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Generally, team and conference questions get answered as the season progresses. That has not been the case for the always sporadic Southeastern Conference. It has been four full weeks and there are still quarterback questions for teams like Auburn (2-2, 0-1 SEC) and No. 21 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1). No. 1 Texas (4-0) and No. 6 Ole Miss (4-0) have yet to be tested.
How good are they really? No. 11 Missouri (4-0, 1-0) is undefeated but has won consecutive close games to lesser opponents. Will the Tigers be able to maintain that pace in the heat of their SEC schedule? Finally, two of the conference's elites are coming off of bye weeks and into a crucial clash for conference supremacy as No. 4 Alabama (3-0) faces No. 2 Georgia (4-0, 1-0). Week 5 will inevitably lend itself to some clarification among a conference full of championship hopefuls.
No. 1 Texas Longhorns (4-0)
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear that there was no quarterback controversy and that Quinn Ewers would return to the starting lineup when he was cleared from injury. Longhorn fans probably agree with Sarkisian after they witnessed freshman quarterback Arch Manning's first career start. Was Manning a train wreck? No. But he was not as efficient as Sarkisian and fans would have hoped. Manning only completed 51.7 percent of his passes and threw 2 interceptions. If Sark isn't comfortable with Ewers' health, Manning will get an opportunity to build on that performance as Texas opens SEC play against Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1).
No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC)
After a bye week, the Bulldogs are staring down a road trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for the season's first marquee SEC matchup. The last we saw Georgia it was scraping by a Kentucky (2-2, 0-2) team that had no business being in the game with the Bulldogs. Quarterback Carson Beck and the Georgia passing game will need to get going early against the Crimson Tide to ensure a better offensive performance than Georgia's previous outing.
No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers (4-0, 1-0 SEC)
The Volunteers' offense and freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava have been the story of the early season. Tennessee ranks in the top five in the nation in most major offensive categories. Last time out, the Vols' top offense ran into one of the nation's better defenses in the Oklahoma Sooners. Tennessee put up 345 total yards but only averaged 2.9 yards per rush attempt. The Vols won the game 25-15. They look to get back to their explosive numbers on offense as they travel to Arkansas (3-1, 1-0) to face the Razorbacks.
No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels (4-0)
After Tennessee's tough matchup against the Sooners, the Ole Miss Rebels now claim the nation's top offense. However, the Rebels have yet to be tested in the way that the Volunteers have been. Ole Miss faces Kentucky next. The Wildcats pushed Georgia but were also throttled by South Carolina (3-1, 0-1), making it difficult to tell if this will be any kind of a test for the far more talented Rebels.
No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0)
The last we saw the Crimson Tide they were trouncing Wisconsin in a performance that appeared to be the 'Bama that the nation has come to know and tolerate. They beat the Badgers 42-10. The machine appears to be well-oiled as the Tide prepare to host the Georgia Bulldogs in one of the most anticipated games of the season.
No. 6 Missouri Tigers (4-0)
Mizzou is coming off a 30-27 victory in a dogfight with Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-1). The Tigers have a talented roster led by receiver Luther Burden III, but have struggled in their last two games against teams who do not match up on paper. The Tigers head into a bye week before facing off against Texas A&M on Oct. 5.
No. 7 LSU Tigers (3-1, 1-0 SEC)
The season hasn't been quite what Tigers fans were hoping for. LSU is only 3-1 but has had to claw its way past South Carolina (3-1, 1-1) and UCLA (1-2), two teams that the Tigers had probably checked off as easy victories in the preseason. Head coach Brian Kelly and his squad should find plenty of breathing room as they host the South Alabama Jaguars (2-2) next.
