2012 SEC Football Schedule: Power Ranking the Top 10 SEC Matchups

With only the bowl games left, the college football season is rapidly coming to a close.

The SEC has just released their schedule and there are quite a few great matchups to look forward to.

There is no conference that is more appealing than the SEC. It's already considered the best conference in the sport by many, but it should be even better next year with the additions of Texas A&M and Missouri.

This conference continues to get even stronger.  There are quite a few matchups that we can't wait to see.

Here are the top ten games in the SEC next season.

10. Florida at Texas A&M: Sept. 8

This game will draw in viewers for a couple of different reasons.

One reason is because we want to see how much the Florida Gators have improved since a horrible first year under head coach Will Muschamp. They have quite a few players returning and a solid recruiting class coming in.

This team should be better, and a matchup against the Aggies will be a solid test to prove so. 

It's also the Aggies first SEC conference game. How will they handle it and can they prove to the college football world that they belong here?

This should be a great game and just the beginning of another fantastic season.

9. Georgia at Missouri: Sept. 8

These two teams have only squared off once and it was in 1960. The Bulldogs ended up winning by a score of 14-0 which was held at the Orange Bowl.

Much like the Aggies' game, this will be the Tigers' first game against an SEC opponent as members of the conference. Missouri will be at home, but will be going up against a tough and balanced team in the Georgia Bulldogs. 

It will be interesting to see just how well Missouri can keep up, and if the Bulldogs can get off to a fast start as they should be the favorites to win the east.

8. Auburn at Vanderbilt: Oct. 20

Vanderbilt may not have had much success, but things are changing under head coach James Franklin. This team won a combined four games in the last two seasons combined, but finished with a 6-6 record this year.

They are recruiting well and have quite a few players returning from this year's team. They forced 27 turnovers and only allowed 324 total yards on defense. They also nearly beat teams like Georgia, Florida and Arkansas.

Auburn will be a better team as their whole young team has a year of experience under their belt now. Vanderbilt is a team that's on the rise and these are two teams you can't count out once the season starts.

It will be fun to see just how far these two programs have come along in one season.

7. South Carolina at LSU: Oct. 13

The Gamecocks haven't played the Tigers since 2008 and are probably thankful for that. South Carolina hasn't had much success against LSU as their overall record against them is 2-16-1. Their last win came in 1994.

That could change next season as the Gamecocks have a very talented defense that could shut down the Tigers offense. They only gave up 268 total yards this season and much like the Tigers, have a defensive line that can really get after it. Running back Marcus Lattimore will also be healthy and ready to go.

The Tigers may be the favorite and will be at home but don't sleep on the Gamecocks in this game at all.

6. LSU at Texas A&M: Oct. 20

The Texas A&M Aggies versus the LSU Tigers is a great rivalry that used to be played almost every year until 1995. Then you had to wait for these two teams to meet up in a bowl game, otherwise this matchup wouldn't happen.

Not anymore. With the Aggies in the SEC now, this matchup will take place more often and give fans a taste of a classic rivalry game.

Geography and the early emphasis on football at both schools made them natural rivals. Southeast Texas was full of folks with LSU ties, while the reverse could be said of Southwest Louisiana.

This matchup has happened 49 times, with LSU leading the series 27-19-3.

5. LSU at Arkansas: Nov. 24

This rivalry just recently took off when Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992, and they have played every year since 1996. This game is for the Golden Boot, which weighs a ridiculous 175 pounds, making it one of the heaviest trophies in all of sports.

Not including this year's game, the last six matchups in this series have been decided by a margin of 21 points, and these two teams are generally two of the best in the SEC. 

LSU leads the overall series 34-20-2 and the battle for the Golden Boot series (10-6) as well.

With Arkansas returning with the majority of their players and getting a healthy Knile Davis back, they will be ready for a rematch next season.

4. Florida vs. Georgia: Oct. 27

This game has been played nearly every year since 1915 and is known as the "world's largest cocktail party." It's one of college football's greatest rivalries, and since it's held in Jacksonville every year, it's one of the very few neutral-site rivalries in the sport.

There have been several memorable moments in this game. Most recently, Georgia coach Mark Richt sent his entire team out on the field to celebrate a touchdown in a winning effort over Florida.

The next season, Florida coach Urban Meyer called two timeouts when the clock was winding down to give Gators fans more time to celebrate the win and Bulldogs players more time to suffer. 

It doesn't get much better than that.

Although Florida has dominated the recent history of the series, Georgia still leads 48-40-2.

With both of these teams back on the rise, this is a must-see SEC game.

3. Alabama at Arkansas: Sept. 15

Despite the one-sided outcome this year's matchup provided us, these two teams have provided us with quite a few great games. Several meetings between these two teams have come down to the wire and have been very entertaining.   

You can expect a much better matchup next season as Alabama will remain a top team and Arkansas has the potential to become one. Once again, a healthy Knile Davis at running back will make a ton of difference against a stifling Crimson Tide defense. 

This will be a fabulous early game that will shake up the rankings regardless of who ends up winning.

2. Auburn at Alabama: Nov. 24

Oh yes, the Iron Bowl. It's one of the greatest college football rivalries of all time, and it doesn't matter who joins the conference—this is one of the most-anticipated matchups of the whole SEC schedule.

I don't care who the Tigers are losing after this season or how young and inexperienced the Tigers are. When these two teams meet up, throw everything out the window because this game will be a blood bath.

The name "Iron Bowl" comes from Birmingham's historic role in the steel industry. When you sign up to play for the Auburn Tigers or the Alabama Crimson Tide, this is the first game you circle on your calendar.

The game is normally played during Thanksgiving weekend, and what a treat it is.

These two teams have met 70 times, with Alabama leading the series 40-29-1.

Alabama may be the more polished team for now, but Auburn is talented and should provide more of a challenge next season.

1. Alabama at LSU: Nov. 3

How is this not the best matchup in the SEC to look forward to? It could very well be the biggest matchup in all of college football again.

These are currently the top two teams in the country and with the loaded defenses staying mostly intact, you can expect more of the same next season. Many may not like this matchup because there aren't a lot of points scored, but that's what happens when two great defenses go at it.

Regardless of who wins the national championship this season, this matchup will be the most anticipated in the SEC next year.

The winner may very well once again come out of the West Division.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]