Today we continue our pre-season look at the 2025 SEC Football race. We began with the bottom of the league on Monday with teams sixteen through thirteen and we now move to the next four teams.... twelve through nine.
12. Auburn
The Tigers enter season number three under head coach Hugh Freeze and they, like every other team, made great use of the Transfer Portal. Among the newcomers is quarterback Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma who never seemed to be able to get things together for the Sooners.
The Freeze system may be better suited for Arnold but finding a running back to replace Jacquez Hunter is imperative. There is also a lot of depth at receiver, thanks to the Portal. Defensively, Auburn was pretty good, ranking 28th nationally but they have some big holes to fill. The Tigers could finish a lot higher than 12th and in year number three for Hugh Freeze that would take some pressure off.
11. Vanderbilt
The Commodores were perhaps the biggest surprise in the SEC a year ago, shocking Alabama, Kentucky and Auburn in league play. Quarterback Diego Pavia, who led Vandy's resurgence, won his lawsuit against the NCAA allowing him another season. Pavia was given another year because a judge ruled his seasons in junior college did not count against his D-I clock. Vandy picked up some key transfers in the offensive line but nothing is a sure thing. Tight end Eli Stowers by-passed the NFL draft by returning for his senior year as Pavia's best target as Coach Clark Lea returns for his fifth season. Eight wins is possible for the Black and Gold but Lea is a couple of big recruiting classes away from being a contender.
10. Oklahoma
Coach Brent Venables is at a cross-roads entering his fourth season in Norman. The Sooners are 22-17 overall but they were just 2-6 in the SEC in their debut year. That was good enough for 13th place. They should be better in 2025 but how much better is still up in the air. The Sooners who are known for explosive offenses have a transfer quarterback as well as a transfer running back. QB-I John Mateer comes to Oklahoma from Washington State where he put up some impressive numbers. Carrying the ball is expected to be Jayden Orr from Cal but all eyes are on Mateer if Oklahoma shows significant gains. The Sooners were pitiful on special teams in 2024 but that should also improve. Everything needs to get better to satisfy fans in Norman.
9. Texas A&M
The Aggies were 8-5 last year in Coach Mike Elko's initial season and believe it or not, A&M was the highest scoring team in SEC play in 2024, averaging just under thirty points per game. Marcel Reed returns after putting up some decent numbers a year ago at quarterback and LeVeon Moss, who was an All-SEC running back despite missing five games with a torn ACL, is healthy again. He has one of the nation's best O-Lines to run behind this season. The Aggies were 7-1 at pne time with a seven-game win streak last year but they didn't finish well. They lost their last three games to Auburn, Texas and then Southern Cal in a bowl game. A&M could win as many as ten games this fall and if that comes to fruition the Aggies could be a playoff caliber squad.
We're halfway through and on Friday, we'll continue up the SEC ladder previewing teams eight through five.