2023 SEC Football Power Rankings: Week 5

The entire league has finally played a conference game, does the East look stronger than the West?

Three undefeated teams remain in the Southeastern Conference after five weeks of action, all reside in the SEC East. 

Teams true colors are beginning to emerge as the SEC is truly a week-to-week league.

Forget preseason polls. Forget what happened last season. Disregard recruiting rankings and what these teams look like on paper. The only criteria considered in this season's BamaCentral SEC Power Rankings is what happens between the white lines during games.

Winning is rewarded and losing is punished in our 2023 Power Rankings, so lets get right to it as we over react to four weeks of football throughout the conference. 

1. Georgia (-) (5-0, 2-0)

• The Bulldogs have Brock Bowers and because of his greatness went into Jordan-Hare and survived the first road challenge of the year.

2. Kentucky (↑1) (5-0, 2-0)

• The Wildcats dominated the Gators at home behind a 280 yard and three TD performance from Ray Davis. Big Blue's win sets up a huge matchup next week in Athens. 

3. Missouri (↑1) (5-0, 1-0)

• The Tigers went to Nashville for its first SEC game of the year and dispatched of the Commodores to remain undefeated. 

4. Alabama (↑1) (4-1, 2-0)

• The Crimson Tide dumped its second Mississippi school in two weeks, controlling virtually all 60-minutes against the Bulldogs in Starkville.

5. Ole Miss (↑2) (4-1, 1-1)

• The Rebels bounced back from its loss to Alabama last week by out-scoring the LSU Tigers 55-49. No defense was played but Lane Kiffin goes home happy.

6. Texas A&M (-) (4-1, 2-0)

• The Aggies won its rivalry game against Arkansas, despite playing a backup quarterback. The Jimbo Fisher, Bobby Petrino marriage seems to be working, but will be put to the test next week against Alabama.

7. LSU (↓5) (3-2, 2-1)

• The Tigers gave up 31 points to Arkansas last week and decided that wasn't enough as they allowed Ole Miss to put up 55 to drop its first SEC game of the year.

8. Tennessee (↑2) (4-1, 1-1)

• The Volunteers take a small step up in our polls by defeating South Carolina 41-20, avenging its loss last year and resetting its course in the SEC season.

9. Auburn (↓1) (3-2, 0-2)

• Despite being outmatched physically the Tigers gave Georgia a run for its money. Quarterback remains a problem for Hugh Freeze as Auburn tallied just 88 passing yards as a team.

10. Florida (↓1) (3-2, 1-1)

• The Gators never got off the bus in Lexington, allowing 329 rushing yards and taking a 33-14 loss on the chin. Florida has looked uninspired in each of its two road games this year.

11. Arkansas (↑1) (2-3, 0-2)

• The Hogs move up one spot despite losing in Arlington to Texas A&M. The bottom end of the league looks bad and Arkansas isn't exempt.

12. South Carolina (↓1) (2-3, 1-2)

• The Gamecocks struggles on the offensive line continued as Tennessee amassed six sacks and eight tackles for loss. South Carolina looks like its competing for worst team in the league this year.

13. Vanderbilt (↑1) (2-4, 0-2)

• The Commodores just don't appear to have SEC-caliber athletes and their path to victory is made more challenging when playing a backup quarterback. Vanderbilt's dropped four-straight after starting the year 2-0.

14. Mississippi State (↓1) (2-3, 0-3)

• The Bulldogs have allowed 87% completion to the last three quarterbacks its faced, while the Crimson Tide also added 193 yards rushing to give Mississippi State its third loss in a row. Zach Arnett's specialty is defense, but that's looked extremely suspect in 2023.

2023 SEC Football Power Rankings: Week 4