The SEC won't be able to fully reclaim conference supremacy unless it ends the Big Ten's three-year title run and hoists the national championship trophy on Jan. 25 in Las Vegas. But the conference is off to a great start in 2026.
With the majority of Power Four vs. Power Four nonconference action in the books, the SEC stands above its peers with a 10-2 mark against the other power conferences. The league's early performance is reflected in this Week's AP Top 25, which includes 10 of the SEC's 16 teams.
As the SEC moves from an 8-game league schedule to a 9-game conference schedule, its strong showing during Weeks 1-3 could take on increased significance come selection time for the College Football Playoff.
The league's average ranking of 24.5 in this week's CBS Sports 138 stands in contrast to the Big Ten's average ranking of 40.28, highlighting a strength-of-schedule disparity between the conferences. How the CFP selection committee handles SEC teams that finish 6-3 or 7-2 in a treacherous league will be a major storyline leading up to Selection Sunday.
SEC advocates will be touting the league's strength of schedule. Or they should be. After such a strong start against Power Four competition, it's hard to argue against the SEC as the nation's deepest league. But can it be the last league standing for the first time since Georgia's 2022 title?
1. SEC
AP Top 10 teams (5): No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Georgia, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 8 Alabama, No. 10 LSU
National title contenders | +3000 or better odds at DraftKings (6): Texas (+620), Georgia (+650), Ole Miss (+1500), LSU (+1600), Alabama (+2500), Florida (+4000)
Average ranking in CBS Sports 138: 24.5
vs. ACC: 5-0
vs. Big 12: 3-1
vs. Big Ten: 2-1
Overall: 10-2
G6 losses: 0
While Texas' historic Week 2 comeback win over No. 1 Ohio State takes the cake for best victory of any team in college football so far this season, it's just one of several that have positioned the SEC well entering the heart of conference play. Results such as Mississippi State's dominant Week 2 win at Minnesota and Missouri's Week 2 victory at Kansas can be easy to overlook on a busy college football weekend. But they contribute to the SEC's collective strength.
The margins here are slim. What if Ohio State didn't squander a 20-point lead against the Longhorns? What if NC State's stunning last-second choke at Vanderbilt didn't happen? What if Baylor converted on its 2-point play and took the lead on Auburn with under 10 seconds left in Week 1? Additionally, Ole Miss needed a field goal as time expired to beat Louisville in Week 1. Change the outcomes of those four tightly contested games, and the SEC would be just 6-6.
Just because the conference is off to a strong start doesn't mean it will produce a national champion. A year ago, SEC teams finished 12-6 in regular-season games against other Power Four teams, but couldn't get a team into the national championship game for a third straight season. For now, though, the SEC is standing above the pack.
2. Big Ten
AP Top 10 teams (2): No. 5 Indiana, No. 7 Ohio State,
National title contenders | +4000 or better odds at DraftKings (4): Ohio State (+520), Indiana (+950), Oregon (+2200), USC (+3300)
Average ranking in CBS Sports 138: 40.28
vs. ACC: 1-4
vs. Big 12: 2-1
vs. SEC: 1-2
vs. Notre Dame: 0-2
Overall: 4-9
G6 losses: 1 (Rutgers vs. UMass)
Three different Big Ten programs have won the past three national championships and spurred the conference past the SEC in the national hierarchy. But if Oregon is going to be the Big Ten's fourth distinct champion in four seasons, it will need to overcome a stunning Week 2 loss at Oklahoma State. Between that defeat and Ohio State's blown 20-point lead at Texas, the conference's preseason title favorites are both on thin ice. That ice could get even thinner for the No. 20 Ducks this week as they travel to face No. 12 USC.
Reigning national champion Indiana hasn't been tested yet, and the same goes for No. 13 Penn State. Neither has done anything to detract from the league's standing, but lackluster competition has made it hard to judge their legitimacy. No. 17 Iowa and No. 18 Michigan are among seven Big Ten teams in the AP top 20, but it's difficult to imagine either having the offensive firepower needed to make a CFP run.
While it's been a rough start for the league, the bottom half of the conference deserves its share of the blame. For example, Rutgers losing to UMass and Boston College looks rough. So does Minnesota getting crushed at home by Mississippi State. But at the end of the season, no one will care about the Big Ten's collectively unspectacular September if it produces another national champion. At this point, it still has pretty good odds with Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon and USC.
3. Big 12
AP Top 10 teams (1): No. 9 BYU
National title contenders | +4000 or better odds at DraftKings (1): Texas Tech (+3200)
Average ranking in CBS Sports 138: 41.1
vs. ACC: 3-2
vs. Big Ten: 1-2
vs. SEC: 1-3
Overall: 5-7
G6 losses: 1 (Oklahoma State vs. Tulsa)
The Big 12 gets the edge over the ACC for No. 3 because it has a significantly better average team ranking and a better chance of sending a second team to the CFP. At +240 to make the 12-team field, BYU is firmly in the mix behind frontrunner Texas Tech (-140). Utah (+290) is right there as well, with Kansas State (+600) also in striking distance.
Oklahoma State suffered the conference's worst loss of the first three weeks against Tulsa in Week 1. But the Cowboys stunned Oregon the following week. Any argument for the ACC above the Big 12 would have to center around Miami's strength. The Hurricanes have significantly better national title odds than Texas Tech, which is the Big 12's top contender. But with a single loss from the Hurricanes, that edge would be gone. Collectively, the Big 12 is stronger.
4. ACC
AP Top 10 teams (1): No. 6 Miami (+850)
National title contenders | +4000 or better odds at DraftKings (1): Miami (+850)
Average ranking in CBS Sports 138: 49.06
vs. Big 12: 2-3
vs. Big Ten: 4-1
vs. SEC: 0-5
Overall: 6-9
G6 losses: 0
Looking at the ACC's 0-5 record against the SEC, it's easy to ponder how different that could be with some better luck. NC State's devastating loss at Vanderbilt in Week 3 is the perfect example. But the league made up for its frustrating showing against the SEC with a strong run against the Big Ten. Results like Virginia Tech beating Maryland, Duke beating Illinois, Wake Forest winning at Purdue, and Boston College edging Rutgers give the ACC some dimension.
Ultimately, Miami looks like the league's only legitimate shot at a national title as Louisville (+11000) sits way down the card entering Week 4. The good news is that the Hurricanes look fully capable of competing with anyone in the sport after upgrading their offense with Duke transfer Darian Mensah at quarterback. Whether the ACC can sneak two teams into the CFP will be a key plot line to monitor. Right now, the odds of a two-bid Big 12 are better.
