SEC Power Rankings after Week 4
Georgia and Alabama were off on Saturday as they prepared for a clash in Tuscaloosa in Week 5.
But there was still plenty of exciting SEC action around the league on Saturday, including Tennessee-Oklahoma, Mizzou-Vanderbilt and more, and there were some changes to our weekly power rankings.
As we prepare for Week 5 of SEC football, here’s a look at our updated power rankings of all 16 squads:
16. Mississippi State (1-3 overall, 0-1 in SEC)
Previous ranking: 16
This week: 45-28 L to Florida
Next week: at Texas
This was perhaps Mississippi State’s best chance to win an SEC game this year and… well, it didn’t go well. A struggling Florida team came to Starkville and won convincingly. And to add injury to insult, starting QB Blake Shapen is now out for the year with an injury. Things can’t get much worse for the Bulldogs. Oh wait… they play at Texas in Week 5. Things can get much worse.
15. Auburn (2-2, 0-1)
Previous ranking: 12
This week: 24-14 L to Arkansas
Next week: vs. Oklahoma
The Tigers simply cannot find any consistency at quarterback. A week after Hank Brown looked like the answer, he struggled mightily. Payton Thorne came in and played capably. But now he’ll likely struggle against Oklahoma’s elite defense this coming week. It really makes you wonder why Hugh Freeze didn’t try harder to get a QB out of the transfer portal this offseason.
14. Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1)
Previous ranking: 14
This week: 30-27 L to No. 7 Mizzou (2OT)
Next week: OFF
This was a classic Vanderbilt loss. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The Tigers did nothing to win this game on Saturday in Columbia, making costly mistake after costly mistake. The problem? The Commodores made the last costly mistake, missing a relatively easy field goal in double-overtime to fall to Mizzou. Just an ugly game all around from both squads.
13. Florida (2-2, 1-1)
Previous ranking: 15
This week: 45-28 W at Mississippi State
Next week: OFF
DJ Lagway is the future for Florida, but Graham Mertz isn’t ready for the future. He’s dominating the here and now, and he was great in Starkville on Saturday. He continues to give his all for this program, and it’s setting the tone for the young talent on the Florida roster. Yes, there are probably some big changes coming at Florida sooner rather than later, but it’s always nice to be able to celebrate a road win in the SEC.
12. Kentucky (2-2, 0-2)
Previous ranking: 13
This week: 41-6 W over Ohio
Next week: at Ole Miss
We didn’t learn much about the Wildcats in this win, but QB Brock Vandagriff did regain some confidence. Unfortunately for Kentucky, a trip to Ole Miss awaits this coming Saturday. The Wildcats will have to play their absolute best football in their first SEC road game to avoid an 0-3 start to league play.
11. South Carolina (3-1, 1-1)
Previous ranking: 11
This week: 50-7 W over Akron
Next week: OFF
The Gamecocks looked sharp, but we don’t learn too much about SEC teams from big home wins over MAC programs. We did learn, however, that Robby Ashford is a capable backup QB. With LaNorris Sellers out with injury, Ashford threw for 2 touchdowns while running for another as part of a 376-yard performance (243 passing, 133 running). Impressive stuff.
10. Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1)
Previous ranking: 8
This week: 25-15 L to No. 6 Tennessee
Next week: at Auburn
This defense is elite. This offense is very much… not. The Sooners have a major question at QB moving forward. Do they go back to Jackson Arnold or stick with Michael Hawkins? That decision could have serious implications for Brent Venables’ program not just this year, but next year as well. The Sooners’ first SEC road trip will be to take on an Auburn program that is also experiencing turmoil at the QB position.
9. Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0)
Previous ranking: 9
This week: 26-20 W over Bowling Green
Next week: vs. Arkansas (in Dallas)
Talk about a struggle win. The Aggies were far from impressive on Saturday night at home against a mediocre Bowling Green squad. This seems to be a Texas A&M squad that plays to the level of its opponent. We’ll see what happens in the annual rivalry game in Dallas this coming weekend. Arkansas-Texas A&M always seems to get crazy.
8. Arkansas (3-1, 1-0)
Previous ranking: 10
This week: 24-14 W at Auburn
Next week: vs. Texas A&M (in Dallas)
Going into Jordan-Hare Stadium and winning isn’t easy, no matter who you are. The Arkansas defense forced the Tigers into several turnovers, intercepting 4 passes and grabbing a fumble. Ja’Quinden Jackson did his thing as he continued to run all over opponents. Taylen Green had a couple of incredible highlight reel plays. This team is fun.
