Projected 2017 SEC standings
| SEC East  | SEC West  | |||||
| Team | Overall | SEC | Team | Overall | SEC | |
| 1. Georgia | 11-1 | 7-1 | 1. Alabama | 12-0 | 8-0 | |
| 2. Florida | 7-5 | 5-3 | 2. Auburn | 9-3 | 6-2 | |
| 3. Tennessee | 8-4 | 4-4 | 3. Texas A&M | 8-4 | 5-3 | |
| 4. South Carolina | 7-5 | 4-4 | 4. Mississippi State | 7-5 | 4-4 | |
| 5. Kentucky | 6-6 | 3-5 | 5. LSU | 8-4 | 4-4 | |
| 6. Vanderbilt | 5-7 | 1-7 | 6. Ole Miss | 8-4 | 4-4 | |
| 7. Missouri | 3-9 | 0-8 | 7. Arkansas | 4-8 | 1-7 | |
| Preseason Top 25 | |
| 1. Ohio State | Roster, schedule set up perfectly for veteran Buckeyes to make a title run |
| 2. Alabama | Once again, the biggest challenges will come in conference title game, playoffs |
| 3. Georgia | Is there room in the playoffs for two SEC schools? Bulldogs run the table, it could happen |
| 4. Florida State | Opening-week game against Alabama could foreshadow a playoff rematch |
| 5. Clemson | Probably too many losses for title defense, but Tigers are just reloading now |
| 6. Wisconsin | Someone has to step up as Option B in the Big Ten; Badgers could be a darkhorse |
| 7. Washington | Glamour pick because of QB Browning, but Huskies lost a lot to the NFL |
| 8. USC | Now that the Trojans have their QB, will that be enough to make up for rebuilding offense? |
| 9. UCLA | Bruins could be the surprise team of the PAC-12 if defense can jell quickly |
| 10. Auburn | If Tigers’ QB situation is fixed, the sky is the limit in a crucial year for this staff |
| 11. Penn State | Probably not ready for prime time yet, but getting there quickly under Franklin |
| 12. Oklahoma St. | Ability to put up a gaudy record thanks to a friendly schedule, could make the playoffs |
| 13. Oklahoma | Untimely retirement of Bob Stoops probably kills the Sooners’ title momentum |
| 14. Michigan | Wolverines aren’t catching anyone by surprise this year, but fans adamant a title is imminent |
| 15. Louisville | High-flying Cardinals could sneak up this list with an upset or two |
| 16. Notre Dame | Time to put up or shut up for Brian Kelly; QB issues abound but schedule is manageable |
| 17. Stanford | Probably a step-back year for the Cardinal, but they’ll be a tough out for all opponents |
| 18. Texas A&M | Aggies need just a touch of defensive improvement to be decent; more than that, they may contend |
| 19. LSU | Not where the Tiger faithful are hoping to land, but Tigers have worst QB situation in the SEC |
| 20. Ole Miss | The NCAA is in town, yes. But this team still has talent aplenty and is tough on both LOS |
| 21. Oregon | Ducks are a bit of yesterday’s news, but they can’t continue to be outright bad. Right … right? |
| 22. Tennessee | Expectations are high in Knoxville but too many questions abound on offense to challenge |
| 23. Washington St. | Cougars are well-coached even though usually outmanned |
| 24. West Virginia | Looking for a pure darkhorse? Take the Mountaineers, who are expecting offensive resurgence |
| 25. Florida | Inexperience has the Gators under the radar; talent is still there to finish higher than this |
Follow Jess Nicholas on Twitter at @TideFansJessn
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