SEC wins against teams ranked in final AP Top 25 Poll

It should hardly come as a shock to learn that Alabama recorded the most wins over teams that finished ranked in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll than anybody else in the SEC.

The Crimson Tide beat six ranked teams en route to winning the school’s 16th national championship. They opened the season with a 35-17 decision over Wisconsin, followed by later victories over Tennessee (19-14), LSU (30-16), Florida (29-15), Michigan State (38-0) and Clemson (45-40) in the national championship game.

Additionally, Alabama beat three others – Georgia, Texas A&M and Mississippi State – that were ranked at the time the teams met.

But did you know that lowly South Carolina had more wins over ranked teams than Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State combined?

The Gamecocks, who endured a forgettable 3-9 season, stunned North Carolina, 17-13, in their season opener. The Tar Heels finished the season ranked 15th after going 11-3. LSU’s lone win over a ranked team was a 35-28 victory over Florida.

Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State were among the eight conference teams that did not list a win over a team ranked in the final AP poll. To be fair, some of those teams beat opponents that were ranked at the time.

Here’s a look at the wins by SEC teams against squads ranked in the final AP poll: