Top 5 SEC Games for the month of October

By Chris Marler

A lot of coaches, fans, and media have criticized the nine game conference schedule the SEC is moving to this season. One thing is for sure though: it will create some absolutely incredible slates of games each and every weekend. We continue our series of top five conference games by month today with a look at spooky season. Here are our top five games in the second month of the 2026 season, October. 

Honorable Mention 

LSU at Auburn 

South Carolina at Oklahoma 

Georgia at Alabama 

Georgia vs Florida 

5. Tennessee at South Carolina 

The last time these two met, Tennessee was a one loss team that was firmly in the running for a spot in the 2022 College Football Playoff. Then they went to Columbia, and South Carolina scored so many points they literally ran out of fireworks in the stadium from post-touchdown celebrations. Tennessee fans to this day are convinced that it’s because Connor Stalions helped them cheat to improve Michigan’s chances of making the CFP. No, really. That should be a fun one in Columbia with two teams flying way too under the radar heading into the season with how talented they are. 

Most embarrassing loss of the CFP Era for each SEC team: Tennessee

at South Carolina (L 63-38) in 2022 pic.twitter.com/RYtZNGB9mk

— SEC Supremacy (@SECSupremacyCFB) April 29, 2026

4. Alabama at Tennessee

The third Saturday in October has consistently been one of the best rivalries in the SEC since its inception in 1933. This year will feature two first year starters at quarterback. This year’s game will have a ton riding on it as it comes the week after Alabama hosts Georgia and three weeks after Tennessee hosts Texas. Both teams have CFP hopes this season, and both will be underdogs and likely lose those games. That means the loser of this one could be out of the SEC Championship race by mid-October. That’s a lot of season left to try and pull things together in pivotal years for each program and head coach. 

Tennessee-Alabama is one of the streakiest series in college football pic.twitter.com/NbliXOXITq

— Chris Marler (@Vern_Funquist) October 14, 2024

3. Texas A&M at Alabama 

This is the third game in an absolute gauntlet for Alabama. They’ll play Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M back-to-back-to-back. Three straight weeks of (likely) ranked opponents including two teams that are preseason top ten. Texas A&M on the other hand has the Citadel and Arkansas in their lead up to the game. That bodes well for the Aggies, way more than the Tide. They have a brutal November but could easily have just one loss or potentially be undefeated going into the Alabama game. 

2. Ole Miss at Texas

Ole Miss will travel to Texas in a potential drinking game gone wrong for how many times they will show a Manning during the broadcast. These two teams should have two of the most high powered offenses in the country. It will also be on an absolutely loaded Saturday with two of the other games from this top five list taking place the same day, October 24. Anytime the top two quarterbacks in the league, and maybe the country, face off it should garner a ton of attention, and this game will be no different. Trinidad Chambliss versus Arch Manning could be a Patrick Mahomes versus Baker Mayfield type of Saturday night in Austin. That game of course happened a decade ago and the offenses totaled well over 1,000 yards in that game. Even with two really good defenses, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Horns and Rebels put up a ton of offensive fireworks in this one. 

2018 NFL Father-Son Power Rankings:

1. The Mannings
2. The Matthews
3. The Longs
4-10. https://t.co/WQnxUVajHk (via @thecheckdown) #FathersDay pic.twitter.com/H2YQFn5RBL

— NFL (@NFL) June 17, 2018

1. Texas vs Oklahoma 

Admittedly, I don’t love seeing the two newest members of the conference have the biggest game for the entire second month of the season. This game however, will have massive implications on the SEC title and CFP race this season. Last year’s version of the Red River Rivalry was a bit watered down because of John Mateer’s injury. This year’s version should be electric though. At least one of these teams has made the CFP in each of the last three seasons. This year, both quarterbacks should be much improved in year two as starters in this league. They will also field arguably the top two defenses in the conference between the two. A win for Oklahoma would be massive for Brent Venables. A loss for Texas could put them behind the eight ball to make the CFP once again. It will be the most electric state fair in the country. God bless corn dogs, and God Bless the Texas state fair. 

.@MartySmithESPN and @ESPNMcGee taking on the State Fair of Texas is pure gold 😂 @StateFairOfTX pic.twitter.com/Fg0q7o1IjH

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 12, 2024