SEC Power Rankings updated after Week 13 of college football

The latest SEC Power Rankings from On3, utilizing the On3 Massey Ratings, are in after Week 13 of the college football regular season.

The On3 Massey Ratings – which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated high school sports team rankings since 1995 – rank sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

So without further ado, let’s examine this week’s edition following Week 13.

1. Georgia Bulldogs

It was tune-up week for Georgia, facing a UMass team that never had a real chance against the Bulldogs. And Georgia took care of business with a comfortable 59-21 win after a bit of a slow start.

But while Georgia was playing an inferior opponent, other SEC foes had to take on higher-quality opponents. That resulted in some losses around the league and a set of results that ultimately clinched Georgia a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Two more wins and the Bulldogs claim a College Football Playoff berth.

2. Texas Longhorns +1

Other teams have been caught napping by Kentucky this year, but Texas wasted little time jumping out to a comfortable lead. The offense still doesn’t quite look in sync, but the Longhorns winning games while not playing their best football is a great sign.

Texas just needs to turn it on from here on out. A contest against Texas A&M this week will be for the right to advance to the SEC Championship Game against Georgia. And there are obviously playoff implications on the line, as well.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide -1

Alabama falls just one spot in the SEC Power Rankings this week after falling to Oklahoma in humbling fashion. The offense never got rolling, and you have to credit the Oklahoma defense for making quarterback Jalen Milroe uncomfortable throughout the evening.

The potential to earn a playoff bid isn’t completely off the table at this point, but the Crimson Tide must be perfect while hoping for a handful of results elsewhere. It’s a long shot, but there’s still plenty to play for.

4. Tennessee Volunteers +1

Tennessee was arguably the biggest beneficiary of Alabama and Ole Miss losing, moving into the comfortable range when it comes to the playoff. Moreover, because the Volunteers won’t have an SEC title to play for at this point, only one game remains.

Beat Vanderbilt and Tennessee should be a playoff team. It’s really that simple at this point, despite the ups and downs of the regular season. The last regular season game could impact seeding.

5. Ole Miss Rebels -1

It’s never easy to walk into the Swamp and win, and Ole Miss found that out the hard way this week. Florida was ready from the jump, and its defensive line was disruptive enough to slow Ole Miss. A handful of fourth-down stops proved the difference.

For the Rebels, a playoff berth now seems like a real long shot, given the nature of the team’s losses. But you never know. What hurts is that the regular season finale against Mississippi State won’t offer much juice to move up, either in the SEC Power Rankings or the playoff picture.

6. South Carolina Gamecocks +1

Another of the teams with a patsy before a key rivalry game, South Carolina rolled over Wofford without breaking a sweat on Saturday. That increased the team’s current winning streak to five games, and you have to consider the Gamecocks one of the hottest teams in the country.

That will certainly be put to the test next week in a game against Clemson that could potentially vault South Carolina toward the playoff cut line. It’ll be an extremely important contest, as Shane Beamer looks to definitively put a stamp on his best season yet.

7. Texas A&M Aggies -1

The Aggies lost a stunning quadruple overtime game against the Auburn Tigers, putting a significant dent in the team’s postseason hopes. But Texas A&M slides only one spot in the SEC Power Rankings.

And despite the loss Saturday, there’s still a ton to play for. First up is a matchup against one-loss Texas, with a trip to the SEC title game awarded to the winner. Win both of those games and suddenly Texas A&M is dancing despite the major setback.

8. LSU Tigers

It wasn’t the easiest game, but LSU outlasted Vanderbilt on Saturday night in Death Valley. It was a much-needed stabilizing win for coach Brian Kelly, who suddenly finds himself under considerable pressure in his third season in charge.

LSU hasn’t had the kind of season it hoped for, but the Tigers can still end it on a strong note by beating Oklahoma to get to eight wins. As Alabama found out this week, that’s certainly not a given.

9. Oklahoma Sooners +2

A massive win over Alabama sends Oklahoma vaulting two spots up this week’s SEC Power Rankings. That’s a significant move this late in the season, but the On3 Massey Ratings like the Sooners.

How big was the win over Alabama? Well, Florida had a seemingly huge win over Ole Miss but was still jumped by the Sooners in this week’s rankings. That says a lot about how quality a win over the Crimson Tide is.

10. Missouri Tigers -1

The game was competitive at various points before Missouri pulled away and put Mississippi State down 39-20. Coach Eli Drinkwitz had a viral moment where he threatened to score with the game clock running down.

For Missouri, this season feels a little like opportunity lost, though it’s certainly understandable when you consider the injuries the team has battled all year. A win over Arkansas to close the regular season would help put a positive spin on things.

SEC Power Rankings: 11-16

11. Florida Gators -1
12. Arkansas Razorbacks
13. Auburn Tigers +2
14. Kentucky Wildcats -1
15. Vanderbilt Commodores -1
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Florida actually dropped a spot in this week’s SEC Power Rankings despite logging a huge win over Ole Miss. That was as much a product of Oklahoma’s win being considered even better by the On3 Massey Ratings. The only other move in the bottom five was Auburn moving up two spots after the win over Texas A&M, bumping Kentucky and Vanderbilt down a spot each.