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SEC Football Power Rankings After Week 3: Auburn Trending Down

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:54 p.m. ET

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Sep 17, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight (8) speaks with Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn after the game at Jordan Hare Stadium. Texas A&M defeated Aubrn 29-16. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

We found out a lot more about SEC football teams in week three with a bunch of big conference games. Here we explain how it shook up our power rankings.

SEC football had a lot of huge conference games during week three, which gave us a lot of information about how this season is going to go.

Alabama stumbled early against Ole Miss, rallied in-between, and then tried not to blow it late. LSU played well early against Mississippi State, and then held on for dear life in the second half.

Auburn went back to its struggles on offense allowing Texas A&M to run away with the win at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU are now clearly the top three teams in the SEC West. With Auburn, Ole Miss and Mississippi State now battling for that fourth spot.

In the East, Missouri took Georgia to the wire, but the Bulldogs came out with the one point victory. I called for Missouri to win that game, but somehow Georgia survived with a late touchdown.

Only Vanderbilt lost their out-of-conference game as they were smoked by Georgia Tech 38-7. I really thought Vandy had a shot in that game, but they’re clearly still suffering from that week one loss as things have spiraled out of control.

The SEC enters week four with eight teams ranked inside the top 25. Texas A&M joins Alabama in the top 10 this week.

Here are our SEC football power rankings after three weeks of action.

Sep 17, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Delando Crooks (64) and offensive lineman Will Holden (74) react on the sideline during the fourth quarter of their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Yellow Jackets won 38-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

14 – Vanderbilt – 1-2 – Down 2

I had high hopes for Vanderbilt entering the season, but a loss to South Carolina to start the season really set them back.

I thought they had things going with a good win over Middle Tennessee, but that clearly wasn’t the case after they were embarrassed by Georgia Tech.

I picked them to win this game because I figured their defense would be good enough to stop Georgia Tech’s option offense. Instead, they’ve now given up 24 and 31 points respectively the last two weeks.

The defense was supposed to be the strong suit of this team, but if that’s not the case the Commodores are in for a long season.

They still have four winnable games left on the schedule with Western Kentucky, Kentucky, Tennessee State and Missouri. Even if they win all four of those games, they’ll have to come up with an upset somewhere to reach a bowl game.

Right now it’s looking like that October 8 matchup against Kentucky could determine who the worst team in the SEC is this year.

Sep 17, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Charles Walker (88) runs the ball against the New Mexico State Aggies in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated New Mexico State 62-42. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

13 – Kentucky – 1-2 – Up 1

A win over New Mexico State, especially considering they gave up 42 points, isn’t going to move the needle much for Kentucky.

However, they do move up one spot in the rankings for the time being.

That Southern Miss loss doesn’t look as good today after the Golden Eagles were beaten by Troy this past weekend.

Outside of the Florida game, the offense has looked really good. But Mark Stoops is supposed to be a defensive guy and they’ve given up over 40 points in their first three games.

That’s a recipe for a disastrous season.

They have another chance this weekend to move up a few spots with a game at home against South Carolina.

Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp greets students after the game against the East Carolina Pirates at Williams-Brice Stadium. South Carolina wins 20-15 over ECU. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

12 – South Carolina – 2-1 – Down 1

I warned you that East Carolina was going to give the Gamecocks a fight, and they did just that as South Carolina escaped with a 20-15 win.

In fact, East Carolina basically gave this game away with four turnovers.

The Pirates outgained South Carolina 519 to 312. It’s hard to imagine a Will Muschamp coached defense giving up over 500 total yards to East Carolina.

Regardless, they escaped with a win and are one step closer to becoming bowl eligible.

We’ll learn a little bit more about South Carolina as they travel to play Kentucky this weekend. It’s a game they have to win if they hope to make a bowl game.

Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Drew Lock (3) throws the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs in the first half at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

11 – Missouri – 1-2 – Up 2

I really thought Missouri was going to come away with the upset over Georgia on Saturday night, but they coughed up the lead with a minute and a half left in the game.

Then they were driving down the field for a game-winning field goal attempt, but fumbled at midfield.

The Tigers looked like the best team on the field for most of the night, but it’s hard to win when you turn the ball over five times.

Drew Lock is looking like an emerging quarterback in the SEC after throwing for 376 yards and 3 touchdowns against Kirby Smart’s defense.