7. Mizzou (4-0, 1-0)
Previous ranking: 6
This week: 30-27 W over Vanderbilt (2OT)
Next week: OFF
Yes the Tigers are 4-0 and ranked inside the top 10. No, this is not a top-10 team right now. The offense isn’t dynamic under QB Brady Cook. The coaching is lackluster, at best. The Tigers make too many dumb mistakes. The talent is all there on both sides of the ball, but unless MIzzou puts it all together soon, this season is going to spiral in the coming weeks. Fortunately for Mizzou, it has an off week coming up to try to get its act together.
6. LSU (3-1, 1-0)
Previous ranking: 7
This week: 34-17 W over UCLA
Next week: vs. South Alabama
If LSU had a better defense, we might be talking about QB Garrett Nussmeier as a Heisman candidate. It’s crazy the kind of talent LSU gets at quarterback. Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels both won the Heisman. Could Nussmeier be the next? This week, the defense will need to get its act together. South Alabama has scored 87 (not a typo) and 48 points in its last 2 games.
5. Alabama (3-0, 0-0)
Previous ranking: 5
This week: OFF
Next week: vs. Georgia
The Crimson Tide got a week off after dismantling Wisconsin in Madison. Now they face a tough test from rival Georgia in Tuscaloosa. It could be the Game of the Year so far in college football. Can Jalen Milroe continue to look like a Heisman contender against Georgia’s defense? His performance will be the biggest key to the game on Saturday night.
4. Tennessee (4-0, 1-0)
Previous ranking: 4
This week: 25-15 W at No. 15 Oklahoma
Next week: OFF
I really, really want to move the Vols up. They deserve it after scoring a huge win at Oklahoma in a defensive battle. Josh Heupel has his squad looking like a legitimate Playoff contender. The problem? The 3 teams in front of the Vols also look like CFP contenders. This will sort itself out as the season continues, but for now, let’s just say that the Vols are in the “elite” tier of teams along with these next 3 schools.
3. Texas (4-0, 0-0)
Previous ranking: 3
This week: 51-3 W over Louisiana-Monroe
Next week: vs. Mississippi State
Arch Manning was up and down in his first start for the Longhorns, but there were plenty of positives. He did throw for 2 touchdowns. Jaydon Blue ran for 3 scores and caught a touchdown out of the backfield. And that defense… that’s the strength of this Texas team. Mississippi State might not find the end zone at all next weekend in the Longhorns’ first-ever SEC game.
2. Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0)
Previous ranking: 2
This week: 52-13 W over Georgia Southern
Next week: vs. Kentucky
Tre Harris III might be the best receiver in the country. He put up 225 yards and 2 scores in Ole Miss’s dominant win over Georgia Southern on Saturday night. Now though, the real tests begin for the Rebels. Kentucky and its strong defense come to Oxford on Saturday afternoon. We’ll see if Jaxson Dart can continue to rack up the points for the Rebels.
1. Georgia (3-0, 1-0)
Previous ranking: 1
This week: OFF
Next week: at Alabama
The Bulldogs had the week off after a narrow road win at Kentucky in Week 3. Now they have to visit Tuscaloosa to take on Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide in the Game of the Week for Week 5. College GameDay will be in town to preview the game. We’ll learn a lot about Kirby Smart’s squad on Saturday night.
Who’s it gonna be looking up at Vols in 7 days?? Pac 12 Alabama or Choking Georgia? Make your calls now and earn credibility!
Guess y’all beat a team with a pulse and crowned yourselves king.
Cool story. I think I’ve seen this before tho…
Yeah I remember when they were saying Butch Jones was going be the next best coach in the SEC after they beat Virginia Tech. Tennessee looks like a really good team, but I’m not convinced their great yet. Oklahoma was never the test, let’s see how they do against Florida.
Nico does seem to be a solid qb in a good system: pretty sure tn might be overhyped, but I won’t believe they are overrated until they take a loss.
Bama and uga both seem to be a little overrated IMHO comparatively.
Agreed, Oklahoma isn’t a test, more to the point just getting a feel for SEC play. I also don’t see an unranked, under coached team beating a top 10 TN with an 8.6 win percentage according to ESPN at Neyland. If anything, GA and Bama are truly the litmus test for the Vols.
