SEC power rankings 2020: Who is Alabama’s biggest threat?

Alabama sits atop the SEC power rankings ahead of Week 4 as the conference is set to play its first games of the 2020 season. 

Three weeks of college football have passed and an SEC football team has yet to take the field. But on Saturday, Sept. 26, that all changes. The conference where it just means more kicks off their 2020 season with a full slate of action. And with that, some of the best teams in the country will get their campaigns underway.

As of right now, three of the top-five and six of the top-10 ranked teams in the AP Top 25 are coming out of the SEC as they begin their season. There is no question that this will be the most highly contested conference in the country in 2020. But that also makes stacking these teams up against one another, especially without having seen them play this year, all the more difficult.

Even still, that’s the task at hand — an early look at the SEC power rankings and how the 14 teams in the conference measure up as they prepare to (finally) begin their 2020 seasons and conference-only schedules.

Alabama, Georgia and Florida comprise the top tier of teams in the SEC Power Rankings entering the start of their season

Week 4 Opponent: at No. 10 Texas A&M

Considering that Vanderbilt went 3-9 a season ago, the prospects for the Commodores wouldn’t be particularly high no matter what the case was. However, Derek Mason’s team must replace their best running back, wide receiver and tight end while also breaking in a new quarterback. The defense has experience but with a group that gave up over 30 points per game. It’d be the biggest shock of the year if they weren’t the worst team in the SEC.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. No. 4 Georgia

Considering that the Hogs haven’t won an SEC contest in the past two seasons, the fact that they merely edge out Vandy in the preseason rankings has to be counted as a moral victory. Even still, Sam Pittman takes over at Arkansas with a ton of work left ahead of him. Feleipe Franks struggled at Florida and likely won’t have much better results against a bad offensive line. Throw in losing their best defensive players from last season, the Razorbacks are going to have a rough go of it.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. No. 16 Tennessee

This is a crucial season for South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp as he would love for the Gamecocks to take a viable step forward. That will start on defense. Despite Javon Kinlaw‘s departure, there is an elite duo in the secondary and former 5-star Zacch Pickens has the potential to be another first-round pick out of Columbia. With grad transfer Collin Hill winning the starting job, it’ll be interesting to see if he can help the offense be good enough to compete.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. No. 2 Alabama

My belief is that Eli Drinkwitz was the right hire for the Missouri football program. The Tigers should be quite exciting offensively under his guidance, especially with two quality quarterback options and a rushing attack led by Larry Rountree III and Tyler Badie. The hope is that the defense, which played better than many might realize last season, can stay at that level and make the Tigers a legitimate sleeper in the SEC East.

Week 4 Opponent: at No. 6 LSU

The arrival of head coach Mike Leach and quarterback K.J. Costello make the Mississippi State Bulldogs, at the very minimum, interesting. Having said that, it’s a worthy question to wonder just how good this team can be. Costello and Kylin Hill should give the offense some weapons but Leach needs pass-catchers to emerge. More importantly, defensive coordinator Zach Arnett needs to improve a defense that needs playmakers and was exploited often last season.

Week 4 Opponent: at No. 8 Auburn

Terry Wilson returning at quarterback should give Kentucky some stability on offense that they lacked a season ago amid his injuries. Furthermore, he should be behind one of the better offensive lines in the conference. And most importantly, Mark Stoops has become a master of doing the most with the least. The big need for this Wildcats team is for playmakers to emerge around Wilson for them to compete against the best offenses in the SEC.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. No. 5 Florida 

Much like with Leach coming to Starkville, Lane Kiffin arriving in Oxford gives Ole Miss a ton of intrigue. But unlike with the rival Bulldogs, the Rebels have more legitimate upside in the 2020 season. The defense is a worry and will limit the overall potential of this team but the offense could be a thrill. Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee is dynamic and has top-tier weapons with running back Jerrion Ealy and wideout Elijah Moore. In Kiffin’s offense, the Rebs could make some noise.

Week 4 Opponent: at South Carolina

Is this the year that Jeremy Pruitt gets the Volunteers to the next step in rebuilding the program? The fact that they begin play as the No. 15-ranked team in the country might make you believe so but they still have quite a bit to prove. That starts with a road trip to Columbia against a potentially tough test. Tennessee’s defense should be able to stop anyone but what they really need is for quarterback Jarrett Guarantano to be a more consistent leader of the offense for this team to progress.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. Mississippi State

Earlier in the offseason, I was still a believer in Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers in defense of their National Championship from last year, despite their enormous losses to the NFL from last year’s team. But with Ja’Marr Chase, among others, making the decision to opt-out, the optimism is waning. LSU has recruited well enough to win plenty of games but, to compete with the elite of the SEC, there isn’t enough experience to come into the year believing in them.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. No. 23 Kentucky

Everyone believing in the Auburn this season is doing so under the pretense that sophomore quarterback Bo Nix is going to take a big leap in his second year as the starter for Gus Malzahn’s club. He has the weapons but his inconsistency from last season is still worrisome. More so, however, is that the offensive line, defensive line and secondary must replace their top playmakers from last season, which could put more pressure on Nix than he’s ready to handle.

Week 4 Opponent: vs. Vanderbilt

In truth, the season-opener against the Commodores won’t offer much clarity in the way of how good Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies are going to be this season. But rest assured, the upside is high. Texas A&M has 16 starters back and are deep with talent at every position on both sides of the ball thanks to Fisher’s prowess on the recruiting trail. Their ceiling may come down to quarterback Kellen Mond and if, after a couple of years of waiting, he can realize his potential.

Week 4 Opponent: at Ole Miss

Quarterback Kyle Trask‘s emergence last season was one of the most pleasant surprises for Gators fans. He gives Florida stability at the one position they’ve truly been lacking for quite some time. The offense should be good at the skill positions but there are some concerns. Trask could regress, sure, but the offensive line has to replace some players and the defense also experienced a ton of roster turnover as well. The upside is high but so too is the downside.

Week 4 Opponent: at Arkansas

Kirby Smart‘s Dawgs edge out rival Florida to take the top spot in these SEC power rankings among teams in the East and to slot in at No. 2 overall. There is uncertainty at quarterback with Jamie Newman‘s decision to opt-out and Georgia has to replace both starting offensive tackles from last year. Having said that, they are potentially elite at every other position and, with one of the best defense’s in the country, should be able to control games regularly.

Week 4 Opponent: at Missouri

Alabama failed to make the College Football Playoff last season for the first time in recent memory. But the Crimson Tide are not only favored to win the SEC this season but should be considered a viable threat to win the National Championship. Dylan Moses‘ return to the defense should present a return to form on that side of the ball and, though Mac Jones is no Tua, he should guide an offense with Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle to plenty of points.

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