SEC Power Rankings - Week 3
POWER RANKINGS
Two weeks into the 2026 season, the SEC picture is beginning to take shape. Texas has an early statement win under its belt, a deep group of contenders is stacking up, and Oklahoma and others look for answers as conference play heats up. Here’s how all 16 SEC teams stack up entering Week 3.
Texas makes its statement
Well, that didn't take long.
We had Texas at No. 2 in the preseason because until proven otherwise, Georgia deserved the benefit of the doubt atop the SEC. Consider last Saturday a pretty damn compelling argument for changing that.
The Longhorns knocked off No. 1 Ohio State 24–23 in a game they'll be talking about in Austin for a long, long time. Texas trailed by 20 in the fourth quarter before Arch Manning and the offense finally came alive, scoring 21 unanswered to complete the comeback.
Was it perfect? Hell no. For three quarters, Texas looked headed for a frustrating loss. But championship teams have to find ways to win games when things aren't going according to plan, and Texas just did that against the No. 1 team in the country.
Meanwhile, Georgia hasn't exactly done anything to lose our confidence. The Dawgs are 2–0 and just hung 70 on Western Kentucky, for what that’s worth.
So for now, it's Texas at 1 and Georgia at 2.
And considering the two don't meet during the regular season, maybe we'll settle this thing in Atlanta.
Mississippi State?
Our biggest mover through two weeks might be Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs entered the season at No. 15 in our SEC rankings. They're now 11th after going on the road and absolutely handling Minnesota, 38–13.
That's not beating up on an FCS team in Starkville. That's a 25-point road win over a Big Ten opponent.
Does that suddenly make Mississippi State an SEC contender? Absolutely not. But the bottom of this conference was wide open entering the season, and the Bulldogs have done more to improve their stock than just about anybody down there.
Now comes the fun part.
Mississippi State travels to South Carolina this weekend in a game between our No. 10 and No. 11 teams.
Win that one, and we're going to have to start taking this team a lot more seriously.
Time to find out who's real
For two weeks, much of the SEC has been beating up on nonconference competition.
That's about to change.
LSU travels to Ole Miss. Florida goes to Auburn. Mississippi State visits South Carolina. Texas A&M hosts Kentucky.
The headliner is obvious: LSU–Ole Miss.
We've got them No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, and both enter the weekend unbeaten. Throw in Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford against Pete Golding and his former program, and we have ourselves one hell of an early-season SEC game.
Two weeks have given us our first impressions.
Week 3 should give us some answers.
