With 10 SEC teams ranked among the nation's top 25 this week in both the Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches Poll, things are beginning to go from a simmer to a boil in the weekly SEC Power Rankings.
Alabama and Texas A&M continued to hold on to the top two spots in the Week 9 SEC Power Rankings, but the same cannot be said for the rest of the conference as the number of top-25 matchups steadily took its toll.
No other Power Four conference has the number of matchups every week involving ranked teams as the SEC. As an example, last weekend alone, seven of the eight SEC conference games featured at least one top-25 team, and in three of the games, both teams were ranked. And a similar dynamic is in place for this week's games, including No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 13 Oklahoma, both with overall records of 6-1.
The other two top-25 pairings on tap for Saturday are No. 15 Missouri (6-1) at No. 10 Vanderbilt (6-1) and No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0) at No. 20 LSU (5-2). Texas A&M is the only remaining unbeaten team in the SEC, but six other teams have just one loss.
All but two SEC teams are in action this coming weekend, with Georgia and Florida receiving byes.
Week 9 SEC Football Power Rankings
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1, 4-0)
The Tide has been rolling ever since a season-opening loss to Florida State (the exact opposite is true for FSU, however), including impressive wins over ranked opponents in each of its last four games, three of which were on the road. Quarterback Ty Simpson is one of the top candidates in the Heisman race. With only two of Alabama's remaining five games against ranked opponents -- versus LSU and Oklahoma in back-to-back weeks and both at home -- moving the Crimson Tide out of the top spot is going to be a tough task.
Previous rank: 1
2. Texas A&M Aggies (7-0, 4-0)
Texas A&M escaped an upset at Arkansas over the weekend and held on for a 45-42 victory to remain unbeaten on the season. The Aggies face another road challenge this weekend, traveling to LSU for a night game at Tiger Stadium, one of the most difficult places to play in all of college football, and even more so at night. LSU is 74-11 in night games at home since 2005. Three of A&M's remaining five games are against SEC teams ranked in the top 25, and all are on the road (at LSU, at Missouri and at Texas).
Previous rank: 2
3. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1)
Georgia gets a week off after a thrilling 43-35 come-from-behind win over Ole Miss over the weekend, handing Lane Kiffin and the Rebels their first loss of the season. The Bulldogs scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of that game in recording the win. Georgia takes on Florida on Nov. 1 in their annual rivalry in Jacksonville, Florida. The Dawgs have advanced a couple of spots in the power rankings after dropping from No. 1 following a home loss to Alabama on Sept. 27.
Previous rank: 4
4. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-1, 2-1)
Vanderbilt was the biggest mover in the Week 9 SEC Power Rankings, leapfrogging six spots after a 31-24 win over LSU. The win was the Commodores' second over a top-25 team this season, and they have an opportunity to make it three when they host Missouri this weekend. Once considered the doormat of the SEC, this Vandy team, led by quarterback Diego Pavia, has demonstrated it is capable of beating any team in the country.
Previous rank: 10
5. Ole Miss Rebels (6-1, 3-1)
Ole Miss suffered its first loss of the season, succumbing to a furious fourth-quarter rally by Georgia to fall 43-35 over the weekend. The Rebels are next at Oklahoma, where the SEC's third-best offense in Ole Miss will go up against not just the best defense in the conference, but one of the country's best defenses. The Rebels are very good offensively, but if they have a weakness, it is on the defensive side, which was in full evidence against Georgia.
Previous rank: 3
6. Missouri Tigers (6-1, 2-1)
Missouri, one of six SEC teams with just one loss this season, staved off an upset bid by Auburn over the weekend, winning 23-17 in two overtimes. It was the Tigers' first road game of the season, and they are away from home for a second straight weekend on Saturday when they take on red-hot Vanderbilt in a clash of one-loss, top-25 teams. Having played each of its first six games at home, many people aren't quite sure how good this Missouri team really is. After this weekend, they will have a much better idea.
7. Oklahoma Sooners (6-1, 2-1)
The Sooners picked up a nice road win at South Carolina over the weekend and did so in dominant defensive fashion, holding the Gamecocks to just seven points and their lowest offensive output of the season (224 yards). But the Sooners remain No. 7 in the conference power rankings. The test will be much harder this weekend with OU hosting Ole Miss, one of the best offenses in the SEC. It will be strength on strength: the Ole Miss offense vs. Oklahoma's outstanding defense. This would be a huge win for the Sooners, who would be in realistic reach of a nine-win season.
