The college football season is officially underway for all 16 SEC teams, and week one did not disappoint. Last Saturday saw a mix of anticipated and wildly unforeseen outcomes; Georgia, Texas and Alabama cemented their status as the three best teams in college football’s most competitive conference, while Vanderbilt and LSU had pleasant and painful starts to the season, respectively. With that in mind, here are this week’s SEC power rankings.

1. Georgia (1-0, 0-0)

Under the lights of Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Carson Beck and No. 1 ranked Georgia dismantled Dabo Swinney's No. 14 Clemson Tigers 34-3. After a scoreless first quarter, a 12-play, 68-yard drive by the Bulldogs that ended in a field goal would commence the pummeling. Georgia outdrove Clemson by 447 yards to 188. On the other side of the ball, missed tackles from Clemson led to Georgia's average of 12.1 yards per reception. Outside of Beck, first-week Georgia heroes included first-year Nate Fraizer, who rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown on 11 attempts, and former Commodore London Humphreys, who had two receptions totaling 63 yards and a TD. As Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs seek vengeance after barely missing last year’s CFB playoffs, they will face Tennessee Tech in Athens, Ga., on Saturday. 

2. Texas (1-0, 0-0)

The Longhorns christened their SEC debut by stampeding Colorado State in a 52-0 shutout. Head coach Steve Sarkisian pulled no blows as the Texas offense put up 545 yards and scored 31 points in the first half. Junior quarterback Quinn Ewers reminded the country of his lethal arm and potent receiving core, going 20-for-27 on the day. Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond, who went viral for readjusting his helmet mid-route before scoring a touchdown, hauled in five catches for 61 yards. Texas’s stout defense, led by defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, quickly ended any potential scoring threats by racking up five tackles for losses and two interceptions. The Longhorns are headed to the Big House this week as they take on last year's national champions, Michigan, in a College Game Day matchup. 

3. Alabama (1-0, 0-0)

Alabama looked as dominant as ever this weekend as the Tide swept Western Kentucky away, winning 63-0. Head coach Kalen DeBoer and returning quarterback Jalen Milroe commenced their hunt for a national championship by devastating the Hilltoppers with an astounding 600 yards of offense. Despite allowing one sack on Milroe, Alabama’s offensive line did an otherwise impeccable job of giving him time. The dynamic signal caller cooked up five total touchdowns — two rushing and three passing — on the day. Alabama’s offensive dyad this week was sophomore running back Justice Haynes (102 rushing yards) and first-year wideout Ryan Williams, who accounted for 134 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. The defense also played lights out, led by Michigan transfer Keon Sabb, who plucked two interceptions from WKU. Alabama will stay home at Bryant-Denny this week to face the University of South Florida.

4. Ole Miss (1-0, 0-0)

Perhaps inspired by NCAA25, Ole Miss, led by quarterback Jaxson Dart, brutalized Furman in a 76-0 showing in Oxford over the weekend. The chemistry that quarterback Dart has concocted with his weapons over the last two years was on full display. Dart, now a senior, went 22-of-27 and connected with fellow senior Tre Harris 8 times, totaling 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the first half alone, Dart threw for 418 yards and 5 touchdowns. In the second half, 17-year-old dual-sport freshman (baseball and football) Austin Simmons took over for Dart. Combined, Dart and Simmons commanded their team to a dazzling 772 yards of total offense, 529 of which were through the air. Last year, Ole Miss narrowly missed the SEC championship, but if its season opener is indicative of the progress that head coach Lane Kiffin and his team have made over the offseason, they are certain to be title contenders. Before getting too far ahead of themselves, the Rebels must take on MTSU in Oxford, Miss. this weekend.

5. Missouri (1-0, 0-0)

The Tigers showed why they are the No. 11 team in the nation as a sold-out stadium watched. They blew past Murray State 51-0, and the team looked like it was planning on replicating the success it found last year. Missouri native Brady Cook looked comfortable behind the wheel of this offense, accumulating 218 yards and 1 touchdown before handing over the reins to Drew Pyne. While the Cook to Luther Burden III connection was relatively quiet this week, Missouri’s offense spread the wealth nicely. Three running backs ran for touchdowns, including Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll. Five receivers had 30 yards or more throughout the game — Mookie Cooper, Daniel Blood, Marquis Johnson, Theo Wease Jr. and Burden III. These combined efforts totaled 489 yards of offense. The Tigers will face Buffalo at home on Saturday night in their next nonconference matchup. 

