Several high-profile SEC teams spent money in the transfer portal, but still have holes as the window has officially closed for players to enter. If there's a solution to their problems, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns, and Tennessee Volunteers will need to find it within the available player pool.
CBS Sports' Carter Bahns clocked all three schools for having critical offensive issues in need of an immediate resolution. Texas and Alabama didn't protect Arch Manning and either Austin Mack or Keelon Russell with enough blue-chip offensive trench talent. Tennessee didn't find a quarterback beyond Colorado Buffaloes QB3 Ryan Staub if Joey Aguilar isn't given another year of eligibility.
Texas may have done a lot of big spending for nothing
The Longhorns, in particular, pushed the chips into the middle of the table for the 2026 season, signing Auburn Tigers WR transfer Cam Coleman, flipping NC State Wolfpack RB transfer Hollywood Smothers from the Tide, and also nabbing Arizona State Sun Devils RB Raleek Brown. By not securing their OL, they leave themselves susceptible to nasty defensive fronts from the Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, and Oklahoma Sooners.
Not securing the offensive trenches might singlehandedly undo Texas's title hopes.
Alabama won't win in the trenches anymore
Alabama, meanwhile, didn't improve in an area that seems forever destined to fail under Kalen DeBoer. With another year passing, there will be even fewer top-line Nick Saban guys for DeBoer to rely on up front. While the Tide will still produce elite skill-position players under DeBoer, the lack of trench talent will be Alabama's undoing in the coming years.
That "Bama Standard" isn't coming back.
Tennessee looking like a one-hit wonder after 2024 CFP appearance
On Rocky Top, there are worries that the Vols are drifting further from their 2024/2025 standard, when Tennessee made the very first 12-team CFP field. Those worries are not unfounded in the slightest, either.
The team had a well-oiled offensive machine in 2025, but the defense took a major step back. It seems the Vols addressed the defense in the portal, but now the offense looks like it'll be a problem.
That 2024 team might've been the most complete Tennessee squad the SEC is going to see this decade if Josh Heupel doesn't figure out how to match his new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' recruiting output on the other side of the ball.