Is Arkansas Favored as Hogs, Kentucky Wildcats Lead Slate of SEC's Top Games?

Which games will shape SEC standings for weeks to come, what players will decide them?

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, Jr (5) drives against Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner (3) during the first half against at Bud Walton Arena. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

When it comes to college basketball, especially the Power Four conferences, there are always people out there wanting to put together their "Power Rankings."

As most know, that's where a single random person throws his or her two cents worth into saying which team he or she thinks is the best in any given conference based on feelings and a handful of observations. The problem is, in the real world, the numbers don't care about their feelings.

There are actual standings that tell the story of who is best in a conference. After all, if it were up to how people felt about it, Texas A&M would be ranked in the bottom half of the SEC.

Last week the Aggies had two points in the AP poll. To put that in perspective, No. 1 Arizona has 1,500 and it takes at least 133 to get ranked at all in the Top 25.

However, this past week, after blowing out Mississippi State and South Carolina, Texas A&M has edged up in the "Others Receiving Votes" category to 27 total votes. Despite this, No. 15 Arkansas and No. 19 Florida are both looking up at the Aggies from second place with their 16-4 overall record and 6-1 mark in the SEC.

No. 18 Vanderbilt is even further behind at No. 4 despite a league leading 18 wins overall and a 25-point abusing of Kentucky in Nashville this past Tuesday. So, using the only metric that truly matters because of its unwillingness to be biased, the SEC standings, we will extract the Top 6 teams and take a look at who is trying to knock them off their pedestal this weekend as they battle it out for the regular season title with only five weekends left to sort it all out after this.

One quick aside before we dive in, it should be noted that despite taking a ton of heat for having dropped off from one of the greatest seasons any conference has ever had in the history of college basketball, the SEC is the only Power Four conference entering this weekend without a single team with a losing record.

It should also be pointed out that every team on the list also has an SEC win under its belt, meaning literally anyone can pick up a win in this conference.

SEC Standings:
1. Texas A&M......6-1 (16-4)
2. Arkansas.........6-2 (16-5)
2. Florida..............6-2 (15-6)
4. Vanderbilt.......5-3 (18-3)
4. Auburn.............5-3 (14-7)
4. Kentucky.........5-3 (14-7)
7. Tennessee......4-3 (14-6)
7. Alabama..........4-3 (14-6)
9. Georgia...........4-4 (16-5)
9. Missouri.........4-4 (14-7)
11. Ole Miss........3-4 (11-9)
12. Miss. St..........3-5 (11-10)
12. Texas..............3-5 (12-9)
14. So. Carolina..2-6 (11-10)
15. LSU..................1-7 (13-8)
15. Oklahoma......1-7 (11-10)

Kentucky @ No. 15 Arkansas, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

Arkansas wing Billy Richmond III (24) reacts after a dunk in the first half against the Louisville Cardinals at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Arkansas -6.5, Over/Under: 161.5
The clear feature game of the weekend is Kentucky coming into Fayetteville to face John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks. The rivalry between the Razorbacks and Wildcats is a perfectly even 4-4 this decade following the Hogs' upset in Lexington last year.

The expectation is Kentucky will be heavily focused, looking to avoid one of the Wildcats' patented slow starts, after Vanderbilt refused to let Mark Pope's team get up off the mat after yet another one in the first half en route to a 25-point blowout that ended a five-game SEC winning streak.

Meanwhile, Arkansas will look to capitalize off the steady growth of freshmen guards Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas. Those two turn an engine that will unleash a constant barrage of weapons from all sides as the Hogs attempt to overwhelm Kentucky with their superior athleticism and length.

Players to watch:

ARKANSAS — It would make sense to list Acuff in this spot. After all, he has been named SEC Freshman of the Week six of the past seven weeks, and if he claims the honor next Monday, he will be the first to ever do it seven times.

He does put up a ton of points while post big numbers in the assists column. However, the player to keep an eye on for Arkansas is Billy Richmond.

If Richmond starts complementing forward Trevon Brazile with high flying dunks and intensity in the paints on rebounds to go along with relentless defensive pressure, the roof will blow off Bud Walton. He typically serves as the spark plug that sends the Hogs into overdrive.

If he gets going, Kentucky isn't going to catch up, especially if the Wildcats come out cold once again.

KENTUCKY — For the Wildcats, this game is going to turn on how well Pope can depend on freshman Malachi Moreno. The seven-footer will need to exceed his typical 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds if Kentucky is to have a chance.

If there is one weakness on this Arkansas team, it is consistent defense in the paint. The Hogs will get their blocked shots in because their athletcism disctates that's just going to happen.

However, teams that have been patient in the paint have found ways to score. Georgia's Somto Cyril proved a traditional big man inside can be just disruptive enough to throw the Razorbacks off their game.

But, there's one caveat.

Moreno has never played in an environment like Bud Walton Arena. He has limited experience with trips to Alabama and Louisville where he didn't exactly blow the doors off the place, but this is a different animal.

Either Moreno will respond by being jacked with adrenaline and try to take the game over, or he will be swarmed under by nerves and disappear completely. Which way he swings will determine how hot Pope's seat gets in Lexington this week.

