SEC Power Rankings Week 5: Which Team’s Rise Will Shock the Nation?

Home-field advantage is a real advantage in college football, and Saturday showcased it in the SEC. Every game involving a team from the Southeastern conference was won by the home team, with LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Mississippi State delighting their student sections and tailgaters with nonconference blowouts and 4th quarter escapes and hundreds of yards of offense, while Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, and South Carolina disappointed but only in front of their road-tripping faithful in other stadiums. The power rankings don’t care what crowd you pleased, though — it’s all about winning or not winning when the score is settled and the clock hits zero. Let’s dive into this week’s rankings:

1. LSU (1-0, 4-0)

Previous Rank: 1.

Numero uno all season, the Tigers are still the team to beat in the SEC. Their season-opening win over Clemson is looking less impressive every week, but Week 5 will give them an opportunity to truly distance themselves from the pack in a fantastic showdown at 3:30 pm in Oxford, Mississippi. That’s right—our #1 Tigers are playing at our #2 Rebels next Saturday!

2. Ole Miss (2-0, 4-0)

Previous Rank: 4.

With Texas A&M and Georgia off on bye weeks, the old saying “You snooze you lose,” applies and vaults the 4-0 Rebels to the #2 spot following their 45-10 beatdown of Tulane. Just in time for the aforementioned LSU showdown too! The winner of that game will be extremely hard to keep out of the SEC championship game—very high stakes conference matchup.

3. Vanderbilt (1-0, 4-0)

Previous Rank: 5.

This has to be one of the most exciting Commodore seasons ever. Vanderbilt, with Diego Pavia, is not only beating teams but clobbering them, and its 70 points on Saturday against Georgia State were its most in a game since 1918. There’s still a lot of SEC schedule ahead of them, but for a program that usually never even sniffs a winning record, having the chance to start 5-0 before their seven remaining conference games is a dream come true for fans in Nashville.

4. Texas A&M (0-0, 3-0)

Previous Rank: 2.

The Aggies were off this week and got jumped by Ole Miss and Vandy’s offensive fireworks, but they’ll have a chance to pour on some points against Auburn next Saturday in their conference opener at Kyle Field.

5. Georgia (1-0, 3-0)

Previous Rank: 3.

The Bulldogs were in the same situation as Texas A&M this weekend, but I think they needed the break to catch their breath from their crazy overtime escape in Knoxville last week. A win like that before a bye is one of the best ways to take a week off.

6. Oklahoma (1-0, 4-0)

Previous Rank: 8

The Sooners’ season is off to a much better start than their SEC debut season last year. 4-0 heading into a bye and with two wins over ranked opponents, they are looking to finish much better than 6-7 in 2025. The league schedule ahead will be tough, however, so they better stay healthy and take the games one week at a time.

7. Tennessee (0-1, 3-1)

Previous Rank: 6.

The Vols Saturday did what they do best—stack up the points. A 56-24 win over UAB sets them up for a trip to Mississippi State next weekend to try to avoid an 0-2 conference start. They’ll have to do it over the cacophony of clanging cowbells, though.

8. Mississippi State (0-0, 4-0)

Previous Rank: 9.

Still undefeated and still able to go 0-8 in the league. But the picture’s looking so much brighter in Starkville than it did last year. A bowl game is only two wins away now, and the Bulldogs’ offense is a humming machine.

9. Missouri (1-0, 4-0)

Previous Rank: 10.

Missouri has one of the league’s easiest schedules, and so far is taking full advantage of it to head into the last week of September 4-0. UMass will give them the opportunity to hit 5-0 before they take on the two Alabama schools back-to-back in October.

10. Texas (0-0, 3-1)

Previous Rank: 12.

Arch Manning and Texas finally played a game where everyone was praising them afterwards instead of criticizing them for a lackluster performance. Can’t really say anything against 55-0 blowouts.

11. Auburn (0-1, 3-1)

Previous Rank: 7.

Auburn’s got a rough schedule ahead of them, and losing at Oklahoma might’ve been the first jolt on the pothole-ridden path through September and October. Next is a trip to Texas A&,M and then they host Georgia after that. Good thing they won that season opener at Baylor.

12. Alabama (0-0, 2-1)

Previous Rank: 11.

Alabama had a Saturday off to prep for Georgia, but the Bulldogs also had a Saturday off to prep for the Tide. It’ll be a decisive showdown next weekend in Athens that would be much bigger for Alabama if they can pull a win off than for the Bulldogs.

13. Kentucky (0-1, 2-1)

Previous Rank: 14.

Kentucky had the week off to prep for what might be a make-or-break game next weekend. The Wildcats travel to South Carolina to face the reeling Gamecocks, who might be one of the most beatable teams left on their gauntlet of a schedule. 6-6 is all you need for a bowl, and a win in this late September road trip would be a massive get for that campaign.

14. Arkansas (0-1, 2-2)

Previous Rank: 13.

The Hogs literally fumbled a win in Memphis, Tennessee, falling to 2-2 right before a home game with Notre Dame. Then it’s Tennessee and Texas A&M. They might regret that fumble at the 7-yard line all season.

15. South Carolina (0-2, 2-2)

Previous Rank: 15.

The Gamecocks played much better against Missouri and led heading into the 4th quarter, but a loss is a loss, and there might be a lot more of them to come if they don’t fix things quickly. Fortunately, LaNorris Sellers is back under center and passed for 300 yards Saturday.

16. Florida (0-1, 1-3)

Previous Rank: 16.

For almost all these teams, the story is “man, they’ve got a difficult schedule ahead,” but Florida definitely has the toughest in the country. Last week was a top-10 road game, this week was a top-10 road game, next week is a top-10 home game, and the week after that is a top-10 road game. If the Gators make a bowl this season, it’ll be one of the greatest feats in college football history.