The first weekend of November has passed, ushering in the final month of regular-season college football. With several highly ranked conference matchups to come and postseason chances on the line, tensions are rising across the SEC. As several head coaches around the league have recently been fired, The Hustler is taking this opportunity to review where each SEC coach stands heading into the final weeks of the season.
1. Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC)
Coach’s seat temperature: Ice cold (Safe)
Following its bye week, No. 4 Alabama remains at the top of our rankings as it prepares to face off against its sixth-straight SEC opponent. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 29-22 win over South Carolina, escaping a potential upset. Wide receiver Germie Bernard scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the game, while quarterback Ty Simpson threw for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns. As long as head coach Kalen DeBoer continues to wear his black hoodie, his seat should be safe.
Alabama will host LSU next week in Tuscaloosa in hopes of remaining undefeated in the SEC.
2. Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0)
Coach’s seat temperature: Frozen
The No. 3 Aggies had a bye week, avoiding any threats to their perfect record. Only four teams in the FBS remain undefeated, and Texas A&M is the only SEC team on that list. Sophomore wide receiver Mario Craver has been a standout this season, tied at No. 13 for most receiving yards in the FBS, while KC Concepcion leads the team in receiving touchdowns with seven. Head coach Mike Elko’s seat is ice cold after leading the Aggies to their first 8-0 record since 1992 and their highest ranking in the AP poll in 30 years.
Texas A&M heads to Columbia to take on No. 19 Missouri this weekend.
3. Georgia (7-1, 5-1)
Coach’s seat temperature: Ice cold
The No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs beat the Florida Gators with a final score of 24-20 in the final rivalry game in Jacksonville until 2028. Florida and Georgia were tied 10-10 at the end of the first half, but the Bulldogs ran almost twice as many plays in the second and got a critical fourth-down stop to secure the win. Quarterback Gunner Stockton led the game with 233 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, while running back Chauncey Bowens scored on a 36-yard rushing touchdown following a seven-play drive. Head coach Kirby Smart’s position is easily secure, especially after a fifth consecutive win against Florida in their historic rivalry game.
Georgia will travel to Starkville this weekend to play Mississippi State in its seventh consecutive SEC matchup.
4. Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1)
Coach’s seat temperature: Freezing cold
No. 7 Ole Miss remains fourth in The Hustler’s rankings for the third week in a row following a 30-14 win over South Carolina in Oxford. The Rebels struggled in the air despite a two-score victory, with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throwing for just 159 passing yards. However, the Ole Miss defense took center stage, sacking South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers six times and forcing two interceptions. Rebels running back Kewan Lacy also exploded for 167 rushing yards. There are rumors that head coach Lane Kiffin will soon be leaving Oxford for other head coaching jobs, but in the eyes of Ole Miss’ administration, his seat is ice cold.
Ole Miss will look for its ninth win as it hosts The Citadel this Saturday.
5. Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2)
Coach’s seat temperature: Cooling down
The Sooners moved up three spots in The Hustler’s rankings after a huge road win in Knoxville, Tennessee, where they eliminated the Volunteers from playoff contention. Quarterback John Mateer threw for 159 yards while the Sooners capitalized on three turnovers from Tennessee. The Sooners’ defensive pressure has been elite all season, and was in full effect against Tennessee. Tennessee’s quarterback Joey Aguilar was sacked four times, while the rest of the team was limited to just 63 total rushing yards. Two losses, including the Red River Rivalry against Texas, warmed head coach Brent Venables’ seat going into the Tennessee game. However, after a strong road win, things seem to be cooling down for Venables.
Oklahoma is heading into a bye week before facing Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
6. Texas (7-2, 4-1)
Coach’s seat temperature: Cooling down
Now-No. 13 Texas defeated then-No. 9 Vanderbilt in a 34-31 victory in Austin, extending its win streak against SEC opponents to four games. The Longhorns were commanding in the first half, outscoring the Commodores 24-10. However, Texas surrendered 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Arch Manning looked stellar, passing for 328 yards and 3 touchdowns — his best performance of the season. Texas’s defense excelled against the run, holding Vanderbilt’s lead running back, Sedrick Alexander, to just 11 yards on the ground. Following a disappointing start to the season, head coach Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns trending back toward their preseason expectations.
Texas is on a bye this week before heading to Athens to take on the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs.
7. Vanderbilt (7-2, 3-2)
Coach’s seat temperature: Cold
No. 15 Vanderbilt drops two spots following a close 34-31 loss to Texas in Austin. The Commodores trailed 34-10 to begin the fourth quarter before rallying behind quarterback Diego Pavia, who ended with a career-high 365 passing yards, to make it a one-score loss. Head coach Clark Lea’s success for a second-straight year has made his seat cold, especially with the conversation about Vanderbilt making the playoffs if it wins out.
The Commodores look to remain in playoff contention this week, as they play Auburn at home in Nashville.
8. Missouri (6-2, 2-2)
Coach’s seat temperature: Ice cold
After a 5-0 start to the season, No. 19 Missouri has dropped two of its last three games, albeit each to then-top 10 teams. The Tigers were on a bye this past weekend following a disappointing 17-10 loss to Vanderbilt. Running back Ahmad Hardy has been excellent this season, leading the SEC with 937 rushing yards, which is the fourth most in the FBS. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz has turned the Tigers program around, looking for his third-straight season with 10 or more wins.
Missouri looks to break Texas A&M’s undefeated season as the Tigers host the Aggies this weekend.
