Post-week 6 SEC power rankings
Well, after Saturday, we'll officially be north of halfway done with the college football regular season. Before you continue reading, please take a moment to consider the sadness that surrounds this situation. Now that we're done with that, let's take a look at everyone's favorite conference following a relatively quiet slate of SEC action.
For this week's power rankings, I will go over where each team stands, along with a sub-ranking of where each team's starting quarterback stands through the first six weeks, as well as based on their on-field performance.
(Note: I haven't mentioned it yet, but I felt it would now be worth noting. In my power rankings, I like to think that the word 'power' actually means something. In my eyes, an undefeated Missouri 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.)
- 1. University of Mississippi, Ole Miss (last game: won 24-19 vs. no. 4 LSU) record: 5-0 (3-0)
QB ranking: Trinidad Chambliss/Austin Simmons, #4
The currently fourth-ranked Rebels headlined a long list of seven SEC teams on their first bye week, yet they remain at my number one spot for the second week in a row. They'll return to action at home this week against Washington State, which we can all agree is one of the weirdest week six games in recent SEC memory. But I hope all Rebel fans soak it in, because it's their last game until a trip to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs. Even if the Rebels take the loss in a couple of weeks, they'll still retain good odds to make their first college football playoff appearance, but it will likely mean they have to take down the Sooners in Norman the week after. Luckily for the Rebels, they remain the only team in the conference with two elite quarterbacks ready to go at any moment.
- 2. University of Oklahoma (last game: won 44-0 vs. Kent State) record: 5-0 (1-0)
QB ranking: John Mateer, #2
Despite the Longhorns dropping their last game against Florida, the tensions going into Saturday's "Red River Shootout" will still be as high as ever. The Sooners are going into this week still unsure about the availability of John Mateer, and if he can't go on Saturday, expect this game to be just as close as matchups in previous years. Even if the Sooners fall inside the old Cotton Bowl, they will likely receive some grace for doing it without a fully healthy starter and will still have plenty of games against quality opponents to boost their resume and remain in the hunt for their first SEC title. Starting on October 25th, the Sooners will begin their final five-game stretch of the year, and all five of those teams are currently ranked inside the top 15.
- 3. Texas A&M University (last game: won 31-9 vs. Miss. State) record: 5-0 (2-0)
QB ranking: Marcel Reed, #6
The Aggies looked sharp last Saturday against Mississippi State, but not enough to jump either of the top teams. The good thing about that is, however, my rankings mean absolutely nothing to Mike Elko or any of his players. Speaking of his players, sophomore standout quarterback Marcel Reed continued to stay sharp on Saturday, totaling over 200 total yards and three total touchdowns. The Aggies have now found themselves at number five in the latest AP poll, something fans in College Station aren't particularly used to.
- 4. University of Missouri (last game: won 42-6 vs. UMass in week 5) record: 5-0 (1-0)
QB ranking: Beau Prebula, #8
Missouri is as primed to make a push for the college football playoff as anyone in the Southeastern Conference. Beau Prebula, Ahmad Hardy, and the rest of the number 14 team in the country will look to make their first real statement of the year on Saturday, as they welcome number eight Alabama to Columbia. The Tigers are looking to flip the script on last year's matchup, which saw the Crimson Tide shut out Missouri inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. If the Tigers can find a way to knock off Alabama, there won't be a single person in the country left to doubt them, but a loss could leave people speculating on Eli Drinkwitz's ability to win games that will be necessary in order for them to take the next step.
- 5. University of Alabama (last game: won 30-14 vs. no. 16 Vanderbilt) record: 4-1 (2-0)
QB ranking: Ty Simpson, #1
After one of the craziest months to open the season in years, Alabama now finds itself right where it started in the AP poll, sitting at number eight after last week's victory. Alabama had a lot riding on Saturday's game against Vandy, headlined by the revenge narrative that had circled the game ever since this summer's schedule release. Ty Simpson, despite his first turnover of the year, continues to look like one of the most polished quarterbacks in the country and has placed himself near the top of almost every Heisman ranking. The defense also stepped up in a big way once again, holding Vanderbilt scoreless the entire second half and forcing two red zone turnovers. The sky is the limit for the Crimson Tide, but they'll have to deal with a trip to the Missouri Tigers this Saturday before they can worry about that.
