As SEC play kicks into full gear, the battle for the top and the conference’s regular season title is taking shape. Powerhouse programs like Auburn and Alabama continue to dominate, while teams like Ole Miss and Missouri are surprisingly making their SEC presences felt. It’s another season of close matchups and standout performances setting the competitive tone for the SEC. The Hustler’s first power rankings of 2025 break down where each program stands after another week of conference play, from championship contenders at the top to teams battling to stay relevant.
1. Auburn: (16-1, 4-0 SEC)
Head coach Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers are No. 1 in the nation, and they sit on top of our power rankings. With a 16-1 overall record and a perfect start to SEC play, Auburn is proving to be the title contender many predicted it would be at the start of the season. Auburn’s only loss this year has come at the hands of Duke, the No. 3 team in the nation, and the Tigers have already built an impressive resume and passed two SEC road tests against Texas and South Carolina. Led by Johni Broome and his 17.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, Auburn looks poised to contend for the SEC and make a push late into March.
2. Ole Miss: (15-2, 4-0 SEC)
Ole Miss has kicked off the season impressively, holding a 15-2 record with four players averaging double digits in scoring. However, despite their height advantage, rebounding has been underwhelming — no player is averaging more than seven boards per game. While the Rebels’ offensive dominance has secured their place in the top five of the SEC, this rebounding inefficiency could become a concern as the season progresses. The Rebels will need to tighten up on the glass to maintain their ranking. If they can address this gap, Ole Miss has the potential to remain a serious contender in the conference.
3. Tennessee: (16-1,3-1 SEC)
The Tennessee Volunteers, under head coach Rick Barnes, have a strong 16-1 record, ranking fourth in the SEC. Chaz Lanier has been the standout, averaging 18.2 points per game and anchoring much of the team’s scoring. While their lack of depth — relying heavily on four key players — could be a concern, the Volunteers compensate with exceptional playing in nearly every other area. Their controlled defense and ability to steer the game make them an impressive contender. If it can find ways to broaden its scoring options, Tennessee might have what it takes to make a deep postseason run.
4. Alabama: (14-3, 3-1 SEC)
Coming in strong at number four in our rankings, the Alabama Crimson Tide is making a serious case for an SEC championship run. They’ve dominated both ends of the court, and it shows in their impressive 14-3 overall record — 3-1 in SEC play. Leading scorer Mark Sears continues to dominate, pouring in 18.6 points per game and keeping his focus when it matters most. Alabama’s offense leads the nation, averaging 89.5 points per game, with a plus-12.3 scoring margin that makes it tough to beat. The Crimson Tide suffered a recent loss at the hands of Ole Miss, but it’s hard to imagine anyone knocking Alabama out of contention for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
5. Florida: (15-2, 2-2 SEC)
Coming in at No. 5, Todd Golden’s Florida Gators are making waves this season with a 15-2 record and an impressive 86 points per game. While their 3-point accuracy isn’t elite for a team this highly ranked — 34.1% — they excel where it matters most: at the free-throw line, where they convert 71.6% of attempts. This often-overlooked skill has been a game-changer, allowing them to close out tight contests and maintain their edge. Their offensive efficiency and ability to capitalize on free opportunities make them a serious contender. If they can continue this level of play, the Gators could make a deep run this season.
6. Mississippi State: (14-3, 2-2 SEC)
With an impressive 14-3 record, Mississippi State is rebounding strongly from last year’s underwhelming season. Sophomore guard Josh Hubbard is shining, leading the team with an average of 17 points per game. However, the Bulldogs lack a consistent secondary scorer, leaving much of the offensive burden on Hubbard. Additionally, rebounding is still a concern, with the team averaging just 39.1 boards per game, ranking them in the middle of the pack in the SEC. To sustain their success, the Bulldogs need to improve their presence on the glass and find more offensive balance to support Hubbard’s performances.
7. Kentucky: (14-3, 3-1 SEC)
Even without head coach John Calipari, the Wildcats find themselves once again toward the top of the national rankings and the SEC standings. After a tough loss last week against Georgia, Kentucky has bounced back in a big way and won two straight against Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Aside from a poor performance in the Georgia game, Kentucky’s offense has been its catalyst. Led by Otega Oweh and his 15.4 points per game, the Wildcats rank second in the SEC at 88.7 points per game. With upcoming games against Alabama, Vanderbilt and Tennessee, Kentucky has a major opportunity to climb the rankings and put itself in a position to compete for another SEC title.
8. Missouri: (14-3, 3-1 SEC)
Missouri has been one of the surprise stories of this young SEC campaign so far. After winning two of their first three conference games, the Tigers went on the road to Gainesville and captured a massive 83-82 victory over Florida. Missouri has relied on its depth to carry it to this great position. With a deep bench featuring an 11-man rotation scoring from different areas of the floor, Missouri’s depth will be crucial for it down the stretch of the SEC season. Missouri went winless in the SEC last season, but the Tigers’ revamped, deep roster could carry them to a high seed in the tournament come March.
