While there weren’t many major upsets across college football in Week 9, one result stood out: No. 2 Ohio State fell to USC on the road, 30-18. The game was never particularly close, as the Trojans controlled the matchup and handed Ryan Day and the Buckeyes their second loss of the season.
Several other notable upsets took place across the country. Oregon defeated No. 20 Northwestern, 36-24; Iowa shut out Wisconsin, 30-0; Syracuse edged No. 19 SMU, 30-27; and Iowa State outlasted No. 24 Oklahoma State in a wild
51-49 victory.
There were also several close calls involving highly ranked teams. No. 4 Indiana needed a 60-yard field goal to tie Minnesota and force overtime before pulling away for a 23-16 victory. BYU nearly suffered a second consecutive loss but escaped with a 27-20 win over Arizona State. No. 13 Texas Tech held off No. 22 Arizona, 34-26, while No. 1 Miami narrowly defeated North Carolina, 38-35, after recovering an onside kick late in the game and eventually kneeling out the clock.
With all of that in mind, let’s get into the rankings.
SEC Football Power Rankings Week 10
No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1)
Georgia returned to action after its bye week and remains at No. 1 in the SEC Power Rankings. The Bulldogs took care of business against a struggling Florida team, earning a 27-8 victory in a game they controlled throughout.
Georgia’s defense played a significant role in the win, forcing four turnovers and helping the Bulldogs keep the Gators from building any offensive momentum. Florida’s struggles eventually led to a quarterback change.
Georgia did not need a particularly productive passing game to secure the victory, finishing with just 101 passing yards. Instead, the Bulldogs leaned on their rushing attack, accumulating 217 yards on the ground while holding Florida to only 48.
Although Georgia’s defense continues to deliver strong performances, the offense still has room to improve. If the Bulldogs want to compete for a national championship in the College Football Playoff, they will need to become more consistent on that side of the ball.
For now, Georgia has responded well after its loss to Auburn and remains tied with Kentucky atop the SEC standings. The Bulldogs face a significant test next week when they travel to take on Ole Miss.
No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats (7-1, 5-1)
Kentucky remains at No. 2 after enjoying its bye week, or, as first-year head coach Will Stein might say, a workweek.
The Wildcats have enjoyed a surprisingly successful season under Stein, with few expecting them to be in this position at this point in the year. Kentucky has won six consecutive games since its Sept. 12 loss to Alabama and has consistently found ways to win, even when games have become challenging.
Now, the Wildcats face another major test on the road against Tennessee on Saturday. The Volunteers have a talented defense that could make things difficult for Kentucky’s offense, meaning the Wildcats will need to execute consistently on that side of the ball.
Kentucky has already shown that it can compete with some of the SEC’s best teams, but winning in a challenging road environment against Tennessee would provide another opportunity to strengthen its résumé.
The Wildcats will need a complete performance to come away with another victory. If the offense can find its rhythm and avoid costly mistakes, Kentucky has a chance to pull off another upset and continue its impressive run.
No. 3 LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-2)
Like Kentucky, LSU was off this past weekend and remains at No. 3 in the SEC Power Rankings.
Despite having two losses, both of which came in difficult matchups, LSU has shown that it can compete with some of the conference’s best teams. One defeat came against Ole Miss in an emotionally charged game featuring Lane Kiffin facing his former team. The Rebels came away with an impressive victory.
The Tigers’ other loss came on the road against Kentucky in Lexington. The Wildcats wore their Power K uniforms, and the home crowd created a difficult environment for LSU in an overtime defeat.
Outside of those setbacks, LSU has done a good job of taking care of business. The Tigers will now have an opportunity to strengthen their position in the conference when Alabama comes to town next week.
That matchup will be one of the biggest tests remaining on LSU’s schedule. A victory would help the Tigers build momentum and establish themselves as a serious contender in the SEC race.
No. 4 Texas Longhorns (6-2, 3-2)
Texas has continued to experience some inconsistency this season, but the Longhorns have also collected several impressive victories. Those include a comeback win against Ohio State, a road victory over Tennessee, and a home win against Ole Miss.
