Week 2 didn’t give the SEC the clean sweep it wanted, but the league still walked away with plenty to brag about.
The biggest headline belonged to No. 3 Texas, which answered the pressure with a win over top-ranked Ohio State at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Arch Manning led the way, and Texas backed him with a defense that made life miserable for the Buckeyes. The Longhorns kept Heisman Trophy contender Jeremiah Smith largely under wraps and turned the matchup into a clear statement about where they belong in the national picture.
Alabama also made a loud entrance into SEC play. No.
12 Alabama went on the road and beat Kentucky 45-17 behind a defense that did damage in every direction. The Crimson Tide piled up four sacks, forced three fumbles, returned one for a pick-6 and delivered a crucial fourth-down stop in the third quarter when it shut down a fake punt attempt.
Keelon Russell had to work through some adversity, but he still finished with 188 passing yards and a 5-yard touchdown to Rico Scott.
Not every SEC result came with that same shine. No.
10 Oklahoma had a chance late at Michigan, but the Wolverines closed the door in Ann Arbor and handed the Sooners a 17-10 loss. John Mateer struggled through the afternoon against Michigan’s defense, going 17 of 33 for 189 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The turnover came on a third-and-9 in the fourth quarter and set up the go-ahead score for Michigan.
The rest of the league mostly handled business. No.
9 Texas A&M knocked off Big 12 foe Arizona State, while No. 23 Missouri did the same against Kansas.
No. 18 Tennessee and Mississippi State each moved to 2-0, with Tennessee beating Georgia Tech and Mississippi State getting past Minnesota.
Kamario Taylor has been a bright spot for Mississippi State, piling up four touchdowns and 354 passing yards through two games.
Those results helped shape the Week 3 US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25, with SEC teams sprinkled throughout both rankings.
US LBM Coaches Poll Texas (42)
Georgia (15) Notre Dame (4)
Indiana (10) Miami (2)
Ohio State LSU (1)
Texas A&M Ole Miss
Alabama USC
Texas Tech BYU
Tennessee Penn State
SMU Utah
Oregon Michigan
Iowa Oklahoma
Missouri Houston
Washington Virginia
AP Top 25 Texas (56)
Georgia (3) Notre Dame (1)
Indiana (3) Miami (4)
Ohio State LSU (1)
Ole Miss Texas A&M
Alabama BYU
USC Texas Tech
Penn State Tennessee
SMU Utah
Iowa Michigan
Missouri Oregon
Houston Louisville
Oklahoma Virginia
In Other News...
Ole Miss Has A New Heisman Watch Reason Entering LSU
Arch Mannings comeback win for Texas at Ohio State only added another wrinkle to the early Heisman conversation, and it matters for Ole Miss because the race already has a couple of SEC-adjacent names starting to move. Texas climbed to No. 1 in the polls after rallying in the second half, but Manning still sits behind Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in the current odds. For Rebels fans heading into LSU week, it is another reminder that the national award picture is still taking shape.
Ole Miss has a name of its own climbing into that discussion, with Trinidad Chambliss drawing more attention after recent performances. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is also rising, which only adds to the regional buzz around the Heisman board as September unfolds. The Rebels will keep watching the numbers, because a strong start against SEC competition can change the way the rest of the country views a player in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Trinidad Chambliss Is Giving Ole Miss Fans A New Reason To Believe
Trinidad Chambliss has already turned a quick start into a bigger conversation around Ole Miss, and the noise around him only got louder after ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said the quarterback has been the best-performing passer this season among the 2027 class. Chambliss has answered with production through his first two games, completing 44 of 62 passes for 561 yards and five touchdowns with one interception, giving the Rebels a real jolt of momentum at the game's most important position.
The timing matters because Ole Miss is heading into a major SEC opener against LSU, where every snap will be under a brighter spotlight. Chambliss has drawn attention fast, but the challenge now is holding that edge when the competition jumps and the stage gets bigger, even as he keeps his focus where the Rebels need it most. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Just Reopened An Ole Miss Rivalry Wound
Lane Kiffins move from Ole Miss to LSU has done more than change a coaching address, it has reopened one of the SECs sharpest rivalry wounds. The LSU-Ole Miss matchup has long carried extra edge, and Kiffins departure brings a familiar kind of bitterness into sharper focus for Rebels fans who already view that game through a personal lens. In college football, coaching changes often reshape the mood around a program, but this one lands with the kind of history that lingers far beyond a single season.
For Ole Miss, the issue is not just who left, but where he landed and what that says about the rivalry itself. The article places Kiffins exit alongside other fan-base flashpoints around the sport, from Penn State to Arizona, Northwestern and Oklahoma, where departures have left lingering tension in their wake. In Oxford, though, this one feels especially fresh because it ties directly back to LSU, a team the Rebels know will always be measured with a little extra emotion when the schedules line up again. [Read more 🡒]