NCAAF · 2 hours ago

College Football: SEC Power Rankings After Week 5

John Canady

Host · Writer

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Updated SEC power rankings after Week 5: breaking down the biggest risers, toughest falls, and what each team’s latest performance means in the conference race.

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1) Ole Miss Rebels

Week 5 Result: South Carolina 35, Kentucky 13

Kentucky continues to appear to be the worst team in the SEC, and honestly, it’s not even close. The quarterback play is mediocre, the defense is underwhelming, and the coaching is equally unimpressive. The Wildcats round out the power rankings at No. 16.

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Week 5 Result: Ole Miss 24, LSU 19

Ole Miss comes in at No. 1 following their impressive win over LSU on Saturday. The Rebels’ offense continues to roll regardless of who’s under center, and with a defense that can keep them in any game, Lane Kiffin’s squad has a real chance to compete for the conference championship.

2) Alabama Crimson Tide

Week 5 Result: Alabama 24, Georgia 21

Alabama has dug itself out of the hole that its Week 1 loss to Florida State put it in. The Crimson Tide has impressed since their opening loss, and with their statement win over Georgia, Bama appears to have put their struggles behind them.

3) Georgia Bulldogs

Week 5 Result: Alabama 24, Georgia 21

The Georgia Bulldogs fell short at home against Alabama over the weekend, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Kirby Smart’s team still looks like a top contender in the SEC. Between UGA’s stout defense and firepower on offense, it’s hard to overlook the Bulldogs solely off one loss against a clear rising contender.

4) Texas A&M Aggies

Week 5 Result: Texas A&M 16, Auburn 10

Texas A&M managed to outlast Auburn in Week 5, making them one of the few remaining undefeated teams in not only the SEC but the nation. The Aggies have proven that they can win in various ways, whether through defensive battles or offensive showdowns; Mike Elko’s squad looks to be legit. That said, A&M lands in the top five.

5) Texas Longhorns

Week 5 Result: Bye

The Longhorns managed to climb into the top five during their week off. Steve Sarkisian’s team may not look as dominant as it did a year ago, but since narrowly losing to Ohio State, Texas has turned things around and shown progress each week. Heading into Week 6, the Longhorns could continue climbing with SEC play set to begin.

6) LSU Tigers

Week 5 Result: Ole Miss 24, LSU 19

LSU has been somewhat underwhelming throughout the start of the season, despite its undefeated record. Heading into their matchup with the Rebels, it was a good test to see how Brian Kelly’s squad stacked up. While they didn’t secure the win, they proved that they can still compete against the top SEC teams. The Tigers fall outside the top five, but there’s plenty of time for them to climb back up the rankings.

7) Oklahoma Sooners

Week 5 Result: Bye

Oklahoma is one of the few remaining undefeated teams in the SEC. Still, with the recent injury news regarding star quarterback John Mateer, it’ll be interesting to see if the Sooners manage to stay afloat without him. When Mateer is healthy, OU is a top squad, but until he returns to the lineup, Brent Venables’s squad will have to prove they’re still a team that can contend.

8) Tennessee Volunteers

Week 5 Result: Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34

The Tennessee Volunteers survived a major upset on the road against Mississippi State over the weekend, allowing them to stay firmly in the mix of the SEC. Josh Heupel’s Vols continue to turn heads, and with more SEC play ahead, don’t be shocked if they continue to climb the rankings.

9) Vanderbilt Commodores

Week 5 Result: Vanderbilt 55, Utah State 35

The Commodores struggled to start this matchup against Utah State, but after snapping out of the early slump, Vandy piled it on the Aggies to route them in the second half. Vanderbilt looks like a real threat in the SEC, and with more conference play on the horizon, we’ll see just how serious Clark Lea’s team is.

10) Missouri Tigers

Week 5 Result: Missouri 42, UMass 6

Missouri continued handling business against underwhelming teams in Week 5. Until the Tigers face a legitimate contender in the SEC, it’ll be hard to judge whether the secondary issues have been addressed. However, until proven otherwise, Mizzou’s handling of business keeps them in the top ten.

11) Mississippi State Bulldogs

Week 5 Result: Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34

Jeff Lebby’s Bulldogs may have fallen short of the upset against Tennessee on Saturday, but if you told any Mississippi State fan that they’d be 4-1 to start the season and their lone loss would come in a nail-biter against a ranked Volunteers team, everyone would be ecstatic. The culture has shifted at Mississippi State, and with plenty of games left to go, clinching a bowl game and potentially much more remains a possibility.

12) South Carolina Gamecocks

Week 5 Result: South Carolina 35, Kentucky 13

The Gamecocks have desperately needed a reset game after dropping back-to-back battles against conference opponents. South Carolina got back in the win column with a dominant victory over Kentucky, which may be precisely what they need to put their struggles behind them and live up to the expectations set for them ahead of the season.

13) Auburn Tigers

Week 5 Result: Texas A&M 16, Auburn 10

Auburn was dealt its second loss of the season to Texas A&M over the weekend, but considering how tight a matchup this game was, there’s nothing that Hugh Freeze’s players should hang their heads about. The Tigers are a talented team, but they’re still not in the top tier of SEC contenders.

14) Florida Gators

Week 5 Result: Bye

Florida’s struggles to start the season are hard to overlook, especially following the hype the Gators had when they entered the season. Perhaps the bye week will help Billy Napier’s squad get back on track, but there’s a real chance the struggles will persist and Florida will continue to fall in the rankings.

15) Arkansas Razorbacks

Week 5 Result: Notre Dame 56, Arkansas 13

Arkansas was dealt its worst loss of the season to Notre Dame this past weekend, and not only did it put the Razorbacks at the bottom of the power rankings, but it also cost head coach Sam Pittman his job. Moving forward, Arkansas has a long way to go in its rebuild.