LSU drops a spot in On3 SEC power rankings after Texas A&M loss

The Tigers unsurprisingly lost some ground in On3’s latest SEC power rankings after Saturday’s frustrating loss.

The Tigers had a chance to make a major statement on the road on Saturday against Texas A&M, and for the first 30 minutes, it looked like they were going to.

LSU dominated the first half against the Aggies, taking a 10-point lead to the locker room. But a quarterback change to Marcel Reed that the Tiger defense had no answer for and defensive adjustments from TAMU that had [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] seeing ghosts flipped the script in the second half as LSU fell 38-23 on the road.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Tigers are dropping in most SEC power rankings as a result, but in On3’s, it was only a one-spot drop to No. 6.

LSU held a 17-7 halftime lead and all of a sudden, it was gone. Like Texas A&M, the Tigers had a six-game winning streak coming in but fell flat in the second half.

Looks like Brian Kelly and crew fell victim to a tough place in the SEC and the 12th man ran rampant in the second half. LSU had no answers for Marcel Reed in the latter stages.

The loss essentially removes any margin for error if the Tigers want to remain in the race for a College Football Playoff spot. That means games against Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma are all must-wins, and the Tigers will need to fix the issues that cost it on Saturday before it hosts the Crimson Tide following a bye.

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Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in Locked On SEC’s updated Power Rankings?

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in Locked On SEC’s conference power rankings for week 2?

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off of a 48-point week one win over an overmatched Temple Owls team. Led by a dominant defensive effort, the Sooners earned a bump in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

But that isn’t the only place the Sooners saw a bump. Locked On SEC’s Chris Gordy has been covering the SEC for a long time and has a good feel for the conference as a whole. He has the Sooners ranked No. 7 in the conference.

The Sooners moved up one spot after LSU’s loss to the USC Trojans on Sunday night.

They’re right behind the Tennessee Volunteers, who the Sooners will see in the SEC debut on September 21. The following week, Oklahoma will go on the road to take on the Auburn Tigers for their much anticipated first-ever SEC road trip. Aside from Auburn, the only team the Sooners play this year that is ranked behind them is South Carolina.

The Gamecocks struggled with Old Dominion in week one. Even though they got the win, it was so unimpressive that they came in at No. 16 in Gordy’s power rankings.

No surprise who sits at the top of the SEC power rankings, with Georgia coming in at No. 1 in both of the major national polls. Texas is No. 2 in the conference. SEC and national analysts are very high on the Longhorns heading into the season. But given the turnover on offense, they still have a ton to prove, in my opinion.

https://twitter.com/LockedOnSEC/status/1831036984087007634

We’re higher on the Sooners in the SEC early in the season. Oklahoma is my No. 4 team in the conference behind Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss. Though there are a lot of OU doubters out there, this is a team with a defense to make a ton of noise in the SEC despite it being their first year in the league.

But the Sooners will get their opportunity to prove it in the coming weeks.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

SEC football power rankings according to SP+

ESPN’s SP+ ranks 12 SEC teams in the top 25 including the Georgia Bulldogs

ESPN’s updated SP+ rankings (subscription required) have the Georgia Bulldogs as the No. 1 team in the country. The SP+ rankings really likes the SEC. In fact, nine of the top 15 teams in the country hail from the SEC including five teams in the top 10.

The Big Ten has the other two teams in the top five in No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon. Overall, the Big Ten has four teams in the top seven, but the conference falls off significantly from there.

SP+ thinks that one of the more overlooked teams in the SEC is the Alabama Crimson Tide. Not many folks are predicting Alabama to win the SEC or to even advance to the SEC championship, but the Crimson Tide are considered the second-best team in the conference.

SP+ like the balance that Georgia and Alabama have. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are the only two teams in the country to have top 10 units on offense, defense and special teams.

SP+ is bullish on the LSU Tigers’ offense. It rates the Tigers’ offense as the second-best unit in the country and as the best in the SEC.

SEC Rank	Team	Overall	Offense	Defense	Special Teams
1	Georgia	1	3	5	7
2	Alabama	4	7	8	2
3	Texas	5	4	12	17
4	Ole Miss	8	6	16	26
5	LSU	10	2	38	83
6	Missouri	11	8	19	45
7	Oklahoma	13	17	13	95
8	Texas A&M	14	11	24	73
9	Tennessee	15	14	20	52
10	Kentucky	22	28	31	39
11	Florida	23	18	41	9
12	Auburn	25	38	25	27
13	South Carolina	35	59	30	12
14	Arkansas	44	39	53	6
15	Mississippi State	55	67	52	50
16	Vanderbilt	89	68	104	72

PFF ranks 8 SEC schools in preseason top 25

Eight SEC teams are in PFF’s preseason top 25 rankings. Georgia is PFF’s No. 1 team, but how is the rest of the SEC ranked?

