One year after sending a record 14 teams to the 2025 NCAA Tournament and producing its first national champion since 2012, the SEC returned from the stratosphere in 2026. Though it couldn’t match the heights of its historic 2024-25 dominance, it still landed in a good place.
The SEC led college basketball with 10 NCAA Tournament bids in 2026 and represented a quarter of the Sweet 16 before it was boxed out of the Final Four. Now, as the 2026-27 season approaches, the conference is — on many levels — running it back.
Only one school made a coaching change, and LSU‘s new head man isn’t exactly new. It’s former coach Will Wade, whose first stint with the Tigers ended just four and a half years ago. Of the 15 players who earned All-SEC honors last season, seven are back. In the transfer portal era, that’s a significant amount of returning production.
Nowhere is the theme stronger than at Florida. The Gators return four starters from last year’s squad, which earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Furthermore, Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu each played pivotal roles on the program’s 2024 national title team. So did Denzel Aberdeen, who has returned to Gainesville following a one-year stop at Kentucky.
Our panelists unanimously picked Florida to win the league. Here is the full rundown of how we see things playing out in the SEC during the 2026-27 season.
CBS Sports SEC Preseason Player of the Year
Thomas Haugh | SF | Florida
Florida flexed Haugh from the four to the three during his junior season, and the versatile forward adapted well to a perimeter-heavy role as he led the Gators in scoring at 17.1 points per game. His position change allowed coach Todd Golden to start his five best players, and it made a great rebounding team even more dominant on the glass. Haugh could have been a first-round pick in the NBA Draft but is returning to potentially push the Gators to dynastic status. If he can improve his 32.6% 3-point shooting mark from last season, it would go a long way toward addressing one of Florida’s only weaknesses (perimeter shooting) from last season.
CBS Sports SEC Freshman of the Year
Jordan Smith | SG | Arkansas
Goodbye, Darius Acuff Jr. Hello, Jordan Smith Jr. Replacing the SEC’s leading scorer and No. 7 pick in the NBA Draft is a tall task, but with Smith, Arkansas coach John Calipari has another one-and-done stud on his hands. Smith likely won’t touch Acuff’s scoring tlevels, but there is real dimension to his game. He finished with 20 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds and four steals during a summer exhibition win in the Bahamas. If Arkansas needs Smith to score, he can. But he won’t always need the ball in his hands to make a positive impact.
Four more players to watch
Tyler Tanner | PG | Vanderbilt
Tanner earned third-team All-American honors from CBS Sports after a breakout sophomore season. The undersized local product could have gone anywhere — including the NBA Draft — but opted for a return to a Vanderbilt program in the midst of a renaissance under third-year coach Mark Byington. Among returning SEC players, only Mississippi State‘s Josh Hubbard averaged more points than Tanner, who put up 19.5 per game along with 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals. He’s a great finisher at the rim for his size and should only be better after adding muscle to his frame during the offseason.
Milan Momcilovic | SF | Kentucky
After several high-profile swings and misses during the roster construction process, Kentucky could not afford to miss on Momcilovic. It did not. Now it’s time for the former Iowa State marksman to hold up his end of the bargain. Momcilovic led the nation with 136 made 3s last season and also led the nation in 3-point percentage at 48.7%. Whether you get it to him in transition, off a screen or from a handoff, Momcilovic is nails from the outside. Just don’t expect him to create shots for himself.
Juke Harris | SF | Tennesse
Harris is the No. 8 ranked transfer of the cycle after finishing third in the ACC in scoring with 21.4 points per game at Wake Forest last season. The dynamic 6-foot-7 wing could be the fourth straight transfer to lead Tennessee in scoring. The previous three led the Volunteers to the Elite Eight. Can Harris be the one who takes them to their first-ever Final Four?
PJ Haggerty | SG | Texas A&M
The only Big 12 player to average more points per game last season than Haggerty was No. 1 overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa. Though he was toiling in obscurity for a bad Kansas State team, Haggerty proved once again that he is a walking bucket by averaging 23.4 points. Now on his fifth school in five years, the contact-seeking guard is primed to become the offensive engine for Texas A&M. Haggerty is not a high-volume 3-point shooter, but keeping him off the foul line is a chore.
