SEC Power Rankings after Week 5: Big leap for Tide

SEC Week 5 was a doozy. From one-score battles to career-altering beatdowns, it was all there. Here's a rundown of where college football's most competitive league stands after Week 5.

16. Kentucky (2-2)

A 22-point loss to South Caroliina signals how long the next month or so will be for Big Blue Nation. Georgia up next? Ugh.

15. Arkansas (2-3)

The Hogs drop here because the mid-season firing of Sam Pittman coupled with the 56-13 beatdown by Notre Dame signalled that the Hogs are all but waiving a white flag and giving up on this season. They've played better than a couple teams ahead of them, but it probably won't last now.

14. Florida (1-3)

The Gators didn't play, but will apparently plug on with Billy Napier. Texas is the next test and it seems incredibly unlikely that UF is up for the challenge.

13. South Carolina (3-2)

The Gamecocks couldn't afford to lose to Kentucky and didn't. But next up is a five-game run through five of the AP's top 13 teams. There wasn't much, even in a 22-point win, to suggest that Carolina is built to handle that kind of murderer's row of a schedule.

12. Mississippi State (4-1)

Oh, Bulldogs, you were so close to an upset of Tennessee that would have jumped you several spots. But the competition among the next handful of teams is fierce and MSU will stay put.

11. Auburn (3-2)

The offense was offensive. Auburn is the first of the teams that looks pretty much locked in for a bowl, but if they don't find some ways to manufacture big plays, there'll be more 16-10 type games, which isn't great news.

10. LSU (4-1)

It felt weird to rank a 4-0 LSU team that was No. 4 in the nation ninth in the SEC last week. But the reasons for doing so were apparent. Garrett Nussmeier has really fallen off in 2025 and the Tigers lacked the discipline to grind out a road win. Are they better than this? Yes. But they have to prove it.

9. Vanderbilt (5-0)

Yes, it was another win full of big offensive numbers. But giving up 35 points to Utah State does not suggest good things ahead defensively in SEC play. Vandy is about to get a massive test with Alabama. Pass that one and they'll jump again.

8. Missouri (5-0)

More great Ahmad Hardy action with 130 yards and three scores. This is still a largely untested team and how well they can incorporate Beau Pribula's arm into things will probably tell the tale in the long run.

7. Texas (3-1)

They were off and yes, they fell a spot for it. Much like LSU, there's a "They're better than this" aspect. But much like LSU, it's time to show it.

6. Oklahoma (4-0)

Also off and sliding for reasons not really within their control. How long will OU be without John Mateer? It probably matters enormously for their chances of a brutal SEC schedule. So far, Oklahoma has been wonderful, but if Mateer misses an extended period of time, the SEC will adjust to the Sooners accordingly.

5. Tennessee (4-1)

Two ways to see the 41-34 win at MSU: Either it's a great sign that Tennessee can weather a storm and get a hard-fought win on the road or its a bad sign that they were in position to need overtime to dig out of a hole in Starkville. Either is defensible, so let's allow for both possibilities for now.

4. Alabama (3-1)

In a "show me" situation, the Tide delivered a big-time game with the 24-21 win over the Bulldogs. The defense was probably the eye-opened here. Georgia had no trouble dropping 40 on Tennessee, but Alabama was stout in the trenches when it mattered.

3. Georgia (3-1)

Yes, the Dogs slide. Yes, they're still ahead of an Alabama team that beat them (strength of the opponent on the losses is the question there), and yes, they're still fine in the SEC big picture. Georgia's biggest issue was playing bad early. Chauncey Bowens (119 yards) might see more touches in an effort to keep UGA playing from ahead in the future.

2. Texas A&M (4-0)

The Aggies have quietly snuck their way up here, and they've done much of it with defense. Notre Dame certainly showed all kinds of scoring ability a week after losing to the Aggies. And now Auburn was held to a touchdown and a field goal with under 200 yards of total offense. LaVeon Moss and Marcel Reed are a great backfield, and if the defense keeps this level of play up, the Aggies will be in it to the end.

1. Ole Miss (5-0)

The win, 24-19 over LSU, was good. It helps demonstrate that Lane Kiffin's struggles with good teams are in the past. But doing all this with a second QB shows an adaptability to Ole Miss that will be key as the college season grinds longer and longer.