Pro Football Focus ranks the Georgia Bulldogs as the No. 1 team in PFF’s 2024 preseason top 25 rankings. PFF ranks eight SEC schools in the top 20.

“With the best coach (Kirby Smart), the best quarterback (Carson Beck) and one of the best rosters in college football, the Bulldogs are one of the favorites to win it all this season,” said Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman of PFF.

The college football season is under two weeks away. Georgia is a preseason national championship favorite according to just about any metric out there. Some experts rank Ohio State higher than Georgia, but that’s the only team we’ve seen ranked over Georgia with much consistency entering the 2024 season.

How PFF ranks SEC football teams in the preseason top 25

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is trying to win his third national title in four seasons. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

1. Georgia Bulldogs

4. Ole Miss Rebels

5. Texas Longhorns

7. Alabama Crimson Tide

10. Missouri Tigers

14. LSU Tigers

15. Tennessee Volunteers

18. Oklahoma Sooners

Nine of the 16 SEC teams are ranked in the US LBM coaches poll.

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Georgia football begins its 2024 college football season on Aug. 31 at noon ET against the Clemson Tigers in Atlanta, Georgia.

Where LSU stands in On3’s power rankings after spring practice, 2nd portal window

The Tigers sit in the middle of the pack after a quiet spring transfer portal period.

Spring practice is now complete for LSU and every other college football team around the country. Most players who entered the transfer portal at its conclusion have now found landing spots in the second window.

We have a much better idea of how teams’ rosters are shaping up entering the 2024 season, and while there could still be a few surprises between now and Week 1, those are pretty much solidified now.

With that in mind, On3’s Jesse Simonton updated his SEC power rankings, and LSU unsurprisingly stands near the middle of the pack in the first season of the league’s expansion to 16 teams.

Here’s what Simonton had to say about the Tigers, who he ranked at No. 7.

It’s hard not to be down on LSU’s 2024 ceiling after the Tigers exited the spring with continued questions defensively, and then whiffed on key targets in the transfer portal. Brian Kelly upgraded LSU’s defensive staff, but the failures to add more than a single defensive tackle (and zero DBs) in the second window leaves the Tigers’ defense shorthanded before the season even begins. While the offense should remain really good, it’s likely to take (a natural) slight step back after losing Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and two 1st-round picks at wideout.

It’s hard to argue with a lot of Simonton’s points here. While expectations remain high for the offense, it probably won’t be as good as a group that featured three first-round picks last season.

Meanwhile, the Tigers actually lost multiple starters from a defense that already had significant holes and didn’t do much to address those positions this spring, aside from the addition of Grand Valley State defensive tackle Jay’viar Suggs, who was a productive Division II player, but it remains to be seen how his skillset will translate to the SEC.

The Tigers will hope to push for an SEC title and a playoff spot, but with no divisions in the conference anymore, it’s not going to be easy to do.

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Gig ‘Em Gazette ranks Texas at No. 6 in post-spring SEC power rankings

Texas A&M writer has the Longhorns No. 6 in the SEC after the spring.

In what comes as no surprise to Texas faithful, one Texas A&M writer has less faith in the Longhorns than most national college football outlets do for the upcoming season. His ranking might surprise you.

Texas is viewed nationally as a Top 10 team in college football for 2024. Gig ‘Em Gazette writer Graham Harmon argues that Texas isn’t a Top 5 team in the SEC. He shared his justification in ranking the Longhorns at No. 6 in his post-spring SEC power ranking.

“I look at things like a late surge needed to beat an awful Iowa State team. Going to the fourth quarter tied with Wyoming before a pick-six broke the game open. Eking out a win over a horrendous Houston squad that should have been blown out no matter whether Quinn Ewers was playing. A three-point win over a sub-.500 TCU squad. Key players no-showing against OU and the playoff game versus Washington.”

Texas A&M, of course, went 7-6 last season with wins over New Mexico, Louisiana-Monroe and Abilene Christian. Its 4-6 record against power conference teams, including a 48-33 loss to the middling Miami Hurricanes (7-6), is less desirable than barely going 12-2 as Harmon suggests Texas did. Still he’s not sold on Texas because of what it has at quarterback.

“I’m just not a believer in Quinn Ewers to be that guy this year. Kelvin Banks is legit, and still one of the most painful misses from the 2022 class for the Aggies. Anthony Hill could be a star as well. But there are too many question marks and concerns from last year for me to buy in here. I’ve got Texas at 8-4—if that prediction comes to pass, especially if one of those losses is to the Aggies in Kyle (Field), I’ll be very interested to see how things progress.”