No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners (3-1, 0-1 SEC)
The Sooners played their first SEC game in Week 4. It wasn't the conference start they were hoping for as Oklahoma fell to the Tennessee Volunteers 25-15. The Sooners made a quarterback change after the offensive struggles continued under Jackson Arnold. Freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. will lead the Sooners into Jordan-Hare Stadium to face off against the Auburn Tigers in a game that will be a clash of two inept offenses. OU's defense is prone to causing turnovers, and the Auburn offense is prone to turning the ball over. The Sooners have to hope that Hawkins will lead to some offensive production and the defense will do what it does best.
No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1, 1-0 SEC)
Arkansas was outgained on offense by the Auburn Tigers 431-334 in Week 4 but still managed to pull out the victory 24-14. That was largely because the Tigers turned the ball over 5 times. The Razorbacks have found a way to win in some close games. Their only loss has come in overtime to a talented No. 16 Oklahoma State (3-1) team. Next up for the Hogs is a Texas A&M team that may have found their quarterback of the future.
No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies (3-1, 1-0 SEC)
Redshirt freshman Marcel Reed started the last two games at quarterback for the injured Connor Weigman. Reed has thrown for 422 yards and 4 scores. He also rushed for 174 yards and 1 touchdown in those two starts. The Aggie offense seems to have a little more pop with Reed at the helm. Reed is the first Aggie QB to record at least 2 passing touchdowns and rush for 80 yards in consecutive games since Johnny Manziel. The Aggies and Reed look to continue that momentum against Arkansas.
No. 11 South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1, 1-1 SEC)
The Gamecocks were without starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers when they beat the Akron Zips 50-7. No Sellers, no problem. Backup Robby Ashford stepped in and stepped up. Ashford passed for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed for 133 yards and 1 score. The Gamecocks have plenty of banged-up players and hope to get healthy during the bye week ahead of a home game against Ole Miss.
No. 12 Auburn Tigers (2-2, 1-1 SEC)
Auburn is currently tied for last in the country in giveaways with 14 turnovers. Freshman QB Hank Brown threw 3 first-half interceptions against Arkansas and was replaced by Payton Thorne to start the second half. Thorne threw 1 interception in the second half, and running back Damari Alston fumbled on his way into the end zone. Auburn ranks among the top 15 teams in the country in yards per play and explosive plays. But consistent turnover issues have tanked their offensive output. Head coach Hugh Freeze called the lack of scoring that generally comes with that type of production sickening. If Auburn can solve their turnover issues, then the offense immediately becomes formidable. It'll be a difficult week to try and correct those turnover issues as the Tigers face an Oklahoma team that is one of the best in the nation at forcing turnovers.
No. 13 Vanderbilt Commodores (2-2, 1-1 SEC)
The Commodores were the early-season darlings after defeating Virginia Tech (2-2) in the season opener and hanging 55 on Alcorn State (0-2) in back-to-back weeks. Then Vandy dropped its next game to Georgia State, and things seemed to back to being the same ole Vandy. However, the Commodores proceeded to play top 15 Missouri to within 3 points. So, who is this team? Vandy gets a bye before it welcomes the Alabama Crimson Tide in their next game. Don't expect to find out how good the Commodores are in that unenviable matchup.
No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats (2-2, 0-2 SEC)
The Wildcats beat the Ohio Bobcats (2-2) 41-6. Kentucky has flashed some defensive success this season but has also given up 31 points to South Carolina. So, what version of the team will travel to Oxford, Miss. to face the Rebels of Ole Miss?
No. 15 Florida Gators (2-2, 1-1 SEC)
Florida beat Mississippi State 45-28 and head coach Billy Napier kept his job for another couple of weeks thanks to a Week 5 bye. Next up is a visit from in-state rival UCF. Napier's seat will be scorching hot if the Gators drop a matchup that should be a dominant victory.
No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-3, 0-2 SEC)
Mississippi State falls to the final spot in these rankings after dropping the game against the Florida Gators in Week 4. The Bulldogs travel to Austin, Texas to face off against the team at the other end of these rankings in the Longhorns. Expect State to remain at the bottom of the SEC power rankings after what figures to be a one-sided affair.
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