SEC Week 5 Round Up: Bama Rights the Ship, Rebels Riding High, Pittman Fired

Week 5 of the College Football season brought a hefty slate of in-conference games. Despite multiple teams on bye weeks, the weekend had no shortage of drama. Here are some key takeaways from the weekend. 

Another week, another 10 teams ranked 

After Week 5, the SEC remains the only conference with 10 ranked teams in the AP Top 25. This remains the highest of any conference. The Big Ten is doing a lot of talking with Ohio State and Oregon listed at No. 1 and No. 2, but that conference is still top-heavy. Here are the latest rankings of SEC teams: 

Ole Miss, No. 4
Oklahoma, No. 5
Texas A&M, No. 6 
Texas, No. 9 
Alabama, No. 10 
Georgia, No. 12 
LSU, No. 13
Tennessee, No. 15 
Vanderbilt, No. 16 
Missouri, No. 19

Alabama rights the ship and escapes from Athens 

On Saturday night, Alabama (3-1) got a statement win on the road against Georgia (3-1) and defeated the Bulldogs 24-21. That signature regular-season win against Alabama continues to remain elusive for Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart. After beginning the season with a crushing loss against Florida State, Saturday marked Alabama’s most complete win of the season. 

This game was a tale of two halves. In the first half, Alabama put on a show with 24 points, 17 of which came in the second quarter. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who finished the game with 276 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns, was throwing darts all over the field. Georgia’s defense looked lost and a step behind. With quarterback Gunner Stockton struggling, running back Chauncey Bowens kept the Bulldogs in the game with some big-time runs. Bowens finished the game with 119 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown. 

The second half was a defensive showcase with both teams tightening up. The only points of the half came on a 1-yard run from running back Josh McCray with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter. 

Although the defenses for both teams were strong, coaching played a crucial role in the outcome. Kirby Smart made arguably one of the worst regular-season coaching decisions of his career at the beginning of the 4th quarter. 

With 13:25 remaining in the game, Georgia was in the red zone and failed to convert on 3rd down. Georgia was at home and had shut down Alabama’s receivers in the second half. Alabama had trouble running the ball (its leading rusher finished the game with 46 total yards). A field goal would have tied the game, erased a 10-point Alabama lead, and put the pressure back on Ty Simpson on the road. Instead of taking an easy chip-shot field goal, Smart got greedy and went for it. For a coach who was brought up in the Nick Saban school of smart football, the decision was a head-scratcher worthy of a dunce cap. 

Although Alabama fans are peacocking after Saturday’s game, the Crimson Tide still have some glaring questions. Despite facing a draft-depleted Georgia defensive line, Alabama could not run the ball on Saturday. And while the Alabama passing offense looked unstoppable in the first half, the Crimson Tide went scoreless in the second half. It’s not 2009 anymore. Twenty-four points may have gotten Alabama a win on Saturday, but it will need to score more to win in the modern era of college football consistently. The pressure is on this weekend for Alabama to hold off a ravenous Commodore team and avoid back-to-back upsets against Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon.

For Georgia, Saturday night was a massive step back. Georgia had a chance to tie the game and put the pressure on Alabama, and Kirby Smart elected to be too cute on fourth down. After a dynamic performance on the road against Tennessee, Gunner Stockton had a pedestrian performance with 13-20 passing for 130 yards and 1 touchdown. Despite Alabama’s weak run defense, the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize late in the second half. Georgia has a tune-up on Saturday against Kentucky before it takes on Auburn on the road on October 11th.

Ole Miss shows some grit in win 

Earlier this season, Ole Miss demonstrated that it could win in shootout games. On Saturday, Ole Miss proved that it can win in ugly rock-fight games with a 24-19 win over LSU. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss impressed once again for Ole Miss, throwing for 314 passing yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Chambliss was also dynamic with his legs and had 71 yards on 14 carries. Ole Miss got another clutch performance from running back Kewan Lacy, who ran for 87 yards and 1 touchdown on 23 carries. The Rebels’ defense impressed the most and held LSU’s dynamic passing offense to just 197 yards and limited the Tigers to 57 rushing yards. Losing starting quarterback Austin Simmons to injury was not how Head Coach Lane Kiffin had drawn up the beginning of his 2025 season, but he has to be pleased with his team’s performance on both sides of the ball. Ole Miss has a bye week before taking on Washington State on October 11. 

With Saturday’s loss, LSU continues to show that it may not be the contender many pundits thought it would be at the start of the season. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier went 21-34 passing with 197 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, which is not good enough on the road in the SEC when your team is unable to run the football. LSU’s running game sputtered once again and generated just 57 rushing yards on the day. Defensively, the Tigers were gashed for 480 yards by Ole Miss. The Tigers have a much-needed bye week before playing South Carolina on October 11th. 

