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The SEC broke the record in December for representation in the College Football Playoff, comprising nearly half the field with five teams. Commissioner Greg Sankey believes his conference deserved seven, and while his argument might hold merit among the metrics crowd, one can't argue that the SEC was the best conference in the country in 2025.

Those high expectations are why a record six programs changed coaches, including Lane Kiffin, who bolted playoff-bound Ole Miss for rival LSU after the regular season. Six programs finished with losing records with only two keeping their coaches around (Mississippi State and South Carolina). 

In a league of unworldly high expectations, a playoff berth doesn't mean a perfect grade. Every team has warts, even the perfect ones, and the SEC didn't produce an undefeated champion once again because of the highly competitive nature of the conference.

With the regular season in the rearview mirror, let's take a look back at the season and grade each team -- and contextualize their challenges -- with our postseason grades for the SEC.

Alabama

Kalen DeBoer is a great coach, but he has an itch he just can't seem to scratch at Alabama. Have the transfer portal and NIL evened the playing field, diminishing depth just enough to make the Tide look pedestrian at times when injuries pile up? We're not so sure. Alabama simply cannot run the ball effectively against great defenses, which has always been a hallmark of Nick Saban's Tide teams. Injuries or not, there should always be a third or fourth capable running back on this roster. 

Still, DeBoer's staff is fantastic. The game plan to beat Georgia and snap the Bulldogs' incredible 33-game winning streak at home cannot be ignored. But then there are head-scratchers like the Week 1 blowout at Florida State, an eventual five-win team, and the impotence on display in the SEC Championship Game. 

Alabama is expected to have 13 players back to full speed for the College Football Playoff, so this grade could improve with a couple of wins. Grade: B+

Arkansas

After Sam Pittman was given an additional year to right the ship and failed. Bobby Petrino was provided a strange second chance as interim coach and proceeded to lose eight straight games. The Razorbacks blew it all up in December by hiring Ryan Silverfield. This season was an absolute disaster. The Hogs favored offensive improvements via NIL, practically ignoring the need to solidify a terrible defense. What resulted was an exciting offense led by quarterback Taylen Green that collapsed and turned the ball over in critical moments because the defense couldn't slow down a leisurely stroll. Grade: F

Auburn

The early 2020s will go down as one of the worst in Auburn football history. The Bryan Harsin Experiment failed miserably, and the answer to those problems was to hire a coach who, 10 years ago, beat Nick Saban. Turns out you can't turn back the clock with Hugh Freeze, whose repeated insistence that Auburn was "close" to being good was akin to nails on a chalkboard. He failed to identify quarterback talent, never developed the roster and clung tightly to defensive coordinator DJ Durkin to carry the team to wins. Predictably, he was fired before he could finish Year 3. Durkin stepped in as interim coach, and more of the same occurred. Let's forget this era ever happened, Tigers. Grade: D-

Florida

Florida never seemed to meet -- let alone exceed -- expectations under Billy Napier, who was provided plenty of grace by the administration to right the ship. He failed and is back in the Sun Belt, leading James Madison next season. How can a team with so much talent, led by quarterback DJ Lagway and a solid defense, be this bad? That's culture, that's lack of development and, more importantly, terrible coaching. 

Game day management was always an issue for Napier at Florida, but it was only one of many problems that sank Napier's career in the Swamp. A win against Texas and a closer-than-expected battle against Georgia keep Florida from receiving a failing grade. Grade: D

Georgia

The loss to Alabama at home still stings, but beating the Tide in the SEC Championship Game certainly eases the irritation. Gunner Stockton proved to be great at quarterback, and the defense improved as the season progressed. Let's chalk that up to the development and cohesion of the defensive line, but let's give more credit to Kirby Smart. He made some tweaks, including in the middle of games, that helped the Bulldogs become a top-15 unit. The Bulldogs received a first-round bye in the CFP and will face the winner of Tulane-Ole Miss. They will be favored against either opponent, particularly with possibly the best coach in the field. Grade: A-

Kentucky

At least Mark Stoops beat Florida before being shown the door. The legendary coach just hasn't been able to figure out the NIL era -- or find a quarterback -- and was fired after yet another losing season (5-7) that included a blowout loss to rival Louisville. It's crazy to think that just two years ago, he was a plane ticket away from becoming Texas A&M's head coach, but news of his potential hiring leaked and Aggies fans squashed any real interest. He leaves Lexington as the winningest coach in Kentucky history and will be remembered fondly, but these last three years were like watching a car accident in slow motion. Grade: D

LSU

The D- grade is for "Disaster." Brian Kelly took over one of the best jobs in the country and wrecked it with an inept offense loaded with talent and was subsequently fired before the end of the season. The offense didn't improve, ranking in the triple digits across several major categories. The defense improved year over year under coordinator Blake Baker, who took advantage of a strong portal class to produce a top-25 defense. This team shouldn't look familiar next season under Lane Kiffin as he tries to erase the memory of the Kelly era. Seven wins are not acceptable at LSU. Grade: D-

