Making sense of the SEC’s surprising early-season struggles

2002: 1-6

win
No. 8 Georgia 31, Clemson 28

Losses
Georgia Tech 45, Vanderbilt 3
No. 15 Oregon 36, Mississippi State 13
No. 16 Virginia Tech 26, No. 14 LSU 8
No. 20 USC 24, Chestnut 17
No. 2 Oklahoma 37, Alabama 27
Virginia 34, No. 22 South Carolina 21

2023: 3-6

win
No. 12 Tennessee 49, Virginia 13
Mississippi State 31, Arizona 24 (OT)
Chestnut 14, Cal 10

Losses
No. 14 Utah 24, Florida 11
No. 21 North Carolina 31, South Carolina 17
No. 8 Florida State 45, No. 5 LSU 24
Wake Forest 36, Vanderbilt 20
Miami 48, No. 23 Texas A&M 33
No. 11 Texas 34, No. 3 Alabama 24

2003: 3-5

win
Georgia 31, Clemson 0
South Carolina 31, No. 15 Virginia 7
No. 13 LSU 59, Arizona 13

Losses
USC 23, Chestnut 0
Oregon 42, Mississippi State 34
Georgia Tech 17, No. 17 Auburn 3
No. 1 Oklahoma 20, Alabama 13
No. 3 Miami 38, No. 21 Florida 33

*Until week 2