Alabama’s rise was the headline in Week 5 of the SEC Football Power Rankings, but the bigger picture at the top stayed the same: Georgia, Alabama and Texas are the league’s clear class right now, and everyone else is still trying to catch up.
The Crimson Tide jumped from No. 3 to No. 2 after a 56-23 win over Mississippi State, and the margin was never really the story. Alabama gave the Bulldogs some help and still rolled by 33.
Kamario Taylor was not at 100 percent, and Mississippi State was also missing star running back Fluff Bothwell, who was a “no-go” because of injury. Without those issues, the game might have only been a three-touchdown loss.
Alabama’s defense was mostly good, the offense was sensational, and the note that matters most is simple: Keelon has arrived.
Georgia kept the top spot after handling Vanderbilt 38-14 in Athens. Gunner Stockton turned in an outstanding performance, even if the Athens Banner-Herald still handed out a C+ to the offense and a C+ to the defense.
Texas slid one spot to No. 3 after a bye week. The Longhorns remain elite on defense, but the offense is still lagging behind.
Below those three, LSU climbed to No. 4 after hammering McNeese State 63-16. Tennessee moved up to No. 5 after benching QB Faison Brandon and beating a weak Auburn team 24-14.
Florida dropped to No. 6 after Missouri’s Jamal Roberts gashed the Gators for 211 rushing yards at 8.8 yards per carry in a 45-17 Missouri win. That game was decided in the first half, and Missouri kept pushing from there.
Missouri’s rise continued as well, with the Tigers moving from No. 10 to No. 7. The No. 6 and No. 7 spots, as noted in the rankings, could easily be flipped.
Ole Miss stayed put at No. 8 during its bye week, while Mississippi State fell to No. 9. Oklahoma slipped to No. 10, described as a great defensive team and a “not-good” offensive team.
Texas A&M moved up to No. 11 after beating Arkansas 34-7, though the win did not exactly change the mood around the Aggies. Auburn held at No. 12 after battling in Knoxville, but Alex Golesh’s offense still does not look SEC-ready.
Kentucky remained No. 13 after an overtime road win at South Carolina. Vanderbilt rose to No. 14 even with its starting quarterback out, though the ranking makes clear the Commodores would not have been favored against Georgia even with him available.
South Carolina dropped to No. 15, with the note that the Gamecocks may not win again until mid-November. Arkansas stayed at No. 16, still looking more like a fit for the Big 12 or the ACC than the SEC.
In Other News...
Alabama Found Two Reasons To Feel Better Before Georgia
Before Alabama turns its attention to Georgia, there were a couple of encouraging signs worth noting from the latest game. Keelon Russell gave the offense a lift by throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding a score on the ground, and the run game got meaningful help from a deeper group of backs, including Traeshawn Brown and EJ Crowell.
Xavier Griffin also stood out on the other side of the ball, leading the team in tackles and helping make several key defensive plays. Just as important for a defense looking to steady itself, Alabamas run front was much firmer against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to 18 rushing yards and giving the Tide something concrete to carry into a bigger test. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods Struggles Leave Michigan With An Uncomfortable Week 5 Reality
Keelon Russells rise has become one of the more notable developments around Alabamas early-season start, and the quarterbacks recent stretch has only sharpened the attention. After throwing four touchdowns in the spring game and then piling up 10 passing touchdowns and 970 yards over three games, he has helped steady a team that rolled to a 56-23 win and moved to 5-0.
For Alabama, that kind of production matters not just in the standings but in the broader SEC picture, where quarterback play can change the feel of a season quickly. Around the country, other programs were dealing with their own storylines in Week 5, but Russells emergence has given Alabama a promising answer at the position and left the rest of the league watching what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Has A Real Shot To Climb After Saturdays Top 25 Chaos
Saturdays college football slate did Alabama a favor, even before the next AP Top 25 poll gets posted. USC barely survived an upset scare, Ohio State and Missouri both had results worth watching, and a few teams around the country did enough to create the kind of weekend that tends to shake up the middle and upper tiers of the rankings.
For Alabama, the bigger point is simple: the Crimson Tide have a real path to move up if the voters decide the chaos mattered as much as the resumes. The poll will be refreshed soon, and with conference play still unfolding, there is a decent chance the order gets jumbled in a way that opens the door for Alabama to climb if enough teams ahead of it wobble. [Read more 🡒]