SEC power rankings see few changes after quiet Week 9
There wasn’t much chaos in the SEC while LSU was on a bye in Week 9.
The only real upset of the day came in Columbia, South Carolina, where the Gamecocks’ stay in the top 25 lasted just one week after Missouri upset them 23-10 on their home field.
Otherwise, Georgia and Ole Miss prevailed over Florida and Texas A&M, respectively, despite scares in the second half, while Tennessee flat-out dominated Kentucky in a 44-6 win.
Oh, and Auburn finally pulled the plug on Bryan Harsin 21 games into his tenure after a 14-point home loss to Arkansas on Saturday.
A number of teams had byes in addition to LSU, and our power rankings didn’t see a major shakeup following Week 9. Here’s how things stand entering a loaded Week 10 slate.
Vanderbilt Commodores (3-5, 0-4 SEC)
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 14
Week 9 Result: Bye
The Skinny: Vanderbilt had the week off after squandering a winnable game in a three-point road loss against Missouri. The Commodores have another shot at getting the first SEC win of the Clark Lea era this weekend when they host South Carolina, which is reeling after a disappointing loss at home.
Auburn Tigers (3-5, 1-4 SEC)
Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Previous Ranking: 13
Week 9 Result: L 41-27 vs. Arkansas
The Skinny: Once again, the Tigers didn’t show much life in a two-score loss to the Razorbacks at Jordan-Hare Stadium, especially defensively. They were gashed by Raheim Sanders, and following the loss and the hiring of athletic director John Cohen, Auburn fired Harsin midway through his second season, promoting former player Cadillac Williams to interim. We’ll see if that can spark something in this struggling team down the stretch.
South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 9
Week 9 Result: L 23-10 vs. Missouri
The Skinny: South Carolina’s record felt a bit fraudulent, and it proved to be on Saturday as the team showed little fight in a disappointing home loss against a struggling Missouri team. This team can’t figure much out on offense, and wins over Will Levis-less Kentucky and pre-Conner Weigman Texas A&M can only carry the Gamecocks so far.
Missouri Tigers (4-4, 2-3 SEC)
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 12
Week 9 Result: W 23-10 at No. 25 South Carolina
The Skinny: On the bright side, the Tigers have now won back-to-back games, one of which was a ranked victory. Unfortunately, Mizzou closes SEC play with contests against Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. It will need to win one of those games if it has any hope of going bowling.
Florida Gators (4-4, 1-4 SEC)
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
Previous Ranking: 10
Week 9 Result: L 42-20 vs. No. 1 Georgia
The Skinny: The Gators’ loss to UGA on Saturday wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and they actually brought it within one score in the second half thanks to a few big plays. But Florida’s defense had no answer for Brock Bowers as the Bulldogs ultimately pulled away. This is a rebuilding year for the Gators, but their 1-4 start to SEC play is their worst since 1979, a season in which they finished winless. Next week’s road bout against Texas A&M feels like a must-win if this team is going to end the year on any semblance of a high note.
Texas A&M Aggies (3-5, 1-4 SEC)
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 11
Week 9 Result: L 31-28 vs. No. 15 Ole Miss
The Skinny: Texas A&M kept this one close until the very end, but it didn’t quite have the juice to pull off the upset in College Station. It’s not all bad news for the Aggies, though. True freshman quarterback Conner Weigman impressed in his first start, throwing for 338 yards and four touchdowns. He’ll have the chance to develop further next week in a more manageable matchup against a struggling Florida defense. Still, this team is tied with Auburn for last in the West, a position no one thought TAMU would be in at this point.
Arkansas Razorbacks (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Previous Ranking: 8
Week 9 Result: W 41-27 at Auburn
The Skinny: Arkansas played with its food a little bit before ultimately pulling away to hand Auburn a 14-point loss that ultimately spelled the end of the Harsin era. The Hogs took some tough losses earlier in the year, and though they’re not as good as we thought they could be. With two ranked opponents coming to Fayetteville in the next two weeks in Liberty and LSU, this season could tilt either way for the Razorbacks at this point.
Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 7
Week 9 Result: Bye
The Skinny: The Bulldogs had a much-needed week off after they were totally ineffective in a loss to Alabama. This looked like one of the hottest teams in the country earlier in the year, but things have cooled off quite a bit in Starkville. Mississippi State has a great chance to end a two-game skid when it hosts Auburn on Saturday night.
Kentucky Wildcats (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Previous Ranking: 5
Week 9 Result: L 44-6 at No. 3 Tennessee
The Skinny: There’s not much shame in getting cooked by Tennessee’s passing offense, but you still would have liked to see Kentucky put up a bit more fight on the road. Especially concerning for UK is the fact that quarterback Will Levis tossed three interceptions against a Tennessee defense that is better than it gets credit for but is far from one of the best units in the SEC. This may not be a ceiling-raising year in Lexington for Mark Stoops, but nine wins (including a bowl game) is certainly still in play.
Ole Miss Rebels (8-1, 4-1 SEC)
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 6
Week 9 Result: W 31-28 at Texas A&M
The Skinny: It hasn’t always been pretty for the Rebels, but an 8-1 record with the lone loss coming in Death Valley is nothing to scoff at for Lane Kiffin’s team. They were exposed a bit against Texas A&M, but the Aggies have a good defense and got better quarterback play from Weigman than they’ve seen all year. Ole Miss has a bye before it gets its shot at Alabama in Week 11.
LSU Tigers (6-2, 4-1 SEC)
Syndication: The Daily Advertiser
Previous Ranking: 3
Week 9 Result: Bye
The Skinny: LSU entered the bye with momentum on its side after knocking off a previously unbeaten Ole Miss team in Week 8. Now, it’s the most important game of the season for the Tigers, who could all but lock up an SEC West division title in Brian Kelly’s first season if they can knock off Alabama at home. That will be easier said than done, but the Crimson Tide looks vulnerable and LSU is surging. This is the most evenly matched the rivalry has been since Joe Burrow knocked off ‘Bama in 2019.
Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1, 4-1 SEC)
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 3
Week 9 Result: Bye
The Skinny: The loss to Tennessee certainly stung, but Alabama still has all of its goals in front of it. However, that’s predicated on winning a road game against a scrappy LSU team. The Tide defense hasn’t looked great this season, and this is a dynamic Tigers offense that’s getting better every week. Can Alabama maintain its hegemony in the SEC West?
Georgia Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 SEC)
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
Previous Ranking: 1
Week 9 Result: W 42-20 vs. Florida
The Skinny: Georgia ultimately rode Bowers to a comfortable win against the Gators, but it wasn’t exactly a great showing for the Bulldogs before a crucial matchup against Tennessee. The defense gave up a couple of big plays, and Stetson Bennett IV threw two interceptions. Georgia will be the most talented team on the field in Athens on Saturday, but it is not the one that is playing the best football right now.
Tennessee Volunteers (8-0, 4-0 SEC)
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Ranking: 2
Week 9 Result: W 44-6 vs. No. 16 Kentucky
The Skinny: The Vols look just about unbeatable right now. Facing a solid Kentucky team on Saturday night, it wasn’t even close. The Tennessee offense did what it has done all season, but its defense really shined in forcing mistakes from Levis. It certainly makes you feel better about UT’s chances against Georgia if the game situation necessitates Bennett airing the ball out. I could get burned by this take, but I feel fairly confident Tennessee will win this game on Saturday and, in turn, will represent the East in Atlanta, potentially in a rematch against Alabama.
