{"id":11554,"date":"2025-08-24T14:06:52","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T19:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=11554"},"modified":"2025-08-24T14:13:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T19:13:17","slug":"the-football-teams-of-the-sec-as-of-tiers-yes-it-can-be-confusing-and-not-set-in-stone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=11554","title":{"rendered":"THE FOOTBALL TEAMS OF THE SEC AS OF TIERS&#8230;&#8230;Yes, it can be confusing and not set in stone&#8230;&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">TIER:\u00a0 a level or grade within the hierarchy of an organization or system<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?attachment_id=7886\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7886\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-7886\" src=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM-107x60.jpg 107w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46IRQI7TKOOGKB2UEWCLACNZIM.jpg 1660w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">The 2025 SEC football race will be one of excitement for most of the teams in the league.\u00a0 Loaded with top heavy challenging teams for the most part, only a few of the squads in the conference will settle for loss after loss as the season plays through. But in most places down south, from Norman and Austin in the west, to Athens, Columbia, and Gainesville in the east, fan bases are excited to see how their individual teams fair in a mostly competitive balanced SEC.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">I will break down the teams into three classifications.\u00a0 First, the bottom feeders which are the schools that do not have a lot of what is needed to be in the top tier, nor even the 2nd tier.\u00a0 The\u00a0 2nd tier will be teams that could come close to making a strong run for the SEC title and the playoffs. These teams have what it takes to be better than just losers for the most part, and on any given play date, pull off an upset, or more importantly, run a string of wins together that would shock the college football world. The top tier schools are the teams that anyone would expect to made a strong case at the end of the season for their excellence and win total in conference games.\u00a0 Making the playoffs would be expected by many, and if it comes to pass that they miss out, a disastrous season would be the label on the team.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">SEC TOP TIER<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Georgia<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Texas<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Oklahoma<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Alabama<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">South Carolina<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">MIDDLE TIER<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">LSU<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Ole Miss<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Florida<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Texas A&M<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Tennessee<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">LOWER TIER<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Kentucky<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Miss State<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Auburn<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Arkansas<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Vanderbilt<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Missouri<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">In discussing the Lower Tier, I will divide that group into two groups. The \u201cbottom feeders\u201d are schools that will struggle in conference games.\u00a0 They are going to have issues in beating any teams that are not like them, at the end of the list.\u00a0 Vanderbilt, Miss. State and Kentucky are not good and their records will show that in December. Auburn, Missouri, and Arkansas are a cut above with better overall talent than the three listed below.\u00a0 Of these six teams in this tier, look for coaching changes at Kentucky, Arkansas and Auburn for 2026.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">The difference between the top two tiers is slight for the most part.\u00a0 Those in the top and middle tiers are close in what they put on the field and though one school might be in the middle, a successful season can put them up to the next tier.\u00a0 As of my lists, it is just one man\u2019s take.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?attachment_id=11570\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11570\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11570\" src=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/549a5e57d6233.image_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"360\" 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class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TIER:\u00a0 a level or grade within the hierarchy of an organization or system \u00a0 The&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_11554\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"11554\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 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