AP Top 25: SEC Makes a Statement After 13-1 Opening Weekend

Welcome back, College Football. The first full weekend of the 2022 season saw plenty of big-time games, great finishes, and some upsets.

The SEC is off to a great start with the best record among Power Five conferences on opening weekend, going 13–1 including three wins over Top 25 teams — Georgia over Oregon, Arkansas over Cincinnati, and Florida over Utah. The league’s only loss was LSU losing 24-23 to Florida State in a heartbreaker by a blocked extra point.

In this week’s AP Top 25, the SEC has eight teams in the latest rankings. Kansas State, Mizzou’s opponent on Saturday is receiving votes, just nine spots out of the rankings.

1. Alabama (1-0)
2. Georgia (1-0)
3. Ohio State (1-0)
4. Michigan (1-0)
5. Clemson (1-0)
6. Texas A&M (1-0)
7. Oklahoma (1-0)
8. Notre Dame (1-0)
9. Baylor (1-0)
10. USC (1-0)
11. Oklahoma State (1-0)
12. Florida (1-0)
13. Utah (0-1)
14. Michigan State (1-0)
15. Miami (FL) (1-0)
16. Arkansas (1-0)
17. Pittsburgh (1-0)
18. North Carolina State (1-0)
19. Wisconsin (1-0)
20. Kentucky (1-0)
21. BYU (1-0)
22. Ole Miss (1-0)
23. Wake Forest (1-0)
24. Tennessee (1-0)
25. Houston (1-0)

Top 25 match ups on the schedule for Week 2:

• No. 24 Tennessee at No. 17 Pittsburgh 2:30 p.m. CST (ABC)
• No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida 6:00 p.m. CST (ESPN)
• No. 9 Baylor at No. 21 BYU 9:15 p.m. CST (ESPN)

My updated SEC Power Rankings after Week 1:

1. Alabama: I was tempted to put Georgia here, but 55-0 is 55-0 over a Utah State team that won the Mountain West Conference last season. The Tide continue to roll.
2. Georgia: The defending champions don’t rebuild — they reload. 49-3 over a ranked Oregon team is obviously a really impressive performance, but the Ducks could be overrated just a little bit.
3. Arkansas: A huge win to open the season over Cincinnati. Yes, it’s not the same Bearcat team that made the playoff last year, but it’s still a win over a Top 25 caliber team. Expect KJ Jefferson and Jadon Haselwood to connect on a lot of touchdown passes.
4. Texas A&M: The Aggies took care of business in a 31-0 shutout win over FCS power Sam Houston State, but two interceptions by Haynes King is a minor cause for concern. Appalachian State on Saturday could be a trap game with Miami (FL) and Arkansas looming for the Aggies.
5. Florida: The Gators made the biggest statement in the SEC with an upset win over Pac-12 preseason favorite Utah to jumpstart the Billy Napier era. Anthony Richardson looks like the real deal.
6. Ole Miss: Not much to takeaway after a 28-10 win over Troy, but the offense could be a lot of fun to watch with Jaxson Dart and Zachary Evans.
7. Tennessee: An explosive offense led by Hendon Hooker after a 59-10 win over Ball State. We will see just how good the Vols can be on Saturday at Pittsburgh.
8. Kentucky: It was an underwhelming 37-13 win over Miami (OH) for the Wildcats, but Will Levis still had a solid day. They will be a more complete team when Chris Rodriguez returns.
9. Mississippi State: A Mike Leach offense continues to do Mike Leach offense things. Will Rogers had five touchdowns and 450 yards passing in a 49-23 win over Memphis. However, the Bulldogs’ upcoming schedule is brutal on paper.
10. South Carolina: The 35-14 win over Georgia State was led by special teams with two blocked punts for a touchdown. Spencer Rattler struggled a bit with two interceptions. The Gamecocks could be in trouble on Saturday at Arkansas.
11. Missouri: Our Tigers did what they needed to do. Covering the 20-point spread against an FBS team is a step in the right direction. The defense looks vastly improved, and Luther Burden lived up to high expectations.
12. Auburn: Not a whole lot to takeaway after their 42-16 win over Mercer. We’ll know a lot more after they play Penn State in Week 3.
13. LSU: A rough debut for Brian Kelly — losing in a heartbreaker to a Florida State team that went 5-7 last season. Still plenty of time to right the ship.
14. Vanderbilt: The only 2-0 team so far in the conference right now! Yes, the Commodores have certainly improved, but they beat arguably the worst team in the FBS (Hawaii) and allowed 31 points to FCS’ Elon.