We’re four weeks into the 2023 SEC football season, and the teams we thought would be good have finally started to play like it.

With a few exceptions, things went pretty “chalky” in Week 4. The favored team won all five games involving two SEC teams, though one was closer than we might have expected.

So how do the teams in the SEC stack up now that all 14 have played at least four games? Here’s the Week 5 edition of AL.com’s SEC football power rankings for 2023 (all times Central and all games Saturday unless noted):

14. Vanderbilt (2-3, 0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 14

Last week’s game: Lost to Kentucky, 45-28

This week’s game: vs. Missouri 3 p.m., SEC Network

The Commodores continue to slide after winning their first two games, undoing a solid offensive performance by turning the ball over three times in a loss to Kentucky (including two interceptions returned for touchdowns). Again, it’s difficult to see another winnable game on Vanderbilt’s schedule, barring a dramatic improvement on defense.

13. Mississippi State (2-2, 0-2)

Last week’s ranking: 13

Last week’s game: Lost to South Carolina, 37-30

This week’s game: vs. Alabama, 8 p.m., ESPN

The Bulldogs continue to struggle in finding an offensive identity, returning to their Air Raid ways after focusing on the running game in their first three games. Zach Arnett’s defense has gotten lit up through the air the last two weeks as well, putting MSU in an 0-2 SEC hole with a suddenly revived Alabama team visiting Starkville this weekend.

12. Arkansas (2-2, 0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 12

Last week’s game: Lost to LSU, 34-31

This week’s game: vs. Texas A&M (at Arlington, Texas), 11 a.m., SEC Network

The Razorbacks have lost back-to-back heartbreakers, with LSU kicking the game-winning field goal with 5 seconds remaining this past Saturday. Arkansas led 13-3 at one point, but allowed long touchdown passes late in the first half and early in the second to let the game get away. Next up is the annual trip to Jerry World to face Texas A&M, a team that has beaten the Hogs in 11 of the last 12 years.

11. South Carolina (2-2, 1-1)

Last week’s ranking: 11

Last week’s game: Beat Mississippi State, 37-30

This week’s game: at Tennessee, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network

The Gamecocks won a shootout at home against Mississippi State on Saturday, the kind of game they need to win to stay on track for a third straight bowl berth this season. The offense remains too one-dimensional and the defense continues to struggle vs. the pass. That’s not good news with a trip to Knoxville this weekend to face Tennessee’s up-tempo attack.

10. Auburn (3-1, 0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 6

Last week’s game: Lost to Texas A&M, 27-10

This week’s game: vs. Georgia, 2:30 p.m., CBS

The Tigers hung around for a half in the first of a brutal four-game gauntlet against SEC contenders, but the defense can only do so much. Auburn didn’t score an offensive touchdown in College Station, and quarterback questions remain a third of the way into the season. Georgia visits Jordan-Hare on Saturday riding a six-game winning streak in the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry,” and only one of those has been close.

9. Kentucky (4-0, 1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 10

Last week’s game: Beat Vanderbilt, 45-28

This week’s game: vs. Florida, 11 a.m., ESPN

The Wildcats got off to another great start, leading 21-0 after the first quarter and cruising to a relatively comfortable win in their SEC opener. Devin Leary and Ray Davis have been excellent offensive additions through the transfer portal. Next up is a visit from Florida, a team Kentucky has beaten two straight years and in three of the last five after three decades of futility against its SEC East rival.

8. Tennessee (3-1, 0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 9

Last week’s game: Beat UT-San Antonio, 45-14

This week’s game: vs. South Carolina, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network

The Volunteers got their offense revved up again, albeit against a non-conference opponent, jumping out to a 31-0 halftime lead and rushing for 313 yards in the game. It was a nice bounce back win after what was a disheartening loss at Florida the previous week. Tennessee welcomes South Carolina to Knoxville on Saturday night, and the Gamecocks have had trouble stopping anyone this year.

7. Missouri (4-0, 0-0)

Last week’s ranking: 7

Last week’s game: Beat Memphis, 34-27

This week’s game: at Vanderbilt, 3 p.m., SEC Network

The Tigers remained one of three unbeaten SEC teams with a hard-fought neutral-site win over Memphis, as Brady Cook and Luther Burden both shined in their hometown of St. Louis. Eli Drinkwitz’s team should be one win from bowl-eligibility after a trip to Vanderbilt this weekend. A rugged second-half schedule will tell the tale of Missouri’s season, however.

6. Ole Miss (3-1, 0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 2

Last week’s game: Lost to Alabama, 24-10

This week’s game: vs. LSU, 5 p.m., ESPN

Fans and observers waiting on Lane Kiffin and the Rebels to finally arrive as SEC West contenders probably have to wait at least another year. Ole Miss was shut down in the second half and posted the second-lowest point total of Kiffin’s four-year tenure in a two-touchdown loss to Alabama. Kiffin talked a good game last week, but his team once again didn’t show up when it counted.

5. Florida (3-1, 1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 8

Last week’s game: Beat Charlotte, 22-7

This week’s game: at Kentucky, 11 a.m., ESPN

Red zone woes for the Gators led to a closer-than-it-should-have-been outcome vs. a poor Charlotte team, though they continue to play excellent defense. Florida has looked like a serious contender exactly once this year (two weeks ago vs. Tennessee), but perhaps Billy Napier’s team will flip the switch again when it steps back into SEC play this week. The Wildcats have dominated the rivalry in recent years.

4. Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 5

Last week’s game: Beat Auburn, 27-10

This week’s game: vs. Arkansas (at Arlington, Texas), 11 a.m., SEC Network

A first-half foot injury to quarterback Connor Weigman kept the Aggies’ game with Auburn close for a while, but backup (and former LSU starter) Max Johnson got the job done in the second half. How long Weigman might be out will determine whether or not the Aggies can remain a contender in the SEC West. An always closely contested battle with Arkansas at Jerry World is on tap this week.

3. LSU (3-1, 2-0)

Last week’s ranking: 3

Last week’s game: Beat Arkansas, 34-31

This week’s game: at Ole Miss, 5 p.m., ESPN

The Tigers inexplicably came out flat at home, but recovered late in the first half and were able to steal a victory back from upset-minded Arkansas. Jayden Daniels had four TD passes, and looks like the early favorite for SEC Offensive Player of the Year. LSU has been below-average on defense, however, which might mean danger in Oxford this week vs. Ole Miss.

2. Alabama (3-1, 1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 4

Last week’s game: Beat Ole Miss, 24-10

This week’s game: at Mississippi State, 8 p.m., ESPN

As it turns out, Nick Saban isn’t hopelessly out of touch and headed for the retirement home. The Crimson Tide made a major statement against an SEC West upstart, posting its second straight smothering defensive performance and doing just enough offensively. Alabama still makes too many mistakes and quarterback Jalen Milroe remains a work-in-progress, but things look far rosier now than they did a week ago.

1. Georgia (4-0, 1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

Last week’s game: Beat UAB, 49-21

This week’s game: at Auburn, 2:30 p.m., CBS

We’re a third of the way into the 2023 season, and still the Bulldogs haven’t yet looked like a team going after their third straight national championship. As it has in most games this year, Georgia let an inferior opponent (UAB, in this case) hang around for a half before stepping on the gas in the third quarter. Nevertheless, Kirby Smart’s team remains the class of the SEC and can still win comfortably despite not playing particularly well for four quarters in a row.

Creg Stephenson has worked for AL.com since 2010 and covered college football for a variety of publications since 1994. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @CregStephenson.