Week 3 brought a real shake-up to the SEC pecking order, even if the top of the league still looks familiar. Texas and Georgia kept their hold on the first two spots, but the biggest movement came once the list opened up below them, where wins, losses, and a few ugly offensive showings scrambled the middle in a hurry.
The playoff picture, at least according to ESPN’s FPI, still starts with Texas. The Longhorns sit at 85.3%, Georgia follows at 75.4%, and Alabama is next at 59%.
The FPI also says eight SEC teams have at least a 20% shot at the Playoff, while Arkansas has already hit 0%. Alabama is one of 10 SEC teams that has played an SEC game, and Kentucky is already up to two.
Five more SEC teams begin conference play in CFB’s Week 4. Even after that, the standings won’t mean much, since after Week 4 only one SEC team will still have a zero chance of making the CFB Playoffs.
In the rankings themselves, Texas stays No. 1 after a 30-6 win over UTSA, and Georgia remains No. 2 after handling Arkansas 45-17. Ole Miss is still right behind the elite tier at No. 4 after beating LSU in Oxford, 32-24, and inching closer to Alabama. LSU slides into No. 5 after the loss, while Tennessee holds steady at No. 6 after a 42-9 win over Kennesaw State.
The most dramatic climb belongs to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs jumped from No. 12 to No. 7 after beating South Carolina on the road, 41-34, with Kamario Taylor outplaying LaNorriss Sellers.
Florida also moved up, rising to No. 8 after surviving Auburn 44-39 in Jordan-Hare Stadium, a place the article calls “Voodoo World.” Kentucky made an even bigger leap, climbing from No. 15 to No. 9 after shocking Texas A&M in College Station, 31-21.
That loss sent Texas A&M tumbling to No. 10, down from No. 7, with the Aggies taking a hit to their credibility in the process. Oklahoma is next at No. 11 after a 14-6 win over New Mexico, and the Sooners remain in the mix with Arkansas for the SEC’s least potent offense. Missouri sits at No. 12 after beating Troy 27-17, another game that did little for the conference’s offensive reputation.
Auburn checks in at No. 13 after the Florida loss, and the path ahead looks brutal if the Tigers stumble again against Vanderbilt in Week 4. If that happens, the Golesh honeymoon ends fast with four games in five weeks that include trips to Tennessee and Georgia, plus LSU and a road game at Ole Miss. South Carolina rounds out the list at No. 14 after the narrow home loss to Mississippi State, and the reaction around the program is already boiling over, with fans wanting Shane Beamer fired NOW.
As always, the rankings are exactly what they claim to be: subjective.
In Other News...
Keelon Russell May Have Changed Alabamas Ceiling Faster Than Expected
For a quarterback still finding his footing, Keelon Russell made Alabama look awfully grown up against Florida State. He helped drag the Crimson Tide out of a 21-6 hole, finished 23 of 30 for 320 yards and three touchdowns, added 56 rushing yards and another score, and guided an offense that scored on seven straight possessions in a 50-36 win.
The bigger takeaway for Alabama is not just the comeback itself, but how quickly Russell appears to be raising the programs offensive ceiling. He was careful afterward to describe himself as still developing, which is probably the most intriguing part for the Tide: if this is the early version, the rest of the league has reason to pay attention. [Read more 🡒]
Danny Kanell Takes Another Shot At Alabama Over Weather Delay
The Alabama-Florida State season opener turned into a long night of stops and starts after lightning pushed the game through multiple weather delays, turning what should have been a clean first look at both teams into a test of patience. As the interruptions stacked up, CBS Sports analyst Danny Kanell took to social media and questioned whether the second delay was really necessary, adding another layer of scrutiny to a game already shaped by the weather.
Kanells comments quickly drew pushback, with the response centering on the safety standards that guide lightning-related suspensions rather than the feel of the storm from a TV booth or social media feed. Weather professionals then stepped in to explain the rules behind those decisions, a reminder that these delays are not made on instinct, even when they frustrate fans and analysts alike. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Gets An Early SEC Reality Check In New AP Poll
The first real stretch of SEC play has already started to reshape the AP top 25, and Alabama fans can see how unforgiving that weekly grind can be. Ole Miss win over LSU gave the Rebels another boost in the league race, while Florida moved into the rankings after a road win at Auburn, a reminder that early conference games can swing the national conversation fast.
Texas A&M also took a hit after falling to Kentucky, a result that only added to the sense that the leagues middle tier is still sorting itself out. For Alabama, the early poll movement serves as a useful checkpoint on what the SEC demands week after week, with contenders, sleepers and disappointments all starting to separate a little more clearly. [Read more 🡒]