The questions marks for the Aggies aren’t as concerning as the Longhorns’ perceived deficiencies according to the Texas A&M writer. The Aggies break in a brand new head coach and offensive coordinator after failing to produce a strong enough offense with schematic wizard Bobby Petrino at offensive coordinator. Head coach Mike Elko is given plenty of benefit of the doubt by Harmon, who explains ranking the Aggies No. 3 in the SEC.

“Under Elko, I feel confident A&M will have an elite defense. The offense is the big question mark—but with a healthy Weigman, Klein at the controls, and an improved OL, I like the Aggies’ chances against a schedule which sees all four of their toughest games come at home.”

The Aggies have done well enough in the transfer portal to be a force in the SEC, but haven’t been a Top 3 team in the conference since the 2020 season. Perhaps they turn the corner this season, but the past three years have seen more disappointment than realized potential. The Longhorns will get a glimpse of how good the Aggies are on November 30 at Kyle Field in College Station.

Get more Texas A&M news, analysis, and opinions on Aggies Wire.

SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Week 5- Arkansas stays on top in the midst of chaos

Total Chaos in week 5, and it was just the opening weekend of SEC play…

“Embrace the chaos.”

It should replace the famed SEC saying, “It just means more,” for baseball after the crazy weekend we just experienced.

LSU and Tennessee lost their opening series, and Vanderbilt jumped up in the rankings with the other elite teams after it swept Auburn. Alabama and the Mississippi schools were outstanding this weekend, winning their series against top-20 teams. And after a promising beginning to the season, Georgia fell the most after being swept by Kentucky.

The only three teams not on the move this week were Arkansas, Mizzou, and Florida.

It’s important not to overreact to anything, though. This is baseball. Elite teams will lose, and the bottom dwellers will get their crumbs. Chaos will continue to happen, and it’s going to be incredibly fun to watch.

Pre-spring 2024 SEC football power rankings

SEC football power rankings ahead of spring practice and spring games. UGA enters the spring as the national title favorite

The SEC is already starting up spring football. The conference’s first spring game is already just days away (Missouri on March 16). The majority of the SEC’s spring games will take place on April 13 and 20.

The expanded SEC should be balanced in 2024 with Georgia and Texas as the conference’s two pre-spring favorites. Both Oklahoma and Texas will be fun additions to the conference. The Sooners and Longhorns have very passionate fan bases, some of the best rivalries in college football and impressive histories.

With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, the SEC should be in the mix to have three or four teams in the playoff. Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Ole Miss and LSU all should be playoff contenders. Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas A&M have the talent to make the playoff, but will need to answer a few questions this spring.

Let’s take a look at our SEC football power rankings entering spring practice.

SEC Baseball Power Rankings: Shuffling among top teams

Three weeks of baseball have brought many mixed results amongst the SEC squads. See what the latest power rankings say heading into March.

The month of March has now begun, meaning the official commencement of the first full month of college baseball season.

Through three weeks of action, the games have proven to be very dramatic and high-scoring. The offenses have been in very different spots from game to game, making the action a whole lot of fun.

The question still remains as to who will be the first to take down Texas A&M, as the Aggies are the last unbeaten team remaining in the SEC. The offense is still shining as the competition ramps up before conference play.

There has been some shifting as of late amongst the SEC standings, with many teams having results affecting their placements.

How did that affect the power rankings? Well, here’s a look at what they look like after week three.

SEC Basketball Power Rankings: With one week left, the top is up for grabs

The SEC has been on the verge of becoming an elite basketball conference for a while now. Another year of not getting over the hump.

Three weeks ago, the Southeastern Conference looked like it might have 10 teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The number was a longshot, but it was legitimate.

Fast-forward to March and the SEC looks about like it has most of the last few years: a few teams near the top who could make a Final Four run, some standard invitees and a bunch of muck near the bottom.

Heading into the final week of the regular season, only six teams from the SEC are locks to make the Big Dance. Another two have a shot, one of whom’s is better than the other. But the reality is that for a league that has hovered on good-not-great for almost a decade now, things seem to have stalled out.

Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Auburn are the class of the conference and have been for the last few years. South Carolina joined the fray this year, though it remains to be seen how long the Gamecocks stay. They could be holding Arkansas’ seat warm after the Razorbacks crashed-and-burned in 2024. And the Mississippi schools, Vanderbilt, Missouri, sure, they all have their occasional good years, but this sure wasn’t one of them.

So after tons of promise, we’re left about where we started. The SEC is what the SEC has been: good, not great.