SEC Power Rankings: Where all 16 teams stand after Week 9

Saturday is my wife’s birthday.

We will be celebrating it on Friday this year, as the Week 10 slate of college football is one that you absolutely cannot miss. Texas and Mizzou start the day in the SEC. Then we go into Alabama-LSU in the afternoon slot. And we wrap up with Georgia at Ole Miss.

And that’s only on ABC.

We also get Kentucky-Tennessee on ESPN in the night window along with Oklahoma-Florida on the SEC Network. I’m intrigued to see if South Carolina can keep its hot streak going against Texas A&M in the afternoon slot on ESPN.

It’s a loaded Saturday. The Holy War. Catholics vs. Convicts. Ohio State-Oregon. Enjoy it, y’all. Time is already running out on the 2026 regular season.

For now, though, let’s take a look at where all of the 16 SEC squads stack up against each other as we prepare for this loaded Week 10 slate.

16. Vanderbilt Commodores (3-5 overall, 0-5 in SEC)

• Previous ranking: 16
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Mississippi State

This might be the last chance Vanderbilt has to pick up a win in SEC play this year. It has been a long season in Nashville.

15. Arkansas Razorbacks (3-5, 1-4)

• Previous ranking: 15
• Last week: 34-10 L vs. No. 23 Mizzou
• This week: at Auburn

Arkansas fans might not want to consider Mizzou a rival, but the Tigers once again came to Fayetteville and dominated the Razorbacks. This year’s score in Fayetteville was 34-10. Last year’s was 31-17. In 2023, the Tigers won 48-14 at Razorback Stadium. That’s not a good trend for the Hogs.

14. Texas A&M Aggies (4-4, 1-4)

• Previous ranking: 14
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at South Carolina

Even with the Texas A&M Aggies coming off a bye and South Carolina having played last week, this is still a terrible time to catch the red-hot Gamecocks. I don’t see much hope for Mike Elko and company at Williams-Brice Stadium.

13. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4)

• Previous ranking: 13
• Last week: 31-3 L at No. 11 Texas
• This week: vs. Vanderbilt

This is a hugely important game for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Win, and a bowl berth is almost guaranteed. Lose, and the path becomes much tougher. No Kamario Taylor hurts, but this team still has the talent to pull off a win against the worst team in the SEC in Starkville.

12. Auburn Tigers (4-4, 2-4)

• Previous ranking: 12
• Last week: 45-15 L at No. 12 Ole Miss
• This week: vs. Arkansas

That Auburn win at Georgia seems like forever ago already, doesn’t it? At least the Tigers have a fairly manageable buildup to the Iron Bowl, getting Arkansas this week before heading to Mississippi State and then returning home for Samford. This should still be a 7-win team.

11. Oklahoma Sooners (4-4, 2-3)

• Previous ranking: 9
• Last week: 42-25 L vs. South Carolina
• This week: at Florida

It’s actually kind of funny that Oklahoma fired OC Ben Arbuckle after the best offensive performance in 3 weeks, but I get it. Of Oklahoma’s 25 points against South Carolina, 15 came in the fourth quarter. Will Jason Witten make a QB change? We’ll see what happens in the Swamp this weekend.

10. Florida Gators (5-3, 3-3)

• Previous ranking: 8
• Last week: 27-8 L vs. No. 3 Georgia
• This week: vs. Oklahoma

This weekend will teach us a lot about the Florida Gators. A reeling Oklahoma squad visits the Swamp on Saturday and it feels like a must-win for Jon Sumrall and company. Will Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. start at QB? Can the offense get back on track. This is a make-or-break weekend in Gainesville.

9. Tennessee Volunteers (6-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 6
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Kentucky

Tennessee absolutely dominates the historic rivalry against Kentucky. But this isn’t your father’s Kentucky team. Heck, it isn’t even your older brother’s Kentucky team. These Wildcats are feisty, and Josh Heupel needs to get his offense sorted out and clean up some procedural things if the Vols are going to win on Rocky Top this weekend.

8. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3, 3-3)

• Previous ranking: 11
• Last week: 42-25 W at Oklahoma
• This week: vs. Texas A&M

This is a red-hot team right now. Credit to Shane Beamer for not letting the early struggles send this season fully spiraling. The South Carolina Gamecocks have a clear path to at least an 8-4 record this year, starting this weekend with a visit from a lackluster Texas A&M squad.

7. Texas Longhorns (6-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 10
• Last week: 31-3 vs. Mississippi State
• This week: at Mizzou

The Texas Longhorns are playing very well with their backs against the wall. Wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State have saved the season, but these next 2 weeks are brutal. The Missouri Tigers (more on them next) are undefeated at home this year. Then a trip to Baton Rouge looms large. The last 2 weeks are manageable, with Arkansas and at Texas A&M looking winnable.

6. Mizzou Tigers (6-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 7
• Last week: 34-10 W at Arkansas
• This week: vs. Texas

Due to the restructuring of the SEC schedule, this was the second-straight year the Missouri Tigers had to go on the road to play Arkansas. No matter. Eli Drinkwitz and company easily dispatched the Hogs to set up a huge home showdown against Texas this weekend that will essentially serve as a Playoff elimination game.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2, 4-2)

• Previous ranking: 5
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at LSU

Alabama being ranked No. 5 in the first CFP rankings is a joke. Especially with Tennessee down at No. 13. But the good news is the Tide have the chance to prove the committee right on Saturday afternoon. Win at LSU in that raucous environment and the No. 5 ranking is more than justified.

4. Ole Miss Rebels (6-2, 4-2)

• Previous ranking: 4
• Last week: 45-15 W vs. Auburn
• This week: vs. Georgia

It’s important for Ole Miss not to get out over its skis too much here, but even if the Rebels lose at home to Georgia, they’d have a pretty solid 3-loss résumé. Losses at Florida, at Texas and vs. Georgia would hardly be “bad,” especially if Florida finishes the year strong. Of course, Ole Miss has the talent to just beat Georgia this weekend in Oxford, too. Do that and a Playoff berth is pretty much wrapped up.

3. LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-2)

• Previous ranking: 3
• Last week: OFF
• This week: vs. Alabama

LSU has a rough 3-game stretch coming up. Alabama and Texas come to town and then the Tigers have to head to Rocky Top. And they have to go 2-1 (at least) in that stretch to keep their Playoff hopes alive. This is what they hired Lane Kiffin for. Can he deliver?

2. Georgia Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1)

• Previous ranking: 2
• Last week: 27-8 W vs. No. 17 Florida (in Atlanta)
• This week: at Ole Miss

The Georgia Bulldogs made a statement, bouncing back from an uncharacteristic loss to Auburn to trounce rival Florida. Kirby Smart seems to have gotten his team focused again, but this weekend’s trip to Oxford is daunting.

1. Kentucky Wildcats (7-1, 5-1)

• Previous ranking: 1
• Last week: OFF
• This week: at Tennessee

The Kentucky Wildcats hold on to the No. 1 spot after the bye week, but perhaps their toughest test of the season awaits this weekend on Rocky Top. By now, you’ve probably heard that the Wildcats have only won this rivalry game 3 times in the last 40 years. Can Will Stein flip the script?

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