It was a good win, but lets see how they do against [insert next opponent here]… yawn
Get used to this flapping lips football season where half the league thinks they are wondermania till the commissioner has to draw two names out of. a hat to have an SEC championship game? Who thought this was ever going to work?
Not delusional and to be ranked above a team we haven’t played and struggle to (rarely) beat annually, that’s true insanity.
Guess again! Reading comprehension is a skill you can develop!
Vanderbilt will probably beat one or more of YOUR top six
wow! the team that lost to ga state is a potential juggernaut now? vanderbilt is rightfully ranked at #14. take the lump.
Well, I think Vanderbilt is trying to get more competitive now. Just look at Tennessee in 2019, lost to Georgia State, finished the season with six straight wins before they got vacated.
@Ricker, you have to be both a Vandy hater and football video challenged to not give Clark Lea credit for the obvious tremendous job he is doing. And he’s not going to quit reminding us. Missouris was at home with everything on the line and barely held this very good Vandy performance off. If you are so sure they are hammered dog droppings write in here and tell us how you are betting against them every week so we can enjoy your ? “forsight”
Vols looked ok last night but got the job done. Hopefully this game brought them back to earth a little. I don’t enjoy all the hype.
Ole Miss should not be at 2 in the pole. They have not played anyone to this point.
Guess all you have to do is beat up cupcakes and be ranked higher than a team with the same record but with two top 25 wins on the road.
Ranking is ridiculous till at least the 2nd half of the season
Learn how to spell “poll” – which this wasn’t anyway.
Silly ranking Tennessee ahead of Bama. I’m a die hard Vols fan but not delusional that we are somehow better than Bama until we prove it on the field. It’s all hype until they prove they can compete with Bama and UGA.
Lifelong Vols fan here. I agree. Let’s face it. They’ve got to beat Florida, too, for me. Over the last 20 years, how many wins does UT own against Bama, UGa, and UF? Answer: 3, 6, and 3, respectively.
Man if Tennessee can’t beat this Florida team I will be shocked . I think Florida makes it a game but Tennessee really wants that gator monkey off its back .
UT shouldn’t lose that game, but I’ve seen them lose quite a few in the last 20 years, especially to UF, they shouldn’t have lost.
UT will score 50 points on UF and blow them out this year. UF’s defense is so bad. I hate to type that but seriously…UF’s defense is epically bad.
and that’s the great thing about this year’s schedule for tn. they’ll have the chance to prove whether or not they’re better than bama and/or uga
Thats the great thing about UT’s schedule EVERY year…
I am glad it is not just me. Alabama at five and Texas at three is laughable.
Agreed. Both should be above Ole Miss and Tennessee, which should also be above the Rebs at this point in the season.
I don’t disagree, but TN has the better resume at the moment.
“If LSU had a better defense, …”
I can remember when it was “If LSU had a QB, …” Maybe someday we’ll have both.
Crazy times right?
I would deff swap vandy with fl but other than that this looks right
Agreed. Vandy would beat UF this year.
Right now we are all kind of guessing on 1-6, until they start playing each other. It is especially hard to know about Ole Miss, since they had the weakest schedule of the group so far.
The one thing I am most excited about with this UT team is that our d-line is the best since the glory days.
DeBoar bringing his West Coast ways is gonna be the ruin of my Alma Mater.
When I was playing we only had Men in the locker room. Manly men. Sweaty men. Rippling muscles. Tight Glutes.
Now they wont even know which bathroom their supposed to use.
The Saban shall come back. I see it like a vision.
Still, I am persecuted for my beliefs.
Rare wisdom on this site must be called out and applauded. Well done sir. You have been seen and recognized.
Ole Miss is a legitimate playoff contender but I’d put them 6th until they beat somebody.
I’d say just as many of “Mizzou’s dumb mistakes” as you put it, came from the sideline..
look at Adam building up Arky (to help out Mizzou sos).. nice!
I think Missouri is a lot better than you think and so is Vanderbilt but how good they are now means little because most all these teams must improve or they will get passed. Think about this part alone Playbook.
Crazy that South Carolina’s not ranked over LSU
Bad sports journalism and should be illegal and punishable by court enforced fines to pretend these programs have played their complete round robins and therefore actually have a rank. The SEC has purposely ran away from having true ranks by never adopting true divisional play. So shut up. We are never going to know an SEC true rank. Admit it and we might take your writing seriously someday?