The SEC has completely shaken up from where we initially thought it would be.
Week 7 continued the trend of the conference's top team losing to an unranked opponent, as the Georgia Bulldogs fell to the Auburn Tigers on a last-second field goal. The Alabama Crimson Tide, who remained near the top after their bout with UGA, crumbled offensively against Tennessee.
After taking a major hit in the power rankings last week, the Texas Longhorns lost to the Florida Gators, with backup quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. taking the field, and will likely take another big fall.
With all the pure chaos, Kentucky seems to have it going with their 5-1 start to the season.
Seven weeks into the 2026 campaign, are there any SEC teams that are national championship contenders?
As they try to separate themselves and others fight to stay in the College Football Playoff picture, here's where all 16 teams stand in the latest Gators Wire SEC power rankings.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
- Record: 6-1 (4-1 SEC)
- Result: 27-14 loss to Auburn Tigers
- Up Next: BYE
Georgia's undefeated run ended with a surprising 27-24 loss to Auburn. The Bulldogs remain at No. 1 for now because of what they accomplished through the first six weeks, but their grip on the top spot is suddenly much weaker. A bye week allows Georgia to regroup before returning to the thick of SEC play.
2. Ole Miss Rebels
- 2025 Record: 5-1 (3-1 SEC)
- Result: 31-3 victory over Missouri Tigers
- Up Next: Texas Longhorns
Ole Miss made one of Week 7's strongest statements, dominating Missouri, 31-3. The Rebels responded strongly after their earlier loss to Florida. If they keep putting together dominant wins, the Rebels have a real chance to become the conference's top team.
3. Kentucky Wildcats
- Record: 6-1 (4-1 SEC)
- Result: 21-13 victory over Oklahoma Sooners
- Up Next: Vanderbilt Commodores
Kentucky continues to quietly build one of the SEC's best résumés. The Wildcats handled Oklahoma, 21-13, to improve to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play. With their only loss coming against the Crimson Tide, Kentucky is in a firm position to make an SEC title game in their first season under Will Stein.
4. Florida Gators
- 2025 Record: 5-2 (3-2 SEC)
- Result: 27-24 victory over Texas Longhorns
- Up Next: BYE
The Gators' season was thought to be in the gutter just a week ago; however, after back-to-back losses, they responded with a 27-24 win over Texas to reach 5-2. With their earlier win over Ole Miss, Florida now has multiple impressive victories and has made the biggest jump of the week, moving from ninth to fourth.
While they are still in the middle of their toughest stretch, Florida will need to keep winning if they hope to make the College Football Playoff.
5. Tennessee Volunteers
- Record: 5-1 (2-1 SEC)
- Result: 26-10 victory over Alabama Crimson Tide
- Up Next: South Carolina Gamecocks
Tennessee delivered its biggest win of the season, beating Alabama 26-10. The Volunteers' defense held one of the conference's premier programs to just 10 points, while the offense did enough to control the game. Tennessee rises five spots to No. 5 and has quickly inserted itself into the SEC contender conversation with just one loss.
6. LSU
- Record: 5-2 (2-2 SEC)
- Result: 31-0 victory over Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Up Next: Auburn Tigers
Few performances were more convincing this week than LSU's 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State. The Tigers dominated from start to finish and earned a much-needed conference win. LSU still has ground to make up after two losses, but a performance like this keeps the Tigers within striking distance of the conference's top tier.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
- 2025 Record: 5-2 (3-2 SEC)
- Result: 26-10 loss to Tennessee Volunteers
- Up Next: Texas A&M Aggies
Alabama takes a steep fall from the top after a disappointing 26-10 loss to Tennessee. The Crimson Tide now rank No. 7 this week, down from No. 2, and failed to generate enough offense to keep pace with the Volunteers. Injuries have piled on them, but they can't be an excuse when you're trying to contend; Alabama's margin for error has become extremely thin.
