Week Three of the college football season was a wild one for the Southeastern Conference. Vanderbilt crumbled during the final seconds of its game, Alabama and Tennessee dominated and Georgia’s offense showed it isn’t indestructible. If there was any doubt, Week Three reinforced the idea that the SEC is the top conference in the nation. With a new team at the top, here’s a look at The Hustler’s Week Four SEC power rankings.
1. Texas (3-0, 0-0)
Texas had no problem handling UTSA despite an injury to Heisman favorite Quinn Ewers in the second quarter. Backup Arch Manning stepped up and led the Longhorns to a 56-7 victory, passing for four touchdowns while adding a 67-yard rushing touchdown. Ewers and Manning combined for 427 passing yards, and receivers Ryan Wingo and Isaiah Bond both finished with over 100 yards. Now, the Longhorns’ concern moves to the recovery timeline for Ewers’ oblique strain and whether Manning can take over for the No. 1 team in the country. Steve Sarkisian’s squad has upcoming matchups against the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Mississippi State, where Manning will have opportunities to find his footing
2. Georgia (3-0, 1-0)
Georgia barely squeaked out a win in its first week of conference play, holding off Kentucky for a 13-12 victory. The Bulldogs struggled on offense throughout the first half, as they were outscored 9-3. In the fourth quarter, running back Trevor Etienne led the Bulldogs on their longest drive of the game, resulting in a go-ahead touchdown that sealed the victory. Carson Beck went 15-for-24 on the day with just 160 yards, highlighting Georgia’s struggles to move the ball consistently on offense. Georgia will face a much tougher threat in Alabama next week in an early-season matchup with massive implications for the SEC.
3. Alabama (3-0, 0-0)
The Crimson Tide dismantled the previously undefeated Badgers in Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium. Jalen Milroe led No. 4 Alabama’s offense to 10.3 yards per pass — compared to a measly 4.5 from Wisconsin — en route to an overpowering 41-10 win. Milroe had a great outing, ending the day with 3 passing touchdowns while rushing for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns on top of his stellar 89.9 QBR. Alabama dominated Western Kentucky, South Florida and Wisconsin to open its season, but there are still questions about how head coach Kalen DeBoer’s team will play against the top opponents in the country. The Crimson Tide will host Georgia in Bryant-Denny Stadium for their first real test of the 2024 season.
4. Ole Miss (3-0, 0-0)
Ole Miss cruised to victory this week, taking down Wake Forest 40-6 thanks to an explosion to the tune of 649 combined yards. Heisman candidate Jaxson Dart picked apart the Demon Deacons’ defense, going 26-for-34 while throwing for 377 yards and 2 touchdowns. While the defense didn’t allow a touchdown, they gave up 311 yards, raising questions about how they will fare against more prolific offenses. Ole Miss is on a tear so far this season, averaging 56 points per game and leading the nation with 434 passing yards per game. Next week, the Rebels are 33.5-point favorites against Georgia Southern at home and will look to continue their domination.
5. Tennessee (3-0, 0-0)
The Volunteers demolished Kent State in Week Three, coasting to a 71-0 victory. Junior Dylan Sampson led the rushing attack for Tennessee, bulldozing into the endzone four times before the first half was even over. Freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava continued to build his Heisman case with a 53-yard touchdown through the air to wide receiver Chris Brazzell II. While this play was a highlight, the passing game for Tennessee leaves much to be desired. Iamaleava is still gaining his collegiate footing, and no receiver had more than two catches on the day. The concern for Josh Heupel and his team is this: who will emerge as the alpha receiver when Tennessee plays a more formidable defense that can stop the run?
6. Missouri (3-0, 0-0)
In a game that featured double-digit leads for both teams, Missouri prevailed 27-21 against Boston College. The No. 7 team in the country got off to a slow start on both sides of the ball, allowing two touchdowns early while being held out of the end zone until late in the second quarter. Missouri finally got on the board when quarterback Brady Cook connected with wideout Luther Burden III on a 19-yard touchdown that tied the game. Burden played a big role in the contest, catching 6 passes for 117 yards. Questions still remain about whether Missouri can keep up with the other high-flying SEC offenses and make noise in the College Football Playoff, but for now, the Tigers will look forward to a home date with Vanderbilt this Saturday.
7. Oklahoma (3-0, 0-0)
The Sooners triumphed against Tulane this weekend, winning 34-19. Oklahoma started out hot, leading 21-0 behind quarterback Jackson Arnold’s rushing prowess, as the sophomore ran for 97 yards and 2 scores. Although Tulane slowly climbed back to make it a one-possession game, Oklahoma held strong and secured an encouraging win. Next week, the Sooners will host Tennessee at home. They will have to match the Volunteers' powerful offense to stand a chance at a win. Arnold only threw for 169 yards on Saturday, and the team is only averaging 166 passing yards per game at home this year. Head coach Brent Venables will look to his sophomore quarterback to improve that statistic if the Sooners want to match Tennessee’s 63.7 average points per game.
8. Texas A&M (2-1, 1-0)
Texas A&M went on the road to Gainesville, Fla. this week and came out hot, outscoring the Florida Gators 20-0 in the first half. The Aggies dominated on the ground with a combined 200 rushing yards between running backs Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels. Backup quarterback Marcel Reed played extremely well, throwing for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 83 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Head coach Mike Elko may be faced with a tough decision at the quarterback position when Connor Weigman returns from injury, as Reed was impressive all day on Saturday. On defense, the Aggies caused problems for the Gators all day, forcing three interceptions and a fumble. They will look to build on this win next week against Bowling Green State University.
