The Texas Longhorns remain unbeaten through 5 games as they continue with their winning trend. When starting with Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, Texas whipped Mississippi State with a score of 35-13 to make them the epitome of dominance. Manning completed 325 passing yards, and the running game was back on after Blue and Wisner had accumulated over 200 yards. With this win, Texas has demonstrated that it can beat contenders for both the SEC and national championship regularly in the upcoming season.

At the same time, sheer dominance has see-sawed Alabama to new heights…literally. Following their 41-34 victory over Georgia offensive playmaker Jalen Milroe set a new career high in passing yards with 374 while also adding 117 rushing yards. The host Bulldogs were pinned on their heels after the freshman wide receiver, Ryan Williams, gained 177 yards in the game. That was not just a performance, not a mere victory over Texas A&M. That was a statement made by Alabama. “Milroe and Williams connected on another level this game, and it’s why they’re now firmly in the SEC driver’s seat,” spoke an SEC analyst after the game.

Week 6 of the SEC football sees different standings as Alabama climbs to the top in the East alongside Texas, while Georgia starts to fade after their loss. The final weekend was full of on-pitch narrative, with the Crimson Tide returning as champions and the Bulldogs left stunned after their first defeat. Here’s how the SEC power rankings stack up after the chaos of Week 5. Let’s take a look at the Week 5 rankings.

Here are the top five teams from the Week 5 SEC Power Rankings:

1. Alabama
2. Tennessee
3. Texas
4. Georgia
5. Missouri

Apart from the top teams, Tennessee and Missouri are gradually beginning to reckon with. The Volunteers moved up to the No. 3 position after compiling a convincing 25-15 victory over Oklahoma. Missouri has softly compiled a 4-1 record and qualifies as a member of the top five after edging Vanderbilt 30-27.

Considering the victories, LSU, as well as Oklahoma, received mixed outcomes, both teams are performing rather mediocre at average ranking. While the Sooners performed well to start the season they suffered a bad loss in week 5 that knocked them down in the rankings. Continuing with a slow start, both Texas A&M and South Carolina remain at the bottom of the SEC while frustrating their supporters.

What Georgia’s loss means for the SEC landscape

Before Week 5, Georgia Bulldogs were No.2 in the league, and although they proved their worth, Alabama showed them that they are not invincible. It was a great game even when Carson Beck threw for a mind-boggling 439 yards, but the Tide offense just would not let up. Georgia’s strength on defense, which made a lot of headlines throughout the season, was no match for Milroe’s versatility as a dual-threat ability and Williams’ explosion on the field. “This loss hurts, no doubt,” Georgia’s head coach, Kirby Smart, said after the game ended. “We had opportunities, but Alabama just capitalized on key moments.”

This is Georgia’s first loss after a very good start in the season, and it’s big enough to push them down the rankings. The loss not only creates problems in the SEC rankings but also hampers the opportunities to claim the national title. However, Georgia is not on the bench yet; they have many football games in front of her.

The shift of gears after Georgia’s loss is massive for the SEC. It creates that opportunity for teams such as Alabama and Texas to fight for that spot and probably the SEC spot. So far, both sides are operating at full power, with Tide’s Jalen Milroe and the Longhorns’ Arch Manning in action. When these behemoths meet each other in the future, the chances of producing even more exciting games will be higher. “This is the SEC—nothing is ever set in stone. One week you’re on top, and the next, you’re looking up from the middle of the pack,” noted a commentator on ESPN.

Alabama proved they were not backing down after a slow start in the earlier games; on the other hand, Texas still looked like the most imposing team in that conference. When both are playing at their best, the SEC championship might just as easily be decided by a contest between these two titans. But on the flip side of that, Georgia’s loss proves no team is immune, and they’ll need to regroup quickly if they want to stay in the playoff conversation.