October is nearing an end. Soon, November will be here, which means the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026 are getting closer. The playoff race is shaping up to be fun. Few, if any, teams look dominant. The national championship race is wide open.
A handful of SEC teams hope to play a part. Nine SEC teams have two or fewer losses, and all nine hope to make a run at the postseason. After this weekend, all SEC teams will have finished two-thirds of their regular-season schedule. Over the next few weeks, a select few of those nine teams will emerge as true title contenders, while the other handful emerge as pretenders.
The sorting begins this weekend. Two-loss Florida will play the one-loss Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta. If Florida loses,
the Gators' path to the playoff looks nearly impossible. If Georgia loses, the pressure shifts to Athens.
It's a relatively quiet week in the conference with six teams on a bye, including LSU. But Nov. 7 will be a big one. Next week, LSU meets Alabama, Georgia faces Ole Miss, and Tennessee hosts Kentucky. This weekend will have to serve as an appetizer before the main event in Week 10.
Here are this week's SEC football power rankings. Reminder: these rankings are based on who I would have favored on a neutral field, not necessarily who's hot and who's not.
16. Vanderbilt Commodores (3-5)
Last game: Lost 34-17 at Kentucky (Oct. 24)Next game: Nov. 7 at Mississippi State
Vanderbilt remains the only SEC team without a conference win. Vanderbilt just doesn't have the talent on either side of the ball. Vandy is dead last in the SEC in adjusted points per drive. On defense, only Arkansas has a worse adjusted EPA/play allowed. Clark Lea's squad gets a much-needed bye this weekend before facing Mississippi State on Nov. 7. The Bulldogs will be without star QB Kamario Taylor for the rest of the year, which makes it a winnable game for the Dores.
15. Arkansas Razorbacks (3-4)
Last game: Won 31-21 at Vanderbilt (Oct. 17)Next game: Oct. 31 vs. Missouri
Arkansas picked up its first SEC win earlier this month, defeating Vanderbilt. Year one under Ryan Silverfield has been disappointing, with the Hogs' SP+ rating five points below its preseason mark. The defense is bad. The group ranks outside the top 100 in EPA/play allowed, and Arkansas ranks 136th in points per scoring opportunity allowed. This defense bends and breaks.
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-3)
Last game: Lost 23-15 vs. Oklahoma (Oct. 24)Next game: Oct. 31 at Texas
This season once looked promising for Mississippi State. QB Kamario Taylor was a Heisman contender in September, and MSU was thinking playoff. An injury has since derailed Taylor's season, and the Bulldogs' season along with it. Taylor will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the year. Without its star quarterback, Mississippi State is closer to the Vanderbilts and Arkansases of the world. The offensive line and defense aren't good enough for this team to get by with subpar QB play.
13. Texas A&M Aggies (4-4)
Last game: Lost 31-20 at Alabama (Oct. 24)Next game: Nov. 7 at South Carolina
Only Vanderbilt and Arkansas have a worse adjusted EPA margin than Texas A&M. Not many predicted that in September, when A&M began the year as a top-10 ranked team. The offense continues to ride the struggle bus, ranking last in the SEC in adjusted explosive play rate. On defense, A&M ranks last in the SEC in adjusted sack rate as the DL performs well below the standard of 2025's elite unit.
12. Auburn Tigers (4-3)
Last game: Lost 38-17 vs. LSU (Oct. 24)Next game: Oct. 31 at Ole Miss
Auburn made a slight jump in the power rankings after upsetting Georgia a couple of weeks ago, but Auburn is back down to No. 12 after losing to LSU in blowout fashion at home. Head coach Alex Golesh is showing promise in year one, but the Tigers don't have enough talent to compete with the SEC's top teams right now. That was on display when LSU raced out to a 31-7 lead on the Plains in Week 8.
11. Oklahoma Sooners (4-3)
Last game: Won 23-15 at Mississippi State (Oct. 24)Next game: Oct. 31 vs. South Carolina
Oklahoma's offense might just be the worst in the SEC. I have the Sooners 94th nationally in adjusted offensive points per drive; no other SEC offense ranks outside the top 70. The defense is still good, but it's not enough to make up for OU's lack of points. With three losses, Oklahoma is out of the playoff race, but winnable games remain on the schedule.
10. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3)
Last game: Won 27-24 vs. Tennessee (Oct. 24)Next game: Oct. 31 at Oklahoma
Few teams are as up-and-down as South Carolina. In September, the vibes around this program were not good. South Carolina looked destined to finish near the bottom of the SEC. Now, after back-to-back ranked wins vs. Florida and Tennessee, the Gamecocks have a chance to make some noise in 2026.
South Carolina creates explosive plays on offense and does a good job of limiting them on defense. However, with three losses, the playoff is likely out of the question.
