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 /
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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 /

Elite wins

Luck swings both ways and it is absolutely on Tennessee’s side in the early part of the 2016 NCAA season. The Volunteers needed to complete a 45-yard Hail Mary pass with four seconds on the clock to beat Georgia in Athens on Saturday. It happened and Tennessee is 5-0 on the year.

The Volunteers have had opportunities to lose all five of their games this season (Appalachian State, Virginia Tech, Ohio, Florida, Georgia), yet they have come out on top to win all of them. There may not be a better second-half team in the Power 5 than Butch Jones’ Volunteers.

Tennessee has a brutal next two games. The Volunteers will have to play the two best teams in the SEC West: Texas A&M and Alabama. They don’t have to beat both to win the SEC East, but do need to upset one of them to get to Atlanta. It won’t be easy, but the Volunteers are in the SEC East driver’s seat. Luck is clearly on their side.

The most pleasantly surprising team in the SEC through five weeks has to be the Texas A&M Aggies. Few thought that the Aggies would be 5-0 and in the Top 10 in the second week of October. Wasn’t head coach Kevin Sumlin on the hot seat or something?

Texas A&M is coming off a strong road win over cross divisional rival South Carolina in Week 5. Winning in Columbia is never easy, but that was a game Texas A&M should have won because the Gamecocks are rebuilding.

What few expected was to see Texas A&M play complete football in 2016. The passing game is great with quarterback Trevor Knight playing pitch and catch with Josh Reynolds. Myles Garrett is the next big star in a John Chavis SEC defense. It is a great time to be a member of Gig ‘Em Nation down in College Station.

The SEC might have three teams in the AP Top 10 this week, but only one can claim dibs on being No. 1. Until it is proven otherwise, the top dogs in college football are the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama put together probably its best game of the season in Week 5 against the Kentucky Wildcats. While the Crimson Tide beat the USC Trojans more handily in Week 1, Alabama dominated a Power 5 opponent from start to finish in clipping Kentucky, 34-6.

Next: SEC Programs Ranked By Statistical Greatness

It’s still very early in the season, but it’s hard to imagine a College Football Playoff without Alabama in it. The Crimson Tide have eight more games before then, but this team might be good enough to go undefeated this season. However, Alabama still has to play Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide could potentially drop one of those rivalry games.

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