SEC is home to more average teams than ever

A few facts are becoming clear as we reach Week 5 of the 10-game SEC football season.

First, the conference-only schedule is exposing the mediocrity of several teams that are normally expected to be better than that. It’s amazing how sprinkling in some wins against the likes of Furman, Middle Tennessee State and The Citadel can prop up a conference record that was less than stellar.

Without those cupcake wins, the SEC has become a league of a bunch of average teams with just a couple of outliers who are either elite or dismal.

After just four weeks, Alabama is the only undefeated team, while Vanderbilt is the only winless team. The other 12 have all been good on some weeks and bad on others.

That’s how we got to the point where only one team is 4-0, two are 3-1, one is 2-1, five are 2-2, two are 1-2, two are 1-3, and one is 0-3.

That’s a lot of pretty good teams. In the SEC, where head coaches routinely make $7 million a year, pretty good is not what we’re paying for.

In past years, mediocre meant 8-5. This year, that same team is going to be 5-5. That makes for some unhappy fans. Maybe they can find comfort in their team’s standing compared to the rest of the balanced SEC.

Here is a ranking of all 14 teams as we close in on the halfway point.

1. Alabama (4-0)

The Tide is not only the only undefeated team in the SEC, but one of only four undefeated Power 5 teams already playing (joining Clemson, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State). Among Alabama’s four wins are ones over the best team from the East (Georgia) and the top challenger from the West (Texas A&M). 

Because of that, it’s going to take a miracle to keep the Tide out of the SEC Championship Game. Alabama would have to lose two of its next six games and even then, the Tide might still make it to Atlanta.

Alabama just played against the best defense in the country and scored 41 points. It’s hard to imagine anyone holding that offense to less than five touchdowns since the streak of scoring at least 35 points has now reached 17 games. Any hope of beating the Tide has to come with the thought of winning an offensive shootout.

2. Georgia (3-1)

You can’t win a national championship with Stetson Bennett IV at quarterback. But there is enough talent on offense to complement the country’s best defense and get the Bulldogs to 9-1. By then, maybe they will have found another answer at the position before facing Alabama in a rematch.

3. Texas A&M (3-1)

The Aggies have already played the two toughest opponents on their schedule and have emerged with the second-best record in the league. The loss at Alabama was expected. The win over Florida was not.

4. Florida (2-1)

The loss to Texas A&M was disappointing but does nothing to diminish the Gators’ championship hopes. If they win out, they will not only win the SEC but be in the college football playoff.

5. Kentucky (2-2)

The Wildcats join Alabama, Georgia and Florida as the only teams that control their own destiny to get to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game.

6. South Carolina (2-2)

The Gamecocks have two respectable losses and the first win over Auburn since 1933.

7. Arkansas (2-2)

Among the first-year coaches, Sam Pittman has shockingly been the most successful.

8. Auburn (2-2)

Losses to Georgia and South Carolina have been hugely disappointing. But even the home wins over Kentucky and Arkansas have been unsatisfying. At some point, the offense has to begin to look more intricate than Bo Nix telling his receivers to go to the fire hydrant and button hook. When the backyard plays work, they’re exhilarating. When they don’t, they’re exasperating.

9. Tennessee (2-2)

Everything was trending up for the Vols until last week’s blowout loss to Kentucky. Now Alabama comes to town.

10. Missouri (1-2)

The schedule has been brutal, but the Tigers have given a good effort every week. The win over LSU was stunning.

11. LSU (1-2)

The Tigers’ three opponents have not won a single game (except when they were beating LSU). Seldom has a national champion crashed back down so quickly.

12. Ole Miss (1-3)

The Rebels are at least fun to watch under Lane Kiffin.

13. Mississippi State (1-3)

Remember when the Bulldogs were the toast of the SEC after dominating LSU? Yeah, that seems like years ago. Now, the Bulldogs can’t score on anyone

14. Vanderbilt (0-3)

The Commodores have smart players. So, there’s that.

Randy Kennedy, who has been a leading voice on the Gulf Coast sports scene for 18 years, writes a weekly column for Lagniappe. His sports talk show airs weekdays on Sports Talk 99.5 from 7-10 a.m. and on the iHeart app.