On a host of “way too early” top 25 rankings, five or six SEC teams are consistently listed for 2016: Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas.

SEC teams on the outside in the preseason include Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M.

Auburn has plenty of reasons for optimism and a case to be made to be ranked in 2016. Starting with the return of DE Carl Lawson and the combination of offensive line coach Herb Hand and a stable of running backs are just the beginning.

The easiest reason, though, may be the schedule. The Tigers don’t leave home until Oct. 8 at Mississippi State. They open the season with five home games.

Florida could make a case also, especially if the Gators can fix their problems at quarterback. Unranked in the 2015 preseason, the Gators moved into the top 10 before their late-season collapse.

Florida would need to reverse its offensive spiral — the Gators lost their last three games of season by a combined 73 points. But by the end of October, the Gators realistically could knock off SEC opponents Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU and Missouri. If rivals Tennessee and Georgia falter early, the Gators could fill the void.

Contributions from freshmen such as QB Feleipe Franks, CB Chauncey Gardner or WR Freddie Swain would be a big help.

On the surface, the drama and turmoil in College Station, Texas, would make it easy to dismiss Texas A&M as a ranked team at any point in 2016.

But the Aggies return 14 upperclassmen to support the quarterback — likely either Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight or holdover Jake Husenak.

John Chavis’ defense boasts likely NFL first-rounders Myles Garrett and Daylon Mack. What’s more, Christian Kirk led one of the best special teams units in the country in 2015. If the Kevin Sumlin drama and NFL flirtations die down, the Aggies easily could be a ranked team by the end of the season.