This past weekend, Texas faced a struggling Mississippi State team that was without its star quarterback, Kamario Taylor, who remains injured. The Longhorns took advantage of the matchup and cruised to a 31-3 victory.
If Texas can find greater consistency, it has the potential to become one of the top three teams in the SEC. The talent is there, but the Longhorns need to continue putting together complete performances.
Next week, Texas will face another challenge when it travels to Missouri. The Tigers have been undefeated at home this season, making the matchup an important test for both teams.
If Texas can win on the road, the Longhorns could make a strong case for moving into the top three of the SEC Power Rankings.
No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels (6-2, 4-2)
Ole Miss took care of business against Auburn on Saturday, earning a convincing 45-15 victory.
The Rebels have shown that they can be one of the most dangerous teams in the SEC when everything is clicking. Their offense has the potential to put up points against quality opponents, and the team will have another opportunity to prove itself next weekend.
If Ole Miss had not lost to Texas the previous week, the Rebels would have a stronger argument for being ranked ahead of the Longhorns. However, that defeat keeps them at No. 5 for now.
Ole Miss has an opportunity to make a significant jump in the rankings when Georgia visits next Saturday. A victory over the Bulldogs would be one of the Rebels’ biggest wins of the season and could change the outlook of the SEC race.
It will be one of the most intriguing matchups of the upcoming weekend, as Ole Miss looks to defend its home field against one of the conference’s top teams.
No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers (6-2, 3-2)
Tennessee was another SEC team on a bye this past weekend, but the Volunteers remain at No. 6 after putting together a successful season overall.
The defense has been a major reason for Tennessee’s success, particularly during stretches when the offense has struggled to find consistency. The Volunteers have shown that they can compete with quality opponents, but they have also suffered disappointing defeats.
Tennessee earned a victory over Alabama at home but lost to Texas and South Carolina in Knoxville. The loss to the Gamecocks was particularly frustrating, as it prevented the Volunteers from building more momentum in SEC play.
Without that defeat, Tennessee could have a strong argument for a spot in the top five, if not the top three, of these rankings.
The Volunteers will now turn their attention to Kentucky, which travels to Knoxville next Saturday. Tennessee will have the home-field advantage, but the Wildcats have won six straight games and will be looking to pull off another upset.
It will be a difficult matchup for Kentucky, especially against Tennessee’s defense. However, if the Wildcats can execute offensively and limit mistakes, they will have an opportunity to earn another important conference victory.
No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2, 4-2)
Alabama also had a bye week and remains at No. 7 in the rankings.
The Crimson Tide have been impressive at times this season, but slow starts have occasionally made things more difficult than necessary. When the offense gets rolling, Alabama has the talent to compete with almost anyone in the conference.
However, the Tide have struggled to produce consistent offensive performances in recent weeks. Including their game against Georgia, Alabama has scored 17 points against the Bulldogs at home, 10 points against Tennessee on the road, and 31 points against Texas A&M at home.
The first two performances came against defenses that have shown they can be among the best in the conference. Texas A&M, meanwhile, has struggled throughout the season, making Alabama’s offensive production in that matchup worth watching.
The Crimson Tide still have the talent to compete near the top of the SEC, but they need to show greater consistency if they want to move up these rankings.
Next week, Alabama travels to face LSU in a difficult road matchup. If the Tide can earn a victory, they will have a strong opportunity to improve their standing and demonstrate that they remain one of the conference’s top teams.
No. 8 Missouri Tigers (6-2, 3-2)
Missouri remains one of the more difficult teams to rank in the SEC because the Tigers have not consistently been tested against the conference’s best competition.
Several of Missouri’s opponents have struggled with inconsistency this season, making it difficult to determine exactly where the Tigers stand among the SEC’s top teams. Their toughest matchup came against Ole Miss on the road, where Missouri suffered a lopsided 31-3 defeat.
The Tigers bounced back against Arkansas, earning a dominant 34-10 road victory. It was an important result for Missouri as it looks to build momentum heading into the second half of the season.
