Post-week 7 SEC Power Rankings

Another week, another chaotic 12+ hours of the greatest sport our country has to offer. Throughout the nation, we saw some time and time again what makes college football so special. Indiana and Curt Cignetti announced their arrival in the biggest way possible, ending the longest active home winning streak in the nation. Ole Miss nearly fell victim to one of the biggest home upsets since Michigan's infamous blunder to App. State in '07.

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Of course, I could go on for hours, but we have some rankings to get to. Every team in the SEC has now played multiple conference games, so we're finally starting to get an idea of what to expect from several teams, while others are still leaving us with more questions than they have football scholarships. So here are my power rankings of the conference, along with each team's best win so far this season.

(As a reminder: In my power rankings, I like to think that the word 'power' actually means something. In my eyes, an undefeated Ole Miss team holds more "power" than a one-loss Georgia. Therefore, for the remainder of the season, no undefeated team will ever be ranked below a team with at least one loss.)

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• 1. Texas A&M University (last game: won 34-17 vs. Florida) record: 6-0 (3-0)

Best win: 41-40 at No. 8 Notre Dame (week 2)

Despite a win from the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, they played poorly enough to grant the Aggies their first appearance in the poll position of my power rankings. Although it took some help to give them my number one spot, they've earned their number four ranking in the AP poll all by themselves. Mike Elko's Aggies have taken a huge leap in his second season in College Station. The ascent has been spearheaded by this defense, which ranks top 30 nationally in both yards and points per game. They also sport the best opposing third-down percentage in the country, holding opponents to a staggering 20% conversion rate. If Marcel Reed can continue putting up points on offense, the Aggie defense is talented enough to compete with and/or beat anyone in the country.

• 2. University of Mississippi, Ole Miss (last game: won 24-21 vs. Washington State) record: 6-0 (3-0)

Best win: 24-19 vs. No. 4 LSU (week 5)

Maybe it was bye week rust, maybe they overlooked the Cougars, maybe it was a mix of both. Regardless of the "why," Lane Kiffin will have some new doubters heading into Athens after last week's embarrassingly narrow three-point victory over Washington State. I don't believe this should drastically shift the outlook Rebel fans have on the future of their season, but I do think there were, without a doubt, some issues that will need addressing before they go to play Georgia. If Ole Miss can't win the time of possession battle against one of the two remaining Pac-12 teams, they'll be hard-pressed to do it between the hedges.

• 3. University of Alabama (last game: won 27-24 at No. 14 Missouri)

Best win: 24-21 at No. 5 Georgia

If I hadn't made the rule that undefeated teams take precedent over everyone else, Alabama would all but certainly be the number one team in these rankings. Heading into each of the last three games, Alabama walked in preparing for an undefeated team. After each of the last three games, Alabama walked out handing all three their first loss of the season. Not only are they just beating these teams, but they're dictating these games as well. Ty Simpson yet again delivered an efficient multi-touchdown performance. The Crimson Tide defense yet again delivered a shutdown of a team whose offense revolved around powerful run games. And Kalen DeBoer yet again continued to disprove any argument against him being a bona fide top-ten coach in the country. He'll look to secure his first victory in the vicious Alabama-Tennessee rivalry on Saturday as the Tide makes the next stop on its revenge tour. Also, for those that don't know, the Crimson Tide now holds the nation's longest active home winning streak at 15.

• 4. University of Georgia (last game: won 20-10 at Auburn)

Best win: 44-41 at No. 15 Tennessee in overtime (week 3)

The Bulldogs escaped Jordan-Hare Stadium by a tail's length on Saturday, and if you've seen a bulldog's tail, you'll know that means it wasn't by much. Auburn had the ball at the UGA one-yard line with 1:39 left in the second quarter, and had outgained Georgia around 180-20 in total yardage up to that point. To call the rest of the game a flip of the script would be an understatement. Following a Jackson Arnold fumble from the one-yard line, Georgia rattled off 20 unanswered points and never looked back. Despite the home loss to Alabama a couple of weeks ago, the Bulldogs have a chance to almost lock in another trip to the playoffs with a win over the fourth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday.