9. Tennessee (6-3, 3-3)
Coach’s seat temperature: Increasingly warm
Tennessee lost to Oklahoma this past weekend in Knoxville, 33-27. Despite Aguilar throwing for 393 yards and the Vols dominating offensively in the first half with 255 yards of offense and 17 first downs, uncharacteristic mistakes led to Tennessee’s removal from the College Football Playoff race. Tennessee committed a season-high three turnovers, including a fumble and two interceptions from Aguilar. Head coach Josh Heupel’s seat might be heating up, especially after the loss to his own alma mater.
The Volunteers have a bye week before playing New Mexico State on Nov. 15.
10. Florida (3-5, 2-3)
Coach’s seat temperature: Fired
Heroic victories over No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss saved Billy Napier’s job last season, but the former Florida head coach was fired one day after a narrow win over Mississippi State on Oct. 18. In his absence, Florida wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales was named as his replacement. In his first game as interim head coach, the Gators fell 24-20 to the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville in the annual showdown between the heated rivals. Although Florida briefly held the lead in the fourth quarter, Bowens exploded for a 36-yard rushing touchdown with 4:36 remaining to secure the victory for the Bulldogs. Still, there were some bright spots for Florida’s offense. Wide receiver Eugene Wilson III had his best game of the season, with 9 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown.
The Gators head to Lexington to face Kentucky this weekend.
11. LSU (5-3, 2-3)
Coach’s seat temperature: Fired
Following the firing of head coach Brian Kelly, LSU had a bye week with interim coach Frank Wilson stepping in. This comes at a good time for the Tigers, who can regroup and prepare for a tough road game coming up against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Earlier this season, LSU suffered back-to-back losses at Vanderbilt, 31-24, and against Texas A&M at home, 49-25. It will be interesting to see how the Tigers perform next week with their interim coach stepping in following Kelly’s firing.
The Tigers take on the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, this weekend.
12. Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4)
Coach’s seat temperature: Room temperature
The Bulldogs defeated Arkansas 38-34 in Fayetteville for their first win over an SEC opponent since Oct. 23, 2023, which also happened to be against the Razorbacks. Despite being down 14 points in the fourth quarter, quarterback Blake Shapen and wide receiver Anthony Evans III connected for an 18-yard passing touchdown with 0:48 seconds left to give Mississippi State the lead. While the Razorbacks bested the Bulldogs in total yards, Arkansas committed an astounding 18 penalties for 193 yards — setting a new program record for most penalties. Head coach Jeff Lebby is in just his second season as the Bulldogs’ head coach, and even though he is only 7-14 in his tenure, Bulldog fans aren’t giving up on him just yet.
Mississippi State hosts No. 5 Georgia in a Bulldog vs. Bulldog matchup this weekend.
13. South Carolina (3-6, 1-6)
Coach’s seat temperature: Hot
The Gamecocks lost in Oxford last weekend against No. 7 Ole Miss, 30-14. Sellers was sacked six times, and the Rebels intercepted Sellers twice in the last six minutes of the game. Sellers threw for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the offense, while defensive back DQ Smith led the team with six tackles. Despite high preseason expectations for South Carolina’s offense surrounding Sellers, the Gamecocks now rank last in the SEC in yards per game with 294. The Ole Miss game marked the fourth consecutive loss for South Carolina, leaving head coach Shane Beamer’s seat hot after already firing offensive coordinator Mike Shula just nine games into the role.
South Carolina is heading into a bye week before a matchup with the currently undefeated Aggies on Nov. 15 in College Station, Texas.
14. Kentucky (3-5, 1-5)
Coach’s seat temperature: Tepid
The Wildcats handed Auburn its fifth conference loss of the season this past weekend. Both teams produced close to the same number of total yards, only slightly favored in Auburn’s direction. The defenses took center stage in this game, forcing two turnovers each. Auburn quarterbacks Ashton Daniels and Jackson Arnold suffered a combined six sacks. The lone touchdown of the game came from a third-quarter pass from Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley to wide receiver Kendrick Law, but that was all the Wildcats needed to squeak by the Tigers. This win may have been enough to temporarily silence criticism from Kentucky fans, as Mark Stoops — the program’s all-time winningest head coach — looks to turn around this disappointing stretch.
Kentucky plays Florida at home this weekend in Lexington.
15. Arkansas (2-7, 0-5)
Coach’s seat temperature: Fired
The Razorbacks were unable to hold off Mississippi State despite leading by 14 in the fourth quarter, extending their winless season in SEC play. The biggest factor in their defeat was penalties; the Hogs committed 18 penalties for 193 yards — a program record. Tailback Mike Washington Jr. led Arkansas with 116 rushing yards, while wide receiver Raylen Sharpe racked up 84 receiving yards, including a 38-yard catch. Head coach Sam Pittman was fired in September, and Bobby Petrino has stepped in as interim coach.
Arkansas has a bye week before taking on LSU on Nov. 15.
16. Auburn (4-5, 1-5)
Coach’s seat temperature: Fired
The Tigers fell 10-3 to Kentucky at home this past weekend, giving the Wildcats their first conference win of the season. Auburn was held to just a single field goal, and the poor offensive performance contributed to the dismissal of head coach Hugh Freeze, who posted a disappointing 15-19 record over his two-plus seasons at the helm. Still, Auburn’s defense proved once again that it is among the best in the league, holding the Wildcats to just 79 yards on the ground.
Auburn heads to Nashville this weekend, looking to upset No. 15 Vanderbilt.
