Alabama has looked like the class of the SEC over the past several weeks, and the season-opening loss to Florida State<\/a> feels like a distant memory at this point. Last week\u2019s dominant win over Tennessee provided further proof the Crimson Tide are the team to beat in the SEC race.<\/p>\n There are still some challenges remaining for Kalen DeBoer<\/a>\u2018s squad, but they look manageable. The only ranked opponents left are LSU and Oklahoma. And both games come at home.<\/p>\n Georgia is the clear No. 2 in the SEC race, if only because of the home loss to Alabama. But there\u2019s a wide gulf between the Bulldogs and the next best team in the league, which the FPI view as Texas.<\/p>\n Assuming Georgia can handle Florida with an interim staff off a bye week, there are really only two games left on the schedule that could prove problematic. One is a home date with Texas, while the other is a home date with Georgia Tech<\/a>.<\/p>\n It sure hasn\u2019t been pretty for Texas, but the Longhorns have manage to hang around. After posting a very impressive win over Oklahoma, Texas regressed and needed overtime to escape Kentucky with a win.<\/p>\n Can Texas develop some consistency going forward? If it can, it\u2019ll have opportunities to prove it deserves a playoff shot \u2014 games against Vanderbilt, at Georgia and vs. Texas A&M remain.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s a third team that looks to be able to contend with Alabama and Georgia in the SEC race, it\u2019s probably unbeaten Texas A&M. The Aggies have quietly piled up plenty of wins in the first half of the season.<\/p>\n That said, while others have run a gauntlet of ranked opponents already, the Aggies have faced only one so far. That changes starting this week, with road trips to LSU and Missouri next on tap. A regular season finale at Texas will provide a third ranked matchup.<\/p>\n Ole Miss is coming off its first loss of the season, a road defeat at Georgia by one score. And it was competitive in that game.<\/p>\n The issue is that, like Texas A&M, Ole Miss has faced a relatively soft schedule so far. Unlike Texas A&M, it\u2019s going to remain soft the rest of the way. Take care of Oklahoma on the road this weekend and Ole Miss could coast the rest of the way in the SEC.<\/p>\n Had Tennessee kept things a little more competitive against Alabama, the outlook on the Volunteers would probably be considerably more rosy. After all, they suffered a narrow overtime loss to Georgia as the only other loss \u2014 not a bad one at all.<\/p>\n Tennessee could still end up being a playoff contender, but it probably needs to win out at this point given the schedule. Home dates with Oklahoma and Vanderbilt stand as the toughest remaining tests.<\/p>\n Oklahoma has just one loss, but it was a fairly lopsided loss to Texas. Still, everything is in front of Oklahoma, courtesy of a schedule that\u2019s going to be as tough as anyone\u2019s in the country the rest of the way.<\/p>\n The next five opponents are ranked. If Oklahoma can manage to win four of five against Ole Miss, at Tennessee, at Alabama, vs. Missouri and vs. LSU it\u2019ll be worthy of the playoff discussion.<\/p>\n The schedule has been light in recent years for Missouri, but this year\u2019s slate shakes out quite a bit tougher. Starting this week, Missouri will face three ranked opponents in the next four games.<\/p>\n Can the Tigers make a surprise run in the SEC race by winning out? It\u2019ll take a lot of work, but it\u2019s a possibility for Eli Drinkwitz<\/a> and his staff. First they must beat Vanderbilt on the road, though.<\/p>\n Vanderbilt\u2019s lone loss is to the top team in the SEC, Alabama. That one was understandable enough, given that it was on the road and the Crimson Tide were out to avenge last year\u2019s loss to the Commodores.<\/p>\n But just how high can Vanderbilt soar in the SEC standings as the season continues to play out? After beating a ranked LSU team, Vanderbilt has two more ranked opponents coming up. It also concludes the season at ranked Tennessee. Not an easy stretch to close the year.<\/p>\n LSU has only lost two games and both were to ranked teams on the road. But the Tigers are also in danger of letting the noise really get to them and allow things to spiral, too. The pressure on Brian Kelly<\/a> is mounting.<\/p>\n How the Tigers hold up from here will be interesting, because there\u2019s no easy out. The next two games are against top 5 teams nationally. First it\u2019s a home date with Texas A&M, then an SEC road trip to face Alabama. Kelly has his work cut out for him.<\/p>\n Rest of the SEC in the FPI<\/p>\n Auburn Tigers<\/a> (3-4) \u2013 11.4<\/p>\n Florida Gators<\/a> (3-4) \u2013 10.0<\/p>\n Arkansas Razorbacks<\/a> (2-5) \u2013 9.2<\/p>\n South Carolina Gamecocks<\/a> (3-4) \u2013 8.3<\/p>\n![\"Georgia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-Copy-of-On3-Featured-Image-1200x630-2025-10-05T200336.528-1024x538.png\")
(Tony Walsh\/UGAAA)<\/p>\n![\"With](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/lane-kiffin-4-1024x538.png\")
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n![\"Mizzou](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/USATSI_27298521-1024x538.jpg\")
Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images<\/p>\n