Ad Disclosure
We’re down to 2 weeks left in the regular season after an exciting Week 12 slate of games. South Carolina won a thriller over Mizzou. Georgia thumped Tennessee. Florida stunned LSU at The Swamp.
This league never disappoints, and entering the final 2 weeks, the SEC still has at least 6 teams still theoretically alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
We’ll see what happens over the next 2 weekends, but things are heating up in a big way.
Here’s a look at our SEC power rankings following Week 12:
16. Oklahoma (5-5 overall, 1-5 in SEC)
Previous ranking: 16
This week: OFF
Next week: vs. Alabama
The Sooners had a week off to prepare for Alabama. Will it help? I highly doubt it. This is a team that is completely inept offensively. The defense is good, but will it be able to slow down Jalen Milroe and company? Probably not. Bowl eligibility looks like it’s slipping through the fingers of this Oklahoma squad.
15. Kentucky (4-6, 1-6)
Previous ranking: 15
This week: 48-6 W over Murray State
Next week: at Texas
Kentucky beat up on one of the worst FCS programs, so to quote Shania Twain… that don’t impress me much. A road trip to Texas won’t be easy. But this is a Wildcats team that hung tough with Georgia earlier this year. Let’s see if Kentucky can make things interesting on Saturday.
14. Mississippi State (2-8, 0-6)
Previous ranking: 14
This week: OFF
Next week: vs. Mizzou
The Bulldogs continue to fight, but if they can’t score an SEC win this weekend against Mizzou, they’ll have to fall in these rankings. Mississippi State is staring an 0-8 SEC record in the face. Jeff Lebby is building toward 2025, and there are some good things happening in Starkville, but a win this year would be nice, too.
13. Auburn (4-6, 1-5)
Previous ranking: 13
This week: 48-14 W over Louisiana-Monroe
Next week: vs. Texas A&M
Auburn faces Texas A&M and Alabama in the final 2 weeks of the season, so the Tigers will have their say in the race to the SEC Championship Game. Can they spoil a season? We know crazy things happen at Jordan-Hare Stadium, so Texas A&M better have its best foot forward this Saturday.
12. Arkansas (5-5, 3-4)
Previous ranking: 11
This week: 20-10 L to No. 3 Texas
Next week: vs. Louisiana Tech
Arkansas continues to be a tough out at home. That was quite a defensive showing against Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns. But the offense faltered against Texas’s stout defense. The good news? This team should become bowl-eligible with a win over Louisiana Tech this weekend. We’ll see if the Hogs can take care of business and build momentum ahead of a rivalry game against Mizzou.
11. LSU (6-4, 3-3)
Previous ranking: 7
This week: 27-16 L to Florida
Next week: vs. Vanderbilt
Brian Kelly is yelling at his players. That’s not new. Players are yelling at Brian Kelly. That is new. The defense couldn’t stop the DJ Lagway-to-Elijhah Badger connection. The offense couldn’t get anything going consistently in The Swamp. This team is a mess right now and I don’t think yelling is going to fix it.
10. Florida (5-5, 3-4)
Previous ranking: 12
This week: 27-16 W over No. 22 LSU
Next week: vs. Ole Miss
What an incredible win for Billy Napier and his squad. DJ Lagway was magnificent playing through injury, throwing for a touchdown and finding WR Elijhah Badger for some key plays. The defense stepped up in a big way. Ole Miss can’t take this team lightly next week. And even if the Gators lose against the Rebels, there’s a chance to become bowl-eligible by beating rival Florida State in the final week of the regular season.
9. Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3)
Previous ranking: 10
This week: OFF
Next week: at LSU
The Commodores catch LSU at an interesting time, as the Tigers are falling apart a bit down the stretch. Ending at LSU and vs. Tennessee isn’t easy. Do Clark Lea, Diego Pavia and company have more magic up their sleeves? We’ll find out starting this Saturday in Death Valley.
8. Mizzou (7-3, 3-3)
Previous ranking: 9
This week: 34-30 L to No. 21 South Carolina
Next week: at Mississippi State
The defensive play-calling and execution was atrocious in the final 1:10 of the 4th quarter as the Tigers let the Gamecocks march down the field. Mizzou’s defense was softer than the pillow your wife always steals from your side of the bed and claims it’s “her pillow.” But this team still played hard in a tough environment. A 9-3 finish is still possible for Eli Drinkwitz and company.
7. South Carolina (7-3, 5-3)
Previous ranking: 8
This week: 34-30 W over No. 23 Mizzou
Next week: vs. Wofford
This team simply finds ways to win. LaNorris Sellers has turned into one of the best QBs in the SEC. Rocket Sanders is a beast. The defense is scary. The home crowd is intense. Shane Beamer has his squad playing its best football down the stretch. That’s exactly where you want to be in mid-November.
6. Tennessee (8-2, 5-2)
Previous ranking: 3
This week: 31-17 L to No. 12 Georgia
Next week: vs. UTEP
This was an ugly loss, yes. But the Vols have a great chance to regroup. They end the regular season with this week’s easy home game against UTEP and then play at Vanderbilt the following week. Would 10-2 overall be enough to get into the Playoff? How about the SEC title game? The Vols can still accomplish great things this year if they can shake off this tough road loss.
5. Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1)
Previous ranking: 5
This week: 38-3 W over New Mexico State
Next week: at Auburn
The Aggies took care of business against a weak New Mexico State team. It seems they’re riding with Marcel Reed at QB moving forward. This week will teach us a lot about Texas A&M. The Texas rivalry game is looming. Can the Aggies stay focused on the road at Jordan-Hare Stadium, where crazy things happen every year?
4. Georgia (8-2, 6-2)
Previous ranking: 6
This week: 31-17 W over No. 7 Tennessee
Next week: vs. UMass
Georgia needed this win in a big way. Not only because it keeps the Bulldogs’ Playoff hopes alive, but also because this team needed a confidence boost. QB Carson Beck needed to have a good game. The receivers needed to make a few plays without dropping the ball. Now the Dawgs get to beat up on UMass and take on rival Georgia Tech while they wait to see if 6-2 is going to be good enough to claim a spot in the SEC Championship Game.
3. Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2)
Previous ranking: 4
This week: OFF
Next week: at Florida
Florida just showed it can’t be taken lightly at The Swamp. But the Rebels should be healthier than they’ve been in weeks after an open date. Jaxson Dart and the offense are clicking. The defense is elite. We’ll see if Lane Kiffin can guide his team to another win 2 weeks after trouncing Georgia.
2. Alabama (8-2, 4-2)
Previous ranking: 2
This week: 52-7 W over Mercer
Next week: at Oklahoma
Alabama still has all of its goals ahead of it. The Tide can still potentially make the SEC title game. They’re in position to still make the Playoff field. This week, they took care of business. Yes, I have Oklahoma at No. 16 in these power rankings, but it’s still an SEC road game. Don’t get caught looking ahead to the Iron Bowl.
1. Texas (9-1, 5-1)
Previous ranking: 1
This week: 20-10 W at Arkansas
Next week: vs. Kentucky
Was this the most convincing victory? No. But Texas won. Tennessee came to Fayetteville earlier this year and lost, so escaping town with a win is something to be celebrated. This defense is getting better every week. Hosting Kentucky this week should be another manageable game for Steve Sarkisian and company.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
