To keep things simple, Week 2 was not necessarily the greatest overall for SEC football.
Not only was Alabama upset at home by Texas in the headline game of the week nationally, but other SEC programs such as Texas A&M and Vanderbilt both lost on the road to ACC opponents, while a few of the conference’s other teams also struggled to inferior opponents.
A few examples of this included the likes of Missouri, Kentucky, Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee, that while each of those teams came away with wins, it was not necessarily what you would’ve expected from them Saturday.
So yes, to keep things simple, it was simply a down week for the SEC overall. However, what you might not have known is that the conference has a chance to redeem itself in Week 3, as multiple teams play notable non-conference opponents as others begin SEC play.
After down Week 2, Week 3 provides another opportunity for SEC football
Yes, a total of six teams across the SEC begin conference play this weekend, but for the remaining eight, there are a few intriguing non-conference matchups.
Included in those are rematches from just last season in Missouri vs. Kansas State, Arkansas vs. BYU, and Ole Miss vs. Georgia Tech, with each of those three matchups being home games for the conference in 2023. Arkansas and Ole Miss each won their matchups a year ago, while Missouri will be looking for a big win over Kansas State after falling 40-12 a year ago in Manhattan.
Also included in the Week 3 non-conference slate for the SEC are both Alabama and Vanderbilt going on the road to face South Florida and UNLV, respectively, while Texas A&M, Auburn, and Kentucky will host likely inferior opponents as they look to build momentum entering SEC play.
So, can SEC football bounce back in Week 3 after a down Week 2? The opportunity is certainly there, and time will only tell.