SEC Power Rankings: The CFP picture is cloudy

David Leong-Imagn Images

By Chris Marler

Oklahoma’s huge win in Tuscaloosa may have shaken up the SEC picture. The tiebreakers to get to Atlanta are all over the place and the potential of getting five teams in the CFP is very real.

The Sad Six

16. South Carolina
15. Arkansas
14. Auburn
13. Mississippi State
12. Florida
11. Kentucky

The Top Ten

LSU

Yuck. But, a win is a win. As unimpressive as the scoreboard was, it was really impressive to see what the Tigers defense was able to do against Taylen Green and see the offense have success with backup quarterback Michael Van Buren.

Missouri

Ahmad Hardy, welcome back. Missouri had a big win Saturday behind their potential All-American running back who had 25 carries for 300 yards and three touchdowns.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt was on a bye. Now, they get ready to try and make a push to the Playoff with back-to-back games against Kentucky and Tennessee.

Texas

“A 9-3 Texas team that beats Texas A&M deserves to be in the playoff.”

No, they don’t. Playoff teams don’t score less than ten points in their two toughest games all year and lose to Florida.

Tennessee

Tennessee slept through their game against New Mexico and still won by 33. The Vols got back to what they do best, which is getting ahead early. The Vols took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and led all of FBS with first quarter ppg at 13.4 per game.

Alabama

All the things Alabama had done so well this year came to a crashing halt against Oklahoma. Efficiency in the passing game and not turning the football over were two things they did better than almost anyone in the country. They lost the turnover battle three to zero and Ty Simpson missed several open receivers. Plus, not being able to make a 36-yard field goal and that’s a loss almost every time.

📊🏈DID WE REALLY GET BEAT THAT BAD?
NET SUCCESS RATES IN WEEK 12

By Request:
FIRST HALF NET SUCCESS RATE: South Carolina +.168
SECOND HALF NET SUCCESS RATE: Texas A&M +.391 pic.twitter.com/x1JWyTNlpS

— parker fleming (@statsowar) November 17, 2025

Oklahoma

The thing that plagued Oklahoma all season finally went their way. Oklahoma didn’t have a single turnover in their game against Alabama and were able to force three. The offense was contained, but it was still a complete win thanks to a 42-yard punt return, a fumble recovery on special teams, and a first-half pick-six. Alabama can be mad all they want for beating themselves, but Oklahoma went on the road and did all the things they had to do to win that game and are now two wins shy of making the CFP.

Brent Venables was a MAD MAN last night.

Per PFF, Oklahoma had a 62.5% Blitz Rate!

When blitzing:
All four sacks
Both turnovers (another negated by penalty)
2.48 seconds to throw
1.5 yards shorter average depth of target #Sooners x #HardToKill pic.twitter.com/FSXbwWvMAY

— Travis J Davidson (@TravisSkol) November 16, 2025

Ole Miss

A night where the Rebels could not seem to get out of their own way ended with a win. And, that’s what good teams do. The Rebels start 10-1 for the first time in program history. They were 5-for-7 on fourth down and all but punched their ticket to the CFP with ESPN now giving them an 89% chance to make the Playoff. Who knows where Lane Kiffin will coach next year, but right now he’s doing an incredible job in Oxford, Mississippi.

This is peak Lane Kiffin:

Takes off his belt mid-interview, hands it to Kewan Lacy to do the “Belt To Ass” celebration & throws up the deuces on his way out: 😭 pic.twitter.com/kIfGc7IoU1

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) November 16, 2025

Georgia

Last week, I asked the question of whether or not Georgia was starting to peak at the right time. If that question wasn’t answered in Starkville last week, it was answered emphatically in Athens this weekend. The Bulldogs bludgeoned Texas with a 35-10 win. It was tied for the second lowest scoring output the Longhorns have had in the Steve Sarkisian era. Mike Bobo and Georgia were outstanding on offense, and the Bulldogs improved to 29-3 in games where their opponent scores first since 2020.

Talked all week about how Georgia had to limit YAC and get off blocks on the perimeter… Demello Jones did that time after time. Got under blocks and played as physically as we’ve seen a UGA boundary CB play since Kamari Lassiter was in Athens in 2023pic.twitter.com/vSwSaNm9kV

— Graham Coffey (@GrahamCoffeyDC) November 16, 2025

Texas A&M

It was really ugly, but the end result was still the first 10-0 start since 1992 for the Aggies. Before Saturday, SEC teams were 0-286 when falling behind by 27 or more points since 2004. They are now 1-286 thanks to the biggest comeback in program history for Texas A&M. There are definitely flaws, but with an FCS opponent and a much more flawed Texas team remaining on the schedule, the Aggies should reach Atlanta for their first ever SEC Championship.