2025 SEC Power Poll, Week 3

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Week 3 is behind us and I thought the Power Poll would begin getting a little easier to sort out. I was wrong. I think I might have a better handle on it once we get through Week 5. Still too many games against cupcakes during these first three weeks and I can’t properly assess who is legitimately good, who is legitimately bad, who looks good beating cupcakes but isn’t really good, who looks bad beating cupcakes but could actually be good, etc. I admit…I still don’t have a great sense for the conference top to bottom. Let’s give it a whirl anyway and see where we land.

  1. LSU – This is against my better judgment because LSU did NOT look good against Florida on Saturday night. I could make an easy argument they should be somewhere in the 4-5 range. Their defense has certainly been impressive, but that offense has looked quite shaky. Why #1 for this week? Still giving them some love for going on the road in Week 1 and beating a juiced-up Clemson (although that win is aging like milk), they took care of the Gators when Florida was playing for their season, and I really don’t like the idea of putting Georgia #1 before we play Alabama in two weeks. I guess I didn’t mention I’m highly superstitious.
  2. Georgia – I’d say Georgia has the best win of the season for all SEC teams, correct? Beating UT in Knoxville, in a stadium louder than a Craig Sager suit, that’s impressive. Answered a lot of questions about the offensive potential and Gunner Stockton’s ability to lead the team, but also introduced a few questions about the strength of the defensive backs. I don’t know of any other team in the conference that could have beaten a really good, pumped-up Tennessee team in those same conditions. Great win.
  3. Tennessee – They showed they were every bit our equal this past Saturday (not sure how it would have played out in Athens or a neutral field). Their offense is scary and their defense has more upside when they get a couple of starters back. The Nico for Aguilar trade looks like the Yankees getting Babe Ruth from the Red Sox for nothing. I think it’s fair to slot them in right behind Georgia when they were a missed FG away from winning at the end of regulation.
  4. Texas A&M – Impressive win over Notre Dame on the road at night. You have to think Notre Dame was going to give them their best shot after a close loss to Miami. Yes, the defense has been a touch leaky…alright, it looked like something reminiscent of the old WAC. But, given the situation, beating #8 on the road has to count for something in my book.  
  5. Oklahoma – Gotta admit…I underestimated them coming into the season. I’m not overly impressed with the win over Michigan, but it checks a box. Their defense has given up less points than anyone in the conference so far…even if competition hasn’t been stellar. Waiting to see what they look like on the road in a tough conference game, but they’ve acquitted themselves very nicely to start the season.
  6. Vanderbilt – Are these guys for real? Seriously, I’m asking. OK, beating Charleston Southern doesn’t mean a whole lot. Beating Virginia Tech doesn’t appear to mean much more right now. Maybe South Carolina was vastly overrated entering the season (it’s looking more and more like that is the case), but a dominating win at Williams Brice in a primetime game has to earn a little respect. You have to believe larger brand programs are inquiring about Clark Lea’s availability for next season.
  7. Alabama – I’m ready to catch hell for this because I’m putting them ahead of undefeated teams. I know the Florida State loss is still fresh, but I believe FSU looks legit and weird things happen in Week 1. Bama still possesses a TON of talent and dominated a name brand team this past weekend. Sounds like there is concern with the running game, but I think that will improve. I’d probably have them favored to beat some of the teams I have ahead of them on this list, but let’s stick them here for this week
  8. Ole Miss – They’re 3-0, they score a lot of points and they’re ranked #13. I’m sure there is an argument for Ole Miss to be higher on this list. But, I’m just not overly impressed with blowing out an overmatched Georgia State. The Kentucky win was on the road, but close enough to raise questions. Arkansas could have easily beaten them on their home field (and I thought they would on that last drive), but Ole Miss forced a fumble to lock it up. They might be that team that finds ways to win against lesser competition.    
  9. Auburn – I’m still giving them some mileage off the Week 1 win at Baylor, who beat a top 20 SMU team. I’m not sure what that South Alabama game was all about…really, only 3 points in the second half? The game at Oklahoma this week will be a great measuring stick for both teams, and will help sort out a lot of this poll moving forward.  
  10. Texas – This team is the poster child for why preseason rankings mean very little. They looked sloppy as hell in the loss to Ohio State. They didn’t have the look of a top 10 team against San Jose State or UTEP. I’m not going to pile on the guy, but Arch Manning will have to be better if Texas has CFP aspirations. The defense has looked very good so far, so they do have that going for them. Their ceiling has to be pretty high, but they’ve yet to play like it.
  11. Mississippi State – I’m proud of these guys…I mean, who can really hate the other Bulldogs if you’re not an Ole Miss fan. They’ve got a top 15 win on their resume and decisively won their other 2 games of the season. This looked like an easy conference road win before the season started, not so much now.   
  12. Missouri – This feels pretty low for a team ranked #23, but has Missouri beaten anyone? I don’t think Kansas qualifies as a quality win, and they’ve eaten a couple of cupcakes beyond that. I never feel like I know anything about Missouri. I have no problem moving them up, but I need to see more…some kind of win over a formidable team to get a gauge of how good they are.   
  13. Arkansas – They’ve scored a ton of points and easily could have won that Ole Miss game on the road. They’re QB looks like a playmaker (who might not make it through the season as much as he runs) who can keep them in some tougher games. Who doesn’t love Sam Pittman? They’ve got Memphis this weekend before an absolutely brutal 4 game stretch…we’ll know a lot more very soon.
  14. Kentucky – The wins have not been overly impressive, but the loss to Ole Miss was not an embarrassment either. They’ll get South Carolina after an off week…I predict the loser of that one will completely mail it in the rest of the season. After South Carolina, they go through a very hellish 4 game stretch where things could get off the rails really quick.  
  15. South Carolina – That was not pretty on Saturday night. Whatever expectations South Carolina had this season have certainly been reined in after that dish of humble pie courtesy of the ‘Dores. Games against Missouri and Kentucky are both winnable, before they get 5 straight games against top 15 teams beginning October 11th…another team where things can get off the rails really quick during that midseason stretch. Biggest disappointment in the conference so far?     
  16. Florida – Nope…that honor goes to these guys. Their best and only win is against Long Island. Losing to South Florida in the Swamp is not acceptable for ANY Gator squad. Losing to LSU in Baton Rouge is not an embarrassment, but when your anointed QB throws 5 interceptions in the game, that’s an embarrassment. Florida gets top 10 teams in 4 of their next 5 games…that’s brutal. The entire fanbase wants to fire Napier yesterday…not looking good in Gainesville.

