SEC Power Rankings: Movement in the top 10 after several notable results
An interesting week in the Southeastern Conference caused some movement not only in the top five, but throughout the top 10 in Inside Texas’ weekly SEC power rankings.
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1. Texas
Texas has scored 190 points and allowed just 22 across four non-conference games. The Longhorns covered a 45+ point spread with their backup quarterback and haven’t shown any significant holes quite yet. This is a powerhouse team and SEC play will give Steve Sarkisian the chance to prove it.
2. Georgia
The Bulldogs were off this week, as was Georgia’s upcoming opponent. Their battle this week will function as one of the titanic conference matchups when they take on…
3. Alabama
Both of these teams being on a week’s rest should set up for a phenomenal game. The established Kirby Smart versus the fresh Kalen DeBoer. The winner of this game likely sees its quarterback leave Bryant-Denny Stadium as a Heisman frontrunner.
4. Tennessee (+2)
The Tennessee offense did just enough to reward its defense for creating a historic amount of havoc in the Sooner offense. Oklahoma has its problems, but they were greatly exacerbated by the efforts from the Volunteer defense. Tennessee has one of the best wins of the year so far because of how it went back to Norman and gave Josh Heupel an impressive and emotional victory while displaying traits of a team that will be hard to handle for anyone.
5. Ole Miss (-1)
The Rebels’ weak out of conference schedule has yet to test them. That said, they’ve scored 220 points while limiting opponents to 22. They are playing great football, but they fell due to the performance of another team rather than because of their own miscues. Ole Miss is No. 6 in the AP Poll, for what it’s worth.
6. Missouri (-1)
Maybe Vanderbilt is that much more improved this year but it took a missed 31-yard field goal for the Tigers to escape overtime with a win in their own house. Not all teams are perfect, and Missouri showed some cracks on Saturday.
7. LSU (+1)
LSU moves up because of the misfortunes of others. Garrett Nussmeier seems to be figuring things out just fine and that’s a good thing considering how middling the Tigers’ run game is right now. LSU’s defense deserves some credit for showing up and limiting UCLA to 14 rushing yards while forcing two turnovers. Losing Harold Perkins removes a talented player from the Tiger defense, however.
8. Texas A&M (+1)
QB issues will have the Aggies looking slow on offense for much of the year. Marcel Reed can run, he did 12 times for 91 yards, but his pass game needs some work. The Aggie defense will need to keep teams off the board considering there isn’t much dynamism in College Station on offense right now.
9. Oklahoma (-2)
That 2018 team won the Big 12 title, but this isn’t the Big 12.
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10. South Carolina
Even with Robby Ashford at QB, South Carolina made quick work of Akron. The Zips may be one of the worst teams in the MAC, and South Carolina treated them like one. A trip to Ole Miss will be pivotal for the Gamecocks to determine if they can actually contend for anything more than a trip to the Citrus Bowl.
