Where every SEC team ranks in ESPN’s updated SP+ rankings after Week 6
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
ESPN released its SP+ rankings on Sunday, and there were very few surprises to speak of.
After a dominating win against Mississippi State, Alabama leads all SEC teams and ranks 2nd overall, behind only Clemson. Florida is the only other SEC team in the top 5, while Georgia, at No. 6, just misses out. Meanwhile, Texas A&M and Auburn clock in at No. 19 and No. 23, respectively, and 4th and 5th among teams in the conference.
According to Bill Connelly, who created the ranking system, although Florida and Georgia are at No. 5 and 6, the margin is very close.
“Florida’s demolition of Missouri, combined with Georgia’s offensive sleepwalk of a win against Kentucky, meant that the Gators and Bulldogs are now almost perfectly tied in the SP+ ratings as they gear up for their annual rivalry game,” he said.
Connelly formed the SP+ ranking in 2008 as “a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency”.
“It is not a résumé ranking that gives credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system is,” he said. “It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
Here’s where the SEC teams land in the latest ESPN SP+ rankings:
2. Alabama
5. Florida
6. Georgia
19. Texas A&M
23. Auburn
42. LSU
46. Ole Miss
54. Tennessee
61. Kentucky
65. South Carolina
70. Arkansas
74. Missouri
77. Mississippi State
121. Vanderbilt
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
