Dan Mullen, once upon a time, was the head coach at Mississippi State, so who knows if those old Egg Bowl feelings rushed back at him on Sunday morning when he released his updated Top 25 after Week 5.
Now an analyst for ESPN, Mullen shockingly left Ole Miss out of his new rankings. Yes, the Rebels, No. 6 in the AP Top 25, were stunned at home by Kentucky on Saturday, and surely they’ll pay for that loss when the new poll is released later Sunday. But Ole Miss not being in Mullen’s new top 25 at all is as stunning as the Rebels losing to Kentucky in Oxford.
— Dan Mullen (@CoachDanMullen) September 29, 2024
Meanwhile, Mullen’s Top 25 included 7 SEC teams, led by No. 1 Alabama, which Mullen elevated to his top spot after an epic 41-34 victory over Georgia on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. Mullen put Texas at No. 2 after its business-like 35-13 victory over Mississippi State, his former school.
Mullen had Tennessee at No. 4, as the Volunteers enjoyed a bye week after their Week 4 victory at Oklahoma.
Missouri came in at No. 8 after the Tigers also had a bye week.
Georgia was slotted back at No. 9, falling in Mullen’s poll after almost staging an incredible 4th-quarter comeback in that loss at Alabama.
Mullen put LSU at No. 18 after the Tigers easily took care of South Alabama on Saturday night.
Oklahoma was the last SEC team in Mullen’s Top 25, as the Sooners came in at No. 21 after rallying on the road to beat Auburn.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
