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It's the home stretch for the Southeastern Conference as Week 10 kicks off the regular season's final month, and the race to the SEC Championship is as hot as ever. Sure, the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies (7-1, 5-0) just beat the No. 16 LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-1) to stake their claim atop the SEC rankings and preserve their perfect conference record. But the next four teams below the Aggies are only sporting one conference loss, and teams like No. 14 Alabama (6-2, 3-2), No. 19 Ole Miss (6-2, 2-2) and, yes, the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-3, 2-2) are fully in the mix with only two conference losses a piece. With a month to go and plenty of major conference matchups to be played, there is more than enough time for a major shakeup atop the conference.
No. 1 Texas A&M (7-1, 5-0 SEC)
The Aggies beat the LSU 38-23. A&M freshmen quarterback Marcel Reed rushed for 3 touchdowns and the Aggie defense forced 3 interceptions out of LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier. The Tigers only managed 6 points in the second half. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Aggies since dropping the season opener to No. 8 Notre Dame (7-1). A&M has won games close and in blowouts, and they've done it with two different quarterbacks. This is a dangerous team in the first year under head coach Mike Elko, and they deservedly sit atop the SEC. But there is ample opportunity for the Aggies to drop games still left on the schedule, starting with a trip to South Carolina to face the plucky South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3, 2-3).
No. 2 Georgia (6-1, 4-1)
The No. 2 Bulldogs are coming off a bye week and will face the Florida Gators (4-3, 2-2) in the annual World's Largest Cocktail Party. Before the season started, most Bulldogs fans were probably not too worried about this game. But these Gators have played good ball in spots this year and are not to be overlooked if Georgia wants to remain in the mix for an SEC Championship.
No. 3 Texas (7-1, 3-1)
The No. 6 Longhorns are enjoying a pretty stellar first year in the conference with their only loss coming to Georgia. Texas heads into a bye week after narrowly avoiding an upset in Nashville, Tenn. as they beat Vanderbilt 27-24. The Longhorns play four conference games in November, including a matchup with A&M to close out the season.
No. 4 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1)
The No. 7 Volunteers are coming off of a bye week and will look to unleash their high-powered offense on a Kentucky Wildcats team (3-5, 1-5) that just gave up almost 500 yards of total offense to Auburn (3-5, 1-4).
No. 5 Alabama (6-2, 3-2)
The Crimson Tide, to the delight of their devoted following, shut out No. 25 Missouri in Bryant-Denny Stadium, beating the Tigers 34-0. Sure, Mizzou wasn't at full strength on offense as starting running back Nate Noel was out, and starting quarterback Brady Cook was still clearly hobbled from his injury from the week prior. And sure, it was the backup QB Drew Pyne who threw 3 interceptions. But hey, a shutout is a shutout, and Tide fans should rejoice. After a bye week, Bama travels to face LSU in Week 11. It's a night game in Death Valley to remain in the hunt for the SEC and a spot in the College Football Playoff. These are the types of games that Alabama expects to thrive in. But that was under former head coach Nick Saban, and Saban isn't walking through that door.
No. 6 LSU (6-2, 3-1)
LSU led A&M at halftime, 17-7. Then Nussmeier gave it away three times, and the defense didn't have an answer for Reed's legs. Following a bye week is a home game at night against rival Alabama. The Tigers hope to find an answer against the quarterback run game. With Reed posing such a problem, Tide QB Jalen Milroe is probably licking his chops.
No. 7 Ole Miss (6-2, 2-2)
It hasn't exactly been the year Ole Miss had expected coming into the season. Though the offense and quarterback Jaxson Dart have put up huge numbers, they have struggled to consistently put points on the board. That trend continued against the Oklahoma Sooners (4-4, 1-4) as the Rebels trailed heading into the half 14-10. Ole Miss scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to win the game 26-14, but that didn't do much to silence the grumblings from the fans. Next, the Rebels face a scrappy Arkansas Razorbacks (5-3, 3-2) team. Ole Miss is still in the thick of the SEC race, but a loss to the Razorbacks would essentially end any hope the Rebels have of making it to Atlanta, and the season would officially be a blemish on head coach Lane Kiffen's time in Oxford, Miss.
No. 8 Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2)
The mighty Commodores did all they could in their attempt to upset a second top-5 school in Nashville, but despite some heroics from quarterback Diego Pavia, it wasn't enough. Next up, the 'Dores hit the road to face the Auburn Tigers. The last time Pavia faced the Tigers in Jordan-Hare Stadium, he was quarterbacking the New Mexico State Aggies (2-6, 1-4 Conference USA) to a 31-10 beatdown of the Tigers. Vandy hopes Pavia can replicate that feat.
No. 9 Arkansas (5-3, 3-2)
Quarterback Taylen Green has been a force under Razorback offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, racking up 314 passing yards and 5 passing touchdowns against Mississippi State (1-7, 0-5). Green also rushed for 79 yards and 1 touchdown as Arkansas beat the woesome Bulldogs 58-25. The Razorbacks have an opportunity to play spoiler for a couple of teams as they host Ole Miss and Texas over the next three weeks.
No. 10 Missouri (6-2, 2-2)
Cook didn't play in the second half, but it was clear early in the game he had not fully recovered from the injury he sustained against Auburn. Bama had Mizzou dead to rights regardless of who was playing quarterback for the Tigers. Though Pynes's 3 interceptions certainly didn't help the Tigers' cause. Mizzou anticipated being in the hunt for an SEC title this season, but that has not come to fruition. Missouri only has the two losses, but the Tigers would need a lot of help to have any legitimate shot at a title.
No. 11 South Carolina (4-3, 2-3)
The Gamecocks are coming off of a bye week, and will get a chance to play spoiler as they host A&M. Elko seems to have this Aggies group focused, but this is a game that previous A&M teams would definitely be in danger of dropping.
No. 12 Florida (4-3, 2-2)
Florida had a bye week in Week 9 and will travel to Jacksonville, Fla. for the annual matchup against Georgia in the Cocktail Party. The Bulldogs need to have their head on straight. The Gators have shown that they have a penchant for the big play, and the Georgia secondary has flashed susceptibility to the big play.
No. 13 Oklahoma (4-4, 1-4)
Oklahoma has struggled to find its identity on offense this season. The offense has been stagnant, the Sooners have bounced between two quarterbacks and the offensive line has failed to protect either of them. There was a glimmer of hope for the Sooners as they led Ole Miss going into halftime. But, hope is fleeting, and Ole Miss sacked Sooner QB Jackson Arnold a whopping 10 times. The Sooners were held scoreless in the second half. Oklahoma will get a little reprieve as they face the Maine Black Bears (4-4, 2-3) next.
No. 14 Auburn (3-5, 1-4)
The Tigers secured their first conference victory of the season against the Kentucky Wildcats. Tiger running back Jarquez Hunter ran for 278 yards on 23 carries. Auburn will host Vanderbilt in Week 10, and the Tigers' coaches and players have not forgotten Pavia's transgressions from 2023.
No. 15 Kentucky (3-5, 1-5)
Kentucky has lost three consecutive games since its big upset over Ole Miss. Perhaps it takes superior teams to get the Wildcats' best effort. That theory will be tested as the 'Cats travel to face the No. 7 Volunteers in Week 10.
No. 16 Mississippi State (1-7, 0-5)
The inaugural season under head coach Jeff Lebby has not been a fun one for the Bulldogs. There have been some bright spots, like freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. But it's difficult to see the light in a 1-7 record, especially coming off of the thrashing from Arkansas. Next up for State are the Minutemen of UMass (2-6).
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