Mississippi State

Mississippi State seemed primed for a breakthrough season after upsetting Arizona State in Week 2. Still, the bottom fell out after an overtime loss to nationally ranked Tennessee at home in late September. The Bulldogs finished 1-7 after starting 4-0 but reached a bowl game after at least nine teams withdrew from bowl consideration. The offense can be explosive, but it goes silent for long stretches, leading to shortened possessions that put more pressure on the defense to get stops. The Bulldogs ranked 117th in rush defense (189.5 yards per game). In an unorthodox move, Jeff Lebby hired former Mississippi State coach Zach Arnett to coordinate the defense next season. Grade: C-

Missouri

Missouri had another successful season at 8-4, but the Tigers were again 0-for against the SEC's best teams. The Tigers finished 0-4 against ranked opponents. Eli Drinkwitz got enough play in the coaching market to get a new contract. The Mizzou program is well-supported via NI but has yet to sniff the SEC Championship Game like Ole Miss has. Running back Ahmad Hardy was in position to be a Heisman candidate, but he struggled against the good defenses. Still, the Tigers finished No. 8 in rushing. The passing offense was a mess, ranking 101st, because of a season-ending injury to Sam Horn on the first play of the season and, later, lingering injuries for Penn State transfer Beau Pribula. Grade: B

Oklahoma

Brent Venables entered the season on the hot seat, so he took over the defense, hired a young up-and-comer at offensive coordinator and his quarterback followed him to Norman. All of that resulted in an incredible turnaround on defense, paving the way for an at-large playoff berth following an upset victory at Alabama in November. The offense, however, didn't improve much after showing some promise early in the season with John Mateer at quarterback. A hand injury likely had something to do with that, but the rushing attack ranked 106th nationally and the scoring offense was in the bottom half of the country. The defense? That carried the team, ranking in the top 10 in several major categories. In the end, both units improved in the national rankings, and the result is a playoff spot. Grade: B+

Ole Miss

Ole Miss won 11 games, the school's most in a regular season, and has won at least 10 games in three straight seasons for the first time. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was a revelation and might be in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony if he started in Week 1 rather than in Week 3. The Rebels are in the playoff and have a favorable matchup against Tulane, which they defeated 45-10 in the regular season. Everything seems incredible in Oxford, and yet Lane Kiffin found a way to dampen the mood. After three weeks of innuendo and secret talks, he finally bolted for LSU -- and then held the team hostage as administrators and Kiffin negotiated over playoff staffing. Winning a national championship under coach Pete Golding would help ease the pain, but it's still good vibes for the Rebels, who earned this spot to succeed in the playoff for the first time in program history. Grade: A

South Carolina

The schedule was challenging, but Shane Beamer usually pulls a rabbit or two out of the hat. That didn't happen this fall, even with a dark horse Heisman candidate returning at quarterback (LaNorris Sellers) following a nine-win 2024 season. The Gamecocks were 0-6 against ranked opponents, which included five consecutive games against teams ranked in the top 15. Four of those teams reached the CFP. South Carolina's offense stunk (102nd or lower in three major categories) and the Gamecocks were among the most penalized teams in the country. The 4-8 record is the second losing season in the last three years. The one win in the SEC is the program's lowest total since Steve Spurrier's final season in 2015. Grade: D

Tennessee

The 2025 season was always going to be a rebuilding year for the Volunteers, and yet they still managed to win eight games and put a scare into Georgia earlier in the season. The Vols fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks after the season, but he had to work this season without two starters in the secondary. The defense finished 87th overall, ranking among the worst in pass defense (113th). The offense under quarterback Joey Aguilar finished in the top 10 in most categories, but the lack of a rushing attack (50th) was an issue in several games. Eight wins should have been the expectation in this rebuilding year, but that doesn't stop fans from projecting a trip to the playoff. Grade: B

Texas

Everyone expected Texas to be in the playoff this season. The Longhorns started a season No. 1 for the first time and fell flat in Week 1 at Ohio State with the offense only awakening in the fourth quarter. Arch Manning needed half the season to get acclimated. Still, he looked good down the stretch, providing hope for a potential playoff berth after upsetting rival Texas A&M. Texas fans may not be satisfied. The national media will indeed deem this season as a lost cause, but there's a lot to like about what Steve Sarkisian did late in the season. The 'Horns need to be the CFP next season to make it all worthwhile. Grade: B

Texas A&M

The November fade was erased in Year 2 under Mike Elko, but the Aggies lost their finale to rival Texas, knocking them out of the SEC Championship Game and ending their hope of an undefeated season. The offense was among the best nationally, ranking in the top 25 in most categories. The defense was too inconsistent in some games, however, giving up 21.9 points per game. The Aggies have allowed more explosive plays of 20-plus yards than any team in the CFP, tying for 93rd nationally. That could be an issue in the first round against a Miami offense that has one of the more experienced quarterbacks (Carson Beck) and a freshman phenom at receiver (Malachi Toney). Grade: A

Vanderbilt

The best season in Vanderbilt history fell short of the College Football Playoff, but the foundation has been set for this program to succeed well after Diego Pavia leaves Nashville. It's up to coach Clark Lea and the incoming recruiting classes to continue the upward trajectory. The losses to Alabama and Texas were expected, and the battle to rally against the Longhorns on the road proved these Commodores have plenty of fight. Pavia will be in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, and until Saturday's Big Ten game, was the favorite to win it. Vandy fans will celebrate this season with a high-end bowl game and look to the future after swinging five-star quarterback Jared Curtis from Georgia to the 'Dores. Grade: A+