CBS Sports released its yearly rankings of all 16 SEC head coaches heading into the 2026 season on Monday.
As he should be, Georgia football’s Kirby Smart sits atop the list. Following the longest-tenured head coach in the SEC is Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, flanked by Alabama‘s Kalen DeBoer, LSU‘s Lane Kiffin and Texas A&M‘s Mike Elko. Just missing the top 5 are Tennessee‘s Josh Heupel and Mizzou‘s Eli Drinkwitz at 6 and 7.
Here’s a look at the rest of the list, put together by CBS Sports CFB writer Brad Crawford:
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The biggest jump on Crawford’s list from 2025 to 2026, technically, is new Florida head coach Jon Sumrall, who ranks 10th after coaching Tulane in 2025. Among returning SEC head coaches, Oklahoma’s Brent Venables jumped from No. 13 to No. 8.
It may sound egregious to have Sumrall at 10th this early, but remember that there are 5 first-year SEC head coaches in the conference this year. Sumrall is the highest ranked of these first years while also coming in higher than South Carolina‘s Shane Beamer (No. 11) and Mississippi State‘s Jeff Lebby (No. 15).
Speaking of Beamer, the Gamecocks head coach dropped the furthest from Crawford’s rankings last year, descending to No. 11 from No. 8. Perhaps no SEC seat is hotter than Beamer’s heading into a crucial 6th season in Columbia.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
