Head-to-head matchups that you should pay attention to at the 2025 SEC outdoor light athletics championships

The athletics championships of the SEC Outdoor men and women are always one of the Premier meetings in College. The meeting of 2025 should be no different. The SEC championships are filled with high-ranking teams and invited with some of the best performers of the regular season, creating must-watch matchups. Here is a look at some of the best potential head-to-head matchups that you can see.

Note: At the time of the letter (Wednesday, May 7th), the starting lists for the SEC championships were not published, which means that the athletes listed below may not take part in an event. These are not guaranteed, as some matchups may need athletes to reach the final to find out.

Complete reporting: updates, schedule and results for the athletics championships of 2025 sec outdoor and field

Men

100 meters – Israel Occon (Auburn) against Kanyinsola Ajayi (Auburn) against Jordan Anthony (Arkansas) against Jelani Watkins (LSU)

The second 100 meters is open this year. Auburn's Israel Occon ran 9.91 (+2.9) and 10.07 in his two races this year, and his team-mate Kanyinsola Ajayi has run a wind legal 9.96 in its single 100 meters.

However, this is not a competition between the Auburn Tigers, since a few dual sports athletes will compete for the 100-meter crown. Jordan Anthony from Arkansas and Jelani Watkins from LSU ran 9.98 seconds or 10.01 seconds. The Sprinter quartet will make the 100 exciting in Lexington this year.

Data records: Each athletics record 2025 broken

110 hurdles – Ja'kobe Tharp (Auburn) against everyone else

If you win a title, a goal is on your back and the Ja'kobe Tharp von Auburn has that after winning the Title Outdoor 110 Hurdles in the outdoor hurdles last year and won the NCAA title in Indoor 60 this year. Tharp must defend his SEC title, which he won this year, to know with the additional pressure that he did not lead the fastest time to enter the meeting.

Kendrick Smallwood in Texas leads the nation with its 13.07 (+2.3), while Florida's Demaris Waters has the top wind-legal time of 13.21 (+0.7). Ja'qualon Scott from Texas A & M and the hurdle of LSU by Matthew Sophia and Jahiem Star also ran faster than the defending champion SEC 110 hurdles that cannot be awarded.

That is six of the top eight times in the nation in the Sec. Show your popcorn.

400 hurdles – Jevon Williams (Tennessee) against Kody Blackwood (Texas)

Déjà vu? No, it's just the Sec. You will recognize this when you run Tennessees Jevon Williams and Kody Blackwood from Texas at the SEC championships with the 400 hurdles.

Williams defeated Blackwood in the fastest 400 hurdle race of the nation at the beginning of this year at Tom Jones Invitational when the duo exceeded a professional Olympian (Trevor Basitt), as both went under 49 seconds.

If we receive a repetition of this race at the Secl championships, we will deal with a treat.

Meet after 2025: Penn Relays | Florida relay | Texas relay

800 meters – Abdullahi Hassan (Mississippi State) against Rivaldo Marshall (Arkansas)

Abdullahi Hassan and Rivaldo Marshall have been two of the best 800 meters of the NCAA for several years. The two were both in the Big Ten in 2024 before switching to the second. Now only 0.2 seconds separate the best times of the season in 2025, with both athletes nationwide among the top 4 of 800 in the top 4.

In the past two years, Rivaldo Marshall has finished in front of Abdullahi Hassan in three of the five races in which both of them run. With the high operations of the SEC, we receive another chapter on this rivalry.

Past Sec Outdoor Championships: 2024 | 2023

Women

100 hurdles – Habiba Harris (Florida) against Akala Garrett (Texas) against Jaiya Covington (Texas A & M) against Myreanna Bebe (Tennessee)

As always, the SEC 100 hurdles are loaded in 2025. Habiba Harris, Akala Garrett, Jaiya Covington and Myreana Bebe have four of the five top times (all-condition) in the country and none of the four best finisher 2025 this year.

In fact, Jaiya Covington is the only finalist of the SEC championships of the past year when she became fifth. Of course, the Aggie has added its NCAA indoor 60 hurdle title to its resume. Nevertheless, she only has the third fastest time in the quartet.

