SEC Power Poll

1. Florida

That seven game run was the fourth most dominant since 2000 by a team in conference play. They just need to stave off boredom.

2. Mississippi

Their only losses are to the first and third best team in the conference.  That’s more than Kentucky can say, so they get to stay second on my ballot. Tough week, but doesn’t change the fact this is a very good team. The game at Missouri will be very interesting next Saturday.

3. Kentucky

I’m duly impressed by what they did in Oxford, but looking at the overall body of work, Mississippi has a better profile at the moment.

4. Missouri

Got clipped in Baton Rouge, but still a dangerous team.  Will be interesting to see if they can pay Mississippi back for the beatdown they received in Oxford a few weeks ago.

5. Alabama

Their schedule is ridiculously light.  We won’t see these guys play another decent team until March, when they have back-to-back road games against Florida and Ole Miss.  A lot of opportunities to build or destroy an NCAA profile in the mean time.

6. Texas A&M

There is little rhyme or reason to my rankings outside of the top five, because there is little rhyme or reason to the results outside the top five. Overtime against Mississippi State and Kentucky in the same week A&M? What am I supposed to do with that?

7. Arkansas

Not willing to go higher without a road win, or a home win over someone worth half a damn.  For example, Tuesday night, against Florida.

8. Tennessee

Lucky to win at home against Vanderbilt mid-week, and then got throttled by  Arkansas out in Fayetteville on Saturday.  Tennessee is the clearest marker the conference has that separates the teams that have a pulse and the teams that do not.

9. Georgia

A 2-0 week with wins over Auburn and USC get them back to even in the conference. Only loss in last five is to Florida, and with winnable games at Tennessee and home to A&M this week, they have a chance to make a move.

10. South Carolina

Brutal loss at Florida, and not entirely unexpected loss at home to Georgia on Saturday.  The schedule doesn’t lighten up as they travel to Rupp to take on the Wildcats on Tuesday night, before coming home to a winnable game against Tennessee next Saturday.

11. LSU

Got right last week by going 2-0 against woeful MSU and injured Missouri.  Aside from the Florida game, they haven’t played a game decided by double-digits in their seven other conference games.

12. Vanderbilt

Two painfully close losses in Knoxville and home to Alabama last week.  Maybe Kevin Stallings flirted with the USC job in the offseason so he could avoid the mess this season has become in Nashville?

13. Auburn

Concerning two losses – it’s one thing to drop both contests away to Missouri and Georgia, but they just haven’t been close enough in enough games to be any higher at the moment.

14. Mississippi State

Anchoring themselves to this spot.