- 6. University of Georgia (last game: won 35-21 vs. Kentucky) record: 4-1 (2-1)
QB ranking: Gunnar Stockton, #9
For those that don't know, the last time Georgia lost at home in 2019, their next opponent was Kentucky, whom they handled 35-21. After their streak-ending home loss to Alabama, history repeated itself. The Bulldogs did all they needed to get back in the win column, and will have another chance to tune things up against an unranked Auburn to get ready and welcome number four Ole Miss on October 18th. The Bulldogs better not get caught sleeping, though, as we all know what strange things take place over there in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kirby's squad still has all of their preseason goals in front of them, and has plenty of resume boosters if it fails to repeat as SEC champions.
- 7. University of Tennessee (last game: won 41-34 at Miss. State in week 5) record: 4-1 (1-1)
QB ranking: Joey Aguilar, #3
The Vols continue the trend of teams on a bye, but they were able to climb a spot due to the loss of in-state rival Vanderbilt. Joey Aguilar and the rest of Rocky Top will get back to it, looking to exact revenge on Arkansas this Saturday. They were able to make the college football playoff in spite of the loss in Fayetteville last year, but if Tennessee drops this one again, those playoff hopes will, in all likelihood, head out the door. I don't see a world in which that happens, however, as Arkansas is stuck in neutral at best for the rest of the season. Their next real test will come on the famed third Saturday in October when they head to Tuscaloosa to take on number eight Alabama.
- 8. Louisiana State University, LSU (last game: lost 24-19 at No. 13 Ole Miss) record: 4-1 (1-1)
QB ranking: Garrett Nussmeier, #12
Hopefully for the Tigers, Garrett Nussmier is close to 100% for the remainder of the season, because they're sure gonna need him to be. He's been dealing with an abdominal injury for just about the entire season so far, but according to Brian Kelly, Nussmeier used the week to recover and prepare for the home stretch of the year. That home stretch isn't particularly the most favorable in America, including Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
- 9. University of Vanderbilt (last game: lost 30-14 at No. 10 Alabama) record: 5-1 (1-1)
QB ranking: Diego Pavia, #7
This Saturday felt like either feast or famine to me, going into the game in regards to Vanderbilt. I assumed that if they won, it would be by a field goal at most, but if they lost it would be by at least double digits. While they did end up losing by 16, Clark Lea and his squad showed the world that they are ones to be reckoned with. Any team that not only goes into Tuscaloosa and keeps it tied until halftime, but only trails by less than a touchdown for a majority of the second half is considered legit in my book. I think they have at least two, maybe three losses left on their schedule, but their path to the college football playoff is far from over. However, they have yet to beat at least two out of the three currently ranked teams if they want to accomplish that, and the Commodores have yet to do that so far this season.
- 10. University of South Carolina (last game: won 35-13 vs. Kentucky in week 5) record: 3-2 (1-2)
QB ranking: Lanorris Sellers, #13
Another one of the seven SEC schools on their first bye, South Carolina, didn't do anything to directly impact their ranking. The two teams ahead of them in last week's rankings, however, did. The Gamecocks will return to action this Saturday when they head to Baton Rouge to take on the embattled LSU Tigers. This isn't exactly a make-or-break type of game for Shane Beamer, but it likely is for their playoff hopes. It will take a pretty big upset, as SC is nearly a double-digit underdog, but Beamer and his dynamic quarterback Lanorris Sellers have the ability to knock off anybody in the conference. There's just one problem, those anybody's include a stretch of four consecutive top-ten teams, with two of them on the road. Worst of all, that doesn't include this Saturday's game, even though the Tigers will enter as the number 11 team in the country
- 11. University of Florida (last game: won 29-21 vs. no. 9 Texas) record: 2-3 (1-1)
QB ranking: DJ Lagway, #15
I doubt I'm the first person you've heard this joke from, but I'll tell it anyway. Nobody coaches quite like Billy Napier when his seat is hotter than anyone's. On Monday's edition of the Deep South College Football Show, I said that the people who should be least thankful for this result are Florida fans themselves. As outrageous as that sounds, there will probably be several that agree, because Napier is one or two more big wins away from keeping his job for at least another year. I also said on the show that if the Gators do rattle off those wins, it'll be up to those in charge of the hiring/firing to decipher whether or not those wins were solely due to the talent of quarterback DJ Lagway or the coaching talents of Billy Napier.
