Oklahoma and Texas are the big movers in the Week 3 SEC Power Rankings, but for diametrically different reasons.
Texas takes over the top spot this week in the SEC Power Rankings, replacing Georgia as the No. 1 team following the Longhorns' remarkable fourth-quarter 24-23 comeback win over the country's top-ranked team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a direct result of the win, Texas also leaped over the Buckeyes into the No. 1 spot nationally.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma missed out on the rising tide, getting sucked out by the low tide instead and losing the most ground of any SEC team this week. Only Oregon, an upset victim to Oklahoma State, suffered a bigger free fall in the national rankings this week than Oklahoma.
SEC teams finally tasted defeat in Week 2 with three teams -- Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arkansas --suffering their first losses of the season. The conference had gone 16-0 on opening week. The SEC is 29-3 overall entering Week 3.
Here is how the SEC Power Rankings shake out moving to Week 3, with advancement (+) or decline (-) from previous week:
Week 3 SEC Power Rankings
For three quarters last weekend, it appeared that Ohio State would retain its No. 1 national ranking, but the Longhorns were able to rally with 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull out a remarkable 24-23 come-from-behind victory over the Buckeyes and take over the top spot nationally, as well as in the SEC.
Texas will have a much easier go of it this week, hosting UTSA.
Reigning SEC champion Georgia also logged an impressive Week 2 win, rolling over Western Kentucky 70-20. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the quality of the opponent wasn't anywhere near what Texas faced going against No. 1 Ohio State. As a result, Georgia dropped back one spot this week in the SEC Power Rankings and remained put at No. 2 in the national polls.
Georgia and Texas do not meet in the regular season, but the Bulldogs will host Oklahoma in two weeks and go to Alabama two weeks after that, with a pair of prime opportunities to strengthen their standing. This week, not so much. Georgia plays at Arkansas.
Amid all kinds of early season controversy, new head coach Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers continue to roll along. The Tigers disposed of Louisiana Tech 45-14 in Week 2 for their second win of the season, by an average 36-point margin. And that's without any former NFL players on the roster.
LSU will get its first major test of the season this week, when the Tigers go on the road against Ole Miss, itself 2-0 to start the season. It won't get any easier the following week, when Texas A&M comes calling in Baton Rouge.
Alabama moved to 2-0 on the season and picked up an initial SEC win with a dominant second half against Kentucky in Week 2, overcoming a 17-13 halftime deficit on the way to a decisive 45-17 road victory.
The Crimson Tide's Week 3 opponent would have been a marquee matchup a decade or so ago, but the Florida State Seminoles have regressed in recent seasons and are not the national powerhouse they once were. The game is in Tuscaloosa, but the 1-1 Seminoles have had an extra week to prepare, coming off a bye.
Ole Miss improved to 2-0 with a 41-9 home win in Week 2 over Campbell. The competition ramps up considerably this week, however, as Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford, Mississippi, after leaving Ole Miss last fall after six seasons to become head coach at LSU.
The Governor of Mississippi has asked fans to respond to Kiffin's return with "southern hospitality." We'll see how that goes. This matchup of top-10 teams could potentially be a preview of this year's SEC Championship Game.
Texas A&M defeated Arizona State out of the Big 12 48-20 last weekend to improve to 2-0. The Aggies host Kentucky on Saturday in their SEC opener.
Kentucky appears to be improved from a year ago under new head coach Will Stein, but taking on A&M on the road will be a tall order, indeed. Texas A&M's first major test of the season will be in Week 4, when the Aggies head out on the road for the first time in 2026 at LSU.
Florida is off to a strong start in 2026 with convincing non-conference wins over Florida Atlantic and Campbell, both by more than 45 points. Forget that. The real season for the Gators begins this weekend in a road test and SEC opener at Auburn.
Florida is 39-43-2 in the all-time series with Auburn. Interestingly, this weekend marks the first time these two conference foes have met since 2019, a 24-13 Florida win in Gainesville.
Tennessee is one the 13 SEC teams off to 2-0 starts this season. The Volunteers followed up a 56-9 season-opening win over Furman with a 45-24 road win over Georgia Tech this past weekend.
Rocky Top appears to have another relatively pedestrian matchup in Week 3, hosting 1-1 Kennesaw State out of Conference USA. Things get a lot more interesting and challenging for the Volunteers in Week 4, when the Texas Longhorns visit Knoxville.
Fresh off a 38-21 whipping of longtime Border War rival Kansas over the weekend, Missouri returns home for a Week 3 non-conference matchup with Troy. Barring a major upset, the Tigers should take a 3-0 record into their SEC opener at Mississippi State in Week 4.
Oklahoma gets a slight reprieve in Week 3 after a disappointing 17-10 loss at Michigan.
The Sooners return home to the Palace on the Prairie to take on New Mexico. The Lobos should not be taken lightly, however. New Mexico enters the game with a 2-0 record and won nine games last season as a member of the Mountain West. Oklahoma is in must-win mode with the Sooners' next two games against Georgia and the annual Red River Rivalry game with Texas.
Something has to give as South Carolina and Mississippi State, both 2-0, go toe-to-toe in Starkville. The Gamecocks' two wins are over Kent State (57-0) and Towson (45-9). Meanwhile, former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby's Bulldogs have victories over Louisiana-Monroe (62-13) and Towson (45-9) to start the season.
Kentucky appeared to be on the verge of a major upset over Alabama for a half last weekend. The Wildcats held a 17-13 lead after 30 minutes, but the game completely turned around in the second half, with the Crimson Tide outscoring Kentucky 32-0 over the final two quarters.
South Alabama visits Lexington this weekend before Kentucky goes on the road in Week 4 for the first time this season to take on South Carolina.
Mississippi State produced nearly 500 yards of offense in a 38-10 win on the road at Minnesota in Week 2. The Bulldogs hope to carry that kind of production into a road contest and conference opener this weekend at South Carolina before returning home to host Missouri in Week 4.
Auburn posted a narrow 17-16 season-opening win over Baylor in Week 1, but had it easier this past weekend, downing Southern Mississippi 43-8 in its home opener. This weekend, the Tigers host 2-0 Florida under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium before Vanderbilt comes in the following week.
Vanderbilt is 2-0 to start the 2026 season, but with a pair of underwhelming home wins so far to show for it (28-9 over Austin Peay in Week 1 and 35-26 over Delaware). The challenge will be much greater in Week 3, as the Commodores host 1-1 Power Four opponent North Carolina State out of the ACC. Vandy goes on the road for the first time this season in Week 4 in a matchup vs. Auburn.
The Razorbacks, picked to finish in the cellar in the SEC Preseason Media Poll, won their season opener 31-14 over North Alabama, but found the going much tougher out in Salt Lake City in suffering a 43-10 beatdown by Utah. Arkansas opens SEC play this weekend with an even more formidable challenge at home against the reigning SEC champs, the Georgia Bulldogs.
Add us as a preferred source on Google