By Mark Pszonak
Most of the attention has been given to the top early season out-of-conference games, but there are plenty of conference games that will be vital in determining the playoff chase in 2025. Here are the top five games to watch in the SEC this season.
1. Texas at Georgia (Saturday, November 15th)
The skinny: A rematch of last season’s SEC Championship, Texas will be hoping to gain some revenge after going 0-2 against the Bulldogs in 2024. The problem is that they’ll need to do so during their first ever trip to Athens. This game will go a long way in determining the SEC but also in creating some momentum in the final push towards the playoffs.
2. Alabama at Georgia (Saturday, September 27th)
The skinny: While Georgia has experienced more overall on-field success in recent years, the Tide remain a huge hurdle. And this is a hurdle the Bulldogs have often tripped over, as they have lost nine of the previous ten games, dating back to 2008. Surprisingly, this will only be the second time these two have met in Athens since 2015, which resulted in a 38-10 victory for the Tide.
3. LSU at Alabama (Saturday, November 8th)
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The skinny: Alabama has dominated this series since 2012, winning 12 of 14 games, including four of the last five. Despite this, it is still one of the more anticipated matchups each year in the SEC. Both teams have some question marks heading into the season, so by early November it will be interesting to see where they stand.
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4. Texas at Florida (Saturday, October 4th)
The skinny: There is plenty of preseason buzz in Gainesville, in large part to quarterback DJ Lagway. Now the Gators must carry that over into the heart of the season. They have plenty of opportunities to continue the buzz with September games against LSU and Miami. By the time the Longhorns roll into Gainesville in early October, how loud will the buzz still be?
5. South Carolina at LSU (Saturday, October 11th)
The skinny: Garrett Nussmeier versus LaNorris Sellers has the potential to be must watch television, especially since it could be a night game in Death Valley. If South Carolina meets expectations, they should be undefeated at this point, despite a tricky trip to Missouri, while LSU has to navigate Clemson, Florida and Ole Miss before the Gamecocks come into town.
