ESPN identifies lingering questions for ranked SEC teams

The 2026 college football season is almost here. For now, though, we remain in the heart of talking season. And that means there are lingering questions for some of the nation’s top contenders come fall. Until teams get on the field and get a chance to prove themselves, there will always be a few things that critics can point to as reasons a certain team might not get the job done. But that’s what the season is for. Answering those questions and proving who has what it takes. [ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ] ESPN listed the lingering questions for its preseason top 25 teams. Today, On3 stops to take a look at the top questions for each SEC team. Let’s begin. Georgia Bulldogs Will the receiving corps be up to the task? For a couple years now Georgia has been trying to find the right answers at receiver. The program has taken a handful of high-profile transfers in that timeframe and while it has had some success, it hasn’t found it consistently. Starting quarterback Gunner Stockton is back, so the potential to take a major step forward offensively is certainly there. But the Bulldogs might only get as far as their pass-catchers carry them. Someone has to step up and be an elite threat to force defenses to adjust on an every down basis. Texas Longhorns Will Texas’ offensive line be improved? It’s no secret that Texas’ lack of a run game, primarily prompted by shaky run blocking by the offensive line, really put a ton of pressure on quarterback Arch Manning last year. The Longhorns need to do better, simply put, especially after spending heavily in the transfer portal to enhance the backfield. The good news? Texas was also aggressive landing transfers on the line to answer the questions there. A pair of them will look to join returning starters Trevor Goosby and Connor Robertson to anchor the unit. Will it be enough to help Texas push forward as a well-rounded offense? We’ll see. Ole Miss Rebels Can Pete Golding ride the momentum? ESPN starts its segment on the Rebels by crediting Golding with keeping the program rolling after the departure of Lane Kiffin for the LSU job. And it’s hard to argue with that. Ole Miss really didn’t miss a beat. But doing it with a postseason rallying cry for a few weeks is very different than doing it after the dust has settled and you have a full season to prove it. The good news is Ole Miss has many of the key parts back, starting with Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy. That’s a solid place to start from. Texas A&M Aggies Can a first-time playcaller elevate Marcel Reed and keep the Aggies rolling? Collin Klein departed for the Kansas State head coaching job in the offseason, and coach Mike Elko opted to promote receivers coach Holmon Wiggins to the coordinator position. It’ll be his first time calling plays, and he takes over an offense that must be better to achieve Texas A&M’s long-term goals. Reed has been the ultimate boom or bust quarterback in college so far. He was excellent as the Aggies won their first 11 games in 2025, then hard to watch at times as they dropped the final two. Wiggins will be under the microscope. LSU Tigers Can Lane Kiffin deliver the goods? ESPN’s Andrea Adelson lays things out pretty bluntly, claiming its national title or bust for LSU fans with Kiffin now at the helm. Those are pretty serious expectations to walk into, but Kiffin has not shied away from them. The biggest of the questions might be how well the transfers mesh with what Kiffin wants to do. He brought in 40-plus and will need dozens of them to contribute in a major way right away if LSU is going to lock down a playoff spot and threaten to make a deep run. Oklahoma Sooners Can John Mateer recapture his pre-injury magic? This one is pretty straightforward. Will Mateer be the guy who was one of the Heisman Trophy front-runners before he was hurt or is who he was in the second half of the season after his injury more the norm going forward? If it’s the former, Oklahoma could easily be a contender to make a deep playoff run. Keep in mind, too, that Mateer will have had another year for everyone around him to learn the offense. That could also make a big difference in answering one of the Sooners’ biggest questions. Alabama Crimson Tide Who will start at quarterback: Austin Mack or Keelon Russell? Alabama might have the most high-profile quarterback battle in the sport heading into fall camp. There are reasons either guy could win the job, but the Crimson Tide figure to be in pretty good shape regardless of which one it is. Mack has more experience with DeBoer after coming over from Washington with him. But Russell was an elite high school recruit. Whoever wins the job will inherit sky high expectations in Tuscaloosa, but DeBoer has a great track record of producing strong quarterback play. Tennessee Volunteers Who’s the starting quarterback? Another quarterback question in the SEC. This one has a few guys competing, including Colorado transfer Ryan Staub and freshmen George MacIntyre (a redshirt freshman) and Faizon Brandon. Coach Josh Heupel has said he will name a starter before the season, leaving no doubt. Brandon is an elite recruit and showed out in the spring. ESPN notes he “seems to have the edge in the competition.” MacIntyre was hyped last year before Joey Aguilar took the job for good. Whoever takes the gig, like Alabama under DeBoer, Tennessee has done well at the position with Heupel leading it. This is one of those questions that could seem like a distant memory by midseason, potentially.