Week 5 in the SEC left a few teams looking like contenders and a few others searching for answers.
Texas A&M took the hardest hit in the latest conference power rankings after its rough Saturday night in Baton Rouge. The Aggies’ undefeated run against LSU came to an end, and it ended badly: a 35-6 loss that sent Mike Elko’s team sliding down the board.
Even with that stumble, the most frustrating team in the league might still be Oklahoma. Brent Venables’ group was overwhelmed by Georgia in Athens, falling 41-13, and the Sooners now sit at 2-2 after a start that has not matched expectations.
At the other end of the mood spectrum, Florida delivered one of the loudest wins of the weekend. The Gators handled Ole Miss 52-28 in the Swamp, a result that helped shake up the top of the league.
Mississippi State also kept its perfect record intact, taking down No. 19 Missouri in a rowdy Davis Wade Stadium and setting up a second straight week of unbeaten-on-unbeaten football when Alabama comes to town.
Here’s how the SEC stack up in the Week 5 power rankings:
- Georgia Bulldogs (4-0)
- Florida Gators (4-0)
Week 4 result: W, 52-28 vs. No. 4 Ole Miss
- Texas Longhorns (4-0)
Week 5 matchup: BYE
- Ole Miss Rebels (3-1)
Week 4 result: L, 52-28 at No. 21 Florida
Week 5 matchup: BYE
- LSU Tigers (3-1)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)
- Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0)
- Tennessee Volunteers (3-1)
Week 4 result: L, 20-17 vs. No. 1 Texas
- Missouri Tigers (3-1)
Week 5 matchup: vs. *No.
21 Florida (4-0)* at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC
- Kentucky Wildcats (3-1)
Week 4 result: W, 45-21 vs. South Alabama
- Auburn Tigers (3-1)
Week 4 result: W, 21-15 vs. Vanderbilt
- Oklahoma Sooners (2-2)
Week 4 result: L, 41-13 at No. 2 Georgia
Week 5 matchup: BYE
- Texas A&M Aggies (2-2)
Week 4 result: L, 35-6 at No. 10 LSU
Week 5 matchup: vs. Arkansas (2-2) at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2
- South Carolina Gamecocks (2-2)
Week 4 result: L, 49-18 at No. 8 Alabama
- Vanderbilt Commodores (3-1)
Week 4 result: L, 21-15 at Auburn
- Arkansas Razorbacks (2-2)
Week 4 result: W, 34-6 vs. Tulsa
In Other News...
Johnny Manziel Just Said What Texas A&M Fans Are Fearing
Johnny Manziels postgame criticism landed with the kind of force only a former Texas A&M star can bring. After the loss to LSU, he took to social media to question what the Aggies are doing right now, and the reaction was not hard to understand. The offense has struggled to find rhythm, the defense has had its own issues, and the overall look has been of a team still searching for something steady to hang onto in SEC play.
For Aggies fans, the uncomfortable part is that the problems do not seem isolated to one side of the ball. Coaching, cohesion and the lack of a clear offensive identity have all become part of the conversation, with the running game looking like one area that could help set a tone if it ever gets going. Until then, the concern Manziel voiced is the same one hovering over the program: the season feels like it needs a reset, and there is no obvious sign yet of where that comes from. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Craver Is Giving Texas A&M Fans A New Reason To Vent
Texas A&Ms rocky start has already left Aggies fans looking for answers after two straight losses erased the momentum of a 2-0 opening, and now receiver Mario Craver has given them another topic to grumble about. The latest frustration came off the field, where Craver drew criticism on social media after liking Instagram photos of Peyton Blomquist, the Florida Gators fan who went viral during Floridas win over Ole Miss.
For a fan base already uneasy about the direction of the season, the timing could hardly be worse. Even a small social media gesture can become a talking point when a team is trying to steady itself, and Cravers online activity landed in the middle of a week when Texas A&M supporters were already searching for reasons to feel better about a 2-2 start. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Fans Wont Love What Elko Is Facing After LSU Loss
A rough night in Baton Rouge left Texas A&M searching for answers after a 35-6 loss to LSU dropped the Aggies to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play. The offense never found much rhythm, the defense spent too much time on its heels, and the kind of complementary football Mike Elko has been trying to build was nowhere to be found.
Marcel Reeds uneven performance only added to the frustration, but Elko said he is not changing the starting quarterback for now. For a fan base already uneasy about the early conference skid, the bigger concern may be how many areas need fixing at once, from protection and execution on offense to a defense that could not generate pressure or keep LSU from piling up passing yards. [Read more 🡒]