As we head into the heart of the 2025 season, a few storylines keep pulling my attention.
First, I can’t shake the feeling that Shane Beamer is building something different in South Carolina, a program stitched together with character. You see it in Nick Barret, who chose to redshirt his senior year so he could earn more playing time down the road, going straight to his coach with the idea. You see it in LaNorris Sellers, who reportedly turned down an eight-million-dollar raise to stay at USC.
That’s not a NIL headline. That’s a culture decision. And that’s how you build a program that lasts.
But look north, and Tennessee feels like the opposite end of the spectrum, a culture being tested in real time. The Nico situation, the rumors of guys skipping workouts, the Boo Carter saga. Are the Vols at a turning point in the trajectory of Josh Heupel’s tenure? Or is this just offseason noise that fades once the lights come on?
Meanwhile in Norman, Brent Venables enters the fall with a very different kind of weight: prove he’s the guy, or risk going down as the losingest coach in Oklahoma history.
All of this funnels us into a simple framing for the year ahead.
We’ll know who these teams are when…
The SEC’s 2025 schedule is packed with those moments. The revenge games, the barometer tests, the potential derailers. The ones that reveal champions and expose pretenders.
Jake Crandall/Montgomery Advertiser/USA TODAY NETWORK
Oklahoma vs. Auburn (Sept. 20)
Jackson Arnold’s return to Norman is one storyline. Auburn entering undefeated is another. But the real weight rests on Venables: is this a rebound after Michigan, or the beginning of a downward slide?
For both teams, this is a season-defining September checkpoint.
LSU vs. Ole Miss (Sept. 27)
Brian Kelly’s biggest problem? The opener. He’s 0–3 in season debuts at LSU. Clemson this year could be another uphill climb. That makes Ole Miss, three weeks later, the truer litmus test. Playoff push or mediocrity reset?
The Tigers could hit Oxford at 2–2. Or they could be 4–0 and riding momentum. Either way, we’ll know who LSU really is by the end of this one.
Maria Lysaker/Imagn Images
Auburn vs. Texas A&M (Sept. 27)
Call this the trap of traps. Auburn could be riding high after Oklahoma, possibly 4–0, staring down Georgia. But right in the middle sits Texas A&M — a program that has made a living out of derailing hopeful contenders.
We’ve seen this story before. A&M starts strong, gets national buzz, then fades when it matters. This year, the road trip to Notre Dame and coming back home to Auburn come back-to-back. Beat both, and the Aggies are finally in legitimate SEC contention. Split them, and we’re back in “same old A&M” territory.
Three heavyweights in a row (Oklahoma, A&M, Georgia) means Auburn has to take this stretch one game at a time. Survive, and they’re a legitimate SEC threat. Slip here, and the season can unravel fast.
Kentucky vs. South Carolina (Sept. 27)
For Kentucky, this is about survival. Lose in Columbia, and with a brutal six-game gauntlet behind it, the season could collapse before October even ends. Pull the upset, and suddenly the Wildcats have margin to breathe.
Texas vs. Florida (Oct. 4)
Arch Manning vs. DJ Lagway. National spotlight. Playoff weight. This is how stars are made and SEC dreams are broken.
The Arch Manning era started with Ohio State, but Florida in Week 5 is where we’ll actually learn something. Billy Napier has a veteran offensive line, a disruptive defense, and a quarterback in DJ Lagway who isn’t afraid to throw punches against the SEC’s best. How Manning handles that kind of defensive line pressure will reveal Texas’s ceiling in Year 1 of the Manning Era.
South Carolina vs. LSU (Oct. 11)
LaNorris Sellers. Garrett Nussmeier. Baton Rouge. Enough said.
By October, LSU could be bouncing back from a loss, and South Carolina could be undefeated. Either way, this game will carry SEC Championship implications, whether anyone admits it out loud or not.
Angelina Alcantar/Knoxville News-Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK
Tennessee vs. Arkansas (Oct. 11)
This isn’t just a Tennessee checkpoint — it’s an Arkansas one, too.
