SEC Football Power Rankings: Georgia, Alabama meet in Week 5 clash

Where things stand in our SEC football power rankings heading into a major Week 5 tilt.

The updated SEC football power rankings for Week 5 as Tennessee moves up, and Georgia meets Alabama in T-Town. / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Once again, the SEC will be Ground Zero in college football as the Week 5 games kick off on Saturday, with a battle of top-five ranked Georgia and Alabama on the same field in a matchup that will have dramatic reverberations when playoff selection time comes around.

Meanwhile, the Sooners are left picking up the pieces on offense after a 10-point loss in its SEC debut against Tennessee that wasn’t exactly as close as the eventual score would indicate, and there’s already talk that a quarterback change could be imminent as OU heads to Auburn.

Big Orange came out of Norman not just with a win, but with a statement to the country that it’s one of the nation’s most balanced teams, armed not only with a lethal offense that can pick you off at will, but a defensive front group that can take this team to the SEC title, and beyond.

Heading into a major week of football, where do things stand in the SEC power rankings?

Let’s take a look at what the SEC has to offer moving into the Week 5 schedule of games, ranking the conference’s teams from worst to first.

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5

16. Mississippi State

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Record: 1-3, 0-1

What's next: at Texas

Two straight ugly losses, at home to Toledo and Florida, have the Bulldogs reeling, especially now as quarterback Blake Shapen, one of the team's bright spots, is out for the year with an injury.

15. Auburn

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Record: 2-2, 0-1

What's next: vs. Oklahoma

More turnovers and meh offense for Hugh Freeze's team after utilizing two quarterbacks and coming away with four interceptions in a loss at home to Arkansas. Now in comes OU's strong defense.

14. Florida

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Record: 2-2, 1-1

What's next: Idle

Florida has been swapping out Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway at quarterback with mixed results, but this week it worked with a big win at Mississippi State in a tiny step in the right direction for Billy Napier's embattled tenure.

13. Kentucky

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Record: 2-2, 0-2

What's next: at Ole Miss

We'll never know what would have happened if Mark Stoops went for that fourth down against Georgia, but as it stands, UK is still looking for its first SEC win. The Wildcats beat up on Ohio to get back to .500, but Brock Vandagriff is yet to throw a TD pass since the opener.

12. Vanderbilt

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Record: 2-2, 0-1

What's next: Idle

We're a TD with 15 seconds left against Ga. Southern and a missed field goal in overtime at Missouri away from Vandy being a higher-ranked team. Diego Pavia has 721 yards passing with no picks and leads the Dores with 279 rushing yards.

11. Arkansas

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / John Reed-Imagn Images

Record: 3-1, 1-0

What's next: vs. Texas A&M

This could be an undefeated team right now if not for some mishaps at Oklahoma State a few weeks ago, but the Hogs played some good defense in a road win at Auburn.

10. South Carolina

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Record: 3-1, 1-1

What's next: Idle

Robby Ashford put up 376 yards of offense and scored 3 times to help the Gamecocks pound Akron, but a cruel month awaits this team, facing 4 straight ranked SEC opponents, including two on the road.

9. Texas A&M

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Record: 3-1, 1-0

What's next: vs. Arkansas

Whoever loses this week's game between the Aggies and Razorbacks is one big step back when considering both these schools' future schedules, but A&M is getting some consistent offensive output with Marcel Reed in at quarterback.

8. Oklahoma

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Record: 3-1, 0-1

What's next: at Auburn

Suddenly, there's a QB controversy for the Sooners after Jackson Arnold fumbled, quite literally, his team's chances against Tennessee in its SEC debut. The good news is OU has the bodies on defense to regroup against a sloppy Auburn attack this weekend.

7. LSU

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Record: 3-1, 1-0

What's next: vs. South Alabama

Harold Perkins is out for the year with an ACL injury, a loss that's hard to put into words when considering he was by far the team's best player on an otherwise-vulnerable defense. That puts a little more pressure on Garrett Nussmeier and this offense to win these games going forward.

6. Missouri

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Record: 4-0, 1-0

What's next: Idle

Two close calls for Mizzou the last 2 weeks, but both wins, against a ranked Boston College and then needing overtime to get past Vanderbilt. It's good to find ways to win, but now the task is to avoid getting into must-win situations going forward against a tougher schedule.

5. Ole Miss

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Record: 4-0, 0-0

What's next: vs. Kentucky

This offense looks incredible, ranking 1st nationally in passing production and scoring, 12th in rushing output, and the Rebels are also No. 1 in FBS in scoring defense. It's against cupcakes, but those games still count. We'll know a little more after this week's SEC opener.

4. Alabama

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Record: 3-0, 0-0

What's next: vs. Georgia

It gets a little crowded near the top of the SEC and, truthfully, the Crimson Tide can beat anyone in this league, but the USF game still gives us some pause. This weekend finds Bama on the field against the Bulldogs in what could be a preview of the SEC Championship Game.

3. Georgia

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Record: 3-0, 1-0

What's next: at Alabama

The Bulldogs embark on the first of three gigantic road tests this week, and hoping that their offensive output against Kentucky 2 weeks ago was the exception and not the rule. Especially given they'll face arguably the toughest schedule in college football going forward.

2. Tennessee

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Record: 4-0, 1-0

What's next: Idle

Big Orange stepped over the Sooners on the road last week and while Nico Iamaleava gets the big headlines, it's the Vols defense that can take this team to the SEC title game. Looking ahead to games against Arkansas and Florida, this should be a 6-0 team when it meets Alabama.

1. Texas

SEC Football Power Rankings for Week 5 / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Record: 4-0, 0-0

What's next: vs. Mississippi State

Arch Manning gave himself a C-plus after his first career start, throwing 2 picks in a win against UL Monroe, and he's likely the starter for the Longhorns' SEC debut this week as Quinn Ewers rehabs with the SEC's worst team coming to the Forty Acres.

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