed will give them another running threat, but he needs to become more consistent as a passer.
They should return most of their starters on both sides of the ball.
4. Georgia: The Bulldogs could return more than half their starters from the SEC championship team. But even if they incurred more attrition, how could you count them out with Kirby Smart as coach?
Georgia won four games against CFP teams this season. It next schedule will be challenging, too, but the Bulldogs will get Texas, Ole Miss and Alabama at home.
5. Auburn: The Tigers could be the most improved team in the league – in part, because they underachieved in 2024. Adding former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold and former Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Singleton from the transfer portal should do wonders for the Tigers offense.
6. Ole Miss: Quarterback Austin Simmons flashed his potential while playing sparingly behind Jaxson Dart, and Rebels coach Lane Kiffin has again fortified his roster through the portal.
But Ole Miss won’t have as much star power as it had in 2024.
7. Alabama: Replacing quarterback Jalen Milroe will present a huge challenge because of his value as a runner and passer. But wide receiver Ryan Williams again will give Alabama one of the league’s top big-play threats.
8. Tennessee: Having quarterback Nico Iamaleava back as a second-year starter will be a big plus. Not having star running back Dylan Sampson will be a big negative.
If younger offensive players come through on offense, the Vols could contend for back-to-back playoff berths. The schedule again will be favorable.
9. Florida: This should be coach Billy Napier’s best team. That doesn’t mean it will be good enough to save his job.
Quarterback DJ Lagway has star potential, but the schedule could beat the Gators down. They have games at LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Florida also must play Texas and Georgia.
10. Oklahoma: The Sooners had dreadful luck with injuries this past season. But a brutal schedule was even more of a factor in their disappointing season.
They can’t help but be better offensively with the addition of Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer. However, the schedule again will be daunting.
11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks overachieved this past season – thanks, in part, to an imposing defensive front. Duplicating that success will be a challenge.
Keeping star quarterback LaNorris Sellers healthy should be their top priority.
12. Missouri: The Tigers won nine of 12 regular-season games, which said more about a favorable SEC schedule than their talent.
The schedule again should inflate the Tigers record. But don’t expect to see them in the same sentence with “playoffs.”
Keeping star quarterback LaNorris Sellers healthy should be their top priority.
12. Missouri: The Tigers won nine of 12 regular-season games, which said more about a favorable SEC schedule than their talent.
The schedule again should inflate the Tigers record. But don’t expect to see them in the same sentence with “playoffs.”
13. Arkansas: The Razorbacks improved this season after going 4-8 in 2023. But they didn’t improve enough to convince anyone that Sam Pittman will still be the coach after the 2025 season.
ADAMS:How can Tennessee football improve after lopsided loss? Hit transfer portal harder
Quarterback Taylen Green exceeded expectations in his first season at quarterback and should be even better in 2025 under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. But Arkansas again could come up short on defense.
Why Tennessee football is 8th right now in my SEC power rankings for 2025 | Knoxville News Sentinel
College football won’t crown its 2024 national champion until Monday. But that doesn’t mean it’s too early to think about the 2025 season.
Here are my early, early SEC power rankings for 2025:
1. Texas: Finally, after two years on the bench and a Heisman candidate’s worth of publicity, Arch Manning will become a starter. I don’t expect him to disappoint.
His talent was obvious as a backup. And how can you ignore his genetics? Uncles Peyton and Eli quarterbacked winning Super Bowl teams.
Arch won’t be the only talented player returning on offense. The Longhorns should be deeper and better at running back.
They’ve strengthened their schedule with an opener at Ohio State.
2. LSU: The Tigers got great news before their bowl game. Garrett Nussmeier, who should be one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in 2025, announced he was returning. So did linebacker Harold Perkins.
Moreover, coach Brian Kelly has upgraded his depth chart across the board via the transfer portal.l
3. Texas A&M: The Aggies might have the deepest running back corps in college football. Quarterback Marcel Reed will give them another running threat, but he needs to become more consistent as a passer.
They should return most of their starters on both sides of the ball.
4. Georgia: The Bulldogs could return more than half their starters from the SEC championship team. But even if they incurred more attrition, how could you count them out with Kirby Smart as coach?
Georgia won four games against CFP teams this season. It next schedule will be challenging, too, but the Bulldogs will get Texas, Ole Miss and Alabama at home.
5. Auburn: The Tigers could be the most improved team in the league – in part, because they underachieved in 2024. Adding former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold and former Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Singleton from the transfer portal should do wonders for the Tigers offense.
6. Ole Miss: Quarterback Austin Simmons flashed his potential while playing sparingly behind Jaxson Dart, and Rebels coach Lane Kiffin has again fortified his roster through the portal.
But Ole Miss won’t have as much star power as it had in 2024.
7. Alabama: Replacing quarterback Jalen Milroe will present a huge challenge because of his value as a runner and passer. But wide receiver Ryan Williams again will give Alabama one of the league’s top big-play threats.
8. Tennessee: Having quarterback Nico Iamaleava back as a second-year starter will be a big plus. Not having star running back Dylan Sampson will be a big negative.
If younger offensive players come through on offense, the Vols could contend for back-to-back playoff berths. The schedule again will be favorable.
9. Florida: This should be coach Billy Napier’s best team. That doesn’t mean it will be good enough to save his job.
Quarterback DJ Lagway has star potential, but the schedule could beat the Gators down. They have games at LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Florida also must play Texas and Georgia.
10. Oklahoma: The Sooners had dreadful luck with injuries this past season. But a brutal schedule was even more of a factor in their disappointing season.
They can’t help but be better offensively with the addition of Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer. However, the schedule again will be daunting.
11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks overachieved this past season – thanks, in part, to an imposing defensive front. Duplicating that success will be a challenge.
Keeping star quarterback LaNorris Sellers healthy should be their top priority.
12. Missouri: The Tigers won nine of 12 regular-season games, which said more about a favorable SEC schedule than their talent.
The schedule again should inflate the Tigers record. But don’t expect to see them in the same sentence with “playoffs.”
13. Arkansas: The Razorbacks improved this season after going 4-8 in 2023. But they didn’t improve enough to convince anyone that Sam Pittman will still be the coach after the 2025 season.
ADAMS:How can Tennessee football improve after lopsided loss? Hit transfer portal harder
Quarterback Taylen Green exceeded expectations in his first season at quarterback and should be even better in 2025 under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. But Arkansas again could come up short on defense.
14. Vanderbilt: The return of quarterback Diego Pavia means the Commodores again could be entertaining. But don’t count on them pulling off an upset comparable to the one against Alabama this past season.
SEC opponents take Vanderbilt more seriously now.
15. Kentucky: The Wildcats somehow managed to upset Ole Miss and almost beat Georgia. But they also lost at home to Vanderbilt.
Coach Mark Stoops is now 18-20 in his last three seasons. Translation: His run as the dean of SEC football coach is nearing an end.
16. Mississippi State: Amid all the uncertainty of this past SEC season, no one could question that the Bulldogs were the SEC’s worst team. The Bulldogs are bad enough to go back-to-back at the bottom.
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