What an opening weekend of SEC football! Week 1 lived up to the hype and more.

Several SEC teams absolutely dominated inferior opponents. Georgia blew out a ranked Clemson team. Florida was crushed at home by rival Miami. South Carolina narrowly escaped Old Dominion. Vanderbilt beat Virginia Tech in overtime!

Newcomers Texas and Oklahoma won their games by a combined score of 103-3.

As we prepare for Week 2 across the South, there are some significant shake-ups in our weekly power rankings. So without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s rankings:

16. South Carolina (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 14
This Week: 23-19 W over Old Dominion
Next Week: at Kentucky

Shane Beamer said after South Carolina’s narrow win that the Gamecocks celebrate victories. Well, I don’t have to in my power rankings. That was an awful showing by Beamer’s squad. Outside of RB Raheim Sanders, there wasn’t much to write home about. This team does not appear to be ready for an SEC road trip, but that’s exactly what’s on the Week 2 slate, as the Gamecocks head to Kentucky. That could get ugly if things don’t change fast.

15. Florida (0-1)

Previous Ranking: 12
This Week: 41-17 L to No. 19 Miami
Next Week: vs. Samford

Miami was favored in The Swamp on Saturday. But the Hurricanes weren’t expected to beat the Gators by more than 3 touchdowns. That was a truly awful performance from Billy Napier’s squad, and in front of the home crowd, no less. Napier entered 2024 on the hot seat and this result did nothing to quiet the naysayers down in Gainesville.

14. Vanderbilt (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 16
This Week: 34-27 W (OT) over Virginia Tech
Next Week: vs. Alcorn State

Vanderbilt is out of the cellar in my power rankings for the first time since at least early 2022! The Commodores took a 17-0 lead and then showed a ton of fight in holding on to beat Virginia Tech (a team with a lot of preseason hype in the ACC) in overtime. Vandy has a QB in Diego Pavia, who came over from New Mexico State this offseason. What a win for the Commodores!

13. Mississippi State (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 15
This Week: 56-7 W over Eastern Kentucky
Next Week: at Arizona State

The Bulldogs looked sharp offensively in Jeff Lebby’s head coaching debut. Blake Shapen put up some big numbers in the passing game. I bumped the Bulldogs up a couple of spots based on some of the other results around the league, but I’m withholding too much judgment until this coming Saturday. Mississippi State makes a trip out to the desert to face Arizona State in a late game in Week 2. If the Bulldogs win against a Power 4 team on the road, their ascent in these rankings will continue ahead of Week 3.

12. Texas A&M (0-1)

Previous Ranking: 8
This Week: 23-13 L to No. 7 Notre Dame
Next Week: vs. McNeese

That was a terrible offensive effort from the Aggies, particularly QB Conner Weigman. I thought Weigman was a potential breakout star this year, but I might have to sell some of my stock in him after that dreadful Week 1 showing. He finished 12-for-30 for 100 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Not great! The Aggies need to find some answers this weekend against McNeese or 2024 can get away from them in a hurry.

11. Arkansas (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 13
This Week: 70-0 W over Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Next Week: at Oklahoma State

Bobby Petrino and Taylen Green were certainly on the same page on Thursday against UAPB. The result? A 70-0 shellacking of an inferior foe. This was exactly the kind of debut needed to inspire hope in the fan base. However, a trip to Stillwater to face Ollie Gordon and the Oklahoma State Cowboys awaits this coming weekend. Much like I said about Mississippi State earlier, if the Hogs win against the Cowboys, they’ll shoot up these rankings. But I want to see it first.

10. Kentucky (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 11
This Week: 31-0 W over Southern Miss
Next Week: vs. South Carolina

The Wildcats had their season opener cut short due to multiple weather delays, but we saw what we needed to see. Brock Vandagriff is a competent QB. The defense is really good. This team is going to need to ride its defense this year, but that unit might just be up to the task! It’ll face its first SEC test next weekend at home against a South Carolina team that struggled mightily in Week 1.

