Projected 2016 SEC standings
| SEC East  |  | SEC West  | ||||
| Team | Overall | SEC | Â | Team | Overall | SEC |
| 1. Tennessee | 10-2 | 6-2 | 1. Alabama | 11-1 | 7-1 | |
| 2. Georgia | 9-3 | 5-3 | 2. LSU | 10-2 | 6-2 | |
| 3. Florida | 8-4 | 5-3 | 3. Ole Miss | 8-4 | 5-3 | |
| 4. Kentucky | 6-6 | 3-5 | 4. Auburn | 7-5 | 4-4 | |
| 5. South Carolina | 6-6 | 3-5 | 5. Arkansas | 7-5 | 4-4 | |
| 6. Missouri | 4-8 | 1-7 | 6. Texas A&M | 8-4 | 4-4 | |
| 7. Vanderbilt | 3-9 | 0-8 | 7. Mississippi State | 7-5 | 3-5 | |
| Preseason Top 25Â | |
| 1. Ohio State | Buckeyes were a disappointment in 2015, but are hungry to rebound. |
| 2. Oklahoma | Stoops faces high expectations as Sooners are widely expected to make playoffs. |
| 3. Alabama | One of these years, the SEC gauntlet will catch up to Tide. QB issues may mean it happens now. |
| 4. Clemson | Tigers proved they belonged in 2015; can they take the next step? |
| 5. LSU | Questions at LB and lack of offensive cohesiveness could get in the way. |
| 6. Florida State | Quietly, the Seminoles have underachieved since winning it all in 2013. |
| 7. Tennessee | By far the SEC East’s best on paper, Butch Jones needs to prove himself as a field general. |
| 8. Notre Dame | Schedule sets up well with only 2 challenging games away from South Bend. |
| 9. Stanford | Cardinal will ride McCaffery as far as he can take them. |
| 10. Michigan | Talent level is turning around for Wolverines; a big step up in rankings is expected. |
| 11. Houston | Only 2 challengers on the schedule for the Cougars, who may get a Big 12 invite soon. |
| 12. Louisville | Cardinals have surprisingly tough road, too tough to be considered a playoff threat. |
| 13. USC | Talent all over the place but an unproven coaching staff will need to assert itself quickly. |
| 14. Georgia | All focus is on Kirby Smart, but Bulldogs have a host of holes to fill. |
| 15. Oklahoma St. | Cowboys have a high ceiling but something always seems to derail this train. |
| 16. TCU | Patterson’s resume commands respect, but Horned Frogs always seem to be two players short. |
| 17. Michigan St. | How the Spartans bounce back from playoff disaster will tell the tale early. |
| 18. Ole Miss | Rebels may have lost a little too much up front to hang with the contending teams. |
| 19. Baylor | Bears are one negative news story away from being declared a complete disaster area in 2016. |
| 20. Texas A&M | Aggies seem to be coming around to what’s important to winning in the SEC: Talent on defense. |
| 21. Florida | Not enough talent, not enough QB acumen to believe Gators will be more than an also-ran. |
| 22. Washington | Huskies appear to be the best of the second-line PAC-12 teams in 2016. |
| 23. Oregon | Systems and speed are catching up to the Ducks. Can they innovate once more? |
| 24. Washington St. | Cougars were quietly a success story in 2015. Now it’s time to take the next step. |
| 25. Wisconsin | Badgers aren’t fancy, but always seem to be hanging around late in the season. |