SEC resume ranking: 5 great teams top CBS list, Georgia 13th
The SEC resume ranking from CBS Sports released Oct. 1 puts five SEC teams in the top five, and the biggest surprise is that unbeaten Georgia is not one of them. The Bulldogs are 4-0 but tied for 13th, according to CBS Sports.
How the SEC resume ranking works
The CBS system gives every game a value between -1 and 1, based on how often an average No. 25 team would win that matchup. A road win over the No. 1 team is worth about +0.98, while a home loss to an FCS opponent costs about -0.99.
That approach rewards beating strong opponents, not just piling up wins. It also leans on the SEC’s nine-game conference schedule, which stacks up ranked-versus-ranked games early.
The SEC resume ranking top five
Texas leads at 4-0 with a resume score of 1.81, followed by Florida (4-0, 1.17), Mississippi State (4-0, 1.07), Alabama (4-0, 0.95) and Ole Miss (3-1, 0.93), per CBS. Texas’ résumé includes its 24-23 win over Ohio State.
Florida’s No. 2 spot is built on wins over Auburn and Ole Miss. The Gators beat then-No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 on Sept. 26 in Gainesville, scoring touchdowns on five straight possessions after the Rebels cut the lead to 17-14, according to Florida Athletics. Florida plays at No. 19 Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 3:30 p.m.
Ole Miss ranks fifth despite a loss because it is 2-1 against teams in the top 45 of the CBS Sports 138 rankings, which the ranking values more than a clean record against weaker teams.
Why Georgia sits 13th
Georgia’s resume score is 0.46. CBS notes the Bulldogs have not played a team currently inside the top 45 of its rankings through four games. Their latest result was a 41-13 win over Oklahoma, but the ranking does not treat that as a top-45 victory.
That could change as the SEC season grows. For now, the SEC resume ranking shows how a perfect record can trail a tougher path. Our Auburn vs. Tennessee preview shows how quickly mid-tier games can reshape that picture.
SEC resume ranking sources: CBS Sports and Florida Athletics.