SEC predicted order of finish
1. Florida
Breakdown: After earning a No. 1 seed in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history, the Gators are primed to do it again and to contend for a second national title in a three-year span. In a transfer-crazed sport, the Gators stand out for what they didn’t do. The only incoming transfer is Denzel Aberdeen, who was a key rotation piece on the 2025 Florida title team before spending last season at Kentucky.
Florida struggled with perimeter shooting last season, ranking 321st in 3-point percentage at 31.2%. The Gators need someone other than Urban Klavzar to step up and consistently knock down 3s at a 35% clip or better. If Boogie Fland and/or Thomas Haugh can check that box, then watch out. A whole new level of dominance could be coming for a team that is guaranteed to be great defensively and on the glass.
2. Texas
Breakdown: Texas made a surprise run to the Sweet 16 in coach Sean Miller’s first season after losing five of its final six games before Selection Sunday and barely squeaking into the First Four. Now, after a year on the job, Miller is leveling the Longhorns up with a massive talent infusion. When combining high school recruiting and transfer classes, the Longhorns’ incoming haul ranks No. 1, per 247Sports.
Five-star freshmen Marcus Spears and Austin Goosby are attention-grabbers. But UT’s riches are so grand that those two may not even start. The lone returner is a potential all-SEC performer at center in Matas Vokietaitis. TCU transfer David Punch will play next to him as a rugged winner at power forward. At guard, Colorado transfer Isaiah Johnson is a top-15 transfer in the sport with three years of eligibility remaining, and Mikey Lewis from Saint Mary’s brings upside as well.
3. Arkansas
Breakdown: John Calipari is welcoming another top-ranked recruiting class as the Razorbacks replace last year’s freshman studs Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas. No. 2-ranked prospect Jordan Smith Jr. is the headliner, and the 6-foot-2 guard will do a lot for the Razorbacks. JJ Andrews (a five-star wing) and Miikka Muurinen (a Finnish 7-footer) are two more freshmen to know. But as Arkansas seeks to go beyond the Sweet 16 after stalling there in Calipari’s first two seasons, it will have some veterans in the mix.
The key returner is junior wing Billy Richmond III, a dynamic two-way wing who will be an NBA scout’s dream if he can start making more than 25.9% of his 3-pointers. Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson is a high-volume 3-point shooter who averaged 17.4 points last season. Furman transfer Cooper Bowser is poised to bruise on the block after averaging 13.8 points for the Paladins. This looks like the right mix of vets and newbies.
4. Tennessee
Breakdown: Tennessee has ranked among the top 15 defenses at KenPom each of the past six seasons. It has never finished among the top 15 offenses in that span. Is this the season that changes? Rick Barnes, 72, went all-in on offense with the nation’s No. 3 transfer haul. The headliner is Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, who averaged 21.4 points per game last season. But that’s just the beginning.
Dai Dai Ames (16.9 PPG at Cal), Terrence Hill Jr. (15.0 PPG at VCU), Jalen Haralson (16.2 PPG at Notre Dame) and Tyler Lundblade (15.6 PPG at Belmont) bring ample offensive pop as well. This should be Barnes’ best offense since 2019. If he can coax elite defense from this roster as well? Look out.
5. Alabama
Breakdown: Alabama‘s 2026 season was defined in part by distraction. The Crimson Tide brought back a center from the G League after he’d been away from the program for two and a half years. Then, star guard Aden Holloway got hit with felony drug charges before the NCAA Tournament. Did we mention that coach Nate Oats is now married to a former Crimson Tide staffer who is rejoining the program? The Crimson Tide still won 25 games and reached the Sweet 16.
OK, back to basketball. With Holloway back and sophomore wing Amari Allen poised to become a 2027 lottery pick, this isn’t a total rebuild. Another sophomore wing, London Jamison, is poised to take a step forward as well. Boise State transfer Drew Fielder fits the Bama archetype of a stretch four, and in-conference transfers Brandon Garrison (Kentucky) and Jamarion Davis-Fleming (Mississippi State) bring the muscle down low. This team will go as far as the Holloway-Allen-Jemison trio can take it.
6. Kentucky
Breakdown: After point guard injuries limited the potential of his first two Kentucky teams and often left the Wildcats without a natural facilitator, Mark Pope appears poised to start two of them together. Transfers Zoom Diallo (Washington) and Alex Wilkins (Furman) averaged 4.5 and 4.7 assists, respectively, last season.
