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By Brett Daniels
Another week, another top team was upset by a perceived middle-of-the-pack team. The SEC is the hardest league in college football and winning on the road is an accomplishment. There is no dominant team in the SEC this year as every team has flaws and has suffered from inconsistent play. Several teams can beat anyone if they can put a complete effort together for 60 minutes and are just as many are capable of being upset by a lesser team when they don’t.
Week 10 SEC Power Rankings
1. Georgia Bulldogs (7-1)
The Dawgs struggled the first half against Florida in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party before righting the ship and winning 34-20 in a game that was much closer than the score would indicate. QB Carson Beck threw three more interceptions this game to bring his season total to 11 after only throwing seven all of 2023. This is the second consecutive game that Beck has thrown three interceptions and Georgia is fortunate to have won both, largely of the strength of their defense.
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Next Up: Saturday at Ole Miss
2. Texas Longhorns (7-1)
Texas gets the bye week bounce as the other 1 loss teams either lost (Texas A&M) or struggled (Georgia, Tennessee), although Georgia gets the nod at #1 due to the head-to-head victory over the Longhorns. Texas will welcome Florida to Austin on Saturday in a game that will most likely not be as competitive due to the injuries the Gators suffered against Georgia.
Next Up: Saturday vs Florida
Texas moves to 5️⃣ in the AP POLL! pic.twitter.com/K5qEKZwgmc
— Longhorn Football Edits✍️ (@UTFootballEdits) November 3, 2024
3. Tennessee Volunteers (7-1)
RB Dylan Sampson had an early fumble that gave Kentucky a short field, later in the game he scored his 19th touchdown of the season which is a new program record. The Vol defense has been stout all year and there were signs of life on the offensive side of the ball in the pass game which bode well for later in the season.
Next Up: Saturday vs Mississippi State
4. Texas A&M Aggies (7-2)
After a strong defensive performance last week against LSU and the offense getting on track with the insertion of Marcel Reed at quarterback, the Aggies looked to have the inside track to Atlanta. South Carolina put a major dent in those hopes with a 44-20 win over the Aggies Saturday night in Columbia. The Gamecock defense forced two turnovers and shut the Texas A&M offense down for most of the night. The Aggies will have a week off before New Mexico State comes to College Station. The games at Auburn and at home against Texas will finish the season.
Next Up: 11/16 vs New Mexico State
The narrative on Texas A&M should NOT change after the loss to South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are just closer in talent to the Aggies than people thought 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/eWR10LANWK
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) November 3, 2024
5. LSU Tigers (6-2)
LSU has a season-defining game on Saturday against Alabama with both teams coming off a bye week. The Tigers still have a path to Atlanta for the SEC Championship with a win against the Tide on Saturday.
Next Up: Saturday vs Alabama
6. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2)
The Tide will travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU Saturday in a game that is pivotal for both teams SEC Championship and Playoff hopes. Alabama will need to find more consistency on offense if they hope to win out and make the 12-team field.
Next Up: Saturday at LSU
7. Ole Miss Rebels (7-2)
At 7-2 and 3-2 in conference, the Rebels are not out of contention for the SEC Championship or Playoff but will need to win out and have a lot of help. Ole Miss will welcome #2 Georgia to Oxford on Saturday in what should be a great game. The Rebels put a whoopin on Arkansas Saturday, scoring 63 points and racking up 694 yards of total offense including 562 in the pass game along with 6 touchdowns.
Next Up: Saturday vs Georgia
@Lane_Kiffin and The Louis Vuitton Rebels get the win. https://t.co/g2Bv4QUKWh
— Ole Hotty Toddy (@OleHottyToddy) November 2, 2024
8. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-3)
To the surprise of many, Vanderbilt won its sixth game of the season against Auburn on Saturday 17-7 to achieve bowl eligibility. QB Diego Pavia continued his tormenting of Auburn Coach Hugh Freeze throwing for two touchdowns in the victory.
