Make way, courts and judges. Clear a path, lawyers and admins. It's time for footballs to be kicked off.
Our SEC Power Rankings begin with a preseason version ahead of all the Sept. 5 season openers that will wash away the stink of college sports. Or at least mask it.
The Longhorns open on top, and if you're wondering why, just wait until the 2027 NFL Draft. Arkansas anchors the bottom (congrats, Mississippi State!). Onto the rankings:
1. Texas (0-0)This week: vs. Texas State
What to know: Whatever the Longhorns are paying the Bobcats for this season-opening sacrifice, it's not enough.
2. Georgia (0-0)This week: vs. Tennessee State
What to know: The Bulldogs can sleepwalk through their first three games, but we'll all need an Ambien for this one.
3. Texas A&M (0-0)This week: vs. Missouri State
What to know: This could be the year the Aggies thought they had last November.
4. Ole Miss (0-0)This week: Louisville (Sunday, in Nashville)
What to know: A power coference game on a Sunday will be the perfect Week 1 hangover cure.
5. LSU (0-0)This week: vs. Clemson
What to know: It took Lane Kiffin all of zero games to make America be Clemson fans.
6. Alabama (0-0)This week: vs. East Carolina
What to know: Austin Mack might've lost the quarterback job, but he'll probably play as much as Keelon Russell in this one.
7. Oklahoma (0-0)This week: UTEP (Friday)
What to know: You think it's time to rank the Sooners with more respect, until you see the respect due above them.
8. Tennessee (0-0)This week: vs. Furman
What to know: The Furman mascot is the Paladin, defined as a chivalrous knight or holy warrior. That's exactly what the school's non-revenue athletes should think of them.
9. Missouri (0-0)This week: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Thursday)
What to know: Get your tickets for $21. And your parking for $40.
10. Florida (0-0)This week: vs. FAU
What to know: If the Gators get used to losing any more, they'll be the old Ole Miss.
11. Auburn (0-0)This week: vs. Baylor (in Atlanta)
What to know: For Auburn fans, Hugh Freeze can't be enough miles away.
12. South Carolina (0-0)This week: vs. Kent State
What to know: This isn't the start of Shane Beamer's goodbye tour. But it is the registration desk.
13. Kentucky (0-0)This week: Youngstown State
What to know: It's a Mark Stoops hometown game, but he'll have to catch the highlights.
14. Vanderbilt (0-0)This week: vs. Austin-Peay
What to know: The PDP era begins in Nashville − post-Diego Pavia.
15. Mississippi State (0-0)This week: vs. UL-Monroe.
What to know: The NIL party Never Invited Lebby.
16. Arkansas (0-0)This week: North Alabama
What to know: Minus Taylen Green, it's like a barbecue with no pork in Fayetteville.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Who starts on top? Texas or Georgia? SEC football preseason power rankings
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