I’m pretty confident this is not 100% and bet there are some holes in my logic that can be exposed. I still don’t feel great putting LSU at the top of the list when they only had 10 first downs against the #16 team in this poll. I just can’t put Georgia at #1 before our game against Alabama…that’s like asking for bad karma and I’ve got to put the needs of the Dawgnation first. Have a great week and Go Dawgs!

26 thoughts on “2025 SEC Power Poll, Week 3”

  1. A&M looks to have the easiest path to Atlanta.

    The rest of the contenders have lots of potholes to dodge.

    Winning really tough games on the road is going to be the key to getting a spot in the postseason.

    For us, 1 down and 3 to go….

    • Derek I’m sorry. I’ve never agreed with anything you’ve said, except about football, probably many others but not many 😂 One thing I respected most about the Senator was his joy in debate. He was a fair and honest judge and loved a good playful argument. Let’s focus on football we all agree the Dawgs are #1. These times they are a changing.

    • Don’t put LSU number 1 because you feel guilty or feel like you are jinxing the Dogs putting them at 1…lol. Georgia has the best win so far and LSU hasn’t looked very good on offense despite beating two brand names. Both those brand names don’t look that good either.

      I would have UGA at the top and then Tennessee, TAMU, LSU, Bama, Ole Miss, and Vandy in some order after that.

  2. Man I was with you on Bama until you used “name brand team” to bolster your argument. It is one of the things about college football that I don’t love. It’s arbitrary and meaningless. It’s the same as what we see from Joel Klatt calling Norte Dame the greatest two loss team eva! Just because they’re Norte Dame. I agree that Alabama is better than people thought and I think we will have a rough go of it beating them. But it’s because of all the talent. Not because they’re Alabama. Florida State might be a pretty good football team but name brand means absolutely nothing.

    • That’s a fair argument…teams like UCLA and Virginia Tech prove your point. Wisconsin could end up being pretty good, pretty bad and anything in between…but agree their historical brand of being a solid to good team in the B1G doesn’t have any bearing on this season. I appreciate that Bama was willing to schedule them instead of another FCS cupcake, so I’ll give them some credit for that.

    • One intangible thing I’ve noticed in watching us play Alabama over 40ish years is that they have a tendency to play really hard for 4 quarters. The games we’ve won, save one in 2003, have gone to the wire.

      I don’t think that comes from a “name brand” but I do think it comes from a history and a tradition.

      In short, I think that that teams can create a mystique or aura or some intangible element built over time. I think that is still there a bit in Tuscaloosa though it is under severe threat. I’d like to wipe it clean on the 27th.

      Getting used to winning can be as contagious as getting used to losing.