9. Texas A&M:( 13-4, 2-2 SEC)
The Aggies hold a 13-4 overall record and are off to a 2-2 start in SEC play, placing them in the middle of the pack of our rankings. Wade Taylor IV has been the team’s clear leader, averaging over 15 points per game while running the offense efficiently. Texas A&M’s defense has been its calling card, holding opponents to just 66.3 points per game — seventh in the SEC. However, inconsistency on offense — ranking 15th in points per game in the SEC (76.9) — and struggles from behind the arc (30.3% as a team) have held it back in close games. If the Aggies can find a secondary scorer to complement Taylor, they’ll be a more serious threat.
10. Georgia: (14-3, 2-2 SEC)
While last season was — let’s be honest — disastrous, the Bulldogs are clawing their way back up, now ranked seventh in the SEC with a 14-3 record and cracking the Top 25 for the first time since 2011. Asa Newell leads the offense with 15.4 points per game, and four players are averaging at least 10 points. From there, though, the Bulldogs haven’t had much luck scoring. They rank just 12th in the SEC in points per game at 79.9. If Georgia wants to avoid slipping back into last season’s rut, it has some work to do in the scoring department.
11. Vanderbilt: (14-3, 2-2 SEC)
After Vanderbilt’s dominance during its nonconference schedule, it has since dropped two of its first four conference matchups. After a big win at LSU, Vanderbilt dropped a tight game in a packed Memorial Gym against Mississippi State, and its comeback bid fell short at Missouri. The Commodores did bounce back with a win at home against South Carolina, but it wasn’t pretty. Jason Edwards leads the ‘Dores in scoring, averaging over 17 points a game in only 22 minutes of floor time. Vanderbilt has three players alongside Edwards who are averaging double figures in scoring, but it will look for more consistency to add more SEC wins to its resume.
12. Oklahoma: (13-4, 0-4 SEC)
After a 13-0 start to its season, Oklahoma’s SEC schedule has hit it like a truck. The Sooners have yet to win a game in 2025. Their lack of success against strong opponents is not a promising sign, but they still have plenty of time to turn it around. The two-headed monster of Jalon Moore and Jeremiah Fears dominated the early schedule, with Moore averaging 18.1 points and 6.2 rebounds and Fears putting up 16 points and 4.2 assists. Still, if Oklahoma wants to start winning again, its defense, allowing an average of 71.4 points per game, will need to step up. Oklahoma will look to turn it around and grab their first SEC win this weekend against South Carolina after losing yet another to Texas on Wednesday.
13. Texas: (12-5, 1-3 SEC)
Like the Sooners, Texas started its conference schedule by dropping three straight SEC games. When you combine that with its two losses during nonconference games, the Longhorns find themselves in a precarious position at this point in their season. However, there are some promising signs for Texas, as its last two games against then-No. 1 Tennessee and then-No. 2 Auburn were both within five points. Tre Johnson has been racking up points, averaging nearly 19 per game, and Arthur Kaluma has been a rock for the Longhorns on defense. With the toughest part of its schedule behind it, Texas still has a chance to save its season if it can go on a streak over the next couple of weeks.
14. Arkansas: (11-6, 0-4 SEC)
After hiring Calipari from Kentucky, the Razorbacks were expected to be one of the hottest teams in the SEC. However, they have been anything but. Arkansas has lost four straight to open up SEC play, and while it has a lighter upcoming schedule, it has some serious ground to make up in order to climb the standings. Arkansas is lacking in depth, with only three players averaging double figures. The Razorbacks have also struggled on the boards, averaging just 35.9 rebounds per game. They’ll need to improve on that if they want to turn their season around.
15. LSU: (12-5, 1-3 SEC)
LSU got off to a strong start in its nonconference slate, but a 1-3 start to SEC play has it trending down. The Tigers are led by Cam Carter, who shoots nearly 40% from 3-point range and contributes over 17 points per game. LSU has a grueling upcoming schedule, facing Texas A&M, Auburn and Alabama all before the calendar turns to February. The Tigers will certainly need to find more offense and convert more from downtown, a shot which they are only converting at a 32.3% clip. The Tigers must go on a big run to climb the SEC standings, but that’s no easy task.
16. South Carolina: (10-7, 0-4 SEC)
Filling out our rankings, South Carolina has been the weakest team in the SEC thus far. With a 10-7 overall record and a 0-4 mark to start conference play, the Gamecocks have not had the start of the season they were hoping for. Their defense played very well in a 63-66 defeat vs. Auburn last weekend — and has overall been respectable in allowing just 68.1 points per game — but their offense has not provided enough firepower to propel them to victories. With an upcoming game against Oklahoma, the Gamecocks are approaching the point of its season when they will either trend upward or be sunk for good.