One of their chief responsibilities at UK will be to get Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic the basketball in rhythm. The nation’s best 3-point shooter brought a sigh of relief to Big Blue Nation when he committed to the Wildcats. Momcilovic’s commitment and sophomore center Malachi Moreno‘s decision to spurn the NBA Draft restored some faith in this team’s potential after Pope missed on some high-profile targets. One wild card to watch on this roster is Senegalese 7-footer Ousmane N’Diaye. If he’s ready for this level of competition, there is appealing versatility in his skill set.
7. Vanderbilt
Breakdown: Vanderbilt’s two-year turnaround under Mark Byington is a sight to behold after he inherited a 9-23 team following the 2023-24 season. He is 47-22 with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and appears to have another strong team. It all starts with junior guard Tyler Tanner.
The local product did it all for the Commodores last season and will again this season, but with a different supporting cast. Washington State transfer Ace Glass III and highly touted freshman Gabe Nesmith will provide scoring support on the perimeter. Vandy has been chronically undersized under Byington. Seven-footer Bangot Dak may be his best rim protector yet after blocking 1.6 shots per game at Colorado last season. But he’ll need to stay healthy and out of foul trouble unless the ‘Dores want to roll with Nebraska transfer Berke Buyuktuncel as a small-ball five.
8. Missouri
Breakdown: Missouri‘s outlook hinges to an extent on whether fifth-year forward Mark Mitchell can get eligible after leading the Tigers in scoring the past two seasons. Getting the two-time All-SEC forward back would be a gift. If it doesn’t pan out, that just means freshman guard Jason Crowe Jr. will carry an even greater share of the offensive load.
The five-star California product is Mizzou’s second-highest rated commitment in program history and will orchestrate the attack for fifth-year coach Dennis Gates. Even if Mitchell isn’t cleared, the Tigers will have plenty of size. Rugged and well-traveled forward Jaylen Carey is a bruiser who has proven himself at Vanderbilt and Tennessee. Kansas transfer Bryson Tiller is another big with skill.
Meet Jason Crowe Jr., the most prolific scorer in high school hoops, who could change Missouri’s fortunes
Cameron Salerno
9. Texas A&M
Breakdown: Texas A&M coach Buck McMillan proved his up-tempo “Buckyball” style can work in the SEC last season as his first team finished 11-7 in the league and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That team featured a balanced group of scorers. This offense will likely skew toward PJ Haggerty.
The 6-foot-3 Kansas State transfer has averaged 21+ points per game at three different schools over the past three seasons and was a second-team All-American at Memphis in 2025. If fifth-year players Rylan Griffen (returner) and Jordan Pope (Texas) stay eligible, it will give McMillan the shooting he needs to keep the floor spaced around Haggerty, who likes to drive and draw contact. The Aggies are light on interior heft, but Tennessee transfer Cade Phillips will be a lob threat on Haggerty’s slashes, and returner Zach Clemence is a 6-foot-11 floor-spacer.
10. Auburn
Breakdown: The coaching handoff from Bruce Pearl to son Steven Pearl could have gone better as the Tigers missed the NCAA Tournament in 2026 following a dismal second half of league play. Auburn did rally to win the NIT, however, and the Tigers have reloaded entering 2026-27.
Starting guards Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton are back after finishing second and third on the team in scoring. That 1-2 punch will be complemented by a couple of high-volume 3-point shooters transferring in from nearby mid-majors. Thomas Dowd (Troy) and Adam Olsen (South Alabama) are both 6-foot-8 marksmen who will keep the floor spaced. Auburn’s ceiling may be determined by how French 7-footer Narcisse Ngoy and Creighton transfer Owen Freeman pan out in the paint. After a bad season for the Tigers’ defense, they need Ngoy to be a great rim protector.
11. Georgia
Breakdown: Georgia earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season — its best since 2002 — after posting a winning record in conference play for the first time in a decade. Now, the Bulldogs are running it back with three of their top four scorers.
