SEC power rankings after Week 3: One team suffers disappointing loss while others shine
Several things have changed since we released our power rankings after Week 2. Some teams surprised the league while others continued to shine bright. Georgia, Texas A&M and Ole Miss played better than most expected. On the other hand, programs like Auburn, Mississippi State and South Carolina struggled against their opponents, resulting in losses.
The expectations as a whole are high for the conference as the season unravels. With the college football landscape evolving more and more each year, many teams are looking to hit their stride. This season will determine a lot for head coaches across the conference like Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz and Auburn’s Bryan Harsin.
The stakes are high in several different places and the pressure has already set in for some programs. With that being said, it will be interesting to see how the teams around the league respond to adversity or success whatever the case may be.
After an interesting weekend, I will dive into my power rankings following Week 3 of the 2022 season.
Vanderbilt Commodores (2-1)
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Vanderbilt avenged their loss to Wake Forest last week with a key victory over Northern Illinois. The Commodores defeated the Huskies by a final score of 38-28 on Saturday. Head coach Clark Lea decided to start backup quarterback AJ Swann. The decision ultimately paid off as the Commodores are 3-1. They will travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide in their Week 4 matchup.
South Carolina Gamecocks (1-2)
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The Gamecocks had all of the attention on them this weekend as they hosted the Georgia Bulldogs. Things didn’t pan out for Coach Beamer and the Gamecocks. They struggled to find any kind of rhythm on offense and couldn’t stop the highly-coveted Bulldogs’ offense. As a result, they fell 48-7 on Saturday. They will host Charlotte for their Week 4 matchup.
Missouri Tigers (2-1)
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The Tigers struggled on both sides of the ball against Kansas State a week ago. However, they made up for their lackluster performance with a 34-17 victory over Abilene Christian. Quarterback Brady Cook will look to continue to carry over his success from this game to their Week 4 matchup in a tough environment against Auburn.
Auburn Tigers (2-1)
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Auburn fell at the hands of a good Penn State team on Saturday evening. The Tigers couldn’t find any kind of momentum on either side of the ball. The two-quarterback system hasn’t panned out so far and doesn’t look very promising for head coach Bryan Harsin. The Tigers will welcome Missouri to the Plains for an early kickoff in their Week 4 matchup.
Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-1)
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The Bulldogs’ high-potent offense couldn’t pull through against LSU on Saturday. Quarterback Will Rogers had a disappointing performance in relation to how he had played the past two weeks. Head coach Mike Leach will lean on Rogers to clean things up. The Bulldogs will face Bowling Green for an early kickoff in their Week 4 matchup. They will look to get back on the right track.
Florida Gators (2-1)
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After a poor finish to their game against Kentucky, the Gators were able to bounce back. It wasn’t easy, but they picked up the win on Saturday against South Florida. Quarterback Anthony Richardson hasn’t played particularly well since his Week 1 performance against Utah. The Gators will travel to Knoxville to face an explosive Tennessee offense in Week 4. This game will show a lot about the Gators and their future this season.
LSU Tigers (2-1)
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LSU had its first test at home against an explosive Mississippi State offense on Saturday. The Tigers looked sloppy for the majority of the game but turned things around towards the end of the game. Quarterback Jayden Daniels led the offense as the Tigers defeated Mike Leach’s Bulldogs by a score of 31-16.
Texas A&M Aggies (2-1)
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Some might say that this game was a must-win for the Aggies. Whatever the case may be, the Aggies were able to earn a victory in front of a sell-out crowd. Quarterback Max Johnson led the offense against a good Miami defense. In the end, the Aggies got a much-needed win against the Hurricanes. They will play Arkansas in Week 4 at AT&T Stadium.
Ole Miss Rebels (3-0)
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The Rebels were trying to find their starting quarterback for the first two games of the season. On Saturday, it appeared that they had found their guy. USC transfer Jaxson Dart played extremely well as the Rebels routed Georgia Tech by a final score of 49-0. There is a lot of buzz surrounding Lane Kiffin’s squad after this game.
Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
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Wildcats’ head coach Mark Stoops surpassed Bear Bryant’s record for most wins as a Kentucky head coach after a victory over Florida. The Wildcats followed up their upset victory with a good showing on both sides of the ball against Youngstown State. They will host Northern Illinois in their Week 4 matchup.
Arkansas Razorbacks (3-0)
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The Razorbacks struggled to stop Missouri State’s offense for the majority of the game. However, the offense came up big for Arkansas in the end as they defeated the Grizzlies 38-27. This week, the Razorbacks will play Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Dallas for their Week 4 matchup. It is a big game for both programs.
Tennessee Volunteers (3-0)
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Tennessee continued their scoring ways with a 63-6 victory over the Akron Zips. Thus far, the Volunteers appear to have one of the more explosive offenses in the entire country. Josh Heupel’s squad will play host to Florida in Week 4. The Gators are fresh off of a victory over South Florida. It will be interesting to see how Tennessee performs in their first test at home this season.
Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0)
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The Crimson Tide scored early and often against Lousiana Monroe. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs was effective on the ground as well as through the air. Alabama cruised their way to a lop-side 63-7 victory over the Warhawks. In Week 4, the Crimson Tide will play host to the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Georgia Bulldogs (3-0)
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Georgia didn’t appear to miss a beat on either side of the ball against South Carolina. Quarterback Stetson Bennett and the Bulldogs’ defense helped to set the tone early. The Bulldogs defeated the Gamecocks 48-7. Kirby Smart’s squad remains No. 1 in our most recent conference power rankings list.
