To no surprise, Texas holds the top spot in the SEC. The Longhorns are No. 1 in the Coaches Poll as well, and will likely land at No. 1 in the initial AP Poll whenever it's released. Georgia (No. 2), Alabama (No. 3), LSU (No. 4), and Texas A&M (No. 5) round out ESPN's top five SEC teams heading into the season.

Though it's not really a huge surprise, several SEC teams will enter the 2025 college football season as a national title contender. However, there's one in particular that stands out from the rest - at least right now.

Texas gets an early chance to prove it belongs. A showdown with the No. 2 Buckeyes in the season opener on Aug. 30 in Columbus looms large as a potential defining moment in the Longhorns' pursuit of their first national title in two decades.