SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Where Do the Bulldogs Rank After Dominating South Carolina?

After a statement win over South Carolina, see where the Bulldogs land in this week’s SEC basketball power rankings.

Feb 7, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs mascot Bully dances on the court after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The SEC season started with a bang. There weren't any major suprises, but one thing is for sure from the start - GOOD LUCK.

Every week will be a bear for all 16 teams, and the SEC rankings should fluctuate wildly each week. Here are the men's college basketball power rankings after the first blast of a weekend of conference play.

16. South Carolina (10-4)

South Carolina is a good team, but it just so happens to be in the SEC in what might be the greatest year ever for the league. It was outclassed from the start in an 85-50 loss to Mississippi State, and it's not about to get any easier with Alabama and Auburn up next.

Polls: N/A
KenPom ranking: 75
NET ranking: 85
Last Week: 16

Next up: Alabama, 7:00 pm, SEC Network, Jan. 8

15. LSU (11-3)

Ugh. The Tigers needs to tip-off the SEC home slate with a big performance, and instead it dropped a winnable date with Vanderbilt 80-72. Beating Missouri on the road is a must.

Polls: N/A
KenPom ranking: 59
NET ranking: 52
Last Week: 15

Next Up: at Missouri, 9:00 pm, SEC Network, Jan. 7

14. Vanderbilt (13-1)

A few big shots late got the Commodores past LSU on the road. That was big, but getting by Mississippi State at home would be bigger. Win this week, and at Missouri and South Carolina are gettable before the schedule becomes a bear.

Polls: N/A
KenPom ranking: 44
NET ranking: 35
Last Week: 14

Next Up: Mississippi State, 9:00 pm, ESPN, Jan. 7

13. Texas (11-3)

The offense couldn't keep up in an 80-60 loss at Texas A&M, and now comes a massive issue over the next several games with Auburn and Tennessee before going to Oklahoma and Florida. The only positive is that the dates with the top two teams in the nation are in Austin.

Polls: N/A
KenPom ranking: 40
NET ranking: 40
Last Week: 13

Next Up: Auburn, 9:00 pm, ESPN2, Jan. 7

12. Georgia (12-2)

There's going to be a problem for the Dawgs after a great 12-1 start. The rough day offensively in the loss to Ole Miss needs to turn around fast with Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Auburn, and Arkansas up next.

Polls: AP 32, Coaches 31
KenPom ranking: 50
NET ranking: 28
Last Week: 12

Next Up: Kentucky, 7:00 pm, SEC Network, Jan. 7

11. Arkansas (11-3)

It was a tough reintroduction to life in the SEC for John Calipari as the Hogs were outclassed from jump in a 76-52 loss at Tennessee. It doesn't get a whole lot easier with Ole Miss and Florida up next.

Polls: AP 23, Coaches 27
KenPom ranking: 39
NET ranking: 37
Last Week: 11

Next Up: Ole Miss, 7:00 pm, ESPN2, Jan. 8

10. Missouri (11-3)

Up and down, the team that beat Kansas and lost to Illinois had problems in the SEC opener at Auburn. It gets easier with LSU and Vanderbilt to follow, but whatever. happens, owning the rest of January is a must with a brutal February to come.

Polls: AP T37, Coaches 38
KenPom ranking: 53
NET ranking: 47
Last Week: 9

Next Up: LSU, 9:00 pm, SEC Network, Jan. 7

9. Oklahoma (13-1)

The schedule wasn't all that great on the way to a 13-0 record, and then Alabama turned up the offense in the SEC opener and the Sooners were exposed in a 107-79 loss. Beat Texas A&M, and there's a chance to go on a little run with Georgia to follow.

Polls: AP 12, Coaches 10
KenPom ranking: 45
NET ranking: 42
Last Week: 8

Next Up: Texas A&M, 9:00 pm, SEC Network, Jan. 8

8. Ole Miss (12-2)

The loss to Memphis last week hurt, but starting out the SEC season with an easy win over Georgia helped turn things back around. The defense was nasty, and now it has to do it against Arkansas up next.

Polls: AP 24, Coaches 23
KenPom ranking: 29
NET ranking: 36
Last Week: 6

Next Up: at Arkansas, 7:00 pm, ESPN2, Jan. 8

7. Texas A&M (12-2)

The wins are there now with eight straight including a 20-point rocking of Texas. The inconsistent offense needs to crank it up soon with Alabama and Kentucky following a date at Oklahoma.

Polls: AP 13, Coaches 12
KenPom ranking: 11
NET ranking: 22
Last Week: 7

Next Up: at Oklahoma, 9:00 SEC Network, Jan. 8

6. Florida (13-1)

They're explosive, fast, athletic, and they got outrun by Kentucky in a wild 106-100 shootout on Saturday, It was the first loss of the season, and now it doesn't get any easier. Beat Tennessee in Gainesville, though, and everything is back on track.

Polls: AP 6, Coaches 5
KenPom ranking: 7
NET ranking: 4
Last Week: 3

Next Up: Tennessee, 7:00 pm, ESPN, Jan. 7

5. Kentucky (12-2)

It's going to be a fun season with lots of highs and lows, and the team showed just what it's capable of handing Florida its first loss of the season with a 106-100 win. Georgia is a winning game up next before a brutal run of Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Alabama.

Polls: AP 10, Coaches 11
KenPom ranking: 18
NET ranking: 16
Last Week: 10

Next Up: at Georgia, 7:00 pm, SEC Network, Jan. 7

4. Mississippi State (13-1)

Still underappreciated thanks to the loss to Butler back several weeks ago, Mississippi State is starting to move up all the rankings as the impressive wins keep piling up. Blowing past South Carolina 85-50 was a must, and so is a win over Vanderbilt up next with the big boys to follow.

Polls: AP 17, Coaches 16
KenPom ranking: 15
NET ranking: 7
Last Week: 5

Next Up: at Vanderbilt, 8:00 pm, ESPNU, Jan. 7

3. Alabama (12-2)

Oklahoma couldn't keep up. The Alabama offense went off in a 107-89 win to open up SEC play for the sixth straight win. The defense continues to be a rumor at times, but the offense makes up for it.

Polls: AP 5, Coaches 6
KenPom ranking: 9
NET ranking: 10
Last Week: 4

Next Up: at South Carolina, 7:00 pm ,SEC Network, Jan. 8

2. Tennessee (14-0)

There's still plenty of thought out there that Auburn is the best team in America, but the Vols showed just how good they really are with a 76-52 win over Arkansas in the SEC opener. It was never close.

Polls: AP 1, Coaches 1
KenPom ranking: 4
NET ranking: 2
Last Week: 2

Next Up: at Florida, 7:00 pm, ESPN2, Jan 7

1. Auburn (13-1)

The TIgers keep on looking the part. They still have that one loss to Duke on the resume, but dominant blowouts of Purdue and in the SEC opener against Missouri keep the blowouts rolling.

Polls: AP 2, Coaches 2
KenPom ranking: 1
NET ranking: 1
Last Week: 1

Next Up: at Texas, 9:00 pm, ESPN2, Jan 7