The first weekend of October is in the rearview mirror, and Southeastern Conference play has now officially begun for all 14 teams. 
A few small upsets and some scares near the top prompted some shifting in this week’s rankings, but Alabama still remains at the top. At this point, no one is even gaining ground. 
Here are the full rankings. 
1. Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC)
Alabama steamrolled Georgia State this weekend in the most pointless football game ever played. Nick Saban could have spent that time recruiting, and I’m sure he’s quite unhappy about that. 
At this point, no team is even close to the Tide. They are the only SEC team loaded on offense and defense, and I’d be surprised if any of their next three games are decided by less than 20 points. 
Last Week: 1 
2. Texas A&M (4-1, 1-1 SEC)
The Aggies moved up a spot off a bye week because the team above them struggled and suffered significant injuries. Johnny Manziel has more than a month to get hot heading into a November trip to Baton Rouge that promises to be a shootout for the ages. 
Last Week: 3
3. Georgia (4-1, 3-0 SEC)  
Georgia needed an absolute gift and overtime to escape with an extremely costly victory Saturday. The Bulldogs, who were already missing running back Todd Gurley, lost Gurley’s backup Keith Marshall and wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley for the remainder of the season. 
Georgia could fall further, but Aaron Murray is still elite and there really isn’t anyone threatening to pass them. 
Last Week: 2
4. LSU (5-1, 2-1 SEC)
The Tigers were in a dogfight for three quarters in Starkville, and the 59-26 score was in no way indicative of how the game went. The LSU defense may have rebounded in the second half, but it was gashed by a mediocre Bulldog offense in the first.
The only reason LSU doesn’t drop is that the offense has been good enough to carry the defense so far. But that may change if Jarvis Landry, the SEC leader in touchdown receptions, can’t play on Saturday against Florida. 
Last Week: 4
5. Florida (4-1, 3-0 SEC)
The Gators have coasted to a pair of easy victories since Tyler Murphy took over as quarterback. 
With the top-ranked defense in the conference, Florida is one of the few teams that can actually make a stop when it needs one. How that unit fares against a high-powered LSU offense is this weekend’s matchup to watch around the country. 
Last Week: 5
6. Missouri (5-0, 1-0 SEC) 
Bludgeoning Vanderbilt on the road last weekend was the Tigers’ first step toward proving they are for real. 
Quarterback James Franklin can score points in a hurry, but a trip to Athens this weekend will probably be more than its defense can handle. A win this week would shoot Missouri up the rankings. 
Last Week: 8
7. South Carolina (4-1, 2-1 SEC)
Quarterback Connor Shaw played well in his return last week, but as long as Jadeveon Clowney is refusing to play, the Gamecocks will not move up. 
Last Week: 7
8. Auburn (4-1, 2-1 SEC)
Auburn notched a solid home victory against Ole Miss on Saturday. The Tigers’ No. 18-ranked running game and quarterback Nick Marshall are both legit, and that allows them to cover for a subpar defense. 
Last Week: 9
9. Ole Miss (3-2, 1-2 SEC)
Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace appeared to struggle with bouts of color blindness against Auburn, leading to a pair of terrible interceptions that cost the Rebel Black Bears the game. 
After a strong 3-0 start, Ole Miss has lost back-to-back games in an unimpressive fashion.
Last Week: 6
10. Mississippi State (2-3, 0-2 SEC) 
The Bulldogs lost to LSU by 33 points, but they looked impressive for three quarters. The fighting cowbells have an underrated defense, and with both quarterbacks healthy, the offense is quickly improving. That all adds up to a team that isn’t as bad as previously thought. 
Last Week: 12
11. Tennessee (3-3, 0-2 SEC)
Tennessee’s loss to Georgia was enough to make Derek Dooley cringe. But Butch Jones may have found his quarterback in Justin Worley, providing a silver lining to the Vols. 
Last Week: 13
12. Vanderbilt (3-3, 0-3 SEC)
Winless in the SEC, the Commodores are the most disappointing team in the conference so far. Coach James Franklin may want to get out of town before his coaching stock begins to fall. 
Last Week: 10
13. Arkansas (3-3, 0-2 SEC)
The Razorbacks have lost three straight games, and with South Carolina and Alabama up next, the tailspin is likely to continue. 
Last Week: 11
14. Kentucky (1-4, 0-2 SEC) 
The Wildcats welcome Alabama this Saturday. Good luck with that.
Last Week: 14
James Moran is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Beacon, N.Y.