9. LSU (2-1, 1-0)
The Tigers escaped South Carolina with a win this weekend after trailing the entire game — scoring a game-winning touchdown with 1:12 left to play. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier led the comeback effort, connecting with receiver Aaron Anderson for 96 yards throughout the day. Freshman running back Caden Durham impressed in the first start of his collegiate career, totaling 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Despite this, LSU needs to sure up its late-game execution going forward if it wants to compete in the SEC. (The Tigers turned the ball over twice in their last four drives Saturday.) LSU will have the opportunity to bolster its college football resume with a game against UCLA this week.
10. South Carolina (2-1, 1-1)
The Gamecocks looked impressive early, jumping out to a 17-0 lead against LSU. They ultimately fell to the Tigers after a field goal attempt, which would have sent the game into overtime, missed wide as time expired. South Carolina’s offensive success hinged largely on running back Raheim Sanders, who ran for 143 yards and found the endzone twice. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers exited the game early, but the initial belief is that he avoided serious injury. The Gamecocks struggled with discipline this weekend, racking up 13 penalties. If South Carolina hopes to have any success against ranked opponents and in conference play, it needs to clean up its mistakes, and it’ll get a softer matchup starting with a home game facing Akron on Saturday.
11. Kentucky (1-2, 0-2)
In a low-scoring, defensive affair, the Wildcats controlled Georgia for the majority of the game. Quarterback Brock Vandagriff never got Kentucky moving downfield with a subpar 4.1 yards per attempt. The Wildcats’ defense eventually broke down, and the offense faltered, leading to a 13-12 defeat. Offense is a clear issue for the Wildcats — Mark Stoops’ bunch averages a miserable 16.3 points per game and has only scored four touchdowns on the year — but the clear thorn in the side for Kentucky is its quarterback play. Vandagriff has a three-to-two touchdown-to-interception ratio, along with a 35.6 QBR — good for 101st in college football. Stoops and Co. will look for more offensive production this week when they face Ohio at home.
12. Arkansas (2-1, 0-0)
The Arkansas Razorbacks were able to edge out a win in a close matchup against UAB, in large part because of their ground game. Star running back Ja’Quinden Jackson rushed for 155 yards and a score on just 15 carries, further cementing his status as one of the country’s top backs. The passing game left much to be desired, as quarterback Taylen Green only completed 11 passes, eight of which went to Andrew Armstrong. Arkansas will face Auburn this week in what should be a very tight matchup. The concern for the Razorbacks lies in whether their lack of a prolific passing offense will hinder them in conference games, when they likely need to move the ball quickly to stay competitive.
13. Auburn (2-1, 0-0)
After losing to Cal, head coach Hugh Freeze decided to make a change at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Hank Brown replaced senior Payton Thorne on Saturday, and it paid dividends. Auburn cruised to a 45-19 victory against New Mexico this weekend. Behind Brown, the Tigers scored on 7 out of 11 drives and turned the ball over just once. The Nashville native impressed, throwing for 235 yards and 4 touchdowns. Jarquez Hunter led the powerful rushing attack for the Tigers, gaining 152 yards on 20 carries. It remains to be seen how dramatic of an adjustment Hank Brown will need to make to compete against the top teams in the country. With a matchup against Arkansas this week, the new face of the Tigers has a chance to make a name for himself.
14. Florida (1-2, 0-1)
The Gators never really got going against Texas A&M, losing 33-20 in a game that saw a rotation between veteran quarterback Graham Mertz and youngster DJ Lagway. Both quarterbacks struggled, with Mertz completing just 12 passes for 195 yards and an interception, while Lagway went 6-for-13 with 2 interceptions. Questions are swirling about Florida’s future, with frustration building around head coach Billy Napier’s coaching and calls for Lagway to become the full-time starter. If Florida can’t turn things around quickly, Napier’s time in The Swamp may end sooner rather than later. Florida will look to get its first conference win next week when they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who sit at 1-2.
15. Vanderbilt (2-1, 0-0)
The Commodores failed to take advantage of an easy matchup with the Sun Belt Conference’s Georgia State in Week Three. Quarterback Diego Pavia never got it going on the ground, averaging 2.7 yards per carry and losing a fumble. Vanderbilt’s secondary struggled all night, allowing the Panthers to pass for 269 yards. The struggle was highlighted by a 59-second, 75-yard drive by opposing quarterback Christian Veilleux that lost the Commodores the game with 15 seconds left. Wide receiver Ted Hurst was unstoppable, hauling in 2 touchdowns and 128 receiving yards on the day. Head coach Clark Lea’s team missed a huge opportunity to start the year 3-0, and with upcoming matchups against No. 7 Missouri and No. 4 Alabama, things will not get much easier for Vanderbilt.
16. Mississippi St (1-2, 0-0)
In a game in which Mississippi State was favored by 10.5 points, Toledo came out swinging, scoring four touchdowns in the first half. The Bulldogs got down early and were forced to abandon the run, with quarterback Blake Shapen attempting 39 passes for 319 yards. The offensive line struggled, allowing five sacks on the day. The Mississippi State defense got gashed all day, allowing 454 total yards to the Rockets. With Toledo holding possession for 37 minutes in the game, the Bulldogs’ defense simply could not get off the field, a trend that is developing as a real problem for the team. Mississippi State will look to turn things around this weekend when they play host to a struggling Florida team.
