SEC power rankings after Week 7: One team makes a big statement while others get back on track
SEC fans were in for a very eventful Week 7 of games across the conference. The Tennessee Volunteers defeated Alabama for the first time in 15 years to move to 7-0 on the season. Brian Kelly’s Bayou Bengals were able to knock off Florida in the Swamp.
Will Levis returned from injury and Kentucky cruised their way to victory against Mississippi State. Not to mention, Arkansas bounced back after three losses to beat BYU on the road.
Georgia and Ole Miss took care of business and moved to 7-0 on the season. Other programs like Auburn and Florida continued to struggle on Saturday as both teams suffered losses. Vanderbilt wasn’t able to put up a fight against Georgia. Both Texas A&M and South Carolina had bye weeks before colliding in Week 8.
Overall, there is a lot to dissect after Week 7’s slate of games. Roll Tide Wire gives the latest conference power rankings after Week 7 of the 2022 season.
Vanderbilt Commodores (3-4)
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The Commodores have been one of the more inconsistent teams up to this point. After starting the season off on a good note, they have since dropped the last three games by large margins. The only bright spot for the Commodores has been wide receiver Will Sheppard and linebacker Anfernee Orji. The good thing for Vanderbilt is that they have already gone through the toughest part of their schedule.
Auburn Tigers (3-4)
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Auburn has had an uphill climb ever since they lost in Week 3 to Penn State. Ever since then, the rumors have overflowed with the Tigers’ administration looking to fire Bryan Harsin. Nonetheless, it hasn’t changed the way that the Tigers have performed. They have struggled to put points on the board when the opportunities are presented and have seemed to regress defensively.
Missouri Tigers (2-4)
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Missouri could be 4-2 up to this point if they had been able to close out their last three games. Instead, they sit at 2-4 coming out of the bye week. The Tigers will host Vanderbilt in Week 8 with a prime opportunity to get back in the win column. Their defense has been the anchor of the team. If the offense can start putting points on the board, they may upset a team down the road.
Florida Gators (4-3)
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Florida has been struggling as of late to win in close games. They have now fallen to Tennessee, Kentucky, and LSU. Each of those games was within 10 points. Billy Napier and his coaching staff will have their work cut out for them the rest of the way as they still have to play Georgia and Texas A&M. It will be interesting to see what they can do the rest of the season.
South Carolina Gamecocks (4-2)
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The Gamecocks are coming off of a bye week after knocking off a ranked Kentucky team two weeks ago. Shane Beamer’s squad has won three in a row but will be tasked with facing Texas A&M in Week 8. The Aggies are also coming off of a bye week after a close loss at the hands of Alabama. This will be a huge matchup for both teams in Week 8.
Arkansas Razorbacks (4-3)
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Arkansas had lost three games in a row heading into their contest against a formidable mid-major opponent in the BYU Cougars. However, it didn’t stop Sam Pittman’s squad from executing the game plan on Saturday. The Hogs have been led by quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders on offense while transfer Drew Sanders and linebacker Bumper Pool have anchored down the defense. The Razorbacks have a favorable schedule the rest of the way and could close the season out in a strong way.
Texas A&M Aggies (3-3)
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The Aggies gave Alabama everything that they could handle in Week 6. Although they fell short, there were still some positives to take away from their performance. Quarterback Haynes King kept the Aggies in the game and made enough plays to give them an opportunity to win the game. Wide receivers Evan Stewart, Moose Muhammad III, and Chris Marshall have all made improvements from Week 1 to now. They will travel to Columbia to take on South Carolina in Week 8.
Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-2)
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The Bulldogs have been on a tear offensively leading up to their Week 7 matchup against Kentucky. However, they were unable to make enough plays to knock off the Wildcats in Lexington on Saturday night. Quarterback Will Rogers has made a name for himself and has kept the Bulldogs afloat. The defense has played well at times as well. The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama in their Week 8 matchup.
LSU Tigers (5-2)
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LSU has played considerably well as of late. After a close win in the Swamp, the Tigers find themselves at 5-2 while being 3-1 in conference play. As of right now, they are tied for second in the SEC West with Alabama. The good thing for Brian Kelly’s squad is that they still have to face Ole Miss and Alabama. They control their own destiny in the SEC West, believe it or not.
Kentucky Wildcats (5-2)
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Kentucky could very well be 7-0 right now had they finished off Ole Miss and had Will Levis against South Carolina. Instead, they are 5-2. The Wildcats have improved drastically on offense with the return of running back Chris Rodriguez. The defense has been playing well and Mike Stoops’ squad is still in the hunt in the SEC East. They would have to knock off Tennessee and Georgia in addition to some help from other teams. Nonetheless, the Wildcats have momentum heading into the bye week before traveling to Tennessee in Week 8.
Ole Miss Rebels (7-0)
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Ole Miss hasn’t really been tested up to this point outside of their three-point victory over Kentucky. The Rebels have been led in the backfield by their two workhorses in running backs, Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins. Both have made a huge difference in the Rebels’ offensive success this season. Lane Kiffin’s squad travels to LSU in Week 8 in what will be a big game for both programs.
Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1)
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Despite Alabama’s loss to Tennessee in Week 7, the Crimson Tide still has a chance to run the table. Nick Saban’s squad will have a lot to clean up in the weeks and months to come. However, there is still a lot to play for in Tuscaloosa. At this point, the Crimson Tide control their destiny. They will look to get back on the right track against Mississippi State in Week 8.
Georgia Bulldogs (7-0)
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Georgia has a flawless record and has been as good as advertised up to this point. The Bulldogs have shown improvement from week to week on the offensive side of the ball and have continued to play well defensively. The Bulldogs haven’t gotten to their tough stretch of the season yet but will shortly. In all likelihood, the SEC East will come down to Tennessee-Georgia in Athens on November 5.
Tennessee Volunteers (7-0)
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Tennessee has been virtually unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball. On Saturday, the Volunteers knocked off Alabama by a score of 52-49. Josh Heupel’s well-oiled machine on the offensive side of the ball is sixth-year senior Hendon Hooker. The offense has shown strides of improvement each week and has continued to impress. The Volunteers were also without leading wide receiver Cedric Tillman and safety Jaylen McCullough. Both will likely be back in time for their pivotal matchup against Georgia. As of right now, the Volunteers sit at No. 1.