The Commodore defense held Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter largely in check limiting him to 50 yards. Vandy will welcome South Carolina to Nashville on Saturday in a game that suddenly became much more interesting with both teams winning on Saturday.
Next Up: Saturday vs. South Carolina
What a time to be a Commodore! ⚓️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/lqjwYsGMm2
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) November 2, 2024
9. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3)
The Gamecocks logged their biggest win since 2022 upsetting #10 Texas A&M in Columbia. The night environment at Williams-Brice is one of the most intimidating in the country and South Carolina used that to their advantage limiting Texas A&M freshman QB Marcel Reed and exploding on offense to pull the upset.
Next Up: Saturday at Vanderbilt
South Carolina routs No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20, beating the Aggies for just the second time ever and handing them their first conference loss of the season.
Storm scenes at Williams-Brice: pic.twitter.com/CHqGlPQ3Sp
— Julia Westerman (@JuliaWesterman) November 3, 2024
10. Missouri Tigers (6-2)
The Tigers had a week off to rest up and lick their wounds after a thrashing by Alabama. At 2-2 in conference play, Missouri still has an outside shot at playing in the SEC Championship if they get a lot of help. The remaining games at home versus Oklahoma, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, and at home versus Arkansas are all winnable and are also all potential losses.
Next Up: Saturday vs Oklahoma
11. Florida Gators (4-4)
Before the season Florida was tagged with having the most difficult schedule in college football and it looked like 2-3 wins would be the ceiling for this team after a poor start. After a dominating win against Kentucky last week, the Gators showed up in Jacksonville and gave #2 Georgia all it wanted, especially on defense.
The Florida defense picked off three Carson Beck passes that led to 10 points for the offense. Unfortunately, QB DJ Lagway went down in the second quarter with what looked like a serious hamstring injury which makes next Saturday’s game against Texas a little less exciting. The Gators will finish the season with games against Ole Miss, LSU, and Florida State and will need to win two of those to get to bowl eligibility.
Next Up: Saturday at Texas
Napier: #Gators playing with belief 'for the first time since I've been the head coach'https://t.co/3mI3dgJQ8p
— Blake Alderman (@Blake_Alderman) November 3, 2024
12. Arkansas Razorbacks (5-4)
The Hog defense was absolutely obliterated by the Ole Miss offense on Saturday to the tune of almost 700 yards and 63 points. QB Taylen Green went down with an injury and was replaced by QB Malachai Singleton who played well under the circumstances. Arkansas will have a week off before old Southwest conference foe Texas comes to Fayetteville.
Next Up: 11/16 vs Texas
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart threw for 515 yards and 6 TDs to lead the Rebels to a 63-31 win at Arkansas, their most lopsided in the 116-year history of the series. https://t.co/QogIbuLJaB
— Matt Jones (@ByMattJones) November 2, 2024
13. Oklahoma Sooners (5-4)
The Sooners fell behind FCS opponent Maine early before storming back for the 54-14 win. Jackson Arnold threw for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns, RB Jovantae Barnes ran for 203 yards and 3 touchdowns on 18 carries, and WR J.J. Hester caught four passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in what was the Sooners’ best offensive display of the season.
The schedule gets tougher with a trip to Missouri, at home versus Alabama, and at LSU to end the season. Oklahoma will need to win one of their remaining games to gain bowl eligibility.
Next Up: Saturday at Missouri
14. Kentucky Wildcats (3-6)
The Cats went toe to toe with Tennessee on Saturday night for most of the game before falling to the Vols 28-18. Kentucky is on a four-game losing streak and will have a week off before FCS Murray State comes to Lexington followed by a trip to Austin to face Texas and ending against in-state rival Louisville at home.
Other than the early season upset against Ole Miss, it’s been a largely disappointing season for Kentucky. Winning out and achieving bowl eligibility doesn’t seem likely but wins against Murray State and Louisville and a good showing against Texas would end the season on a positive note.