• 5. University of Tennessee (last game: won 34-41 vs. Arkansas)

Best win: 41-34 at Miss. State in overtime (week 5)

Despite a very favorable schedule, the Volunteers have come as close to losing to two unranked opponents as they were to beating the Georgia Bulldogs back in week three. Josh Heupel and the Vols will face their first real road test of the year on Saturday, with the famed Third Saturday in October coming up. If Tennessee ends up as the team smoking cigars after the game, they'll have as good a shot as any to yet again make the 12-team playoff. If they don't, it'll likely take a perfect 5-0 finish, including a win vs. the Oklahoma Sooners.

• 6. Louisiana State University, LSU (last game: won 20-10 vs. South Carolina) record: 5-1 (2-1)

Best win: 20-10 vs Florida (week 3)

Although LSU's body of work is that of a top-ten team, I still have some questions before I'm ready to view them as true title contenders. The revitalized defense has continued to dominate under defensive coordinator Blake Baker, but the offense still didn't do anything that blew me out of the water, either. You'll find that for several teams throughout this list, their best wins are against either South Carolina or Florida, both very talented teams who won't be able to put it together this year. The Bayou Bengals have yet to stake a claim to a statement victory outside of Clemson in week one, but they'll have plenty of opportunities to find a couple as the season goes on. Their next three games are against currently ranked teams, including No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 6 Alabama, and they'll round out the year with a trip to Norman, Oklahoma, in a game that could make or break the season of both teams.

• 7. University of Texas (last game: won 23-6 vs. No. 6 Oklahoma in Dallas) record: 4-2 (1-1)

Best win: 23-6 vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (week 7)

Texas, despite having one more loss and a lower AP ranking than the Oklahoma Sooners, will take the spot above them solely due to the bragging rights that come with the Golden Hat trophy. Whenever the Texas State Fair rolls around, the undivided attention of both teams goes directly to their annual date in the famed Cotton Bowl Stadium. The Longhorns have the potential to thrust themselves right back into the national conversation following this win, and with road matchups against both Georgia and Texas A&M, they still control their own destiny.

• 8. University of Oklahoma (last game: lost 23-6 vs. Texas in Dallas) record: 5-1 (1-1)

Best win: 24-13 vs. No. 15 Michigan (week 2)

The initial reaction of whichever team loses the Red River Shootout is usually panic. After going a second consecutive Red River Shootout without a touchdown, this year's Sooners fanbase is likely no different. I don't necessarily think that's the right way to look at this, though. The Longhorns needed this win more than they needed air to breathe, and they played like it. That, paired with Mateer being just two weeks removed from hand surgery, wasn't exactly the perfect storm for OU. Much like Texas, they still control their own path to the CFP. Their final five opponents are all currently ranked, and none are lower than No. 16 Missouri.

• 9. University of Missouri (last game: lost 27-24 vs. No. 8 Alabama) record: 5-1 (1-1)

Best win: 29-20 vs. South Carolina (week 4)

Missouri came into last weekend preparing for one of the biggest games in recent program history. If able to knock off top-ten Alabama, the Tigers would have been able to cement their presence as a playoff contender firmly. I'm still sold on almost the entire team still being one. Their run game is dominant, despite Ahmad Hardy only managing 55 yards, and the Tiger pass rush should very much be talked about as one of the nation's best. My biggest area of concern moving forward is transfer quarterback Beau Pribula. He's got all the talent in the world, but I noticed some real body language issues both after his first interception, and for most of their last drive that ultimately led to his second. His big game performance hasn't really been there so far this season, but if Eli Drinkwitz and his QB can get back in the win column next week against Auburn, then the sky is still the limit over in "Co-Mo."

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• 10. Vanderbilt University (last game: lost 30-14 at No. 10 Alabama) record: 5-1 (1-1)

Best win: 31-7 at No. 11 South Carolina (week 3)

As hard as it may be for the readers to wrap their heads around the No. 17 team in the country being ranked tenth in the conference, it's just as hard for me to wrap my head around typing it. This Vanderbilt team can hang with just about everyone they'll play from here on out. But part of winning in the SEC means winning big games, and the next three teams the Commodores face currently have a number beside them, per Sunday's updated AP poll. Clark Lea hasn't beaten a ranked team since last year's upset over Alabama, and only has one ranked win outside of that (beat No. 24 Kentucky in 2022). We should know everything we need to know about Vanderbilt by the time November arrives.

