Week 5 brought chaos and clarity to the SEC landscape. A monumental upset in Athens has completely reshuffled the top of the conference, while a shootout in Oxford established a new contender. Down in the cellar, the gap between the struggling and the completely hopeless continues to widen.
Here’s a quick look back at how the power rankings were last week, and how all 16 teams stack up heading into Week 6.
SEC Power Rankings
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1)
- (Previously: 6) 🔼
- The Tide are back. Going into Athens and snapping Georgia's 33-game home winning streak is the most impressive win in college football this season. Ty Simpson played with poise, and the defense looked elite.
2. Ole Miss Rebels (5-0)
- (Previously: 4) 🔼
- In a battle of titans, the Rebels outlasted LSU in a 24-19 thriller. They are undefeated and have a legitimate claim as one of the best teams in the country.
3. Texas A&M Aggies (4-0)
- (Previously: 3) ➖
- The Aggies took care of business against Auburn in a 16-10 defensive slugfest. It wasn't pretty, but they remain undefeated heading into a brutal stretch.
4. Georgia Bulldogs (3-1)
- (Previously: 1) 🔽
- The home streak is over. The loss to Alabama exposes some offensive vulnerabilities and drops the Bulldogs from the top spot, which isn't great news for the Cats who head to Athens Saturday.
5. LSU Tigers (4-1)
- (Previously: 2) 🔽
- Losing a close road game to an undefeated Ole Miss team is nothing to be ashamed of. The Tigers are still a major threat, but they slide behind the teams with stronger résumés.
6. Tennessee Volunteers (4-1)
- (Previously: 7) 🔼
- Winning a 41-34 overtime thriller on the road against Mississippi State is a huge rebound win for the Vols. The offense is explosive, and they showed grit when it mattered.
7. Missouri Tigers (5-0)
- (Previously: 8) 🔼
- Mizzou just keeps winning. They crushed UMass 42-6 and are quietly putting together a fantastic season. They are undefeated and earning their respect.
8. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-0)
- (Previously: 11) 🔼
- Vandy is the best story in the SEC. They throttled Utah State 55-35 to move to 5-0. Diego Pavia is a legitimate star, and the Commodores are a real threat in the SEC.f
9. Oklahoma Sooners (3-1)
- (Previously: 5) 🔽
- The Sooners drop during their bye week simply due to the impressive wins by Tennessee, Mizzou, and Vandy.
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-1)
- (Previously: 9) 🔽
- Losing a heartbreaker in overtime to a good Tennessee team is tough. The Bulldogs are a solid team, but they fall just short of that next tier.
11. Auburn Tigers (3-2)
- (Previously: 10) 🔽
- Auburn’s defense is legit, but the offense continues to hold them back. A 16-10 loss at Texas A&M drops them another spot.
12. Texas Longhorns (3-1)
- (Previously: 12) ➖
- The Longhorns stay at the same spot during their bye week as they look to knock off Florida next week.
13. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-2)
- (Previously: 13) ➖
- The Gamecocks needed a "get right" game, and they got one, annihilating Kentucky 35-13. It was a dominant performance that provides a glimmer of hope. Still they don't move up.
14. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3)
- (Previously: 13) 🔽
- Getting blown out at home, 56-13, by Notre Dame is a disaster. The Razorbacks look completely lost and Sam Pittman may be out of a job soon.
15. Kentucky Wildcats (2-2)
- (Previously: 15) ➖
- While they can't fall any lower in the rankings, because Florida is terrible so far, this was the worst performance of the season. Humiliated by South Carolina, the Wildcats are in a complete freefall.
16. Florida Gators (1-4)
- (Previously: 16) ➖
- The Gators had a bye week, which mercifully saved them from another loss. They remain firmly in the cellar at least until they play Kentucky later this year.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion