SEC Football Power Rankings: Week 1

LSU and Georgia slide while Alabama remains firmly in first place after one weekend of play

SEC football is here, and I hope you brought a lot of popcorn with you.

For Alabama, it was business as usual for Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide. Alabama opened up the first half strong, powered by the combination of quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle along with a strong showing from running back Najee Harris. Alabama's defense looked like it could use some adjusting heading into next week's matchup in Tuscaloosa against Texas A&M, but according to linebacker Dylan Moses, the team is well aware of its shortcomings and should adjust accordingly heading into Week 2.

After winning the national title in 2019, LSU opened its 2020 season with a loss — the first time that a defending champion has done so since 1998, in fact. The Tigers' defense threw everything it had at first-year coach Mike Leach and the Mississippi State Bulldogs, but ultimately fell short in a not-so-graceful fashion. Due to the loss, LSU drops from four to seven in this week's rankings.

Florida struggled early against the other first-year head coach in the state of Mississippi, Lane Kiffin. The Rebels' offense proved difficult early on for the Gators, but a six-touchdown performance by quarterback Kyle Trask helped separate Florida from Ole Miss before things got too out of hand.

After much preseason hype surrounding Georgia and its new transfer quarterback J.T. Daniels, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart opted to start freshman quarterback D'Wan Mathis after Daniels remained not cleared for play. While Mathis put forward a less-than-stellar performance, junior Stetson Bennett took over under center and provided a much-needed spark to the offense against Arkansas. That being said, a score that does not depict how close the game actually was for the Bulldogs has them dropping this week from No. 2 to No. 5.

It is exciting to have SEC football back in action, and Week 1 definitely did not disappoint. Without further ado, here is the Bama Central SEC Football Power Rankings following one weekend of play:

2020 SEC Football Power Rankings - Week 1

1) Alabama

2) Florida

3) Mississippi State

4) Auburn

5) Georgia

6) Tennessee

7) LSU

8) Texas A&M

9) Ole Miss

10) Kentucky

11) Missouri

12) South Carolina

13) Arkansas

14) Vanderbilt

Visit Bama Central every week throughout the 2020 season for the updated power rankings as the year progresses.