Georgia Emerges as SEC Standard-Bearer After Decisive Week 4 Wins

OriginalGlobal Sportscast deskSep 27, 2026 · 03:52 UTC

The short version

Georgia is 4-0 after a 41-13 win over Oklahoma, the Bulldogs' closest game so far.
Texas edged Tennessee 20-17 and Alabama beat South Carolina 49-18 behind Keelon Russell's 365 yards and four TDs.
Florida routed Ole Miss 52-28, with Jadan Baugh already at 11 rushing touchdowns.
Boise State and Wisconsin posted significant non-SEC wins over Western Michigan and Penn State.
Texas A&M and Oklahoma are both 2-2 and fading from playoff contention.

The Bulldogs routed Oklahoma, Texas survived Tennessee, and Alabama rolled past South Carolina as the SEC picture came into focus on the season's biggest Saturday.

The fourth week of the 2026 college football season delivered the clearest reading yet on the Southeastern Conference. Of the six games on the schedule pairing AP Top 25 teams, four were conference matchups, and the results established a hierarchy at the top, with No. 2 Georgia looking like the league's strongest squad through a month of play.

Georgia improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SEC action by defeating Oklahoma 41-13, and that 28-point margin actually represents the Bulldogs' narrowest victory of the year. Quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 14 of 25 passes for 171 yards with one touchdown, giving him more incompletions than scoring throws for the first time this season. No. 1 Texas needed a 20-17 escape at Tennessee, where an onside kick recovery by the Volunteers raised legality questions, and the Longhorns and Bulldogs do not face each other before a potential SEC championship meeting.

No. 8 Alabama announced itself with a 49-18 dismantling of South Carolina behind quarterback Keelon Russell, who threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns in his first year as the starter. Wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams caught five passes for 98 yards and two scores. Alabama hosts Georgia in two weeks in a game that could reshape the top tier. No. 21 Florida, meanwhile, is climbing after a 52-28 rout of Ole Miss in which Jadan Baugh ran 29 times for 142 yards and already has 11 rushing touchdowns this season. Picked ninth in the SEC preseason media poll, the Gators face both Georgia and Texas in October.

A second group of contenders sits a step behind because each already owns a conference defeat: No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 10 LSU and No. 14 Tennessee. Ole Miss beat LSU in Week 3, a result that could matter for tiebreakers, and LSU answered by blowing out Texas A&M on Saturday. Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon struggled against Texas, going 17 of 29 for 145 yards under steady pressure, though the Volunteers still have a route to nine wins.

No. 24 Mississippi State moved to 4-0 by beating Missouri 31-24, rallying after blowing a 14-0 lead with a 14-0 fourth quarter. It marks the first time since 1944 and 1945 that the Bulldogs have opened 4-0 in consecutive seasons, and with Kamario Taylor settled in at quarterback, they may improve on last year's 5-8 finish. Kentucky, coming off a Week 3 statement win over Texas A&M, figures to be favored against South Carolina in Week 5 before a Week 6 test against LSU. Auburn beat Vanderbilt behind Byrum Brown, who threw for one touchdown and ran for another, though both programs face difficult remaining schedules.

At the bottom of the league, No. 23 Texas A&M and Oklahoma both sit at 2-2 and appear distant from the playoff conversation. The Aggies have lost lopsidedly two weeks running, while Oklahoma's offense has accounted for six scores and nine turnovers since a 51-0 opening win over UTEP. South Carolina and Arkansas face bleaker outlooks; the Gamecocks may be favored only once more, on Nov. 14 at Arkansas, and the Razorbacks beat Tulsa 34-6 without lifting the mood around the program.

Outside the SEC, Boise State strengthened its case for the Group of Six playoff berth by crushing Western Michigan 32-7. Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-23 passing, Dylan Riley added 138 rushing yards and a score on 28 carries, and the defense limited Western Michigan to 223 total yards. Boise State could reach the playoff even with two losses if no American Conference team emerges as dominant.

Wisconsin improved to 3-1 by upsetting No. 13 Penn State 24-20, making an eight-win season realistic with USC and Iowa as the only ranked opponents left on a November slate of Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue and Minnesota. An 8-4 finish might be enough to retain head coach Luke Fickell. UCF also opened Big 12 play with a notable result, beating TCU 21-13 without injured starting quarterback Alonza Barnett; backup Keyone Jenkins threw a touchdown and completed 19 passes while matching his touchdown total with incompletions.