Post-spring overreactions for every SEC team

Spring practices are officially over across college football. And with no NCAA transfer portal window for schools to worry about, focus shifts to summer workouts. Before we can blink, fall camp will be underway ahead of season openers.

Now is the time for overreactions to take place and for fanbases to find reasons to believe in their team. So, CBS Sports decided to put together a list for every team in the SEC ahead of the 2026 season.

Every program is given an overreaction as to why things will unfold this fall. Let’s get this rolling in Tuscaloosa before touching on the conference’s other 15 teams.

Alabama Crimson Tide

CBS Sports overreaction: “Motivation is real in Tuscaloosa.”

Before the Rose Bowl took place, many thought Kalen DeBoer had Alabama back on the right track. Indiana quickly changed the mood in Tuscaloosa, though. Now, you have to imagine people inside the building are motivated to prove the Crimson Tide is still a force.

Arkansas Razorbacks

CBS Sports overreaction: “Resets take (a lot of) time.”

Ryan Silverfield is not inheriting an easy situation. Arkansas became one of the SEC’s bottom swellers under Sam Pittman, even after looking like they were ready to compete. CBS Sports is calling for a little bit of patience here, maybe not expecting much in 2026.

Auburn Tigers

CBS Sports overreaction: “Byrum Brown is the least of the Tigers’ worries.”

Auburn never really got the quarterback position right under Hugh Freeze. And to no surprise, Alex Golesh looked to bring in his own guy. Brown is the one who will man the position, but the feeling is a little bit different. Golesh and Brown worked together at USF, meaning there is no learning curve for QB1.

Florida Gators

CBS Sports overreaction: “Quarterback play under microscope.”

The third straight team on this list with a new head coach, CBS Sports also turned to quarterbacks when listing overreactions. Florida is letting a competition unfold in front of its eyes, likely until the season opener. Gators fans have to be anxious to see who will emerge from Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones.

Georgia Bulldogs

CBS Sports overreaction: “Mike Bobo has a wide receiver problem.”

A more negative overreaction, Georgia does have to rework the wide receiver room a little bit. Zachariah Branch was a huge part of the offense last season, now getting his NFL career underway. Who Gunner Stockton will be throwing the ball to on a consistent basis is something CBS Sports appears to worry about.

Kentucky Wildcats

CBS Sports overreaction: “Will Stein faces a steeper climb than all other SEC coaches.”

Even if Kentucky fans were calling for a move for a while, firing Mark Stoops was not an easy decision. However, Stein comes to the program as a well-regarded, young mind in football. Still, his job is going to be tough moving forward, as UK looks to climb the SEC ladder.

LSU Tigers

CBS Sports overreaction: “Grab the Sharpie for the Tigers’ playoff berth.”

LSU has not seen the College Football Playoff since the famous 2019 national championship. Brian Kelly could not get the Tigers into the field, whether it was at four or 12 teams. Could Lane Kiffin have LSU back in the mix in his first year?

Mississippi State

CBS Sports overreaction: “Lack of buzz not necessarily a good thing.”

Usually, the third year of a head coach is when you can count on some kind of explosion. But to this point, Jeff Lebby is not receiving much buzz out of Starkville. You can place CBS Sports in the boat of people concerned about that.

Missouri Tigers

CBS Sports overreaction: “Roster optimization wavering.”

CBS Sports wonders if Missouri’s attempt to hit “portal home runs” will catch up to them. Eli Drinkwitz is not afraid to dip his toe into the high school ranks, though. Eleven, 10, and eight wins have come in the last three years. Falling below that mark would give us an answer to this overreaction.

Oklahoma Sooners

CBS Sports overreaction: “Slight regression incoming.”

The vibe around Oklahoma following a CFP appearance appeared positive. A 10-2 regular season record was even a nice surprise. CBS Sports might believe the results may not be as good in ’26. “Slight regression” might indicate something more like 9-3 or maybe even 8-4.

Ole Miss Rebels

CBS Sports overreaction: “Defensive personnel changes are significant.”

Ole Miss has seen nothing but improvements with its defense since Pete Golding was hired. Golding takes over as the head coach but loses a chunk of key pieces. Whether or not the Rebels can replace them might be the difference.

South Carolina Gamecocks

CBS Sports overreaction: “Guaranteed improvements on the ground.”

South Carolina finished in the bottom three in rushing yards per game at just over 111. Only Alabama and LSU were worse than the Gamecocks. Apparently, things cannot get worse when handing the ball off to the running backs.

Tennessee Volunteers

CBS Sports overreaction: “Josh Heupel‘s offense takes a step back.”

Related to the offense, Tennessee falls into the category of ‘Quarterback battle taking place this offseason.’ The Vols have scrambled at the position the past couple of years, some of which have not been in their control. Heupel will usher somebody new in ahead of the opener.

Texas Longhorns

CBS Sports overreaction: “Texas is preseason No. 1.”

Texas has received hype ever since rosters across the country were finalized. Steve Sarkisian did a great job of building up his team, both through the high school ranks and the NCAA transfer portal. Add in Arch Manning‘s return, and the Longhorns might be atop the preseason AP poll.

Texas A&M Aggies

CBS Sports overreaction: “Linebacker production is worrisome.”

Linebacker was going to be a concern for Texas A&M heading into 2026, no matter what. Seeing Taurean York leave for the NFL was a major blow for the program. But losing Daymion Sanford to a leg injury during the spring game only added to the worry. Mike Elko has questions to answer about the middle portion of his defense.

Vanderbilt Commodores

CBS Sports overreaction: “Diego Pavia Part II?”

Few stars in college football were bigger than Pavia once moving to Nashville. Now, Vanderbilt is hoping another one is next in the assembly line. The name Jared Curtis has been household for those who follow recruiting for a while. Curtis wants to become more mainstream by impressing as a true freshman.