Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Kentucky
LSU
Miss State
Missouri
Oklahoma
Ole Miss
Tennessee
Texas A&M
LEAD STORY: Tide Takes Round One of The Feud
Alabama and Auburn gave Birmingham a preview of what the 2026-27 basketball season might hold, and the Crimson Tide walked away with bragging rights. Alabama defeated Auburn 87-85 Thursday night in the inaugural matchup of The Feud at Legacy Arena, a two-point thriller that felt anything but exhibition-casual.
The neutral-site showdown gave both rosters their first real test against high-major competition before the regular season tips off, and the margin suggests the in-state rivalry will be as tightly contested as ever when the games start counting. For Alabama, the result adds to the sense around the league that the Tide will be a factor again this season.
The exhibition slate stays busy across the SEC. Kentucky hosts No. 19 Texas Tech at Rupp Arena on Friday night — the second of three Wildcats exhibitions — against a Red Raiders team that set a program record with 384 made 3-pointers last season but will be without star JT Toppin, who is still recovering from a torn ACL. Missouri visits Kansas State on Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+, and LSU opened its own exhibition schedule by overwhelming UNT Dallas, 159-31.
QUICK HITS
- Missouri lands in NIL 'Tier 3': A CBS Sports research project built on more than 100 sources pegs Missouri men's basketball in the third tier of high-major spending, estimated at $15.1 million to $17.5 million — alongside SEC peers Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. Per the report, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee and Texas all sit north of $20 million, while the average power-conference roster now costs $13.5 million.
- Mizzou soccer stuns Texas A&M: Missouri scored three unanswered goals to beat Texas A&M 3-2 on Thursday at Walton Soccer Stadium, with Rylie Morse finishing a chaotic sequence off an Emily Derucki touch. It's the Tigers' second straight SEC win, both coming on Thursday nights.
- Arkansas golf honor: Razorbacks freshman Lev Grinberg was named SEC Men's Golfer of the Week after firing a final-round 5-under 67 to climb 12 spots and finish runner-up at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational.
- Lady Vols talk season: Tennessee women's basketball held its annual preseason media day Thursday at Pratt Pavilion as the program turns the page toward the 2026-27 campaign.
- Tide tidbits: Alabama gymnastics' Ghosts edged the Goblins 15-14 in the annual intrasquad meet Thursday, and Alabama baseball hosts UAB in a 14-inning exhibition Friday at 5 p.m. CT in Tuscaloosa.
PORTAL WATCH
No transfer portal movement to report over the last 12 hours. One eligibility note worth tracking from the basketball exhibition scene: Texas Tech's Donovan Atwell was recently granted an injunction making him eligible this season, while Darrion Williams and Jamichael Stillwell are still seeking eligibility rulings — all three are names Kentucky could see Friday night at Rupp.
RECRUITING BUZZ
Quiet morning on the recruiting front — no new commitments across the conference in the last 12 hours. With Week 8 bringing several high-profile SEC matchups and official visitors expected on campuses, that could change by Saturday night.
GAMES TO WATCH
ESPN's Week 8 preview frames this as an elimination weekend in the SEC, with Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU all facing road challenges. The conference slate:
- Texas A&M at Alabama — The Aggies travel to Tuscaloosa as two-score underdogs (Alabama -13.5), with the Tide looking to rebound from back-to-back losses.
- LSU at Auburn — One of the road tests ESPN flags as a potential season-definer for the Tigers.
- Ole Miss at Texas — The Rebels get one of the weekend's toughest road draws in Austin.
- Tennessee at South Carolina — The Vols' trip to Columbia rounds out the trio of road challenges for ranked SEC hopefuls.
- Vanderbilt at Kentucky — A pivotal matchup for both teams' bowl and conference positioning.
- Oklahoma at Mississippi State — The Sooners head to Starkville in a game with real standings implications.
On the hardwood, Kentucky–Texas Tech headlines Friday's exhibition action, and Tennessee swimming and diving faces No. 12/15 Georgia, No. 15/18 Alabama and No. 17/19 Auburn in its second College Swimming League match in Athens at 5:30 p.m.