Now, the Tigers will face their second major test when they host Texas next week. The Longhorns have also experienced inconsistency, but they have demonstrated that they can compete with some of the best teams in the conference.
This matchup will provide Missouri with an opportunity to prove that it belongs among the SEC’s upper-tier teams. A victory would strengthen the Tigers’ résumé, while Texas will be looking to pick up another important road win.
No. 9 South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3, 3-3)
South Carolina has completely turned its season around after a difficult start to SEC play.
The Gamecocks began the season 2-3 overall and 0-3 in conference play. However, they have since won three consecutive games against Florida on the road, Tennessee at home, and Oklahoma on the road.
Those victories have given South Carolina some much-needed momentum and helped ease the pressure on head coach Shane Beamer, whose job security had become a topic of discussion earlier in the season.
The Gamecocks have shown significant improvement during this winning streak, particularly with their ability to compete against quality opponents. Their victory over Tennessee was especially important, as it demonstrated that South Carolina could win a close game against a ranked conference rival.
Now, South Carolina has an opportunity to continue its climb when Texas A&M visits next week. The Aggies have struggled this season, giving the Gamecocks a chance to improve to 6-3 overall and 4-3 in SEC play.
If South Carolina can keep winning, Beamer could continue to quiet the criticism and help the program build momentum for the remainder of the season.
No. 10 Florida Gators (5-3, 3-3)
Florida remains at No. 10 as the Gators continue to struggle with inconsistency.
The Gators have shown that they can put together impressive performances, including a road victory over Auburn and a blowout win against Ole Miss. However, they have also suffered disappointing losses to South Carolina, Missouri, and Georgia.
One of Florida’s biggest problems has been its offense. The Gators have struggled to find a consistent quarterback who can lead the unit, and their defense has been left with too much responsibility.
Against Georgia, Florida managed just 48 rushing yards and struggled to generate offense throughout the game. The Gators also committed four turnovers, making it difficult to remain competitive against one of the SEC’s top teams.
Florida now has an opportunity to get back on track when Oklahoma visits next week. The Sooners have struggled offensively this season, which could give the Gators a chance to capitalize.
If Florida wants to avoid slipping further down the rankings, it needs to take care of business against Oklahoma and put together a more complete performance on both sides of the ball.
No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners (4-4, 2-3)
Oklahoma has been one of the more disappointing teams in the SEC this season. After reaching the College Football Playoff last year, the Sooners have struggled to find the same consistency and have repeatedly failed to generate enough offense.
Scoring has been a major issue for Oklahoma. The Sooners have posted point totals of 51, 10, 14, 13, 27, 13, 23, and 25 throughout their first eight games. In half of those contests, they have scored fewer than 20 points.
That lack of offensive production has made it difficult for Oklahoma to win consistently, even when the defense has kept games competitive.
The Sooners struggled against South Carolina, as the Gamecocks found success against their defense and pulled away for a 42-25 victory. It was another frustrating result for a team that entered the season with much higher expectations.
Next week, Oklahoma will travel to face Florida. Although the Gators have experienced their own struggles, the Sooners will need to improve offensively if they want to come away with a victory.
With the season moving along, Oklahoma must find a way to become more consistent on offense. Otherwise, the Sooners risk falling even further down the SEC Power Rankings.
No. 12 Auburn Tigers (4-4, 2-4)
Auburn has faced one of the more challenging schedules in the SEC this season, with matchups against Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, and Ole Miss.
The Tigers also picked up a victory over Vanderbilt, but their schedule has provided several difficult tests against conference opponents. Auburn has shown flashes of being a very good team, including its impressive victory over Georgia.
However, the Tigers have struggled to maintain that level of play consistently. Their latest setback came against Ole Miss, which defeated Auburn 45-15.
The loss was a disappointing result for a team that had recently pulled off one of the biggest wins of the season. Auburn struggled to keep pace with the Rebels and will need to improve if it hopes to finish the year on a positive note.
