CBS Sports Releases 2026 SEC Coach Rankings

CBS Sports released SEC Head Coach rankings on Monday.

Georgia's Kirby Smart was ranked No. 1, followed by Texas' Steve Sarkisian, Alabama's Kalen DeBoer, LSU's Lane Kiffin, and Texas A&M's Mike Elko to round out the Top 5.

Here's what they had to say about Smart, who holds down the No. 1 spot for another year:

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1. Kirby Smart, Georgia
National rank: No. 2

Smart has Georgia exactly where it expects to be heading into 2026: atop the SEC and firmly in the national championship conversation. Fresh off another conference title, the Bulldogs return the talent, depth and defensive edge necessary to survive the league's weekly grind with a veteran quarterback to run the show. There are personnel questions in a couple of areas, particularly at wideout, but Smart's recruiting machine has made rebuilding almost obsolete in Athens.

Georgia reloads faster than most programs can recover, and few rosters are better equipped to handle late-season football than the Bulldogs. Until someone consistently knocks Smart from his perch, Georgia remains the favorite. Smart has spent much of the offseason addressing college football's growing list of issues while continuing to serve as one of the SEC's leading voices. That influence is earned. After guiding Georgia to the conference's last two national championships, Smart has established himself as one of the sport's most relevant and respected figures. Last year: No. 1 in SEC

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Complete SEC Coach Rankings:
1. Kirby Smart, Georgia
2. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
3. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
4. Lane Kiffin, LSU
5. Mike Elko, Texas A&M
6. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
7. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
8. Brent Venables, Oklahoma
9. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
10. Jon Sumrall, Florida
11. Shane Beamer, South Carolina
12. Alex Golesh, Auburn
13. Pete Golding, Ole Miss
14. Ryan Silverfield, Arkansas
15. Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State
16. Will Stein, Kentucky