The latest SEC Power Rankings from On3, utilizing the On3 Massey Ratings, are in after Week 9 of the college football regular season.
The On3 Massey Ratings – which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated high school sports team rankings since 1995 – rank sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.
So without further ado, let’s examine this week’s edition following Week 10.
Georgia might have been in trouble had Florida quarterback DJ Lagway not gone down injured in the first half. The Gators controlled the opening portions of the game, with Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck having a forgettable half.
But in the end, Georgia’s superior depth wore out as Florida couldn’t get much from its third-string quarterback and a thinned-out secondary. Two tough tests are up next, on the road at Ole Miss and then home against Tennessee.
Texas held its spot at No. 2 in the SEC Power Rankings this week while on a bye. The Longhorns needed it to get rested and recovered against a navigable but challenging sprint to the finish.
Eyeing the schedule, there could be some individually tricky games, but Texas should be favored in most. The most challenging remaining contest is a road trip to Texas A&M for the regular season finale.
Alabama had a bye this week after a tune-up against a depleted Missouri squad last week. All eyes are on this week’s contest at LSU, which should turn into a madhouse for a night kickoff in Death Valley.
The Crimson Tide can reasonably be expected to win out if they get by this one, so finding a way to beat the Tigers and remain in the College Football Playoff hunt is key. The three games after? Mercer, at Oklahoma and Auburn.
Tennessee hasn’t always looked like the most dominant team, with a handful of close calls in recent weeks. Still, following the loss to Arkansas, the Volunteers have managed to top Florida, Alabama and Kentucky.
The remaining schedule includes a pair of tough games on the road at Georgia and Vanderbilt. First up, though, is a game against a Mississippi State squad that has had a tough year.
After a month of question marks about where the offense had gone, Jaxson Dart and Ole Miss came out against Arkansas and looked like the unit most had come to expect. Dart threw for 515 yards and six touchdowns in a blowout win.
Now there’s the last major threat to Ole Miss’ playoff chances: Georgia. The Bulldogs haven’t been firing on all cylinders of late, and the Grove should be rocking as the Rebels look to put their stamp on the 2024 regular season.
Like Ole Miss, LSU is a two-loss team still clinging to College Football Playoff hopes. That’s evident by hanging tough in the SEC Power Rankings again this week, even fresh off a loss to Texas A&M.
There is no real bye week advantage for either team going into this week’s showdown against Alabama; both had one. If Brian Kelly is going to prove he can be a contender, Saturday’s game at night in Death Valley is a good place to start.
Texas A&M walked into a buzz-saw on Saturday night in a lively and raucous environment in Williams-Brice Stadium. By the time the ambush was done, South Carolina had won 44-20.
The Aggies still have everything to play for, but the playoff window has narrowed considerably. There’s plenty of time to think about it, too, with a bye week up next before two very winnable games against New Mexico State and at Auburn.
South Carolina has one of the nation’s most ferocious pass rushes, and that has helped carry the team to a 5-3 record so far. But the offense is also beginning to develop even more, and that was evident in the win against Texas A&M.
Playing at home, South Carolina is as dangerous as they come — outside of a flat day against Ole Miss, the program also took Alabama and LSU to the wire there. Next up is a test that has tripped up others: a road game at upstart Vanderbilt.
Oklahoma snapped a three-game losing skid by beating up on hapless Maine, winning 59-14 and getting the offense back on track. Quarterback Jackson Arnold threw for 224 yard sand two touchdowns, while also rushing for 45 yards and a score.
Coach Brent Venables is fighting for his job and the next contest might be the decisive one. Missouri is on tap, beaten up and reeling as it enters this week’s contest. That’s as close to a must-win as it gets for Oklahoma.
Missouri drops one spot in this week’s SEC Power Rankings after getting a much-needed bye following a shutout by Alabama. The Tigers will have their work cut out the rest of the way, with Mississippi State perhaps the only game they will be favored in.
Quarterback Brady Cook‘s health is arguably the biggest factor in the team’s success and how healthy he’ll be down the stretch remains to be seen. The Tigers need everyone else around him to step up in a big way.
SEC Power Rankings: 11-16
11. Florida Gators (+1)
12. Arkansas Razorbacks (-1)
13. Vanderbilt Commodores (+2)
14. Kentucky Wildcats
15. Auburn Tigers (-2)
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs
After Arkansas got smoked and Florida made it a close game against Georgia, the two programs flip in the rankings. Vanderbilt and Auburn also trade spots after their head-to-head matchup on The Plains. The rest of the bottom of the SEC Power Rankings are pretty self explanatory. Kentucky and Mississippi State are both driving the struggle bus.