Fortunately for the Tigers, the next three weeks present an opportunity to regain some momentum. Auburn will face Arkansas on the road, Mississippi State and then Tennessee Tech.
If Auburn can take advantage of that stretch and string together some victories, it could put itself in a better position heading into the final weeks of the season.
No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies (4-4, 2-3)
Texas A&M has been another disappointing team this season. After reaching the College Football Playoff last year, the Aggies entered the season with high expectations but have struggled to maintain that momentum.
The Aggies were off this past weekend and remain at No. 13 in the SEC Power Rankings. With their postseason hopes becoming more difficult to achieve, the focus now shifts toward finding enough wins to become bowl-eligible.
However, Texas A&M faces a challenging stretch to close out the season. The Aggies will travel to face a South Carolina team that has won three consecutive games before hosting Tennessee. They will then travel to Oklahoma before finishing the regular season against Texas at home.
With four difficult matchups ahead, Texas A&M will need to find a way to turn its season around quickly.
The Aggies likely need to win at least two of their final four games to become bowl-eligible. Given the quality of their remaining opponents, that will be a difficult task, but the team still has an opportunity to salvage its season.
No. 14 Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4)
Much like last season, Mississippi State has started strong before struggling as the schedule has progressed.
The Bulldogs showed promise early in the year, but injuries have created challenges, particularly at quarterback. Kamario Taylor has been dealing with an injury, and his availability has been a significant factor for a team that has relied heavily on his production.
Mississippi State suffered a lopsided loss to Texas this past weekend, as the Longhorns took control and secured a convincing victory. The defeat was another setback for the Bulldogs, who are trying to remain in contention for bowl eligibility.
Fortunately, Mississippi State has a more manageable stretch ahead. The Bulldogs will host Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Tennessee Tech over the next three weeks.
They do not necessarily need to win all three games, but picking up at least two victories would give Mississippi State a chance to build momentum and improve its postseason outlook.
The Bulldogs will need to take advantage of their upcoming home games if they want to avoid another disappointing finish to the season.
No. 15 Arkansas Razorbacks (3-5, 1-4)
Arkansas continues to sit near the bottom of the SEC after another disappointing performance.
The Razorbacks struggled against Missouri, losing 34-10 at home. Arkansas never found a consistent offensive rhythm and had difficulty keeping pace with the Tigers.
Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, the schedule does not get much easier from here. Arkansas will travel to face Auburn before hosting South Carolina. The Razorbacks will then travel to Texas before finishing the season against LSU at home.
With four challenging games remaining, Arkansas could struggle to pick up another victory. If the Razorbacks cannot find a way to turn things around, they could finish the season with just three wins.
That would be a difficult outcome for first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield, who will be looking to establish a stronger foundation for the program.
Arkansas still has opportunities to improve, but the Razorbacks will need to show significant progress in the coming weeks to avoid a disappointing end to the season.
No. 16 Vanderbilt Commodores (3-5, 0-5)
Vanderbilt remains at No. 16 after having a bye week. The Commodores are still searching for their first SEC victory of the season and will need to find a way to turn things around quickly.
The Commodores have struggled to maintain consistency, particularly on offense. True freshman quarterback Jared Curtis has shown flashes of potential, but the transition to college football has also come with growing pains.
Against Kentucky, Curtis had moments when the game appeared to be slowing down for him, allowing him to gain confidence. However, that progress was interrupted as Kentucky forced multiple turnovers and eventually pulled away for a 34-17 victory.
Vanderbilt will now turn its attention to Mississippi State. If Kamario Taylor is unavailable for the Commodores, they could have an opportunity to take advantage of the matchup and secure their first conference win.
The rest of Vanderbilt’s schedule will not be easy. After Mississippi State, the Commodores will face Alabama at home, Florida on the road, and Tennessee at home.
Vanderbilt will need to improve on both sides of the ball if it hopes to pull off an upset during the final stretch of the season. For now, the Commodores remain at the bottom of the SEC Power Rankings as they search for a way to finish the year on a more positive note.
