Fansided

SEC Power Rankings, Week 5: Crimson Tide, Aggies Elite; Vols Lucky

By John Buhler

Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) is carried off the field by team mates after catching the game winning touchdown pass against the Georgia Bulldogs on the last play on the game during the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. Tennessee defeated Georgia 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) is carried off the field by team mates after catching the game winning touchdown pass against the Georgia Bulldogs on the last play on the game during the fourth quarter at Sanford Stadium. Tennessee defeated Georgia 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
Oct 1, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Nick Washington (8) celebrates after intercepting a pass to win the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Florida won 13-6. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Nick Washington (8) celebrates after intercepting a pass to win the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Florida won 13-6. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Wins to build on

The Arkansas Razorbacks rebounded in Week 5 with a dominating performance over the Alcorn State Braves, 52-10. Arkansas’ loss to rival Texas A&M in the Southwest Classic still stings, but Bret Bielema’s team is easily one of the better teams in the SEC this season.

Under Bielema, Arkansas is now an eight to nine-win program annually. The Hogs have a very physical, methodical, albeit explosive offense. Arkansas has shown that it can hang with the best teams should it come to a shootout.

The biggest question with Arkansas is how do the Razorbacks stack up against the other strong teams in the SEC. Are the Hogs in the same class as Alabama and Tennessee? Are they on par with Ole Miss? Could they be a step below that with a Georgia or an Auburn? Time will tell the Hogs’ 2016 fate.

Ole Miss has won two in a row after beginning the season in a 1-2 hole. The Rebels beat metro area rival Memphis, 48-28 in Oxford on Saturday. Ole Miss has played a ton of home games (four in a row), but the Rebels feel like a top-five team in the SEC.

Maybe electing to play Florida State in Week 1 in the non-conference wasn’t the best of ideas. Alabama is what it is, but Hotty Toddy Nation had to know that the Crimson Tide weren’t going to fall to the Rebels three years in a row.

Ole Miss still has a great shot at making it to a New Years’ Six bowl. If the Rebels can beat Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas, it’s safe to say that Ole Miss could be playing in a meaningful bowl game for a third holiday season in a row.

The Florida Gators may have lost to the Tennessee Volunteers last week in Knoxville, but they are one of the few teams left in the SEC that has any realistic hopes to make the College Football Playoff. Should Florida go 7-1 in SEC play and see Tennessee fall to Texas A&M and Alabama in consecutive weeks, the Gators will be the SEC East’s representative in Atlanta.

Florida responded after its Week 4 loss by squeaking out an SEC victory on the road over division rival Vanderbilt, 13-6. The game played out exactly how Vanderbilt would have needed it to for an upset, but the Gators found a way to prevail.

The offense for Florida is not good, but the defense is. Defense wins championships. It won’t be easy for the Gators to go 7-1 in SEC play, but it is possible. They will need to do that to get back to Atlanta to play for the 2016 SEC Championship Game.

Home/College Football