• 11. University of Florida (last game: lost 34-17 at No. 5 Texas A&M) record: 2-4 (1-2)

Best win: 29-21 vs. No. 9 Texas (week 6)

I said last week that Billy Napier was likely one or two big wins away from keeping his job heading into next season. Luckily enough for Texas A&M, they were able to avoid a ride on the roller coaster that the Gators seem to do time and time again throughout Napier's tenure. Time is running out if Florida's head man wants to stay in Gainesville, though. I only see two games they'll open as betting favorites in (@ Kentucky, vs. FSU). But it's always a good idea to keep an eye out for the matchup between the Gators and Volunteers in the swamp late in November.

• 12. University of South Carolina (last game: lost 20-10 at No. 11 LSU) record: 3-3 (1-3)

Best win: 35-13 vs. Kentucky (week 5)

In terms of a playoff appearance or a shot at the SEC title game, the Gamecocks' season is likely over. However, the chance to play spoiler against any of their next four top-ten opponents remains prevalent, and there's always the battle for state supremacy when Clemson comes to town in the last week of the season. Things just haven't clicked for Shane Beamer's team this year, although it seems "Beamer ball" has officially found a new home in Columbia. South Carolina is the only team in FBS to record all three types of non-offensive touchdowns: interception returned for a TD, fumble recovered for a TD, and a kick return TD.

• 13. Auburn University (last game: lost 20-10 vs. No. 10 Georgia) record: 3-3 (0-3)

Best win: 38-24 at Baylor (week 1)

The Auburn Tigers have spent the better part of the 21st century battling to stake their claim as a top dog in the SEC. They have more success than all but four or five conference teams over the last 25 years, but consistency has held them back. This felt like a year where they had a chance to put themselves into the playoff conversation, but it's starting to feel like the air in the office of Hugh Freeze is getting tighter and tighter as the weeks go on. What had a chance to be a runaway victory against a top ten rival turned into a nightmare of an evening for Auburn fans everywhere. There are still some wins left on the schedule, but Freeze may have to manufacture one or two upsets to give himself an extra year on the Plains.

• 14. Mississippi State University (last game: lost 31-9 at No. 6 Texas A&M) record: 4-2 (0-2)

Best win: 24-20 vs. No. 12 Arizona State (week 2)

The Bulldogs were second of the three teams on a bye, and the first of two teams to move down in the rankings due to an impressive performance from the team behind them. Jeff Lebby's squad needed this bye week to slow the bleeding after a red-hot start to the season. While they have lost two straight, they were to playoff-caliber teams, but outside of Florida and Arkansas, the rest of their schedule has an argument to be in the same category. It will be a dog fight the rest of the way if the boys down in Starkville want to go bowling for the first time since the 2022 season.

• 15. University of Arkansas (last game: lost 34-31 at No. 12 Tennessee) record: 2-4 (0-4)

Best win: 56-14 vs. Arkansas State (week 2)

Despite their record, this Razorback team is only ten points away from possibly being  5-1. They have been competitive in every game they've lost outside of the clubbing by Notre Dame, and this includes three road games against three teams battling for a spot in the playoffs. I expect them to continue knocking on the door of a potential upset, but that may come down to the performance of interim head coach Bobby Petrino.

• 16. University of Kentucky (last game: lost 35-14 at No. 12 Georgia in week 6) record: 2-3 (0-3)

Best win: 48-23 vs. Eastern Michigan (week 3)

Although the Wildcats didn't see any action in week seven, a valiant effort from the previously last-place Arkansas Razorbacks was enough to grant them a rise from the bottom of the barrel. Kentucky is running very low on winnable games, as they'll only likely be favored in one more game this year. That game will come in week 12 against Tennessee Tech. Outside of that, they can count on being out-classed for the remainder of their schedule.