The exciting Week 1 action around the Southeastern Conference displayed a small glimpse into the teams that could flourish and the programs that have much work ahead of them if they desire to succeed against their respective remaining contests.
In one of the biggest letdowns in recent memory, the Alabama Crimson Tide failed to capture a win on the road in Tallahassee, Florida, as head coach Kalen DeBoer put himself in what could be the hottest seat in America if he fails to turn around the ship in T-Town. The Florida State Seminoles dominated the Crimson Tide in every aspect of the game, proving that DeBoer and company have much work to do.
Don’t worry, Alabama was not the only SEC program to completely deflate under the pressure in Week 1. With all the hype during the offseason of potential Heisman Trophy contention, Texas quarterback Arch Manning disappointed in a 14-7 loss at No. 3 Ohio State to open the campaign. While the Longhorns did not open the season on the right foot, there is plenty of talent and promise that will show itself in the coming weeks, especially in Steve Sarkisian’s defensive unit.
In Lexington, Kentucky, the Wildcats proved why they remain one of the worst programs in the conference. Mark Stoops’ ugly victory over Toledo only made Kentucky look worse and solidified them as the bottom feeders of the league in 2025 so far. On the other hand, a plethora of the league’s teams handled their business and secured Week 1 victories to kick off the 2025 season. There are some units, like the LSU Tigers, that completely exceeded expectations and proved to be teams to beat in college football this year.
Based on the strength of the opponent and the overall performance of each program, here are the SEC power rankings after one week of football action:
1. LSU Tigers
Week 1 result: W, 17-10 at No. 4 Clemson
Week 2 contest: vs. Louisiana Tech (1-0)
2. Georgia Bulldogs
Week 1 result: W, 45-7 vs. Marshall
Week 2 contest: vs. Austin Peay (1-0)
3. Texas Longhorns
Week 1 result: L, 14-7 at Ohio State
Week 2 contest: vs. San Jose State (0-1)
4. Auburn Tigers
Week 1 result: W, 38-24 at Baylor
Week 2 contest: vs. Ball State (0-1)
5. South Carolina Gamecocks
Week 1 result: W, 24-11 vs. Virginia Tech
Week 2 contest: vs. South Carolina State (1-0)
6. Tennessee Volunteers
Week 1 result: W, 45-26 vs. Syracuse
Week 2 contest: vs. ETSU (1-0)
7. Texas A&M Aggies
Week 1 result: W, 42-24 vs. UTSA
Week 2 contest: vs. Utah State (1-0)
8. Ole Miss Rebels
Week 1 result: W, 63-7 vs. Georgia State
Week 2 contest: at Kentucky (1-0)
9. Missouri Tigers
Week 1 result: W, 61-6 vs. Central Arkansas
Week 2 contest: vs. Kansas (1-0)
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Week 1 result: W, 34-17 at Southern Miss
Week 2 contest: vs. No. 11 Arizona State (1-0)
11. Florida Gators
Week 1 result: W, 55-0 vs. Long Island University
Week 2 contest: vs. USF (1-0)
12. Arkansas Razorbacks
Week 1 result: W, 52-7 vs. Alabama A&M
Week 2 contest: vs. Arkansas State (1-0)
13. Oklahoma Sooners
Week 1 result: W, 35-3 vs. Illinois State
Week 2 contest: vs. No. 14 Michigan (1-0)
14. Vanderbilt Commodores
Week 1 result: W, 45-3 vs. Charleston Southern
Week 2 contest: at Virginia Tech (0-1)
15. Alabama Crimson Tide
Week 1 result: L, 34-17 at Florida State
Week 2 contest: vs. UL Monroe (1-0)
16. Kentucky Wildcats
Week 1 result: W, 24-16 vs. Toledo
Week 2 contest: vs. No. 21 Ole Miss (1-0)
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: SEC football power rankings following Week 1 action
Reporting by Dylan Flippo, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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