6. Tennessee (1-0, 0-0)

On Saturday, Tennessee fans were reassured that redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava’s dominant performance in last year’s Citrus Bowl was not a fluke. Iamaleava set a Volunteers’ first-half passing yardage record with a dizzying 314 yards and 3 touchdowns. Junior running back Dylan Sampson started his season efficiently by rushing for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns on only 12 carries. Notably, the projected first-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, defensive lineman James Pearce Jr., was absent from the game. His expected return this week will certainly boost an already deep Volunteers defense. By the time the whistle blew at the end of the fourth quarter, Tennessee had accumulated 718 yards, tied for second-most in school history. Next Saturday, the Volunteers will face steeper competition on the road against No. 24 NC State at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

7. Oklahoma (1-0, 0-0)

In their first game as an SEC team, the Sooners put on a masterclass against Temple. Led by sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma easily dispatched the Owls at home 51-3. For Arnold’s first time playing in Gaylord Stadium, he put up a solid performance — 141 yards and 4 touchdowns. Three of those four touchdowns were link-ups between him and Purdue transfer wideout Deion Burks, which would not have been possible without the defensive havoc the Sooners inflicted on the Owls. Oklahoma forced and recovered four fumbles and intercepted Temple quarterback Forrest Brock twice, accumulating 34 points off turnovers. The Sooner defense also got past the Temple offensive line consistently, which led to six sacks and nine tackles for losses. It remains to be seen if Oklahoma can keep up this level of production, but it will have the chance to prove itself again in another home game against Houston on Saturday night.

8. LSU (0-1, 0-0)

With more in-stadium viewers than there were at Super Bowl 58, the USC Trojans outlasted the LSU Tigers in Sin City’s Allegiant Stadium. Though both teams are moving on from Heisman-winning QBs, the LSU Tigers are still struggling to adjust. Yet, the two teams were evenly matched offensively, as the Trojans put up 450 yards to the Tigers’ 421. However, in the final two minutes of the game, USC pulled ahead thanks to quarterback Miller Moss. He put on a clinic, leading a 75-yard game-winning drive down the field. The Tigers’ defense gave up a huge 20-yard reception and received a targeting penalty, which put the Trojans in scoring position. Though it was bested Sunday night, LSU is still competitive. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier put on an exhilarating performance with 304 yards and a completion percentage of 76.3. LSU displayed the depth of its receiver room as senior Kyren Lacy stepped up to the plate and led the team with 94 receiving yards and a touchdown. While 0-1 was not how the Tigers hoped to start this year, they have a strong foundation. LSU will return home to face off against Nicholls on Saturday.

9. Kentucky  (1-0, 0-0)

A two-hour rain delay did not stop the Wildcats from hunting, as Kentucky cruised to a 31-0 victory on Saturday against Southern Mississippi. The only thing that went right for the Golden Eagles was the game’s premature conclusion because of continued lightning strikes in the area. In the 35 minutes of actual playing time, Kentucky looked sharp. Junior signal-caller Brock Vandagriff led Kentucky’s offensive effort with three touchdowns — two of which went to shifty wideout Barion Brown. Kentucky’s defense was just as formidable, as the Wildcats intercepted two deflected passes deep in Southern Mississippi territory, and their special teams unit thwarted a fake punt attempt early in the third quarter. Mark Stoops’ squad will look to continue its dominance this Saturday at home against a more challenging opponent, South Carolina.

 10. Texas A&M (0-1, 0-0)

Saturday’s game was one to forget for the Aggies, as No. 20 Texas A&M fell to No. 7 Notre Dame in a gritty, low-scoring (13-23) affair in College Station, TX. Notre Dame’s stellar defense shut down sophomore quarterback Connor Weigman, who went just 12-of-30 for 100 yards and 2 interceptions. Graduate student Xavier Watts added one interception after netting seven takeaways for Marcus Freeman’s defense last season. The Aggies’ offensive woes were accompanied by equally worrisome defensive mishaps, as the Fighting Irish accumulated 198 yards on the ground en route to victory. If head coach Mike Elko truly expects to turn things around, his squad has to play better. Texas A&M suits up this Saturday at home against McNeese State.