      I think Kirby is trying to build that in Athens. Pay for play created, in my view, step back but hopefully we are regaining our footing.

      There is a reason that certain NFL teams have five or more championships and others like the Lions and the Browns have never even been to a super bowl. Its not talent alone. How many first picks has Cleveland had over the years?

      As far as ND, they’ve won one significant game since 1988.

      Fuck those guys. And fuck michigan too. And penn state.

      The only program up north (or out west for that matter) worthy of any respect right now (not appreciation or like btw) is Ohio State. At least they win shit on the field and so far as I know haven’t been cheating to do it.

      If all goes to plan it will soon be UGA vs. the world of college football and it will be us who gets the benefit of the doubt from these moron talking heads who don’t know shit about football.

  3. I do not want to hear a word from the B10 this year about who has the better conference. I do not think we have a truly bad team in the SEC this year while the bottom third of the B10 is hot garbage. Their top 3 or 4 are probably comparable to ours, but the depth just isn’t there.

    • The B1G fans and their media sycophants will just fall back on their tired accusations that teams in the SEC cheat to win and all southerners are uneducated, inbred morons.

    • I think Kentucky is bad this year. Miss State isn’t good despite their moment in the sun. The rest of the conference is at least decent though.

  4. I recall seeing Widespread Panic at The Uptown Lounge back in the late ’80’s. Coincidentally, that’s how I’d describe things in Gainesville and Columbia: Widespread Panic. And I’m here for it…

    • Now listen Pud I met my ex wife of 26 years at uptown had been on a 30 day bender jeez I should have not turned around when she said hello shoulder to shoulder lol should have gone to Sky’s

  6. I had LSU on top until they played FU. Florida has had more touchdowns called back than scored this season. That is very hard to do. FU gift wrapped that game. We now know Clep’s son is not a good team.

    A&M won on the last play of the game. They do have the easiest path to Atlanta. This might finally be there year.

    Like it or not bama still has the highest player recruiting average in CFB. They no longer have the best coach. That honor resides in Athens. Bama can be very undisciplined and under motivated at times. I expect their best effort. Just don’t allow the explosive plays and we win. UT was 5 of 6 on deep shots against us. That can’t continue to happen if we expect to win.

    • Florida has a really good defense, but man, for LSU to not do more with 5 INTs is pretty embarrassing. Their OL just isn’t great.

  7. Can you expand a bit more on the problems at FU? I loved the part about Lagway’s 5 INTs and Napier on the verge of getting the boot. But I’d prefer a few more paragraphs bashing the rest of the team, please.

  9. Feels like the Bama game is gonna be a war yet again. Anxious to see if TN can beat them this year as I would have them 3 & 4 right now. The FSU loss was a shock to their system & seems to be a wake-up call. We’ll need all hands on deck for that one. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy my Saturday watching games without anxiety.

  10. I think Oklahoma is for real this year, and I hope we don’t see them in Atlanta. – PDawg30577

  12. I can’t complain about the superstitious placing of the Dawgs. Without that consideration I think LSU is 5 with UGA, Tenn, Ok then A&M rounding out the first 4. I think we may be sleeping on Mizzu. Cupcakes yes, but they look good in all three phases and their new QB can sling it. I think they are better than most in the conference so I would put them at 8 or 9.

  13. I will only say that I heartily approve of Florida at 16. I hate those fuckers. Also, I’m gonna need to see your coaching credentials. Thank you in advance and Go Dawgs!

  14. I hadn’t watched the UF – LSU highlights (is that even the right word?) until just now, so I didn’t know that 7 of LSU’s 20 points came off a pick 6. I’m surprised Nussmeier isn’t having a better year. I thought he looked like a stellar QB when he came in for a banged-up Jayden Daniels in that SEC championship a few years ago.

  15. Any poll with the Gators legitimately last is alright by me. Carolina lost maybe the best QB in the conference so I’m taking the Vandy loss with a grain of salt. Not sure of his status going forward but if he’s back to 100% then I think they’re still in the mix for top 4 in the conference. If not, they done and VT will come a calling. LSU is not #1 but no one else is either. Them, us, Okie, Tenn and TAMU can share a 5 way tie for 2nd now. Give the top spot to Vandy…I want to enjoy their pimp strut for a while longer.

  16. Don’t feel guilty or jinxy putting the Dogs at 1…lol. Based on the results this far UGA has the best win so I have Georgia at the top. The Oklahoma, Tennessee, TAMU, LSU, Bama, and Vandy in some order. Texas after that group. LSU looks bad on offense and is getting too much credit for beating two brand names. Both of which don’t appear to be very good teams either.

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