SEC football is back! Most of the conference is off to a 1-0 start.
Georgia won at home in a lopsided victory over UT Martin. Alabama looked strong against a weak opponent. Florida State toppled LSU behind a dominant second half.
Buy Bulldogs TicketsOle Miss racked up points against Mercer. Vanderbilt has the best record in the conference. Florida looked out of sorts as the Gators lost at Utah.
Overall, it is too early to tell much about most teams in the SEC. However, that will change as much of the conference faces a stiffer challenge in Week 2.
How do we rank all 14 teams in the SEC?
14
Vanderbilt Commodores
Record: 2-0
Week 1: Vanderbilt 47, Alabama A&M 13
Vanderbilt may have the best record of any team in the SEC, but the Commodores are going to have to earn our respect after several consecutive rough seasons.
Next game: at Wake Forest
13
Florida Gators
Record: 0-1
Week 1: Utah 24, Florida 11
Sorry Florida fans. The Gators don’t get the benefit of the doubt anymore. Florida is an alarming 7-17 in its last 24 games against Power Five opponents.
Next game: vs. McNeese State
12
Auburn Tigers
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Auburn 59, Massachusetts 14
Auburn dominated its season opener and head coach Hugh Freeze’s debut against Massachusetts. The Tigers face a true challenge and better measure of their team next week. It is too early to decipher how to rank Auburn, Missouri, Mississippi State and other similar SEC teams.
Next game: at California
11
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Mississippi State 48, Southeast Louisiana 7
Mississippi State started slowly against Southeast Louisiana, but built some separation in the second half. The Bulldogs have a better quarterback, Will Rogers, than several teams ranked above them, so don’t be surprised if they climb the SEC power rankings.
Next game: Arizona (home)
10
Missouri Tigers
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Missouri 35, South Dakota 10
The Tigers could be a sleeper team in the SEC. Missouri has a strong defense, but needs to get more out of its offense if the Tigers are going to make noise in the SEC East.
Next game: Middle Tennessee (home)
9
Arkansas Razorbacks
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Arkansas 56, Western Carolina 13
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is one of the best players in the SEC. Razorbacks could easily outperform this power ranking. However, for now we should temper expectations for Arkansas, which went 7-6 last year.
Next game: Kent State (home)
8
South Carolina Gamecocks
Record: 0-1
Week 1: North Carolina 31, South Carolina 17
South Carolina’s offensive line let the Gamecocks down against North Carolina. Quarterback Spencer Rattler played fairly well considering South Carolina gave up nine sacks and finished the game with minus-2 rushing yards. The Gamecocks have a talented team and look to get back on track in Week 2.
Next game: Furman (home)
7
Kentucky Wildcats
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Kentucky 44, Ball State 14
Perhaps we are giving Kentucky a little too much respect here. The Wildcats don’t face much competition until they play Vanderbilt in Week 4. Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary should have a nice season. The Wildcats could easily start 5-0.
Next game: Eastern Kentucky (home)
6
Ole Miss Rebels
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Ole Miss 73, Mercer 7
Head coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss showed no mercy against Mercer. The Rebels have a bigger test in Week 2 when they face Tulane. Ole Miss has an explosive offense again in 2023. Quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins lead the show for the Rebels.
Next game: at Tulane
5
LSU Tigers
Record: 0-1
Week 1: Florida State 45, LSU 24
LSU fell apart in the second half against a talented Florida State team that is expected to compete for an ACC title. The Tigers weren’t as physical as Florida State. LSU needs to regroup because it is not out of College Football Playoff contention.
Next game: Grambling (home)
4
Texas A&M Aggies
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Texas A&M 52, New Mexico 10
Scoring 52 points, even if it is against a bad team, is a good sign for Texas A&M fans. The Aggies didn’t score more than 40 points a single time last year. We’ll see if they live up to this power ranking in Week 2.
Next game: at Miami
3
Tennessee Volunteers
Record: 1-0
Week 1: Tennessee 49, Virginia 13
Tennessee’s offense picked up where it left off in 2022. The Volunteers looked explosive against a Power Five opponent in Virginia. Quarterback Joe Milton should be in for a big season.
Next game: Austin Peay (home)
2
Alabama Crimson Tide
Week 1: Alabama 56, Middle Tennessee 7
Alabama faces a true test next week at home against Texas. The Crimson Tide dominated Middle Tennessee behind a big day from starting quarterback Jalen Milroe. Milroe looked good as a passer and as a rusher.
Next game: Texas (home)
1
Georgia Bulldogs
Week 1: Georgia 48, UT Martin 7
Georgia is going to have to struggle more than that to be ranked No. 2 in our power rankings. The Dawgs started slowly, but played a great game defensively against a weak opponent. Georgia’s starting quarterback Carson Beck is still finding his footing. Georgia’s first real challenge comes in Week 3 against South Carolina.
Next game: Ball State (home)
