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Are These 9 SEC Teams Overrated or Underrated?

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  • According to 247Sports, Georgia football is ranked No. 2 behind Ohio State. We would have Bulldogs in 1st place.
  • No. 5 Alabama feels a little elevated in Kalen DeBoer's first season in Tuscaloosa.
  • Tennessee and LSU are borderline playoff contenders.

The SEC is as strong as ever.

At least that's what a preseason top 25 from 247Sports suggests. The site updated its rankings as spring training came to a close. Nine SEC teams are in the top 25, including eight in the top 15.

These rankings show that about half of the conference has realistic aspirations to compete for the College Football Playoff.

The SEC and Big Ten each occupy the top nine spots in the rankings. It's truly a Power Two world.

This edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered” hosts a podcast from the USA TODAY Network Blake Toppmeyer And John Adams Consider these rankings and whether each SEC team is rated too high, too low or just right.

ADAMS: Readers are divided over a possible college football superconference. Here is my advice.

TOPPMEYER: Carson Beck and Jalen Milroe make the case for SEC quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft

This is how you see it:

Georgia

247 sports ranking: No. 2

Toppmeyer: One spot too low

Adams: One spot too low

No. 1 Ohio State has the same depth as Georgia at most positions, but Georgia did return star quarterback Carson Beck. He should give the Bulldogs a lead over the top spot in the nation.

Texas

247 sports ranking: No. 3

Toppmeyer: Precisely

Adams: A little too high

Texas returned several key players, including quarterback Quinn Ewers, from last season's team that reached the national semifinals. The wide receiver needs were addressed with transfers. The open question is whether the defense will remain as good as it was last season.

Alabama

247 sports ranking: No. 5

Toppmeyer: Too high

Adams: Too high

Alabama faces a tough schedule and some questions following Nick Saban's retirement. The Crimson Tide needs to replace several key defensive backs. Additionally, does the offense have enough playmakers to support Jalen Milroe? A top 10 finish is warranted, but top 5 means too much love.

Ole Miss

247 sports ranking: No. 6

Toppmeyer: Precisely

Adams: Too low

This is Lane Kiffin's best squad. That's saying something considering Ole Miss finished 11-2 last season. Kiffin strengthened his team with another impressive transfer performance. Defensive players like lineman Walter Nolan were particularly important as Ole Miss looks to go from a good team to a national championship contender.

Missouri

247 sports ranking: No. 8

Toppmeyer: Precisely

Adams: Precisely

Missouri returned many players, including quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden. The Tigers are a playoff contender, especially if transfer running back Marcus Carroll performs like he did for Georgia State.

Tennessee

247 sports ranking: No. 12

Toppmeyer: Precisely

Adams: Too low

The offense could thrive behind hyped quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who performed well in his first career start against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. Whether Tennessee qualifies for the playoffs may depend on the performance of its new-look secondary.

LSU

247 sports ranking: No. 13

Toppmeyer: Precisely

Adams: Precisely

LSU's offense should remain explosive with Garrett Nussmeier at the helm, but could get even worse after leading the nation in scoring behind Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., all first-round NFL draft picks became. The defense will likely improve after last year's disaster, but enough to get LSU into the playoffs?

Oklahoma

247 sports ranking: No. 15

Toppmeyer: Too high

Adams: Too high

Several defensive contributors returned, but OU must transition to a new conference (and a rigorous first-year SEC schedule) while handing the reins to quarterback Jackson Arnold. He is talented but untested at this level of competition. If he endures growing pains, the Sooners will endure them too.

Texas A&M

247 sports ranking: No. 19

Toppmeyer: Too high

Adams: Too high

First-year coach Mike Elko retained enough of the talent he inherited to make the Aggies a fringe Top 25 team. To be worthy of a top-20 ranking, he would have had to retain even more talent, like wide receiver Evan Stewart (now at Oregon). Conner Weigman's performance is a potential swing factor. He's back as the Aggies' starting quarterback after breaking his foot last September.

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Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC columnist for the USA TODAY Network. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. SSubscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast and get the SEC Unfiltered newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.

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