The good news is we have a few clear classes now in the SEC. We have a few teams we understand, a solid middle tier of teams that aren’t going all the way but look strong, a lower middle class of teams that can’t quite get out of their own way, and then a bunch of just crummy teams.
Let’s get to the rankings…
1. Georgia (last week: 1)
The Dawgs come off a bye week and meet up against Florida at the World’s Largest Cocktail Party. I don’t know if UGA can win by two scores, which is where the line is, but I’m at least interested to see which UGA team shows up this weekend. It’ll either be a close one or a blowout.
2. Alabama (last week: 2)
Congrats on coming from behind and beating Tennessee! If Bama can play with some consistency going forward, I’d feel a lot better about this team. This week they get a bye. Avoid the rat poison, beloveds.
3. Ole Miss (last week: 3)
I thought Ole Miss would wax Auburn, but they ended up hanging on to win 28-21, in a game with just 22 combined completions. This week Ole Miss gets a bye by playing at Vandy.
4. LSU (last week: 4)
I know they only beat Army, but freakin’ Jayden Daniels had 11 completions for 279 yards and 2 TDs. Pretty interested to see them play at Alabama next weekend.
5. Missouri (last week: 5)
I want to bump the Tigers up a spot after trashing South Carolina, 34-12, and entering their bye week at 7-1. But their one loss? LSU. Oh, and UGA is waiting for them in two weeks.
6. Texas A&M (last week: 7)
After a week off, the Aggies return to play at home against a reeling South Carolina. Should be a good tune up game before playing Ole Miss next weekend.
7. Florida (last week: 9)
It’s kind of wild that Florida was so bad early this season and now they’re sitting here at 5-2. Which is good for them, because their remaining schedule is brutal (vs UGA, vs ARK, at LSU, at Mizzou, vs FSU).
8. Tennessee (last week: 6)
Welp, what a game against Alabama. Tennessee looked awesome in the first half, leading 20-7 at the break. And then they got demolished in the second half, 27-0. They get a must-win this week against…Kentucky.
9. Kentucky (last week: 8)
It’s the time of the season where we have to keep a close eye out for teams that have essentially packed it in and given up, and the Wildcats are coming off back-to-back losses to good teams (UGA and Mizzou) by a combined 47 freaking points. Let’s see if they can show some life this week against South Carolina.
10. Auburn (last week: 12)
Auburn just keeps losing (four in a row!) but at least they played tough against Ole Miss last week, eventually falling 28-21. They now have four straight winnable games on the schedule (Miss St, Vandy, Ark, NM St.). Can they get at least two wins?
11. South Carolina (last week: 10)
Speaking of teams that have given up! Even Shane Beamer’s foot quit. The only teams they’ve beaten this season are Mississippi State and Furman. What in the world?
12. Mississippi State (last week: 13)
Don’t look now, but the Bulldogs have won two in a row! Last week they beat Arkansas, 7-3. I don’t know if that says more about the Mississippi State defense or Arkansas offense. Oh, wait…
13. Arkansas (last week: 11)
Yeah, I guess it says more about the Arkansas offense, since Arkansas fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos a couple of minutes after losing, 7-3. Don’t feel too badly for him: They’re still going to pay him a couple of million dollars. Nice work if you can get it.
14. Vanderbilt (last week: 14)
The Commies have lost six in a row with four more SEC teams left on the schedule. Could we see the rare 0-10 streak?