- 12. University of Texas (last game: lost 29-21 at Florida) record: 3-2 (0-1)
QB ranking: Arch Manning, #11
Longhorn fans are all but ready to slam the panic button only five weeks into the season. Texas now holds the record for the quickest fall from preseason No. 1 to out of the AP top 25. For context, the record was held by the 2012 USC Trojans, who it took nearly a full regular season (12 weeks) to fall out of the polls. It took the Longhorns only five. Arch Manning's world has seemingly come crashing down around him, and Sark is in big danger of an 8-4 or even a 7-5 type of season if he can't steer this ship out of troubled waters.
- 13. Mississippi State University (last game: lost 31-9 at No. 6 Texas A&M) record: 4-2 (0-2)
QB ranking: Blake Shapen, #10
To any Bulldog fan reading, this ranking hurt me more than it hurts you. The revival of that fanbase has been one of the best storylines to come out of the SEC this year. While this last game didn't go as hoped for, this team still has the chance to take down a big team or two. But I only envision them being able to get it done at home, and the rest of their home games include Texas, Georgia, and Ole Miss. Outside of Arkansas on the road, they'll still likely be underdogs in all of their remaining matchups.
- 14. Auburn University (last game: lost 16-10 at No. 9 Texas A&M in week 5) record: 3-2 (0-2)
QB ranking: Jackson Arnold, #14
The Auburn Tigers have yet again found themselves in preseason hype hell. It feels like from hear on out, head coach Hugh Freeze will be coaching for his job, especially during games inside of Jordan-Hare Stadium. The fans on the plains are too proud to let yet another year of mediocrity slide by without doing anything about it. Jackson Arnold has yet to be the savior of the QB room that he was touted to be, so if things continue to get shaky for the Tigers, don't be surprised to see Freeze look to make a drastic switch at quarterback.
- 15. University of Kentucky (last game: lost 35-14 at No. 12 Georgia) record: 2-3 (0-3)
QB ranking: Cutter Boley/Zach Calzada, #16
Almost everyone on earth was expecting the Wildcats to fall at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, especially to a Georgia team that was looking to exact revenge on anyone brave enough to step foot on their home turf. Mark Stoops still has some winnable games left on this schedule, but it's hard to see a world where they finish with more than four wins on their schedule.
- 16. University of Arkansas (last game: lost 56-13 vs. no. 22 Notre Dame in week 5) record: 2-3 (0-1)
QB ranking: Taylen Green, #5
Arkansas was one of the many teams on a bye this week within the conference, so they weren't able to do anything to climb the ranking. However, nothing has changed for the Razorbacks, and until they both find a head coach and a defense that can stop a nosebleed, they will likely find themselves around the bottom of the conference in both my fictional rankings and the SEC's very real standings. But at least you have Taylen Green, who has proven to be one of the most exciting signal callers in America.
Quarterback rankings full list:
1. Ty Simpson, Alabama 2. John Mateer, Oklahoma 3. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee 4. Trinidad Chambliss/Austin Simmons, Ole Miss 5. Taylen Green, Arkansas 6. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M 7. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt 8. Beau Prebula, Missouri 9. Gunnar Stockton, Georgia 10. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State 11. Arch Manning, Texas 12. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU 13. Lanorris Sellers, South Carolina 14. Jackson Arnold, Auburn 15. DJ Lagway, Florida 16. Cutter Boley/Zach Calzada, Kentucky
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