Texas A&M looked to be dead in the water and headed to its first loss of the season, trailing unranked South Carolina 30-3 at home at halftime on Saturday, but fought all the way back with a 28-point second half and a 31-30 victory to escape the upset and hold on to the top spot in the Week 13 SEC Power Rankings.
While the Aggies avoided sending the upper third of the conference into fortnight chaos with four one-loss teams in title contention with a couple of weeks to go, the Oklahoma Sooners added some chaos of their own, knocking off Alabama to climb two spots in this week's power rankings and put themselves in good position to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
One of the biggest movers this week in the SEC Power Rankings -- unfortunately not in a positive way -- was the Crimson Tide, who tumbled back three spots, from No. 2 to No. 5, after losing to Oklahoma at home. It was Alabama's first loss at home after 17 consecutive home wins dating back to the 2023 season. It also was the Tide's first home loss in head coach Kalen DeBoer's two seasons at Alabama.
In addition to the Sooners, the other team that benefited the most from the weekend action was the Missouri Tigers, who rebounded from a 21-point home loss to Texas A&M the week before with a 49-27 humbling of their own over Mississippi State.
Ironically, Oklahoma hosts Missouri on Saturday in the marquee matchup of the week in the SEC. This is another huge game for the Sooners, who need to beat Mizzou and LSU the week after, both games in Norman, to finish off their playoff run and their second 10-win season under Brent Venables.
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, four teams are left in contention for a spot in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6 in Atlanta. Texas A&M has the easiest path. The Aggies (10-0, 7-0) and Alabama are the only teams that control their own destiny. If A&M defeats Texas on Nov. 28, the Aggies will secure a spot in the championship. If they lose, they will need help from Florida (vs. Ole Miss) and Auburn (vs. Alabama) to get in.
Alabama's lone remaining conference game is the Iron Bowl game against Auburn. Win that game and the Crimson Tide will play for the championship. If they lose, they're out.
The two other teams with a path to the SEC title game are Georgia and Ole Miss. Both teams need help, however. Georgia is finished with conference play with a 7-1 record. Georgia's lone loss was to Alabama. The Bulldogs need an Alabama loss and a Texas A&M loss to get into the championship game.
Ole Miss' path is the most complicated of the title contenders, needing a win over Mississippi State and for Texas A&M and Alabama to lose to make it to Atlanta.
Regardless of who wins the SEC Championship Game, it is a good bet that four SEC teams, and potentially five, will make it into the 12-team College Football Playoff field.
Week 13 SEC Football Power Rankings
1. Texas A&M (10-0, 7-0)
The Aggies are in their second week as the No. 1 team in the power rankings and only need to beat rival Texas on Nov. 28 to assure their spot in the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff. They will tune up for Texas with a nonconference home game this weekend against FCS-level Samford.
Previous rank: 1
2. Georgia Bulldogs (9-1, 7-1)
Georgia had little trouble handling visiting Texas on Saturday, winning by 25 (35-10). The Bulldogs are one of six SEC teams playing nonconference opponents this weekend. Georgia will host Charlotte on Saturday and finish up the regular season with its annual rivalry game against Georgia Tech on Nov. 29. Because of an earlier loss to Alabama this season, the Bulldogs need a loss by both Texas A&M and Alabama to make it into the SEC Championship.
Previous rank: 3
3. Ole Miss Rebels (10-1, 6-1)
Ole Miss finished off its home season with a 34-24 win over Florida this past weekend. The Rebels have just one game remaining, at Mississippi State on Nov. 28. They need to beat Mississippi State, and have both Texas A&M and Alabama lose one of their final two games to earn a spot in the conference championship game.
Previous rank: 4
4. Oklahoma Sooners (8-2, 4-2)
Oklahoma posted its second-straight road win over a top-15 team, defeating Alabama on Saturday. The win over the Crimson Tide was a major hurdle in the Sooners' bid to make it into the College Football Playoff. But they still must take care of business at home against Missouri this weekend and LSU the following weekend. Win those final two games, and OU will be in the playoff and could be hosting an opening-round game.