Akala Garrett ran 12.75 (+2.6) this year and this year went under-13.1 seconds at three of her four meetings. Habiba Harris has the national leadership after 12.69 seconds (+2.1 and is just a newcomer.

Let's not forget myreanna bebe. It has the fastest wind-legal time of the nation this year by 12.81 seconds (+1.8) to send an explanation open.

What has become a fan favorite event in recent years to do justice to the hype, as these four women run at the 100 hurdles at the SecC championships.

Award Watch: Here are the Bowerman leader that occurs in May

100 meters – Jameesia Ford (South Carolina) against Camryn Dickson (Texas A & M)

The SEC always has its share of diverse sprinters, and this year Jamesia Ford and Camryn Dickson are two of the best. Ford ran 11.02 and Dickson around 11.04 in the 100 meters, both above the permissible wind.

But wind doesn't matter if you are on the track right next to each other. Just beat your opponent.

And if the 100 meters were not enough, Ford and Dickson also have two of the top 5 all conditions this year. More about this race below.

200 meters – Jasmine Montgomery (Texas A & M) against Dejanea Oakley

Jameesia Ford and Camryn Dickson will be candidates to win the 200 meters at the SEC championships, but they first have to come past a few fascinating competitors.

Jasmine Montgomery fell from fullness when she ran a 22,17 -May mai in the 200 meters. However, there was a wind of +3.5, and Montgomery had previously no better than 22.59 in her career.

Then there is Georgia's Dejanea Oakley. With 22.43 seconds she has the number 2 wind-legal time in the country, but this time is not among the five most important all-conditions this year.

Montgomery and Oakley both ran quickly this year, apart from the conditions. If the two meet on the route in Lexington, they will support their impressive regular seasons on the way to a title.

Halfway there: 6 superlatives in the in -season for the 2025 di outdoor and field athletics season

400 meters – Aaliyah Butler (Georgia) against Kaylyn Brown (Arkansas)

Last year, Aaliyah Butler was the biggest threat to the historical group of Arkansas of quarter milkers from titles. This year Butler remains the top threat to keep a razor paint from holding a trophy, but Arkansas does not have the same Crowd From heavy rackets like last year.

However, the Razorbacks still have Kaylyn Brown, who is still looking for their first race of the season under the age of 50. Could the run against Butler, who has the national leadership in 49.44 seconds, push Brown to a pace of Sub-50? Will Butler's unbeaten regular season continue in the 400?

This is a great matchup that you have to watch.

400 hurdles – Rachel Glenn (Arkansas) against Akala Garrett (Texas)

Three women ran under 54 seconds in the 400 hurdles this season. Rachel Glenn and Akala Garrett are two of the three in the Sec. We saw the race of Sub-54 second races with all three women in Tom Jones Invitational.

Glenn exceeded Garrett in Gainesville by 0.25 seconds, but everything could happen in Lexington when the two meet again.

Dreier a spell: ranking of the top 10 sprint distance field trios in NCAA light athletics

High jump – Rachel Glenn (Arkansas) against Elena Kuichenko (Georgia)

Glenn against bullets. We have seen this fight several times on the NCAA championship stage and we will see it again at the SEC championships. When these two compete, the bar goes higher and higher.

Triple Jump – Agur Dwol (Oklahoma) against Winny BII (Texas A & M)

Two of the country's top triple jumpers will compete for a second title. Agur DWOL has a NCAA title in Indoor and the only woman who surpasses 14 meters at 14.01 m during the outdoor season. Winny BII agreed with 14.01 meters from DWOL during the inside.

These are two women who can jump beyond 14 meters, but only one conference title for the recording.

Awards: The 2025 Bowerman observation list for the NCAA light athletics for men and women

Heptathlon – Sofia Iakushina (Texas A & M) against Pippi Lotta Enok (Oklahoma)

The two top heptathles that occur in May come from the Sec and their names are Sofia Iakushina and Pippi Lotta Enok. Nevertheless, the two heptachets come into the SEC championships with different perspectives. Iakushina is a newcomer who takes part in her first outdoor second championships, while Enok is a former NCAA champion and has won the 2023 heptathlon title.

It is a classic story of the Rookie vs. The Vet at the Sec cup.