Mood of Top SEC Teams Heading Into Week 3

If it was not clear the SEC was head and shoulders above all other conferences after Week 1, it is now. The SEC reaffirmed their position atop my Power-5 Power Rankings after the first 2 weeks of college football.

Week 2 Power-5 Rankings

1. SEC
2. Big Ten
3. Big 12
4. ACC
5. Pac-12

Week 3 Power-5 Rankings

1. SEC

While Texas A&M stumbled in a big matchup with Clemson, LSU took care of business in an SEC-B12 showdown with #9 Texas. The SEC was 6-3 in non-conference FBS games this week – with Tennessee, Vandy, and A&M all losing.

The best team in college football is in the ACC, but the SEC has 3 legitimate playoff contenders in Alabama, Georgia, and LSU.

2. Big Ten

A whopping 9-1 in non-conference FBS games this week, the Big Ten is a very close 2nd to the SEC. Ohio State and Michigan (despite the near-loss to Army) are primed to give the SEC some company atop the polls.

Penn State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Maryland look as if they could rise up and knock off a top-10 team any given Saturday. You can’t sleep on the B10 in any matchup.

3. ACC

The ACC has Clemson. The conference also went 6-1 in non-conference FBS games this week. We’ll forgive Syracuse for the embarrassing blowout loss to Maryland because the B12 had an even worse blunder.

4. Big 12

After scoring late to squeak one out against James Madison in Week 1, the Kansas Jayhawks lost 12-7 to Coastal Carolina in a “super fun” game. After splitting games with FCS teams, Kansas is currently 21-point dogs to their first FBS opponent of the year – Boston College.

Texas and West Virginia both blew chances to take down an SEC opponent. Everyone else in the conference beat up on easy teams. This was not an impressive week for the B12.

5. Pac-12

Still at the bottom. The P12 lost twice to the Mountain West in Week 2, making it 3 losses on the season.

In other news, ASU only managed to score 19 points on Sacramento State while Arizona while busy allowing 41 to Northern Arizona.

How Top SEC Teams Feel After Week 2

#2 Alabama 2-0 (0-0) – “Our season doesn’t start until Week 7”

With a first 5 of Duke, NM State, South Carolina, Southern Miss, and Ole Miss followed by a bye week – Alabama will not be tested until Week 7 in College Station against the #16 Aggies of A&M.

 

#3 Georgia 2-0 (1-0) – “Here we go again”

Georgia looks great. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs are on yet another collision course with Bama for the SEC championship. Nick Saban has Kirby Smart’s number.

 

#4 LSU 2-0 (0-0) – “Did anyone see our win?”

When you are the #4 team in the nation but the third-most talked about team in your conference – you tend to be a bit underrated. LSU is a team that could make the Playoff despite not receiving any of the SEC’s headlines.

 

#8 Auburn 2-0 (0-0) – “We’re about to get smacked”

The Tigers’ schedule is a gauntlet featuring #2 Alabama, #3 Georgia, #4 LSU, #9 Florida, and #16 Texas A&M. It’s a good thing Auburn beat Oregon because nothing is easy on their remaining schedule after they demolish Kent State this week.

 

#9 Florida 2-0 (0-0) – “How are we ranked 9th?”

This team is not as good as their ranking says they are. Florida may have fooled the coaches and the Associated Press, but they haven’t fooled me. Yes, the Gators play good defense, but the offense is completely horrific. I’ve seen better play calling in Pop Warner.

 

#16 Texas A&M 1-1 (0-0) – “We’re way better than Florida”

While Florida was celebrating their not-loss against Miami, Texas A&M was getting thumped by the world’s best amateur football team.

The Aggies no longer have an unblemished record, but they have a chance to make a lot of noise in the stacked SEC. The Clemson loss will be a valuable learning tool as A&M navigates their conference schedule which contains the #2, #3, #4, and #8 teams in the nation.