MARLER: Five SEC streaks that need snapping in 2025

By Chris Marler

We’re going Streaking! Current SEC Streaks that need to end this season for contenders

LSU’s 0-1 starts | Current Streak: 5 Years

This is a big year for Brian Kelly and LSU. Last season felt like a disappointment to most fans, and the frustrations started from the get-go out in Las Vegas. LSU lost to Southern Cal to start 0-1 for the fifth consecutive year. A loss in week one isn’t going to necessarily make or break the Tigers’ entire season, but starting out 0-1 for a sixth straight year would be as deflating as it gets considering the expectations heading into 2025.

It won’t be easy either. LSU opens on the road against a top ten Clemson team who is absolutely loaded.

Tennessee…vs literally any Rival | Current Streak: A lot. For all of them.

The hype train for Tennessee going into 2025 seemed to go off the rails and come to a complete stop after Nico Iamaleava left. The Vols still have one of the most talented rosters in the league, though, and more importantly have one of the most manageable schedules. Tennessee went to the CFP last year even after suffering a huge upset loss to Arkansas.

If they are going to return to the Playoff they will have to win at least one, maybe more, of their games against their traditional rivals – UGA, Alabama, and Florida.

The streak they need to snap? Take your pick.

UGA: Tennessee has lost eight straight to Georgia, and Josh Heupel has never scored more than 17 points on the Dawgs in any season.

At Alabama: Tennessee already broke their 15-year losing streak to Alabama in 2022, and they’ve won two of three in the series since. Now they have to figure out how to win in Bryant Denny. They haven’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003 when they needed five overtimes against a 4-9 team to do it.

At Florida: Tennessee hasn’t beaten Florida in the Swamp since 2003, losing 10 straight. Even worse, they’ve only won there twice since 1972. Sheesh.

South Carolina bringing the Bonham Trophy back home from College Station | Current Streak: Five

South Carolina turned a corner last year in Shane Beamer’s fourth year in Columbia. They beat Missouri for the first time in five years, and after starting his career with a 2-10 record in SEC road games, Shane Beamer went 3-1 away from Williams-Brice Stadium with his only loss coming to Alabama by two points. That’s all well and good, but maybe the biggest bully South Carolina has had in the last decade is Texas A&M.

This game was forced onto both programs and fans alike 11 years ago. Despite zero history or significant moments between the two, the SEC set up USC and A&M as cross-divisional rivals to play every year. Not only that, but they also turned it into a trophy game in honor of some guy, and the Alamo, and blah blah blah. The trophy isn’t exactly a huge tradition or motivator for that matter. However, South Carolina is 2-9 against the Aggies and has never won in College Station. That’s got to change.

UGA’s home win streak and their Alabama curse | Current Streak: 1 home loss in 7 years & 1 lone win in 7 tries

Since 2017 Georgia is 47-1 at home under Kirby Smart. That includes 31 straight wins dating back to 2019 where their lone loss came in double overtime to 4-8 South Carolina. Last year Georgia played almost all their biggest games on the road. In their first 13 games, they played six Top 20 teams, and five were on the road.

This year they get Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas between the hedges. Beating Texas has become the Dawgs newest tradition. As for the other two, they’ll get the Rebels and Bama in a revenge game with both teams sending out a first-year starter at quarterback against Smart’s defense and 92,000 barking crazies. Georgia isn’t going to make a regular season game their Super Bowl, but beating Alabama for the second time since the Bush administration would be as close to a Lombardi Trophy as they can get.

Auburn’s having a 3,000 yard QB or a 1,000 WR for the first time since Y2K | Streak: 0 for 28 and 1-for-27 (years)

Auburn hired Hugh Freeze for a number of very obvious reasons. He beat Alabama twice. He would recruit better than Harsin, and he was a self-proclaimed quarterback whisperer and elite play caller. Afterall, Freeze turned Bo Wallace into a back-to-back 3,000 yard passer at Ole Miss, Just think what he’ll do at Auburn with better talent. So far, the fireworks we’d waited for were just soggy roman candles. Auburn’s offense has finished 11th or worse in the SEC in both years and their quarterbacks have thrown 26 interceptions in 25 games.

Auburn has won three Heisman trophies and produced a ton of all-time great SEC offensive players. However, they’re behind the times when it comes to offensive production. They haven’t had a 1,000 yard receiver since 1998, and despite multiple Heisman winners and 1st round picks at quarterback, they have only two 3,000 yard passing seasons in program history.

Wins are much more important this year than gaudy numbers. That being said, the ceiling may still be nine wins considering the schedule. Freeze will need to do at least show some signs of progress and excitement on offense this year to avoid becoming a statistic.

Auburn is a proud school with a ton of traditions. However, their favorite offseason tradition over the last decade and half has been hot seats and making it rain with coaching buyouts.