Ranking 10 SEC Winners, Losers From College Football Week 6 Games

Another week of college football has come and gone as the race in the SEC continues to heat up. Looking back at Week 6, here’s a look at the top winners and biggest losers from another loaded weekend of football. 

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1) Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama continues to impress since its Week 1 woes against Florida State. The Crimson Tide have stacked wins, putting themselves firmly back in the College Football Playoff mix and even more so after knocking off a red-hot Vanderbilt team in Week 6. Kalen DeBoer’s squad looked dominant in the second half, and if that’s any indication of what we’ll see from Bama every week, prepare for them to make a run at the conference championship.

Verdict: Winner

2) Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M remains undefeated following its blowout win over Mississippi State on Saturday. Mike Elko’s group looked the part, and as they continue to climb the rankings, the hype building around a healthy Aggies team is real. With more SEC play on the horizon, A&M has the chance to build even more momentum.

Verdict: Winner

3) Michael Hawkins Jr.

Michael Hawkins Jr. stepped up for Oklahoma this past weekend in the absence of star quarterback John Mateer, who’s dealing with a thumb injury that’s expected to sideline him for multiple weeks. The quarterback was given the opportunity to prove he was capable of being the starter for the Sooners last season. Still, following a stretch of poor play, including a disaster game at home against South Carolina, Hawkins was benched. Instead of entering the transfer portal, the QB opted to stay at OU and serve as a backup to Mateer, who was assumed to be the starter from the outset. In Saturday’s win, the former top recruit proved to be a game-changer, totaling four touchdowns against Kent State. Although the competition may not have been steep, it’s a good game for Hawkins to find his rhythm before the brutal stretch ahead.

Verdict: Winner

4) Billy Napier

Coming out of the bye week, Billy Napier’s seat couldn’t have been hotter. The head coach’s job security has seemingly been in question following Florida’s early-season struggles, but that didn’t seem to waver any ounce of hope from Napier or his players. Florida put together a statement win against Texas in Week 6. While it wasn’t perfect by any means, the Gators could finally be ready to turn the corner, which could keep Napier in the building longer than expected.

Verdict: Winner

5) DJ Lagway 

There’s no denying that DJ Lagway has been a bit of a disappointment to start the season. The former five-star recruit had plenty of hype entering the year as a first-time starter, but against top competition, the quarterback’s play did not live up to expectations. However, Lagway undoubtedly used the bye week to lock back in, which alone proved to be huge for the Gators in Week 6 against Texas. In the win, Lagway completed 21 of his 28 passing attempts for 298 passing yards and two touchdowns. The young QB could use this performance as a confidence booster that helps him flip the switch moving forward.

Verdict: Winner

6) Ty Simpson

Ty Simpson had plenty of doubters following his performance in Week 1, but since then, the first-year starter has looked like one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. Following a solid outing against Georgia, Simpson stacked on another huge day in the Crimson Tide’s win over Vanderbilt, finishing with 340 passing yards and two touchdowns. With a tough road ahead, the Alabama rising star could solidify himself firmly in the Heisman race if he continues playing at this high a level.

Verdict: Winner

7) Arch Manning 

Entering the season, Arch Manning had all eyes on him after being announced as the starting quarterback for Texas. The former top recruit signed major NIL deals, was hyped to be the projected No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and had a target on his forehead for any defender, head coach, or other quarterbacks around the nation who needed bulletin board material entering the season. So far, Manning hasn’t exactly looked the part, considering his inconsistencies, and his struggles against Florida on Saturday only added to the talk surrounding the quarterback. Manning finished the matchup against the Gators, completing only 16 of his 29 passing attempts, while tossing two interceptions in the loss. Obviously, one performance doesn’t define his season, but if he doesn’t turn things around quickly, not only will the Longhorns be in trouble, but Manning’s draft stock will be too.

Verdict: Loser

8) Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt entered Saturday with a prime opportunity to prove they were the real deal. Between their pregame trash talk and confidence stemming from last year’s upset win, the Commodores seemed to have this matchup circled on the calendar. The problem? So did Alabama. In the first half, Vandy looked like they were ready to silence all the doubters who didn’t believe they were a contender. However, in the second half, the Commodores absolutely dropped the ball, being outscored 16-0, which led to a two-score loss. With a tough road ahead, Vanderbilt will need to get things dialed back in if it hopes to remain in the playoff mix.

Verdict: Loser

9) Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State entered Week 6 looking to bounce back following a heartbreaking loss in overtime to Tennessee at home the week prior. Despite the loss, the talk around the Bulldogs was that Jeff Lebby had turned the culture around and things were looking good for him, especially considering it felt like Mississippi State had the firepower to keep any game close. However, that was quickly debunked in Week 6, when Texas A&M completely dominated the Bulldogs, winning 31-9. Now, at 0-2 in conference play, Lebby’s squad is starting to lose momentum in a conference race that’s beginning to heat up.

Verdict: Loser

10) Mark Stoops

Mark Stoops has managed to keep his job despite the struggles of the Kentucky football program. However, the head coach’s seat is only getting hotter following yet another blowout loss against an SEC opponent, dropping the Wildcats’ conference record to 0-3. If Stoops can’t prove that he can compete in arguably the best conference in college football, there’s no doubt that Kentucky’s Athletic Director will eventually be forced to cut ties with the longtime coach.

Verdict: Loser

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