College football is crazy every season, but this year seems crazier than many before it. In a year that was predicted to show the wealth of the “haves” and the poverty of the “have nots”, we’re seeing less separation between the two than we thought. Alabama barely squeaks by Texas, Notre Dame hangs with Ohio State only to be defeated by Marshall, and Georgia finds itself in a 10-point battle against Kent State in the 4th quarter at home.
Other teams in the SEC are closer to Alabama and Georgia than we previously thought. So, who is on the rise?
Here are my grades for the top 5 teams in the SEC:
No. 1 – Georgia
A bit of a conundrum because Georgia was considered by many to be the best team in the nation and played that way the first three weeks of the season. Week 4, however, was a different story. Here are three things that you need to know about this matchup streamed on ESPN+: Stetson Bennett did not throw a single touchdown in the home victory, the Bulldogs scored just 13 of their 39 points in the second half, and Georgia turned the ball over 3 times to the Golden Flashes. A 17-point victory is still a victory, but when Oklahoma and Washington deliver worse beatdowns on your opponent, something is wrong. No one can blame it on Georgia looking ahead because their next opponent is Missouri.
Before Week 4: A +
Week 4: D
Overall: A
No. 2 – Alabama
For the first time this season, Alabama looked like the Alabama we’re used to. As we all know, Vanderbilt isn’t great, but holding any team in the SEC to one field goal is quite an accomplishment. Surprisingly, the issue this season doesn’t lie with the Crimson Tide defense, but rather on the opposite side of the ball. With a Heisman-winning quarterback, you’d expect a dynamic offense, but that hasn’t been the case in 2022. The 1-point victory against Texas in Austin left a lot of questions. However, with 400 yards in the air and 228 on the ground, Bryce Young and Alabama’s offense look like they’re finally on the same page.
Before Week 4: B+
Week 4: A +
Overall: A
No. 3 – Tennessee
Tennessee had a lot of questions going into the season, but quite a few of them have now been answered. Tennessee handled business against the smaller opponents and the overtime win against Pitt showed many Vol fans that this team could finish the job on the road. Florida is always a different battle for Vol Nation, but Tennessee came out swinging against a surprisingly impressive Anthony Richardson performance. Billy Napier threw everything he could think of at the Vols, and although there were some mistakes, Tennessee fought hard for the win. After the initial nervous bumbles, the Vols settled in and played consistently while Florida’s erratic play calling kept the Gators (and everyone else) on edge.
Before Week 4: B
Week 4: B +
Overall: B
No. 4 – Kentucky
Kentucky’s win against Florida in the Swamp was the most impressive game they’ve played so far. However, this victory at home against Northern Illinois was ugly. The Wildcat defensive line seemingly disappeared at the hands of the Huskies, giving up on average 4 yards per carry to a team that lost to Vanderbilt by 10. Kentucky is still without their starting running back, or I’d be very concerned for the Wildcats going forward this season.
Before Week 4: B+
Week 4: D+
Overall: B –
No. 5 – Texas A&M
Whether it was the moral boost from changing the QB or the embarrassment of the loss to App State, it looks like Texas A&M is back to mediocrity rather than bottom of the totem pole. This is mainly due to the number of mistakes made by Arkansas, which played out in Texas A&M’s favor. However, you must have the talent and the awareness to capitalize on those situations, which is exactly what the Aggies did and will continue to do. The ability of Texas A&M to take advantage of the weaknesses displayed by Arkansas causes the Aggies to move ahead of the Razorbacks. This matchup had two very strange plays that went against the Razorbacks and gave A&M the win. Sometimes you just get lucky.
Before Week 4: C-
Week 4: B –
Overall: C+