9. Kentucky Wildcats (7-1)
Last game: Won 34-17 vs. Vanderbilt (Oct. 24)Next game: Nov. 7 at Tennessee
I know, putting 7-1 Kentucky at No. 9 won't make Wildcat fans happy, and I've been wrong about Kentucky before, but from a power-rating standpoint, Kentucky is still an average SEC team. Two of Kentucky's wins, vs. South Carolina and LSU, came down to a two-point conversion in overtime, and Kentucky had a post-game win expectancy below 50% in both contests.
Kentucky is strong in the trenches and takes care of the football. That can take a team a long way and matters in close games. If Kentucky keeps finding ways to win, they'll finish the season a lot higher than No. 9.
8. Missouri Tigers (5-2)
Last game: Lost 31-3 at Ole Miss (Oct. 17)Next game: Oct. 31 at Arkansas
Last time we saw Missouri, they lost 31-3 at Ole Miss. The Tigers didn't look good on either side of the ball. Still, before that loss, Missouri beat Florida and Texas A&M by a combined score of 72-23. The defense ranks seventh nationally in adjusted points per drive and fifth in PFF's pass rush grade. With two losses, Missouri still has an outside chance at the CFP, though the rest of the schedule is tough.
7. Tennessee Volunteers (6-2)
Last game: Lost 27-24 at South Carolina (Oct. 24)Next game: Nov. 7 vs. Kentucky
After a massive upset of Alabama, Tennessee lost to South Carolina on the road. The Vols remain in the playoff race with just two losses, but the offense needs to figure it out. Tennessee's defense can only carry this team so far.
Tennessee has a bye this week before facing Kentucky in Week 10. That game will have a massive effect on both teams' playoff hopes.
6. Florida Gators (5-2)
Last game: Won 27-24 at Texas (Oct. 17)Next game: Oct. 31 vs. Georgia (Atlanta)
Florida and South Carolina are competing for the title of the SEC's most inconsistent team this year. Like the Gamecocks, the Gators have had high highs, but also some low lows. You never know which version of Florida's defense will show up. The unit created trouble for Ole Miss and Texas, but has also allowed 38 points or more on three occasions.
Still, there's enough talent here to warrant ranking Florida at No. 6. When the Gators play their best game, they're a playoff contender.
5. Ole Miss Rebels (5-2)
Last game: Lost 34-27 at Texas (Oct. 24)Next game: Oct. 31 vs. Auburn
The Texas defense created problems for Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss and Co. in Week 8. The Ole Miss run game had its worst outing of the year, and Chambliss looked human passing from the pocket. Ole Miss roared back to make it a one-possession game, though, and there's no shame in losing a close SEC game on the road to a good team. Ole Miss still has a national championship ceiling.
4. Texas Longhorns (5-2)
Last game: Won 34-27 vs. Ole Miss (Oct. 24)Next game: Oct. 31 vs. Mississippi State
Texas quieted the storm with the win over Ole Miss. Texas has two losses, but the resume has two strong bullet points thanks to the Ohio State and Ole Miss victories. Texas can afford another loss and still remain in the playoff race.
Arch Manning and the Texas offense looked mildly improved in Week 8. The real story, though, was the defense. Will Muschamp's unit is arguably the best in the conference.
3. LSU Tigers (6-2)
Last game: Won 38-17 at Auburn (Oct. 24)Next game: Nov. 7 vs. Alabama
LSU is 6-2. The Tigers have lost to the only two "good" teams they have played, and the wins aren't that impressive. Despite the limited resume, I think LSU is the third-best team in the SEC. Both losses came down to the final play on the road. When LSU has won, it has won in dominant fashion. Only Georgia has a better adjusted points-per-drive margin than LSU.
The Tigers will have plenty of chances to prove themselves vs. ranked teams down the stretch, beginning with a Nov. 7 contest vs. Alabama.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2)
Last game: Won 31-20 vs. Texas A&M (Oct. 24)Next game: Nov. 7 at LSU
Alabama got back in the win column by beating Texas A&M in Week 8. The back-to-back losses to Tennessee and Georgia raised some questions about this offense, but I still trust Keelon Russell. Few QBs in the country can hurt teams through the air and on the ground as he can. For all the criticism Alabama fans give the play-callers, Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb can draw up the explosive play.
On defense, Alabama has playmakers at all three levels. The Crimson Tide are one of the best run-stopping units in the SEC.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1)
Last game: Lost 27-24 vs. Auburn (Oct. 17)Next game: Oct. 31 vs. Florida (Atlanta)
Georgia was on bye after losing to Auburn in Week 7. Georgia lost on a last-second field goal, in a game where the Dawgs turned it over three times and committed some untimely penalties. I don't think the loss should raise any alarm bells in Athens. The metrics still like Kirby Smart's team, and the market views Georgia as the national title favorite. UGA looks to make a statement vs. Florida this weekend.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: SEC Power Rankings, Week 9: Texas, LSU climb, Ole Miss falls