11. Auburn (1-0, 0-0)

All-SEC running back Jarquez Hunter scored a 34-yard touchdown on the fourth play from scrimmage, and the rest of Auburn’s game against Alabama A&M was history. The Tigers hung 73 points on the Bulldogs — an effort accentuated by quarterback Payton Thorne’s offensive masterclass. The senior tossed 322 yards and four touchdowns — three of which came on passes of 40-plus yards — on a 253.6 passer rating. Thorne sat in the second half for first-year quarterback Hank Brown, who tacked on 2 touchdowns and 93 yards of his own. The Tigers were equally lethal on defense, holding the Bulldogs to just three points and forcing a whopping nine punts. Auburn will look to keep the ball rolling this weekend against UC Berkeley at home.

12. Mississippi St. (1-0, 0-0)

The first installment of the Blake Shapen Show aired live on Saturday, as the senior quarterback threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in his debut win for the Bulldogs over Eastern Kentucky. Shapen looked electric through the air, connecting 10 times for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns with wideouts Jordan Mosley and Kevin Coleman. Shapen was just as surgical on the ground, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Mississippi State’s dominant 56-7 victory was accented by aggressive defensive play in the fourth quarter, in which JP Purvis blocked and returned a punt for a touchdown. Elijah Cannon scored a 60-yard pick-six on the following drive. Mississippi State will travel to Tempe, Ariz., this weekend to battle Arizona State.

13. Florida (0-1, 0-0)

Despite a seemingly even-matched first quarter, Miami came out on top in the Swamp on Saturday, as the No. 19 Hurricanes torched Florida 41-17. In his debut for the Hurricanes, senior Cam Ward did not disappoint, throwing for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ward’s showing stood in stark contrast to Graham Mertz’s measly 91 yards and 1 interception. On the bright side, Florida’s rushing attack — led by senior Montrell Johnson — looked formidable, as the Gators ran for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns on 5 yards per carry. However, this too was usurped by Miami, which boasted 144 yards and 2 touchdowns on 4.4 yards per carry. If Billy Napier wants to stay employed, he needs to right the ship in Gainesville immediately. He’ll get another shot this Saturday when the Gators play Samford in the Swamp.

14. Vanderbilt (1-0, 0-0)

The Commodores exceeded all expectations in what was perhaps the most exciting game in the SEC on Saturday, outlasting heavy-favorite Virginia Tech to win in overtime. Quarterback Diego Pavia channeled his inner Lamar Jackson en route to victory, completing 75% of his passes for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 104 yards and another score. Despite allowing Virginia Tech’s signal caller Kyron Drones to gain 322 yards through the air, Vanderbilt’s defense effectively contained him on the ground, limiting the redshirt junior to just 19 yards on 16 carries. The upset was monumental for Vanderbilt, a program that has been the laughingstock of the SEC for the past several years. Clark Lea’s team will look to keep following the light at the end of the tunnel this weekend when the ’Dores play Alcorn State in Music City.

15. Arkansas (1-0, 0-0)

Arkansas was the second SEC team to hang a 70-burger on Saturday, beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff 70-0 in Fayetteville. In short, the Razorbacks were razor-sharp on both ends of the football. Junior quarterback Taylen Green was electric, throwing for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 2 more on 88 yards. Senior running back Ja’Quinden Jackson averaged 12.6 yards per carry and scored 2 times for Sam Pittman’s boys in red. On the other hand, Arkansas Pine-Bluff tallied 108 total yards of offense, with every drive ending in a punt. One area for improvement for the Razorbacks? They didn’t produce any turnovers. While Arkansas won handily this week, Pittman’s squad will have its hands full this Saturday as it plays No. 17 Oklahoma State on the road.

16. South Carolina (1-0, 0-0) 

If it wasn’t for Old Dominion’s atrocious ball security, South Carolina would be 0-1. The Gamecocks’ only touchdowns were a product of, not one, but two Old Dominion fumbles within its own 10-yard line — one in the first quarter and one late in the fourth when South Carolina was trailing 16-19. Freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers had a shaky debut, completing just 10 passes for a paltry 114 yards. As a whole, South Carolina’s offense looked out of rhythm, relying too heavily on workhorse running back Raheim Sanders to carry it to victory. Sanders tallied 88 of South Carolina’s 114 rushing yards and scored the first of its two touchdowns. Although Shane Beamer’s unit caught a break against Old Dominion, it should not expect to have as much good fortune against a strong Kentucky team, which it will play this Saturday in Lexington.