I think this team will be a little more competitive than we thought this season.

It would be tough, but they still have five winnable games left on the schedule. One of them is this weekend against Delaware State.

Sep 17, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Damian Williams (11) celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Mississippi State 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

10 – Mississippi State – 1-2 – Even

It looked like the Bulldogs were in for a beat down against LSU Saturday as they trailed 23-3 at halftime.

However, they fought back into the game and had a chance to win at the end. They ultimately lost by just three points, but the team now has hope going forward that they can play with the big boys.

They’re about to go through a stretch of games where they really need to pick up some wins.

Mississippi State travels to play UMASS this weekend, then gets Auburn at home after a bye week, then they’ll have a tough game at BYU, followed by another road game to Kentucky, and finally they’ll play Samford at home.

If they want to make a bowl game this year they really need to win all five of those games. At the minimum, they have to come out with four wins in that stretch.

They end the season against four ranked SEC teams, but there’s a good chance two of those teams aren’t ranked by then.

I don’t think Dan Mullen’s boys are just going to lay down, they’ll give you some competitive games this season.

Sep 17, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn walks off the field with his team after the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Jordan Hare Stadium. Texas A&M defeated Aubrn 29-16. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

9 – Auburn – 1-2 – Down 2

You’ve probably heard me talk enough about how disappointed I am in Gus Malzahn and Auburn, but I’ll say it again.

After a great performance on offense against Arkansas State, Malzahn went back to his play-calling from the Clemson game and the offense sputtered against Texas A&M.

The defense played well for as long as they could, but gave up a late touchdown when they were tired to make the score look worse than it was.

On the flip side, the Auburn offense scored a late touchdown to make the score look closer than it really was.

After my confidence was so high in Auburn football last week, I’m not sure where the Tigers go from here.

A loss to LSU this weekend could send the team into a tail spin.

Sep 17, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Ty Storey (5) hands the ball off to running back Devwah Whaley (21) during the second half against the Texas State Bobcats at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Razorbacks won 42-3. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

8 – Arkansas (17) – 3-0 – Even

The Razorbacks seem to be getting better each week, and they looked really impressive in week three with a 42-3 win over Texas State.

I don’t care who it is these days, when you come out and put up a score like that it’s impressive.

Austin Allen is getting more-and-more comfortable in this offense, and Rawleigh Williams III is looking like one of the top backs in the SEC after rushing for 121 yards on 19 carries and 2 touchdowns Saturday.

I’m really interested to see how they matchup against Texas A&M this weekend. Both teams are riding high, and one of them will be humbled Saturday night.

Despite the 3-0 start, I still think the Razorbacks will struggle to make a bowl game.

Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (16) catches a touchdown pass as Missouri Tigers defensive back Aarion Maxey-Penton (11) defends in the second half at Faurot Field. The Bulldogs won 28-27. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

7 – Georgia (12) – 3-0 – Up 1

I still think this is one of the worst undefeated teams in the country. Somehow they survived on the road against Missouri Saturday night with a one point victory.

The throw that Jacob Eason made to win the game was beautiful. Maybe that’s the spark he needs to give him confidence to lead the offense.

This win could be the turning point for this team in 2016. I know it was just Missouri, but they appeared doomed to lose that game and somehow came out with the victory.

There has to be a lot of confidence within this group now.

We’ll see if they can carry that over into another tough road game against a team that is coming off a close, emotional loss in Ole Miss.

Sep 17, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) reacts after the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 28-19. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

6 – Tennessee (14) – 3-0 – Down 3

Speaking of bad 3-0 teams, the Volunteers have yet to show me anything to make me believe they’re a playoff contender.

This past weekend they struggled against an Ohio team that had no business being in the game. Going into the fourth quarter it was just a two point game.

The Volunteers added a touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the final score 28-19.

The defense for Tennessee remains solid giving up just one touchdown and 318 total yards.

However, the offense continues to struggle to find any consistency.

The Vols will now be without one of their best defensive players in Cam Sutton who has a fractured right ankle.

They get their first real test of the season this weekend against Florida who has beaten them 11 times in a row.

They catch a break as Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio was injured last week and won’t play in the game.

If they want to establish themselves as the leader of the SEC East, they have to get over the hump and beat Florida at home.

Even if they get by the Gators, their next three games are at Georgia, at Texas A&M and vs. Alabama.

