A week (and an extra game for 4 teams) into SEC play, a few of the mysteries of SEC play are clear.
Yes, LSU has some serious pitching problems. Yes, Tennessee has some work to do. Yes, Texas is human and Auburn could be the dark horse for the SEC crown.
Here’s a rundown on where the teams of the SEC stand heading into Week 6.
16. Mizzou (15-6, 0-3)
The good news is the pitching was much better than expected. The bad news is that Mizzou scored 5 runs in 4 games in a winless week. Not the start the Tigers needed.
15. South Carolina (12-10, 0-3)
Getting swept at Florida wasn’t shocking. But hitting .116 for the series was, as was scoring a grand total of 3 runs in the 3 games. With Arkansas up next, a 5 game losing streak will likely continue to grow.
14. Alabama (15-7, 0-3)
The bad news here is that UA had an 0-4 week. The slightly better news is that all 4 games were lost by a sum total of 9 runs. Giving up a .293 batting average to league opponents is a good place to start fixing some problems.
13. Tennessee (15-6, 1-2)
Tennessee lost its opening series to Georgia. But a road series against a good team with the 2 losses coming by a total of 3 runs isn’t the worst news. Tennessee hit .255, but needs to do a better job of pushing across runs.
12. LSU (16-7, 2-2)
The Tigers pitching staff got blasted by Vandy, giving up 33 runs in 3 games, but then bounced back with 2 runs allowed in the last 2 games, including a series-opening win over Oklahoma. It’s been a bipolar start for the defending champs, to say the least.
11. Texas A&M (17-3, 1-2)
A&M could be ranked several spots higher. Yes, the Aggies lost a series to Oklahoma — but both losses were of the 1-run variety. That said, posting an 8.28 league ERA and allowing OU to hit .333 against them wasn’t the game plan for the Aggies.
10. Ole Miss (18-5, 2-2)
The Rebels did manage 1 win at Texas, but the 2 losses were by 9 and 6 runs, respectively. But Hunter Elliott shut down Kentucky to open that series, so the Rebels could be upward bound here.
9. Oklahoma (17-5, 2-2)
Oklahoma won its series with A&M, but then lost to Southeast Louisiana and got blasted by LSU to open its second league series. Sounds like a very middle of the pack world.
8. Vanderbilt (13-9, 2-1)
Yes, Vandy won its opening series with LSU… but that isn’t worth what it might have seemed to be worth in the preseason. A 5-1 midweek loss to Indiana underlines that this team is going to have some struggles. A series at Mississippi State could be a proving ground.
7. Kentucky (18-3, 3-1)
After starting out SEC play by sweeping Alabama, UK then stumbled to a 5-0 loss to open its series with Ole Miss. If Kentucky gets swept, the Wildcats will slide back a few notches.
6. Florida (19-3, 3-0)
The Gators blasted South Carolina, posting a 1.04 ERA and striking out 34 hitters in 26 innings. UF ace Aidan King still has a 0.00 ERA in 23 1/3 innings pitched. A series at a struggling Alabama team next gives UF a chance to get itself in excellent position to end up near to the top of the SEC.
5. Mississippi State (17-4, 1-2)
The Bulldogs were competitive at Arkansas, but did drop the series. Three unearned runs in the first series is a little concerning, but hosting Vanderbilt should give the Bulldogs the chance to improve on their clutch hitting and grab some more wins.
4. Georgia (18-4, 2-1)
These Bulldogs grabbed 2 games out of 3 from Tennessee and looked solid. Georgia allowed just 9 walks in the series, which places the Dawgs near the top of the SEC in control. A series at Texas A&M should continue a good start for UGA. Daniel Jackson is an early SEC Player of the Year candidate (.429, 14 homers, 11 stolen bases).
3. Arkansas (16-6, 2-1)
A few games into SEC play, Arkansas remains a competitor for the league crown. Pulling out a series over Mississippi State leaves Arkansas with a chance to pull away from much of the field at South Carolina. Improving on a .216 team batting average in the SEC is a good start.
2. Auburn (18-2, 3-0)
Auburn swept Mizzou and then blasted No. 3 ranked Georgia Tech 9-2. The Tigers host Texas for a legitimate shot at claiming the top of the SEC. Auburn’s team 1.61 ERA is impressive, with just 6 walks allowed.
1. Texas (18-2, 2-1)
After a 16-0 start, a stumble was inevitable. Texas won two of three over Ole Miss and then dropped a game to Tarleton State by a 6-1 count. Despite two losses, there’s plenty to like here. Texas hit .312 against Ole Miss, stole 10 bases, and posted a 3.10 ERA.
Who will win the College World Series this year? Here’s what the market looks like at Kalshi:
Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.
