2010 SEC Football Power Rankings Through Week 3: Who Belongs Where?
I have learned a lot from watching these early games in the SEC. I have also been reminded of what I have known about this season for some time now. I have watched SEC football long enough to form a not so insane view on the conference. The SEC, being the best conference in the nation over the last few seasons, seems to hold that title though 3 weeks of this year as well, but we do not just care about the SEC as a whole, we want to know how it breaks down team by team. I am here to break it down. These Power Rankings are completely based on my opinion and no computer system.
So, without further rambling about how I am going to do things, I shall do them.
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide
1 of 12
Ranking in My BCS Fan Poll Top 25: #1
Results
Vs San Jose State 48-3 W
Vs #19 Penn State 24-3 W
At Duke 62-13 W
How can this not be the #1 team in the SEC? Well, look at this list of accomplishments: 17 consecutive victories, 9 consecutive conference wins, defending National Champions, 27 consecutive regular season victories. Now, add to that the 2009 Heisman winner at halfback Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson at the same position, an outstanding receiving corps lead by Julio Jones, and a quarterback who rarely makes mistakes and has not lost as a starter since the 8th grade and you have a top 5 offense in the country. What does this give you? A machine. They are not perfect though. The Tide's youthful defense has struggled at times, and this was evident against Duke. The Crimson Tide will learn a lot about the defense's true ability in their next 3 games, which are just brutal.
Brutal 3 games
@ #7 Arkansas
Vs #10 Florida
@ #11 South Carolina
#2 Arkansas Razorbacks
2 of 12
Ranking in my BCSFP Top 25: #7
Results
Vs Tennessee Tech 44-3 W
Vs UL Monroe 31-7 W
@ Georgia 31-24 W
Arkansas failed to win an SEC road game last season. they win their first SEC road game of this season in a thriller over Georgia. The best passer in the country, Ryan Mallet, was near perfect in this game. He completed 21 of 33 for 380+ and 3 scores, including the game winner to Greg Childs (with everyone seemingly making a "Childs Please" joke). Arkansas has one of the two best offenses in the conference. The defense was the question mark coming into the season, and they have shown much improvement in their early contests. The Hogs have a chance to supplant Alabama as the #1 team in the SEC with a win on Saturday against the Crimson Tide.
Up Next
Vs #1 Alabama Crimson Tide
#3 South Carolina Gamecocks
3 of 12
Ranking in my BCSFP top 25: #11
Results
Vs Southern Miss 41-13 W
Vs Georgia 17-6 W
Vs Furman 38-19 W
Steve Spurrier may not be too familiar himself with what he calls "Old Timey Football" but they are quickly becoming fast friends. With the best defense in the SEC, a game managing quarterback in Stephen Garica, and a hot freshman halfback the Gamecocks are ready to finally hit the next level in the SEC East. They may have had late season collapses in the last few seasons, but i do not see it this time around. We will learn a lot more about this team as they head to Auburn Saturday.
Up Next
@ #14 Auburn Tigers
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#4 Florida Gators
4 of 12
Ranking in my BCSFP top 25: #10
Results
Vs Miami Ohio 34-12 W
Vs USF 38-14 W
At Tennessee 31-17 W
The Gators have sputtered around on offense for most of the season. They did play well in the 2nd halves against USF and Tennessee, but Tennessee just did not have the depth to match up with the Gators for 4 quarters. Florida has the talent to win the SEC, but until it comes together on the field they will be the #3 or 4 team in the conference in my mind. The Gators face a possible trap game this week before they head to T-Town looking to exact revenge on that beatdown they received from Alabama in last year's SEC Title game. Do not expect Florida to look like Florida again against Kentucky, but they could possibly wake up just in time to have a war in Bama on October 2nd.
#5 Auburn Tigers
5 of 12
Ranking in my BCSFP top 25: #14
Results
Vs Arkansas State 52-26 W
At Mississippi State 17-14 W
Vs Clemson 27-24 W OT
Auburn is an interesting story. In the first game their defense never showed up. In game 2 the whole team was there in the 1st half, but only the defense stayed in Starkville for the remainder of the game. Last night against Clemson, The whole team waited until 1:14 left in the 2nd quarter to appear. When they arrived, they were down 17-0. By the end of Quarter #3 they led 24-17. the Tiger fought back, and hung on to win an overtime thriller over a solid Clemson team. Sure, they have survived two good quizzes against State and Clemson, but what will happen on their first test against the Ole Ball Coach?
