CI's Week 14 SEC Power Rankings

We’re almost all the way through the 2025 college football season and that means we have plenty of data points to balance out in the search for the clearest picture possible.

With Week 13 games in the books here’s Cats Illustrated’s take on the best teams in the league 1-16.

1. Georgia

There are different directions you could go here but Georgia is probably the safest pick unless all that matters is A&M’s unblemished record. The Bulldogs have one loss, great wins, and the only defeat was a close one to Alabama. The Bulldogs should have a playoff spot on lock and have what it takes to make a run in the playoffs.

2. Texas A&M

The Aggies have the SEC’s only unblemished record and that includes a win at Notre Dame. We knew that would look better at the end of the season, and it does. But because Texas A&M has avoided some of the toughest teams in league play to date there’s still a question as to whether they truly belong on top. If A&M wins against LSU they’re in the SEC title game and they’re safe in the playoff probably no matter what happens.

3. Oklahoma

Oklahoma keeps winning. Three weeks ago we looked at the Sooners’ remaining schedule and it looked extremely difficult. Since a home loss to Ole Miss the Sooners have rattled off three consecutive victories against Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri with two of those three coming on the road. That has placed OU at No. 8 in the country with only LSU remaining.

4. Alabama

At times Alabama has looked like one of the best teams in the nation. And if Alabama makes it into the playoff then it will have a real chance of bringing home the hardware. But we’ve seen some “down” stretches too, including a turnover-fueled home loss to Oklahoma and that Week 1 loss to Florida State. Because Alabama only has one conference loss it still controls its destiny in the SEC and the College Football Playoff.

5. Ole Miss

Even with all the drama surrounding Lane Kiffin the Rebels are national contenders late in the season. Ole Miss’ resume is bolstered by a top-10 win at Oklahoma, a non-conference win against Tulane, and the fact that the Rebels have only lost UGA on the road in a close one. Ole Miss has a strong playoff resume but needs help to get into the SEC title game.

6. Vanderbilt

Cats Illustrated has been higher on the Commodores than some others who rate the conference because Vandy is a well-balanced team that has consistent quarterback play and also a style of football that it can press on its opponents week to week. Diego Pavia torched Kentucky’s secondary with the best passing game an SEC quarterback has had all season long.

7. Texas

Arch Manning accounted for six touchdowns in Texas’ win against Arkansas. The Longhorns gave up more points than you would like to see but Texas continues rolling along. It has been a disappointing year based on preseason expectations for Texas but there has been enough talent to keep them relevant and they’re 8-3 overall with a game against A&M remaining.

8. Tennessee

The Tennessee-Vanderbilt game this weekend will determine whether the Vols or Commodores end up higher in the final SEC Power Rankings here at CI. Tennessee hadn’t won at Florida since the early 2000s and they raced out to a 31-0 halftime lead against the Gators this weekend.

9. Missouri

A few weeks ago Missouri was in a position to prove it was the same kind of team it had been for two years in a row. But the Tigers continue to fail its tests against the best teams on its schedule so they seem locked in to the No. 9 or 10 spot and similar to LSU. They seem to belong behind all of the teams on this list.

10. LSU

The most disappointing team in the SEC has been LSU. The Tigers entered the season as a popular choice to compete for the national championship and many had them winning the SEC. LSU lost three games in a row in late October and early November but even the wins since have been ugly. The Tigers barely beat Arkansas at home and then had to really struggle to beat WKU over the weekend. They’re at Oklahoma this weekend.

11. Kentucky

Kentucky won three games in a row and the tone started to shift but the weekend’s 45-17 loss to Vanderbilt won’t help. A rivalry game against Louisville remains and if the Cats win that they’ll get to 6-6 and bowl eligibility.

12. Florida

Even when Florida has lost games over the past couple of years it usually hasn’t been ugly or lopsided. Against Tennessee at home over the weekend it was definitely lopsided. The message was the players still have motivation because it’s a new era in college football but it didn’t look like it in the first half against the Vols.

13. Auburn

Auburn has been a little like Florida this season in that the Tigers have frequently been close with a spirited defense but usually on the wrong end of the tougher games. Auburn bounced back from its ugly home loss to UK and nearly beat Vanderbilt. We didn’t learn anything from a blowout of Mercer and the Iron Bowl is next up. Auburn can play spoiler to Alabama’s hopes.

14. Mississippi State

Jeff Lebby has done a good job building Mississippi State up in his second year but a bowl game hinges on a game against Ole Miss. The Egg Bowl can get weird but this team has been like some of Stoops’ early teams at Kentucky in that they raced out of the gate with some momentum but came back down to earth.

15. South Carolina

Shane Beamer is pledging that South Carolina will be a team in the playoff conversation at the The best South Carolina can do is 5-7 and that will require a home win against Clemson. But beating the Tigers seems like a realistic goal and that always makes USC fans happy.

16. Arkansas

Arkansas has the best offense for a winless SEC team that you’ve probably ever seen. The Razorbacks average 34.4 points per game. The problem is they also give up 34 points per game. That level of defense is just not good enough in the SEC. The Hogs do some things that make you sweat but aren’t well constructed to finish games or play complementary football.