Guards Marcus Millender and Blue Cain combine with forward Kanon Catchings to give fifth-year coach Mike White a strong nucleus. Replacing the shot-swatting duo of Somto Cyril and Justin Abson could be more challenging after Georgia ranked No. 3 nationally with six blocks per game last season. Transfers James Scott (Ole Miss) and Andrew Osasuyi (St. Bonaventure) will take on that challenge after proving themselves to be good rim protectors at their prior stops.
12. LSU
Breakdown: The saga over who will be eligible for coach Will Wade in his return to LSU is continuing through the preseason as the Tigers await NCAA clearance for a handful of international players and legal cover for fifth-year transfers like Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent.
If everything pans out in LSU’s favor, the Tigers will have their best team since Wade’s firing amid a recruiting scandal just before the 2022 NCAA Tournament. But if Wade can’t get foreign pros like Saliou Niang, Gilad Levy, Brice Dessert and Michael Ruzic eligible, this will be a lean roster that struggles to keep up in an SEC that has improved since Wade’s first stint in the league.
Tracking Will Wade’s ‘unconventional’ roster at LSU: Who’s eligible and who’s on the outside looking in?
Cameron Salerno
13. Oklahoma
Breakdown: Had the NCAA Tournament been 76 teams last season, Oklahoma would have made it after the Sooners staged a furious late rally which left them just on the wrong side of the bubble. Whether the 2026-27 team makes it could be determined by the eligibility fates of two key transfers.
Fifth-year hopefuls B.J. Edwards (SMU) and Duke Brennan (Villanova) are relying on the judicial system for eligibility and could be significant difference makers. Brennan averaged 12.4 points and 10.3 rebounds on 65.8% shooting last season while Edwards averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.3 steals last season. If sixth-year coach Porter Moser is able to combine Edwards with returning guard Xzayvier Brown and Texas A&M transfer Pop Isaacs, it will give OU one of the league’s better back courts.
14. Ole Miss
Breakdown: After losing 12 of its final 13 regular-season games, Ole Miss won three straight at the SEC Tournament and took Arkansas to overtime in the semifinals before bowing out. When most teams would have mailed it in, the Rebels kept fighting. But it still went down as the first losing season of coach Chris Beard’s career.
What’s being done to fix it? The addition of Seton Hall transfer Adam “Budd” Clark at point guard gives the offense a more natural origination point. He loves to touch the paint, which will allow returning guards Ilias Kamardine and Patton Pinkins the chance to spread out around the arc for 3-point opportunities. The most interesting newcomer is wing Ben Henshall, a 22-year old veteran of Australia’s NBL who may be talented enough to get The Rebels right back in the NCAA Tournament hunt.
15. Mississippi State
Breakdown: Josh Hubbard is the face of Mississippi State basketball and is soon to be the program’s all-time leading scorer. The 6-foot guard enters his fourth season needing just 196 points to surpass Jeff Malone’s current mark of 2,142 points. After averaging a career-best 22.1 points last season, it shouldn’t take Hubbard long to get there.
The question is whether Mississippi State’s supporting cast will be good enough to get the Bulldogs back to the Big Dance after they missed it for the first time in Chris Jans’ tenure. Now entering Year 5, Jans overhauled the roster with some better shooting after the Bullies ranked 273rd nationally in 3-point percentage at 32.4% and 356th (out of 365) in free-throw shooting at just 66%. RJ Johnson hit 42.3% of his 3-pointers at Kennesaw State last season while Kendyl Sanders (Utah) and TJ Simpkins (Seton Hall) were each quality perimeter shooters for high-major programs.
16. South Carolina
Breakdown: Over the past 22 seasons South Carolina has made the NCAA Tournament only twice. Fifth-year coach Lamont Paris is responsible for one of those trips. But the highs of a 26-win 2023-24 campaign feel increasingly distant after the Gamecocks totaled just 25 victories over the past two seasons. Another losing year would come as no shock unless a motley group of transfers can punch above its weight.
Ex-Purdue and Texas sharpshooter Camden Heide has been around the block and played meaningful roles on good teams. Wisconsin transfer Aleksas Bieliauskas has some breakout potential after starting for the Badgers as a freshman and stretching the floor as a 6-10 forward. George Mason transfer Kory Mincy led South Carolina in scoring during a two-game August exhibition tour, but he’s not the sort of program-changing talent the Gamecocks need to rediscover the magic of three seasons ago.
SEC expert picks
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