Previous rank: 7
8. Tennessee (5-2, 2-2)
The Volunteers managed the rare feat of losing this past weekend but still advancing one spot in the Week 9 power rankings. Tennessee lost at Alabama 37-20, but because of Texas' surprisingly poor showing against a not-very-good Kentucky team, the Volunteers and Longhorns switched places this week. Ironically, it is Tennessee that will be at Kentucky this weekend.
Previous rank: 9
9. Texas Longhorns (5-2, 2-1)
The Longhorns ostensibly suffered a classic letdown after their huge rivalry win over Oklahoma a week before. Texas was fortunate to escape Kentucky on Saturday without suffering its third loss of the season, managing to pull out a 16-13 win in overtime. It will be interesting to see how this Jekyll and Hyde Longhorn group fares this weekend on the road against Mississippi State.
Previous rank: 8
10. LSU Tigers (5-2, 2-2)
LSU tumbled all the way down to No. 10 from No. 4 a week ago after a 31-24 loss to Vanderbilt, which actually changed places with the Tigers in this week's power rankings. And the going doesn't get any better for the Bayou Bengals this weekend with Texas A&M, the only undefeated team in the conference, coming to town. LSU, which has struggled this season to get its offense on track, can ill afford to get caught looking ahead to Alabama two weeks from now.
11. Florida Gators (3-4, 2-2)
Florida fired coach Billy Napier over the weekend despite a 23-21 victory over Mississippi State. The Gators, who actually began the season as the No. 15 team in the preseason AP Top 25, have the week off before taking on Georgia in their annual rivalry game in Jacksonville.
Previous rank: 11
12. Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3)
Mississippi State owns a 4-3 record on the season but is still seeking its first conference win. The Bulldogs lost by two points, 23-21, to Florida over the weekend and are at home this weekend facing a Texas Longhorn team that is probably going to come to town angry and determined after a lackluster performance in narrowly getting by Kentucky over the weekend. This will be an interesting matchup to keep an eye on.
Previous rank: 13
13. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-4, 1-4)
South Carolina, another team in this conference that began the 2025 season ranked in the nation's top 25 (No. 13 in both the AP and Coaches polls), looked listless on offense against Oklahoma over the weekend and now Alabama rolls into town. Games against Ole Miss and Texas A&M follow, both on the road. It may be time for Gamecock fans to turn their attention to the basketball season.
Previous rank: 13
14. Auburn Tigers (3-4, 0-4)
Three of Auburn's four conference losses have been by seven or fewer points. The margin was six points on Saturday in a 23-17 home loss to Missouri. This Saturday, Auburn will be at Arkansas, and one of those two teams is going to come away with its first SEC win of the season. The problem for Auburn is that the Razorbacks lead the conference in total offense, averaging over 500 yards per game, and the Tigers are near the bottom of the league in both scoring and total offense.
15. Kentucky Wildcats (2-4, 0-4)
Kentucky surprisingly gave Texas all it could handle on Saturday, taking the Longhorns to overtime before falling 16-13. Two of the Wildcats' conference losses were by blowouts (to South Carolina and Georgia), but they lost by just seven points to Ole Miss and just three to the Longhorns. Now Tennessee comes to Kroger Field in Lexington on Saturday for another matchup with a ranked conference opponent. This will be a tough assignment for head coach Mark Stoops and Kentucky as the Volunteers can be expected to come in hungry and looking to rebound from a 17-point loss at Alabama.
Previous rank: 16
16. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-5, 0-3)
Arkansas dropped back down to No. 16 this week despite a strong performance against unbeaten Texas A&M this past weekend. The Razorbacks' league-leading offense kept them in the game with the Aggies right to the very end before falling 45-42. Arkansas is obviously going to have to outscore Auburn to win its next game. The trouble is the Razorbacks haven't been able to stop anybody all season on defense. With Mississippi State, LSU, Texas and Missouri remaining to close out the regular season, Saturday's game with Auburn could be Arkansas' best chance to avoid going winless in conference play.
Previous rank: 15