SEC Football Power Rankings: Starting Over

The SEC does this to me every year: Every week I think I’ve got some teams figured out, and then they go and do something completely unexpected. Like Ole Miss walloping Tennessee. The Vols brought a BB gun to an Old West shootout.

So what I’ve done this week is completely reworked my rankings, forgetting about most of what occurred prior to last week. I’ve probably put too much emphasis on the bigger picture. Not this week.

This week, I’m emphasizing that old football adage: You’re only as good as your last game.

(Note: Not many links, because I’m in a hurry.)

1. Alabama (Previous: 2)

Wait, did I just...yeah, I did. Not only has the Crimson Tide looked better than Florida in the big picture, and not only did it look better against MSU, it looked better last week. Contrary to legend, Tim Tebow is only one man. OK, so he’s equal to two men, but that still won’t be enough in Atlanta.

2. Florida (1)

Picking against Florida, especially this soon before the SEC title game, goes against my philosophy. But then, how many folks picked the Giants to beat 18-0 New England?

3. Ole Miss (10)

Why hello, Rebels. Nice of you to finally show up, 10 games into the season. We’d been wondering.

4. Georgia (7)

How screwy is this league? I had Georgia ahead of Auburn in my power rankings last week too, but I picked Auburn to beat the Bulldogs on Saturday. So I guess I was right.

5. Auburn (9)

This has got to be the strangest 7-4 team on the planet. Beat West Virginia and Tennessee, lost to Kentucky, waxed Ole Miss, lost to Georgia. The Tigers epitomize the maddening nature of the SEC.

6. LSU (3)

The No. 10-ranked Tigers trailed Louisiana Tech at halftime and won 24-16. And people wonder why they’re four-point underdogs to unranked Ole Miss this week.

7. Arkansas (5)

Hogs have won three in a row—against Eastern Michigan (winless), South Carolina (meh), and Troy (which is named after the town it’s in). So no, I’m not impressed.

8. South Carolina (6)

Closing in on 6-6. I so called this .

9. Tennessee (4)

The Vols brought a Hyundai Elantra to a NASCAR race.

10. Mississippi State (8)

Combined records of the teams that have beaten MSU: 53-9. Redonkulous!

11. Kentucky (11)

Wildcats won the Toilet Bowl last week. Sadly, somebody will offer this bunch a bowl bid. It’s like putting a D-student on the honor roll.

12. Vanderbilt (12)

Commodores close out their season—which didn’t have a bye week—against Tennessee this week. I think they’ll have a chance if they just drop some Jacksons on the turf.