Ranking the College Football Power 5 Conferences | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Overall record: 69-34
Ranked teams: 7 (No. 1 Georgia, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 6 Alabama, No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 18 LSU, No. 19 Kentucky, No. 25 South Carolina)
Top Team: Georgia
Don't worry, Tennessee fans, I will get to your Volunteers. But Georgia has been the most consistently dominant team in the conference. With the exception of the Dawgs' 26-22 win over Missouri on Oct. 1, Georgia has dominated every one of its opponents. The closest score outside the Missouri game was Georgia's 39-22 win over Kent State.
The Bulldogs defense had to replace a ton of talent from last season's national championship-winning squad, but they have a top-four unit in total, scoring, rushing and passing defense this year. The offense, led by quarterback Stetson Bennett and a talented crop of receivers, averages 41.4 points per game, a top-10 mark.
Team that has fallen short: Texas A&M
It has to be the Aggies, right?
Texas A&M entered the year as a playoff contender, having been one of just two teams to knock off Alabama last season. Instead, the Aggies are 3-4 and have lost consecutively to Mississippi State, Alabama and South Carolina.
The Aggies are also at risk of missing a bowl game for the first time since 2008. (Texas A&M pulled out of its Gator Bowl bid last season because of COVID-19). You'd expect a little better from Jimbo Fisher, who signed a $95 million contract last year.
Team exceeding expectations: Tennessee
The Vols are having one heck of a year. Tennessee is ranked third and knocked off Alabama for the first time in 16 years on Oct. 15. The offense is one of the country's most explosive, averaging 50.1 points per game.
Tennessee has also scored 30 or more points in 10 straight contests, dating back to last season. That's the longest streak in Vols history.
They also have a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Hendon Hooker, who's thrown for 2,093 yards and 18 touchdowns with just one interception. He could become the first Heisman winner in school history.
Vol fans have waited quite a while to have a season like this, and it's pretty fun to see them get one.
Teams in the playoff hunt: Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Ole Miss
If Alabama wins out in the SEC West against LSU, Ole Miss and Auburn, the Crimson Tide will make it to the SEC Championship. Beating whoever represents the East would certainly make the Tide worthy of a playoff bid, even with the Tennessee loss.
The same goes for Georgia, but that's assuming the Dawgs represent the East in Atlanta after facing a gauntlet of Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky.
For Tennessee, the Vols would need to beat Kentucky and Georgia to win the SEC East—assuming they also beat Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt at the end of the season. Even if Tennessee loses to Georgia, the win over Alabama might be enough to give the Vols a playoff bid.
LSU and Ole Miss' playoff berths are long shots, but not impossible. LSU would have to win the SEC Championship, needing to beat Alabama to win the West. Ole Miss is still alive in the SEC West if Alabama beats LSU and the Rebels can beat Bama and then take the SEC title.