Auburn @ Tennessee, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall (7) high fives fans after the Tigers took down Arkansas at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated Arkansas Razorbacks 95-73. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee -4.5, Over/Under: 148.5
The forced Steven Pearl experiment down on The Plains has been uneven at best despite the Tigers having the best overall player in the SEC in Keyshawn Hall.

Arkansas' John Calipari has certainly been unable to hide the frustration of dropping a game to him earlier in the season for one of the Hogs' only two SEC losses. However, getting a win over Tennessee would go a long way toward Pearl establishing his own name rather than people having to look up the first name of Bruce Pearl's son every time they try to remember who he is.

Auburn has won four in a row and the Volunteers have take down three of their last four opponents, including handing Texas A&M it's only SEC loss of the year.

Players to Watch:

AUBURN — It's possible to try to get cute here and name someone else, but the reality is that Auburn's fate rides with Hall.

If he is amazing, then the Tigers may lose. If he is unstoppable, then Auburn will find a way to pull out the win.

He's put up 30+ points in three of his past seven SEC games, including 32 in each of Auburn's games against conference leaders Texas A&M and Arkansas along with 31 against Texas earlier this week.

TENNESSEE — For the Volunteers this game will ride on the massive shoulders of junior forward Jaylen Carey. The way to take down Auburn is through the heart down low.

Carey is big and can muscle his way around for offensive rebounds and easy baskets in the paint. If he gets going and Ja'Kobi Gillespie is his usual self, it won't matter how nuts Hall goes again tonight.

Texas A&M @ Georgia, Noon, SEC Network

Texas A&M forward Rashaun Agee (12) reacts during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Reed Arena. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Georgia -3.5, Over/Under: 171.5
The Aggies are looking to gain respect with voters, and while a win at Georgia may not do much to impress them, it will definitely raise eyebrows across the SEC where teams and coaches are aware of how hard it is to pull off a win in the world's ugliest gym.

Outside of Auburn, the only solid SEC team Texas A&M has faced so far is Tennessee, which handed the Aggies their only conference loss, 87-82, in Knoxville a couple of weeks ago. Meanwhile, Georgia is trying to stop spinning its tires and get out of the middle of the pack in the SEC so the NCAA Tournament selection committee will look at them with a little more respect.

Players to Watch:

TEXAS A&M — For those who haven't seen the Aggies play this year, and that's probably most, Bucky McMillan's team (that's right, Buzz Williams left while most didn't notice) rides with big man Rashaun Agee. If he finishes the game with a double-double, which is often, it will be a long day for Georgia.

GEORGIA — Somto Cyril will determine this entire game. He is a defensive beast in the paint, which means he is the perfect antidote to what the Aggies need to happen to win.

The battle between he and Agee should be one for the ages. Cyril is going to control the glass, there's nothing Texas A&M can do about it.

The only question is will he also mix in a block party. Cyril averages three blocks per game, which is absolutely insane.

The 6-foot-11, 260 pound Nigerian Nightmare blocked eight shots in a miserable game inside for Arkansas and also blocked six shots in an overtime win against Auburn.

Ole Miss @ No. 18 Vanderbilt, 5 p.m., SEC Network

Ole Miss forward Malik Dia (0) drives to the basket during the first half of the game against Iowa at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on Nov. 25, 2025. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt -11.5, Over/Under: 149.5
The betting outlets aren't expecting much out of Ole Miss offensively this weekend. Vanderbilt is predicted to win in blowout fashion with the Rebels thought to not be capable of breaking the 70-point barrier against the Commodores' thieving guards.

It's a curious prediction considering Ole Miss has been on a bit of an offensive tear since entering SEC play. That is until this past week.

Chris Beard's team has fallen off the table in terms of scoring lately. Since beating Georgia 97-95 in a shootout upset in Athens, Ole Miss has scored 68 in an ugly win over Mississippi State and 66 and 63 in consecutive losses to Auburn and Kentucky.

The current trend indicates the Rebels might be more destined for a game in the 50s rather than pushing for the 70s. Meanwhile, Vandy is adjusting to life without guard Duke Miles, who leads the team in steals.

That wasn't an issue against Kentucky, but at some point the Commodores are going to miss his presence.

Players to Watch:

OLE MISS — Veteran big man Malik Dia is who makes things go down in Oxford, but not in the way most might think. He's taken over several games offensively, but there's no direct correlation in him having a big game on the scoreboard and an Ole Miss win.

Instead, it seems to more directly relate to how much damage Dia does on the glass. If he goes wild with the rebounds, especially on the offensive end, Beard's team might find a way to sneak out with a huge upset.

Vanderbilt isn't exactly dominant down low. If Dia can channel his inner Dennis Rodman in terms of true effort in racking up rebounds at every possible moment, this could be interesting.

VANDERBILT — Not only did Miles fill up the stat box for steals, he also chipped in nearly 17 points per game as part of a two-headed monster at guard for the Commodores. Now the game rests on the already frail shoulders of freshman star Tyler Tanner.

Vandy's leader disappeared in Bud Walton, leading to a horrible loss to Arkansas that nearly knocked the Commodores dream season completely off its tracks. He will have to avoid that will handling the pressure of having to make up for some of the production lost with the injury to Miles.

Tuesday against Kentucky involved a lot of adrenaline of facing a game without his partner in crime for the first time against the perfect villain. This is a much different story.

Things have settled and Ole Miss is a hard team to get pumped up to play.

*** No. 19 Florida has the weekend off