Previous rank: 6
5. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2, 6-1)
Alabama took the biggest tumble of any SEC team this week, falling from No. 2 to No. 5 in the SEC Power Rankings after its loss at home to Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide have one conference game remaining, at Auburn on Nov. 29. Win that game, and the Tide goes to Atlanta to play in the SEC Championship. If they lose, however, they're out. This weekend, Alabama hosts Eastern Illinois.
Previous rank: 2
6. Missouri Tigers (7-3, 3-3)
Missouri, a 49-27 winner over Mississippi State over the weekend, heads out on the road for its final two games of the regular season, starting with Oklahoma this weekend. The Sooners will be looking for some revenge after losing last season at Missouri. Meanwhile, the Tigers would like nothing better than to beat OU and spoil its playoff run. After Oklahoma, Mizzou will be at struggling Arkansas to finish out the season.
Previous rank: 9
7. Texas Longhorns (7-3, 4-2)
Texas took a 35-10 beating at Georgia this past weekend that will hurt the Longhorns' playoff chances. They hope to rebound this weekend, hosting Arkansas, but will have another huge challenge in their regular-season finale against Texas A&M.
Previous rank: 5
8. Vanderbilt Commodores (8-2, 4-2)
Vanderbilt was idle this past week and heads into its final two games with a chance for a 10-win season, which would be its first ever with double-digit wins. The Commodores host Kentucky on Saturday and finish out the regular season at Tennessee on Nov. 29.
Previous rank: 7
9. Tennessee Volunteers (7-3, 3-3)
Tennessee followed up its loss to Oklahoma two weeks ago with a 42-9 thumping of New Mexico State. The Volunteers' final two games of the regular season are at Florida this weekend and back home on Nov. 29 to host in-state rival Vanderbilt.
Previous rank: 8
10. LSU Tigers (6-4, 3-4)
LSU avoided a fourth consecutive conference loss on Saturday, but just barely, rallying to defeat Arkansas 23-22. The Tigers go out of the conference this weekend, hosting 8-2 Western Kentucky out of Conference USA, before finishing up on the road at Oklahoma on Nov. 29.
Previous rank: 10
11. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6)
Mississippi State is idle this weekend and finishes off the regular season with the annual Egg Bowl rivalry game with Ole Miss. That will be a game with conference championship implications for the Rebels, but it also is important for Mississippi State, which could reach bowl eligibility with a win.
Previous rank: 11
12. Kentucky (5-5, 2-5)
Kentucky is one game shy of bowl eligibility with two games remaining. The Wildcats finish their conference schedule this weekend at Vanderbilt and closes out the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend against Louisville.
Previous rank: 12
13. Auburn (4-6, 1-6)
Auburn was idle this past week and closes out the regular season at home, hosting Mercer this weekend and the annual Iron Bowl rivalry against in-state Alabama on Nov. 29. The Tigers, who fired head coach Hugh Freeze two weeks ago after a home loss to Kentucky, can spoil Alabama's path to the SEC Championship with a win.
Previous rank: 14
14. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-7, 1-7)
South Carolina owned a shocking 27-point advantage over Texas A&M at halftime over the weekend, but went ice cold in the second half, giving up 28 unanswered points in a 31-30 loss. That was representative of the Gamecocks' entire season after being picked to finish fifth in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. South Carolina entertains Coastal Carolina on Saturday and closes out the regular season at home against in-state rival Clemson on Nov. 29.
Previous rank: 13
15. Florida Gators (3-7, 2-5)
The Florida Gators are another SEC team that has seriously underperformed preseason expectations. The Gators were picked to finish sixth in this season's preseason media poll, but have just two conference wins this season, and it could get worse when they face Tennessee this weekend. Florida will finish out the regular season at home with its annual rivalry game against in-state Florida State.
Previous rank: 15
16. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-8, 0-6)
Arkansas goes into the final two games of the regular season still seeking its first conference win. The Razorbacks came very close to getting that elusive first SEC win this past weekend before falling to LSU by one point, 23-22. It won't get any easier with a trip to Austin to play Texas this weekend and the season finale at home on Nov. 29 in the Battle Line Rivalry against Missouri. Missouri has won the last three games in the series.
Previous rank: 16