Sep 17, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles sings with running back Leonard Fournette (7) and his team following a win against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a game at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Mississippi State 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

5 – LSU (18) – 2-1 – Even

I thought LSU had finally put things together with Danny Etling at quarterback and a dominating first half of football against Mississippi State.

Then they failed to score in the second half, leading to wonder if LSU is really a true contender in the SEC West.

Leonard Fournette showed that he was healthy rushing for 147 yards on 28 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Etling threw the ball efficiently going 19-of-30 for 215 yards and a touchdown.

I’m not sure if Les Miles just went into safe mode during the second half or what, but I need to see them play a complete game before I start believing again.

They’ll have another chance to prove themselves this weekend as they go to Auburn.

As we mentioned earlier this week, the losing coach in this game could be standing in hot water.

Sep 17, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio (14) gets checked out by trainers on the field and then leaves the game against the North Texas Mean Green during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida Gators defeated the North Texas Mean Green 32-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

4 – Florida (19) – 3-0 – Down 2

I was getting ready to jump on the Florida bandwagon, but then their starting quarterback, Luke Del Rio, got injured against North Texas.

Just when it looked like Florida had the quarterback they needed to become an elite team, they lose him for 2-3 weeks.

Now they must regroup quickly as they travel to Tennessee for their first real test of the season after playing UMASS, Kentucky and North Texas to start the season.

They currently have the best defense in the country giving up just 4.7 points per game. They’ll face a Volunteer offense that has underwhelmed to this point.

The question will be who will replace Del Rio at quarterback, and how will they score points.

Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels tight end Evan Engram (17) runs downfield on a play that would result in a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

3 – Ole Miss (23) – 1-2 – Up 1

The Rebels have had two of the best halves of college football, and two of the worst halves. They’ve now blown two games when they were up by 21 points.

Great teams don’t blow games like that.

Chad Kelly is the best quarterback in college football though, so unless they pack it in they’re going to win a lot of games this season.

They’re sitting at 1-2 on the season, but they’ve lost to two really good teams. Again, if Kelly and the team packs it in, I could see the Rebels struggling to win seven or eight games.

If they continue to play to their potential though, I think they’re one of the best teams in the country. Especially against teams that can’t pass the football as their run defense is very solid.

The schedule doesn’t get much easier for Ole Miss as they host Georgia this weekend in an 11 a.m. game.

You have to imagine that spirits are down after that loss to Alabama, we’ll see if they show up and humble the Bulldogs.

Sep 17, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies lineman Myles Garrett (15) tackles Auburn Tigers quarterback Sean White (13) during the first quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

2 – Texas A&M (10) – 3-0 – Up 4

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Despite the putrid offense that Auburn threw up against them, I thought Texas A&M’s win Saturday was very impressive.

The defense pretty much shutdown everything Gus Malzahn threw at them, and their defensive line was constantly in the backfield.

Trevor Knight looked comfortable at quarterback and made several big plays with his feet and with his arm. He also protected the football and didn’t throw an interception in a game for the first time this season.

That was a difficult road game for the Aggies, and they silenced the Auburn crowd with a 29-16 win.

They now have two legitimate wins over solid teams from power conferences.

Through three weeks they look like the only team – other than Ole Miss – that can stay on the field with Alabama.

They’ll face another big test this weekend as a red hot Arkansas team comes to town.

Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) stands on the field after the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

1 – Alabama (1) – 3-0 – Even

To be completely honest, I think Ole Miss is the only team in the SEC that matches up well with Alabama. They have a quarterback that can hurt you through the air and running the ball.

It looked like it was going to be a 3-peat for the Rebels, but there was no way Nick Saban was going to let that happen.

Now that they’ve put Ole Miss behind them, I don’t think there is anyone else in the SEC to stand in their way. In order to beat Alabama you have to have a true duel-threat quarterback.

Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs is the only one who comes close to fitting that profile, and he has not impressed me in three weeks. Trevor Knight has the capability as well and has beaten Alabama in the past, so I think the Aggies have a chance to knock the Tide off.

If Alabama had to follow up that Ole Miss game against Tennessee or Texas A&M I think they’d have some problems. But they get Kent State, Kentucky and Arkansas to cool down before playing Tennessee and Texas A&M in back-to-back weeks.

Week four brings another big slate of SEC games that will shake up the power rankings again. There are three games between ranked SEC teams this weekend.

Enjoy!

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