We’re two weeks into the season, and preseason expectations are beginning to give way to what teams have actually done on the field.
These rankings aren’t based on helmets, history or recruiting rankings. They’re based on performance—and right now, some teams have considerably more to prove than others.
- TEXAS
The Longhorns earned the top spot by beating No. 1 Ohio State, 24–23. That is the strongest victory by any SEC team through two weeks.
- GEORGIA
Georgia hasn’t faced a serious test yet, but the Bulldogs have looked like Georgia. Gunnar Stockton threw five touchdown passes in a 70–20 demolition of Western Kentucky.
- LSU
The Tigers’ defense looks championship-caliber, but four turnovers and a sluggish first half against Louisiana Tech exposed some offensive concerns. LSU eventually pulled away, 45–14, but that performance won’t be good enough against Ole Miss.
- TEXAS A&M
The Aggies look talented, physical and capable of challenging for a playoff spot. We still need to see it against better competition, but their ceiling is among the highest in the conference.
- OLE MISS
The Rebels followed their quality victory over Louisville with a comfortable 41–9 win over Charlotte. Now comes the measuring stick: LSU in Oxford.
- MISSOURI
Austin Simmons is quickly becoming one of the biggest stories in the SEC. He threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns as Missouri handled Kansas, 38–21. The Tigers may be better than many of us expected.
- ALABAMA
The Crimson Tide struggled early against Kentucky before exploding for 32 unanswered second-half points in a 45–17 win. Alabama is talented, but I’m not ready to declare the Tide “back” just yet.
- MISSISSIPPI STATE
This may surprise some people, but it shouldn’t. The Bulldogs went on the road and whipped Minnesota, 38–13. Kamario Taylor is the truth, and Mississippi State has earned its way into the upper half of these rankings.
- TENNESSEE
The Volunteers escaped Atlanta with a valuable win over Georgia Tech. Tennessee remains dangerous, but I need to see more before placing it alongside the SEC’s legitimate contenders.
- AUBURN
Auburn is 2–0 and appears improved, but the Tigers haven’t done enough yet to warrant a higher ranking. Their trip to Florida should tell us considerably more.
- FLORIDA
There are signs that John Sumrall has Florida moving in the right direction. Like Auburn, however, the Gators need a meaningful win before they can make a serious move.
- SOUTH CAROLINA
The Gamecocks are 2–0, but being held scoreless in the first quarter and struggling to put away Towson cannot be ignored. South Carolina has the talent to climb quickly, but it needs to play much cleaner against Mississippi State.
- OKLAHOMA
The Sooners managed only 10 points in their 17–10 loss at Michigan. The defense kept them competitive, but the offense failed its first significant test.
- ARKANSAS
Arkansas has not shown enough consistency or overall roster strength to inspire much confidence. There may be some fight in this team, but there are also obvious limitations.
- VANDERBILT
The Commodores continue to struggle against teams they should handle comfortably. Until Vanderbilt proves otherwise against legitimate competition, they stay near the bottom.
- KENTUCKY
Kentucky led Alabama 17–13 at halftime, but the Wildcats were outscored 32–0 after the break. The defense showed some fight; the offense went 1-for-14 on third down and completely disappeared. The conference loss also puts Kentucky at the bottom for now.