The Razorbacks enter 2025 with low expectations, but there’s optimism around new quarterback Taylen Green. Non-conference games could build momentum, but early dates with Ole Miss and Notre Dame will test how far the program has come.
By the time they head to Knoxville, both teams could be wobbling. Tennessee may be 4–1 and looking ahead to Alabama, while Arkansas might limp in off three straight losses. Either way, this sets up as a true litmus test — for both teams.
This feels like the Tennessee season in a single Saturday. Lose early to Syracuse? Still forgivable. Drop one to Georgia? Expected. But Arkansas at home in mid-October is the first true barometer.
Win, and the Vols stay in the mix. Lose, and they’re tumbling into the SEC’s third tier with Alabama on deck.
Vanderbilt vs. LSU (Oct. 18)
No one’s expecting miracles. But effort counts.
Vandy opens with Virginia Tech, South Carolina, and Alabama. By the time LSU comes to town, the Commodores will either be hanging on or already written off.
But a competitive showing here — even in defeat — would shift narratives. Sometimes the SEC’s biggest culture wins don’t come in the box score.
Ole Miss vs. Georgia (Oct. 18)
The ghost of last season lingers here. Georgia lost 28–10 in Oxford — one of the most humbling moments of the Kirby Smart era. This time, the Rebels will likely roll into Athens at 6–0 or 5–1.
How they handle being hunted again is just as important as how Georgia responds with revenge on its mind.
IMAGN
Mississippi State vs. Florida (Oct. 18)
Don’t overlook this one. Mississippi State’s SEC identity often comes down to when they finally get their first conference win. Tennessee earlier in the season might be too tall a task. By the time they reach Gainesville, both teams could be walking into a pressure cooker.
Florida will be fresh off matchups with Texas and A&M. State will have already faced A&M and Tennessee. No margin for error here. With Texas up next, this might be the moment where Mississippi State’s season breaks one way or the other.
Missouri vs. Vanderbilt (Oct. 25)
Don’t laugh. Missouri has to survive South Carolina and Alabama early. Then they get Auburn and A&M before Vanderbilt. Last year’s OT win over Vandy proved they’re no pushover. If Missouri trips here, bowl hopes could evaporate. If they handle business, this might be the hinge moment that launches them forward.
Arch Manning vs. DJ Lagway. National spotlight. Playoff weight. This is how stars are made and SEC dreams are broken.
Gary Crosby Jr. (USA Today Network)
Alabama vs. LSU (Nov. 8)
By November, Alabama will have already gone through Georgia and Florida State, shaping its playoff ceiling. Slip-ups against Tennessee or even Vanderbilt could magnify the stakes of this one. South Carolina looms as a trap game too, with an emerging quarterback capable of handing Bama a second loss before Baton Rouge.
Beat LSU, and the Tide stay firmly in the playoff lane. Lose, and the season could spiral with Oklahoma and Auburn still waiting.
Georgia vs. Texas (Nov. 15)
Circle this one. The real stress test for Georgia doesn’t arrive until four weeks in — Alabama. Survive that, navigate a dangerous trip to Auburn in October, and Texas becomes the pivot point. Both teams will be leaning on first-year quarterbacks. Both staff's will be under the national microscope. A win could lock down an SEC Championship berth. A stumble, especially if Auburn already got them, might reshape the entire playoff bracket.
The big picture
Every fan base wants to declare who their team is after one win or one loss. That’s the emotional ride of college football. But the truth is, identity isn’t forged in the highlight reel. It’s in the moment where everything is on the line.
In 2025, the SEC schedule is stacked with those moments. And by the end of the year, we won’t just know who won and lost.
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS:
- Tom Brady helps Shedeur Sanders secure a roster spot in Cleveland
- Was Bill Belichick fired from UNC? Viral social media post dupes Tar Heels fans after embarrassing debut
- Miami legend wants nothing to do with Shannon Sharpe: "I’m shocked at his content"
- Reporter slams ESPN cameraman for alleged inappropriate behavior