Next Up: 11/16 vs Murray State
15. Auburn Tigers (3-6)
Auburn has been a complete comedy of errors this season from a coaching and execution standpoint. Statistically, the Tigers rank in the top half of the league in both total offense and total defense, but the untimely turnovers and coaching blunders have cost the team multiple games.
Against Vanderbilt, QB Payton Thorne was 20/26 for 239 yards and one touchdown but the rushing game couldn’t get going generating only 89 yards total. Auburn has a week off before Louisana-Monroe comes to the Plains, followed by Texas A&M the next week. The Tigers will finish the year at Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
Next Up: 11/16 vs Louisiana-Monroe
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-6)
The Bulldogs likely scored their last win of the season on Saturday against UMass and that was after trailing 10-0 after the first quarter. Mississippi State continues to make progress on both sides of the ball but will need to upgrade the talent in Starkville to be competitive. The Bulldogs will travel to Tennessee next Saturday before the last bye week of the season. Games at home versus Missouri and at Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl finish out the year.
Next Up: Saturday at Tennessee
He's a freak. He's the fastest kid alive.
Xavier Gayten breaks a loooong run and scores a Bulldog Touchdown!
📺: @SECNetwork #SHOWTIME | #HailState pic.twitter.com/XoWTJLbFNO
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 2, 2024
SEC Championship Game Contenders and Scenarios
· Georgia (5-1)-remaining games: at #16 Ole Miss, vs #7 Tennessee.
· Texas A&M (5-1)-remaining games: at Auburn, vs #5 Texas
· Tennessee (4-1)-remaining games: vs Mississippi State, at #2 Georgia, at #24 Vanderbilt
· Texas (3-1)-remaining games: vs Florida, at Arkansas, vs Kentucky, at #15 Texas A&M
· LSU (3-1)-remaining games: vs Alabama, at Florida, vs #24 Vanderbilt, vs Oklahoma
· Vanderbilt (3-2)-remaining games: vs South Carolina, at #14 LSU, vs #7 Tennessee
· Ole Miss (3-2)-remaining games: vs #2 Georgia, at Florida, vs Mississippi State
· Alabama (3-2)-remaining games: at #14 LSU, at Oklahoma, vs Auburn
· Missouri (2-2)-remaining games: vs Oklahoma, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, vs Arkansas
Scenario #1-Georgia, Texas A&M, and LSU all finish 7-1. Georgia and Texas A&M would play for the SEC Championship due to Georgia’s loss (Alabama) finishing higher in conference than Texas A&M’s loss (South Carolina). Texas A&M would have the head-to-head tie breaker over LSU.
Scenario #2-Georgia, Texas, and LSU all finish 7-1. Georgia and Texas would play for the conference championship since Texas’s loss (Georgia) finished higher in the conference than LSU’s loss (Texas A&M).
Scenario #3-Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU all finish 7-1. Texas A&M would be one of the participants based on head-to-head with LSU. LSU would make it over Tennessee based on their loss to Texas A&M finishing higher than Arkansas.
Scenario #4-Tennessee, Texas, and LSU all finish 7-1. Texas and LSU would play for the SEC Championship based on the teams they lost to Georgia (Texas) finishing higher than Arkansas (Tennessee).
Scenario #5-the Nightmare Scenario for the SEC. Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Missouri all finish 6-2.
For this to happen, Georgia would have to lose to Ole Miss and beat Tennessee, Texas would have to lose to Arkansas, Florida, or Kentucky and beat Texas A&M, Texas A&M would beat Auburn and lose to Texas, Tennessee would beat Mississippi State and Vanderbilt and lose to Georgia, LSU would lose Alabama next week and then win out, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Missouri would all have to win out.
In this scenario the participants for the SEC Championship Game would be determined by the winning percentage of conference opponents faced. An Alabama vs LSU rematch would be the most likely match-up based of opponents’ predicted finishing records.
