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SEC Power Rankings: The Lone Star Showdown may define Atlanta

Joe Cookby:Joe Cookabout 8 hours

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Cameron Williams
Cameron Williams (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

As the Southeastern Conference season winds down for most teams, with two schools already through with their eight-game schedule, the race for Atlanta is getting clearer. And, two frontrunners hail from the Lone Star State.

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1. Texas

Considering the Longhorns are new to the SEC, there may be some confusion about quality of win. But make no mistake, a win in the other team’s house, especially when that other team views this game as a blood feud rivalry and can pack 75,000 people into their stadium, is a good win. Texas continues to win true road games. The Longhorns’ last loss in another team’s home stadium was at Stillwater in 2022.

2. Georgia

The Bulldogs played a complete game against a Tennessee team that has struggled to get going in the pass game. Georgia was anything but struggling passing the ball, as Carson Beck returned to form and Kirby Smart’s defense shut out the Vols in the second half.

3. Texas A&M

In a battle between Aggies, Texas A&M defeated New Mexico State. The November Wimpy Non-Conference Game came one week early for the College Station Aggies, and they elected to make this contest their senior day. Why not the last game of the season? Well, there’s a big rivalry game the folks in maroon will be a little more focused on than honoring seniors.

4. Alabama

They beat Mercer. Yay! The Crimson Tide goes to the home of the Crimson and Cream at Oklahoma this week. Bama is playing quality ball of late and has the chance to end the season on a five-game winning streak and boast a strong resume.

5. Ole Miss

Ole Miss had the week off and has games at Florida then at home versus Mississippi State to end the year. The Rebels are sitting in a range to where they may match up with another SEC team in the first round of the 12-team Playoff.

6. Tennessee

For as good as Tennessee has been this year on defense, the Vols were not able to replicate their typical quality in Athens on Saturday night. That’s not as much of a concern for Tennessee as what’s going on with their offense. Nico Iamaleava is playing like a redshirt freshman in the SEC, and that has put a governor on the Volunteer offense.

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7. South Carolina

Shane Beamer was a coach many considered Hot Seat Curious at the beginning of the season and now he has the Gamecocks 7-3 with a 5-3 record in the SEC. A game versus Wofford will get them to 8-3, and there’s a decent chance South Carolina wins the Palmetto Series over Clemson for a quality 9-3 season. Probably not enough to put them into the playoff, but enough to envision a bright future with LaNorris Sellers on offense plus their elite defensive line.

8. LSU

There are so many reasons why LSU should be a lot better than 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the league. But that program continues to find the nail sticking out from the floorboard to trip and fall over, and they’ve done it in every room. LSU is on a three-game losing streak and Vanderbilt is on the way to Baton Rouge. Can Brian Kelly find the touch and get this team and program on an 8-4 track?

9. Missouri

Missouri has one real play that works and without Brady Cook to Luther Burden, there’s not much on this team to really write home about. They are 3-3 in league play, but 7-3 overall. Their inclusion in any form of a top-25 is growing old.

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10. Vanderbilt

These rankings may be grading Vanderbilt on a curve, something that may not be a thing at a school like the one in Nashville. A week off to prepare for LSU and then Tennessee with the chance to earn a seventh win in the regular season for the first time since 2013 came at the right time for Clark Lea’s program.

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