9. Auburn (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 10
This Week: 73-3 W over Alabama A&M
Next Week: vs. Cal

I’ve been saying all offseason that Year 2 under Hugh Freeze would be better, and that has proven true through 1 game. Yes, the first game was against Alabama A&M, but this is a team that got blown out at home by New Mexico State last season, so any signs of improvement are welcome. Let’s see if the Tigers can get the job done against ACC foe Cal (still not used to Cal’s new conference) this week at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

8. Oklahoma (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 9
This Week: 51-3 W over Temple
Next Week: vs. Houston

Oklahoma may have given up the first points of the SEC season on Friday night, but we won’t hold that against the Sooners. It was still a dominant performance. Purdue transfer WR Deion Burks had 3 touchdown catches, while QB Jackson Arnold looked like the real deal. The run game still has some work to do, but this is a team that should make quick work of Houston this coming Saturday.

7. LSU (0-1)

Previous Ranking: 6
This Week: 27-20 L to No. 23 USC
Next Week: vs. Nicholls

The Tigers are still a bit too undisciplined to be much higher in these rankings. There’s plenty of room to improve, even if there is a ton of talent on this team. One thing that needs to improve is the scheduling. After losing 3-straight season openers to Florida State, Florida State again and USC, it’s clear this team isn’t ready for big Week 1 matchups. I’m only half joking about that. Kyren Lacy is elite. There’s a lot to like about Garrett Nussmeier. Cut down on the dumb, costly penalties and the Tigers will be fine.

6. Mizzou (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 5
This Week: 51-0 W over Murray State
Next Week: vs. Buffalo

I’m definitely nitpicking my alma mater by bumping them down a spot after a shutout win. But I just wanted to see more. Arkansas won 70-0. Alabama won 63-0. Auburn scored a 73-3 victory. Tennessee blew out its FCS foe 69-3. I just felt that the Tigers took their feet off the gas pedal after a 28-point first quarter offensively. The defense was great all night long, which was a pleasant surprise. But I want to see Brady Cook and the offense really bury Buffalo this weekend.

5. Tennessee (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 7
This Week: 69-3 W over Chattanooga
Next Week: vs. NC State (in Charlotte)

Nico Fever is sweeping through Knoxville. The highly touted Vol QB was as advertised in his 2024 debut against Chattanooga. The offense, led by Iamaleava and RB Dylan Sampson looked great and the defense did its job against an FCS foe. Next week is a top-25 test for the Vols, but Iamaleava and his teammates look up to the task.

4. Texas (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 2
This Week: 52-0 W over Colorado State
Next Week: at Michigan

Dropping the Longhorns from 2 to 4 is a bit nitpicky at this point, I’ll admit. But the 2 teams above them in my rankings got off to better starts in the first quarter against inferior opponents. Texas was a little shaky in the first 15 minutes against Colorado State before turning on the afterburners. Nos. 2-4 are very tight in my power rankings right now. A win at Michigan next weekend would likely vault the Horns back into the 2 spot.

3. Alabama (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 4
This Week: 63-0 W over Western Kentucky
Next Week: vs. USF

Freshman WR Ryan Williams, an elite 5-star recruit, was incredible against Western Kentucky. He only needed 2 catches to total 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. This was his first-ever catch for the Tide:

The first game of the Kalen DeBoer era was elite on both sides of the ball for the Crimson Tide. That trend should continue next weekend when USF comes to Tuscaloosa.

2. Ole Miss (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 3
This Week: 76-0 W over Furman
Next Week: vs. Middle Tennessee

Jaxson Dart had a record-setting game and he only needed 2 quarters on Saturday against Furman. Dart threw for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns and also ran for a touchdown, becoming the only Ole Miss player ever to accomplish that feat:

The offense was as advertised. The defense appears to be the best of the Lane Kiffin era. This team is going to be a problem moving forward.

1. Georgia (1-0)

Previous Ranking: 1
This Week: 34-3 W over No. 14 Clemson
Next Week: vs. Tennessee Tech

Georgia is the No. 1 team in the country and it isn’t particularly close. I wasn’t overly impressed with what I saw from Ohio State, Oregon or Texas on Saturday. I was impressed by the Bulldogs, who simply reload with top-tier talent every year, it seems. The Dawgs absolutely embarrassed Clemson, leaving the Tigers with some existential questions moving forward. Best of luck to Tennessee Tech next weekend.