Texas A&M wins rock fight against Auburn

Texas A&M has proven to be one of the most steady teams in the conference in 2025. On Saturday, the Aggies remained undefeated with a 16-10 win over Auburn at home. While it did not score many points, A&M had a balanced rushing and passing attack with 414 yards split evenly between the two. Quarterback Marcel Reed went 15/22 for 207 yards and an interception and no touchdowns, but did just enough to secure the win. Aggies running back Le’Veon Moss continues to be a menace out of the backfield with 21 rushes for 139 yards and a touchdown. Receiver KC Concepcion also had a big day for the Aggies with 7 catches for 113 yards. Defensively, the Aggies were able to generate 5 sacks and make life miserable for Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold. 

Auburn has now suffered back-to-back weeks of painful losses by one touchdown or less. Quarterback Jackson Arnold does not appear to be the answer for the Tigers, whose defense has shown some real heart in tough spots on the road in consecutive weekends. Auburn’s offense continues to be an issue, generating just 177 yards of total offense against the Aggies. The Tigers have a bye week before facing Georgia on October 11. 

Tennessee avoids a massive upset against Mississippi State 

Mississippi State had Tennessee sweating on Saturday. With the score tied at 17 heading into halftime, Volunteers quarterback Joey Aguilar was not having his best game (Aguilar finished the day with 335 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions). The Bulldogs had a 24-20 lead heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs had a massive blunder and gave up a touchdown by Volunteers defensive lineman Joshua Josephs following a strip sack by Tyre West. After Mississippi State rattled off 10 straight points with a 38-yard field goal and a touchdown to tight end Seydou Traore, Joey Aguilar had a 6-yard rushing touchdown to tie it at 34. The Volunteers scored on their first possession of overtime with a 25-yard rushing touchdown by DeSean Bishop to put them in the driver’s seat in overtime. To end the game, Bulldogs quarterback Balek Shapen had his pass batted down in the end zone on fourth down. 

For the Volunteers, the defense proved opportunistic with two touchdowns on the day, one coming on a strip sack and the other on a pick 6 in the first quarter. Offensively, the trio of running back DeSean Bishop and receivers Mike Matthews and Chris Brazzell continues to be dynamic for the Volunteers. Bishop had 11 rushes for 2 yards and 1 touchdown, Matthews had 6 catches for 118 yards, and Brazzell had 6 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee has a bye week before it takes on Arkansas at home on October 11. 

For Mississippi State, Saturday’s loss has to hurt. Ball security doomed the Bulldogs, as Tennessee scored two defensive touchdowns. On the bright side, running back Fluff Bothwell had a massive day with 23 carries for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns. With a disappointing 2-10 finish last season, the Bulldogs have shown significant progress at 4-1, with bowl eligibility well within reach. Mississippi State has a tough road test coming up against Texas A&M this weekend.

South Carolina pummels Kentucky 

South Carolina moved to 3-2 on Saturday after it pummelled Kentucky 35-13. Defense and the run game were the story for the Gamecocks, who ran in 3 scores, 2 for Rahsul Faison, who had 8 carries for 23 yards, and 1 for Matt Fuller, who had 19 carries for 48 yards. While quarterback LaNorris Sellers went 11/14 for just 153 yards throwing the football, he had 14 carries for 81 yards. Defensively, the Gamecocks returned a strip sack and an interception for touchdowns in the second quarter and never looked back. The Gamecocks have a bye week this weekend before traveling to LSU on October 11th. 

As for Kentucky? Well, Kentucky stinks. Quarterback Cutter Boley went 10/19 passing for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns. While running back Seth McGowan had 17 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown, the Wildcats’ inability to move the ball down the field doomed them. The Wildcats should consider themselves lucky to have two wins this season, because they may not win another game for the rest of the season. Kentucky faces Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee in its next three games. 

Arkansas destroyed by Notre Dame, Sam Pittman fired 

Arkansas dropped to 2-3 and fired head coach Sam Pittman after a 56-13 beatdown by Notre Dame on Saturday. The Razorbacks have named former head coach Bobby Petrino as the interim head coach. Petrino’s infamous motorcycle scandal, in which he got into a motorcycle accident while traveling with Jessica Dorrell, a 25-year-old former Arkansas women’s volleyball player. The accident revealed Petrino’s affair and a gift of $20,000 to Dorrell, neither of which was disclosed to the University of Arkansas. Petrino was fired for cause following a university investigation in April 2012.

The Razorbacks’ defense was obliterated against the Fighting Irish and gave up 641 total yards, 431 passing, and 210 rushing yards at home. Quarterback Taylen Green went 17/32 for 207 passing yards and 1 interception. Arkansas’ lone touchdown came on a 1-yard run by offensive lineman Shaq McRoy. Saturday’s performance was especially disheartening, considering the high-flying potential of the Razorbacks’ offense. Arkansas has a bye week this week before traveling to Tennessee on October 11. 

Mizzou stomps UMASS

On Saturday afternoon, Missouri blasted a horrendous UMASS program 42-6. Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula threw for 241 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Running back Ahmad Hardy ran for 130 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers crushed a UMass team that is hot garbage, and there’s not much to learn from this game. Missouri has a bye week this week and faces Alabama on October 11.