Georgia Routs Florida in Atlanta, Pulls Even With Kentucky Atop the SEC
Georgia turned four Florida turnovers into a 27-8 win, Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri and South Carolina all won comfortably, and idle Tennessee sits two games back with Kentucky coming to Knoxville.
The SEC has a two-team tie at the top again. No. 3 Georgia beat No. 17 Florida 27-8 on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, moving to 5-1 in league play and even with idle Kentucky.
All five SEC games Saturday were decided by at least 17 points. Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri and South Carolina all won comfortably while six teams, Tennessee among them, had the day off.
Rankings below are from the Oct. 25 AP poll, the most recent one at kickoff. Recaps and statistics are from the Associated Press.
No. 3 Georgia 27, No. 17 Florida 8
The rivalry moved indoors to Atlanta this year because EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville is under renovation, according to the AP. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is now 4-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Florida turned the ball over four times, and the biggest came with 29 seconds left in the first half: Quintavius Johnson sacked Tramell Jones Jr., and Chris Cole scooped the fumble and ran 66 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 halftime lead. Georgia coach Kirby Smart called it "a 14-point swing" because Florida had been trying to score on the possession, the AP reported.
Georgia outrushed Florida 217-48. Jadan Baugh, who started the day leading the SEC with 13 rushing touchdowns, was held to 38 yards on 17 carries. Stockton completed only 13 of 23 passes for 101 yards, but he did not turn it over after committing three turnovers in the 27-24 loss to Auburn on Oct. 17.
It was Georgia's sixth straight win in the series. Georgia is 7-1, Florida 5-3 and 3-3.
No. 11 Texas 31, Mississippi State 3
Arch Manning threw three touchdown passes and defensive tackle Maraad Watson returned a fumble 61 yards for a score just before halftime. Linebacker Rasheem Biles had three sacks and two forced fumbles, including the one Watson returned, per the AP. Texas is 6-2 and 3-2, winners of two straight. Mississippi State (4-4, 2-4) has lost four in a row.
No. 12 Ole Miss 45, Auburn 15
Ole Miss led only 17-15 late in the third quarter before Trinidad Chambliss broke a 26-yard touchdown run, and the Rebels scored the final 28 points. Chambliss threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns, and Ole Miss converted 13 of 16 third downs, according to the AP. The Rebels are 6-2 and 4-2. Auburn, two weeks removed from its upset of Georgia, fell to 4-4 and 2-4.
No. 23 Missouri 34, Arkansas 10
Missouri turned three Arkansas fumbles and an interception into 24 points, including a defensive touchdown in the first quarter. Jamal Roberts ran for 138 yards on 23 carries and scored twice, and Austin Simmons threw two touchdown passes. All-American running back Ahmad Hardy made his season debut after missing the first seven games, with two carries for 5 yards. Missouri is 6-2 and 3-2; Arkansas fell to 3-5 and 1-4.
South Carolina 42, Oklahoma 25
A week after beating Tennessee on a walk-off field goal, LaNorris Sellers threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns in Norman, including scoring passes of 84 yards to DJ Black and 79 to Mazeo Bennett Jr. The Gamecocks piled up 521 yards for their third straight win. South Carolina is 5-3 and 3-3. Oklahoma is 4-4 and 2-3.
Off this week: Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
The standings race
SEC standings through Oct. 31
| Team | SEC | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 5-1 | 7-1 |
| Kentucky | 5-1 | 7-1 |
| Alabama | 4-2 | 6-2 |
| Ole Miss | 4-2 | 6-2 |
| LSU | 3-2 | 6-2 |
| Missouri | 3-2 | 6-2 |
| Tennessee | 3-2 | 6-2 |
| Texas | 3-2 | 6-2 |
| Florida | 3-3 | 5-3 |
| South Carolina | 3-3 | 5-3 |
| Oklahoma | 2-3 | 4-4 |
| Auburn | 2-4 | 4-4 |
| Mississippi State | 2-4 | 4-4 |
| Texas A&M | 1-4 | 4-4 |
| Arkansas | 1-4 | 3-5 |
| Vanderbilt | 0-5 | 3-5 |
The top two teams in the final standings meet for the title on Dec. 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, according to NCAA.com. Georgia got a look at that building on Saturday and a share of first place to go with it.
Eight teams have two or fewer league losses. Four of them are bunched at 3-2, and Tennessee is one of them.
What it sets up for Tennessee
The Vols (6-2, 3-2) have no margin left. Their two SEC losses came by 3 points each, 20-17 to Texas in Knoxville on Sept. 26 and 27-24 at South Carolina on Oct. 24, and both of those teams won again Saturday. That means Tennessee is not only chasing the leaders; it has also lost head-to-head to one of the teams tied with it.
The schedule offers a direct path, though. Kentucky (7-1, 5-1) comes to Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, and a Tennessee win would drop the Wildcats into the two-loss pack. The Vols then go to Texas A&M (1-4 in the SEC) on Nov. 14, host LSU (3-2) on Nov. 21 and finish at Vanderbilt (0-5) on Nov. 28.
Next Saturday also sends Georgia to Ole Miss, a game that will either knock the Bulldogs out of a share of first or give the Rebels a third league loss. Texas visits Missouri in a 3-2 versus 3-2 game, so one more team in Tennessee's tier is guaranteed to fall back. For Tennessee, the Kentucky game is the one it controls, and it is the one that would turn a crowded race into a reachable one.
Sources: ESPN (AP), No. 3 Georgia takes advantage of 4 turnovers by No. 17 Florida to beat Gators 27-8; ESPN, SEC scoreboard, Oct. 31; Yahoo Sports (Aggies Wire), Updated SEC standings; NCAA.com, 2026 SEC Championship Game: date, time, TV channel; ESPN, Tennessee Volunteers 2026 schedule