Up Next
#11 South Carolina Gamecocks
#6 LSU Tigers
6 of 12
Ranking in my BCSFP Top 25: #20
Results
Vs North Carolina 30-24 W
At Vanderbilt 27-3 W
Vs Mississippi State 29-7 W
LSU has been very unimpressive in victories over much less talented teams. North Carolina was depleted, and LSU almost gave up a miracle comeback. Vandy hung around until the 4th quarter, and the offensive effort was lackluster against State. The Tigers will face their biggest challenge so far this week as they host West Virginia.
Up Next:
Vs #21 West Virginia
#7 Kentucky Wilcats
7 of 12
Unranked
Results
At Louisville 23-16 W
Vs WKU 63-28 W
Vs Akron 47-10 W
I can only say two things about Kentucky with certainty. The first is that they are freakishly untested. the second is that Randall Cobb is the most versatile player in the country. it does not matter how he gets the ball, he can score any given way at any given time. From what I have seen, this is a team that could possibly come up and surprise a higher level opponent, but they will not make it out of the middle of the pack.
Up Next
@ #10 Florida
#8 Georgia Bulldogs
8 of 12
Unranked
Vs UL Layfayette 51-7 W
At #11 South Carolina 6-17 L
Vs Arkansas 24-31 L
This Georgia team has looked better than I thought it would, but they are still in a hole at 1-2 (0-2). They have talent, and will have a decent season, but Georgia should be able to do better than middle of the pack in the conference and the fans are making mark Richt's seat hotter and hotter. Personally, i think it is crazy to want Richt out, but it seems like we are heading in that direction. The Dogs should finally get conference win #1 of 2010 in game #4 against Mississippi State.
Up Next
At Mississippi State
#9 Tennessee Volunteers
9 of 12
Results
Vs UT-Martin 50-0 W
Vs #6 Oregon 13-45 L
Vs #10 Florida 17-31 L
The Vols are not as bad of a team in the 1st string as I thought they would be, but after that it gets ugly. this team has no depth. They can line up and hit anybody in the mouth for 2 and 1/2 quarters and hang around, but after that it will all go downhill at the end. The positive is my 4-8 prediction before the season was too harsh. this is clearly a 6-6 Pizza Bowl type team (yes I know it is no longer the Papa John's Bowl, but to me it will always be the Pizza Bowl)
Up Next.
Vs UAB
#10 Mississippi State Bulldogs
10 of 12
Results
Vs Memphis 49-7 W
Vs #14 Auburn 14-17 L
At #20 LSU 7-29 L
Dan Mullen has made State competitive in his first 15 games at the helm, but they still have a long way to go to reach the upper level of the SEC. They fought hard against Auburn, and almost pulled an upset. Then, their defense was very good at LSU, but the offense was awful throwing 5 picks. Chris Relf and Tyler Russell both need to be put on the bench and True Freshman Dylan Favre needs to start for the Dogs because if the quarterback play does not improve, my prediction that they will have a winning season will crash and burn.
Up Next
Vs Georgia
#11 Vanderbilt Commodores
11 of 12
Results
Vs Northwestern 21-23 L
Vs LSU 3-27 L
At Ole Miss 28-14 W
Vanderbilt has exceeded expectations so far this year. After going 2-10 (0-8) last year (they never scored more than 16 in an SEC Game) they are 1-2 (1-1) through 3 games. Vandy nearly pulled an upset over northwestern in week one, played LSU tough until the 4th in week two, and now have upset Ole Miss in Oxford. This is enough to put vandy ahead of the Rebels in these Rankings. This is a team capable of turning an expected 2 win season into a possible 4 or 5 win season.
Up Next:
@ UCONN
#12 Ole Miss Rebels
12 of 12
Results
Vs Jacksonville State 48-49 L OT
At Tulane 27-13 W
Vs Vanderbilt 14-28 L
Ole Miss is awful. Just plain stinking awful. there are some talented players on this, but somehow they have managed to blow a 34-13 4th quarter lead against FCS foe JSU, struggle to beat Tulane 27-13, and get beat by 14 at home against Vandy. This is a nightmare for Houston Nutt and the Rebels. This should be a 2-10 team with the only other win coming against The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns. Ole Miss is a disgrace to the SEC.
Up Next:
Vs Fresno State
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