8. Missouri Tigers
- Record: 5-2 (2-2 SEC)
- Result: 31-3 loss to Ole Miss Rebels
- Up Next: BYE
Missouri's momentum stalled against Ole Miss. One week after sitting fourth in these rankings, the Tigers managed just three points in a 31-3 loss to the Rebels. Missouri remains 5-2, but a lopsided defeat raises questions about where the Tigers truly belong among the SEC's contenders. They will enter their bye week with questions to answer.
9. Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Record: 4-2 (2-2 SEC)
- Result: 31-0 loss to LSU Tigers
- Up Next: Oklahoma Sooners
Mississippi State falls to No. 9 after losing to LSU. Though they didn't have their starting quarterback, the Bulldogs should at least have shown fight against an LSU team that has lost a few games this season. Their season isn't over, but they will need Kamario Taylor if they want a chance to beat Oklahoma next week.
10. Auburn Tigers
- Record: 4-2 (2-2 SEC)
- Result: 27-24 victory over Georgia Bulldogs
- Up Next: LSU Tigers
Auburn pulled off the upset of the week by handing Georgia its first loss of the season. The Tigers' 27-24 win showed they can compete with anyone in the conference and moved them up two spots. Alex Golesh's program now has a chance to build a winning streak against an LSU team fresh off a dominant win.
11. Texas Longhorns
- Record: 4-2 (1-2 SEC)
- Result: 27-24 loss to Florida Gators
- Up Next: Ole Miss Rebels
Texas continues its slide down the power rankings after losing to the Florida Gators. The Longhorns had a chance to improve their standing in the SEC but instead fell to 1-2 in conference play. Inconsistent quarterback play has hurt them in back-to-back weeks, and a change may be coming. In the SEC, things don't get easier as they welcome Ole Miss to Austin.
12. Oklahoma Sooners
- Record: 3-3 (1-2 SEC)
- Result: 21-13 loss to Kentucky Wildcats
- Up Next: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Oklahoma falls to No. 12 at the halfway point of its season after a 21-13 loss to Kentucky. The Sooners have struggled to put anything consistent on the field during conference play, including a victory over Texas followed by this loss to Kentucky. Playing Mississippi State gives one of these struggling teams a chance to get back on track.
13. South Carolina Gamecocks
- Record: 3-3 (1-3 SEC)
- Result: BYE
- Up Next: Tennessee Volunteers
South Carolina remains at No. 13 following its bye week. The Gamecocks had an extra week to prepare for a Tennessee team coming off a statement victory over Alabama. At 1-3 in conference play, South Carolina needs to start stacking wins quickly if it hopes to salvage its SEC season.
14. Texas A&M Aggies
- 2025 Record: 4-3 (1-3 SEC)
- Result: 41-0 victory over Citadel Bulldogs
- Up Next: Alabama Crimson Tide
Texas A&M handled business in dominant fashion, beating The Citadel 41-0. The Aggies remain at No. 14 because their struggles in SEC play still outweigh a blowout win against a non-conference opponent. They will have an opportunity to change that perception next week against a vulnerable Alabama team.
15. Arkansas Razorbacks
- Record: 3-4 (1-1 SEC)
- Result: 31-21 victory over Vanderbilt Commodores
- Up Next: BYE
Arkansas finally escapes the bottom spot after defeating Vanderbilt, 31-21. The Razorbacks notched their first SEC win of the season; however, plenty of work remains, and Arkansas heads into its bye week with much-needed momentum.
16. Vanderbilt Commodores
- Record: 3-4 (0-4 SEC)
- Result: 31-21 loss to Arkansas Razorbacks
- Up Next: Kentucky Wildcats
Vanderbilt falls to the bottom of the rankings after losing to Arkansas, previously last in the rankings. The Commodores are now 0-4 in SEC play and remain the conference's only team without a league victory. After an undefeated start, the program has yet to win and may not again this season.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: SEC Power Rankings: Georgia remains at the top despite upset loss
