SP+ Rankings for SEC teams in the 2026 season released

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

By Chris Marler

There are a ton of metrics for college football nowadays. SOS, FPI, and don’t even get me started on whatever EPA is. I thought that had to do with the environment until a season ago when the CFP committee brought it up.

If there’s an acronym you can think of, there’s probably a metric to go along with it.

Few of those have been as accurate over the last several years as ESPN Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. It’s updated throughout every week of the season until the final piece of confetti falls at the national championship. It’s also released way too early and updated throughout the offseason. You know, so we all have something to argue about and entertain us besides the Masked Singer and whatever black sheep hire LSU has decided to bring in this week.

I kid, I kid. Connelly has updated his 2026 rankings, and here’s what they look like.

Spring SP+ Rankings for the 2026 Season

4. Georgia

6. Texas

9. Texas A&M

10. LSU

11. Alabama

12. Oklahoma

15. Tennessee

16. Ole Miss

19. Florida

20. Missouri

24. South Carolina

26. Auburn

31. Vanderbilt

47. Arkansas

52. Mississippi State

53. Kentucky

Takeaways

The metrics have four key factors impacting the rankings: returning production, recent history, recent recruiting, and coaching change effects. So, what stands out most from these rankings?

The consistency of being ranked highly and success isn’t always parallel. There are teams like Tennessee and South Carolina who ranked in the top ten and 20 respectively a season ago and not only missed the CFP, but finished 4-8 in regards to the Gamecocks. That being said, three of the teams ranked in the top nine nationally and five of the conference a season ago all made the CFP (Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss). Texas A&M was No. 12, and they also made the 12 team field. The lowest ranked SEC team to make the CFP a season ago was Oklahoma at No. 20. This year ten different SEC teams begin inside that very number.

Will we see this acronym play out in the SEC’s favor once again? Idk, brb, ttyl.