SEC Football Week 4 Power Rankings: Alabama Still on Top
Another week down, and more movement in the power rankings.
Ole Miss showed that it still has problems, Alabama looked unstoppable, and Arkansas proved it has a little defense.
Key conference matchups this week will definitely reshape the conference landscape.
Going into Week 4, this is how they stack up so far.
No. 12 Ole Miss
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One could have thought that the Week 1 loss to Jacksonville State was a fluke—until Ole Miss showed up and let Vanderbilt and Warren Norman look like world-beaters. No fluke; the Rebels are bad.
The offense looks lost at times, the defense is porous, and Jeremiah Masoli appears to be having trouble adjusting to the SEC.
A tough game at home this week against Fresno State will not be any relief from the SEC gauntlet. The bowl season is looking like it will be missing Ole Miss this year.
No. 11 Vanderbilt
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Well, well, well, Vanderbilt gets a win over an SEC team, its first in 11 tries. I am not reading too much into this one.
Vandy gets the week off before traveling to the Northeast to take on UConn. If they can get the win on the road, it may be another big morale boost for Robbie Caldwell's team.
Unfortunately, six wins and bowl eligibility still seems a bit of a stretch. If Warren Norman keeps running the way he is, Vandy could win another SEC game or two this year.
No. 10 Tennessee
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And it continues. Derek Dooley is trying, but it doesn't seem to be helping.
Tauren Poole looks like the back of the future, but the defense is struggling when the starters are not on the field. Tennessee has a ton of talent and little to no depth.
Florida only had 94 yards of total offense in the first half of the game, but Tennessee still couldn't capitalize and watched the Gators run away with their sixth straight win over Tennessee.
This team will get better, and a visit from UAB will help, but the improvement has to start now if the Vols are to stay out of the SEC East cellar.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 9 Mississippi State
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A trip to the bayou is usually not fun for any team, but this past week was a nightmare for Mississippi State. They threw five interceptions and were only able to manage one score in a 29-7 defeat.
The Bulldogs are back home this week, where they have played much better, and face a wounded Georgia team coming off a heartbreaking loss to Arkansas.
This is a make or break game for both teams' seasons. The loser will go to 0-3 in conference and have little shot at becoming bowl eligible.
Mississippi State will have to find something in the way of offense to compete this week.
No. 8 Georgia
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After impressing for most of the game, the Bulldogs defense watched Ryan Mallett rip their heart out in the last 30 seconds of the game.
What was most impressive for Georgia was that they were offensively able to keep up with Arkansas for the whole game. This is a good sign to anybody who had watched Georgia play against South Carolina.
A.J. Green will be back soon, and if Georgia can avoid mistakes and beat Mississippi State this weekend, they may be able to turn their season around. Look for the Dawgs to come out hungry and take care of business in Starkville.
No. 7 Kentucky
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The knock on Kentucky to this point has been its schedule. They have yet to leave the state of Kentucky for a game, and their best win is against in-state rival Louisville.
But if you look at the numbers, Kentucky is one of the most explosive teams in the SEC on offense and has one of the stingiest defenses in the conference as well. Derrick Locke is leading the SEC in rushing yards and has been unstoppable so far.
The first true test of the season comes Saturday when Kentucky heads to Gainesville to visit the Swamp. If Kentucky is going to break a 24-year losing streak against the Gators, this is its best shot.
If the Wildcats can shock the world, they will not only crack the Top 25 but would also garner much deserved national attention. Given the Gators' slow starts this season, it is not that out of reach to think Kentucky can pull off the upset.
No. 6 LSU
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LSU intercepted Mississippi State quarterbacks five times, and kicker Josh Jasper kicked an LSU game-record five field goals in a 29-7 win.
As stout as the defense was, the offense was just as inept. Jordan Jefferson managed only 137 total yards, and the Tigers were actually outgained by the Bulldogs.
LSU is 2-0 in conference and 3-0 overall, but both conference wins were over non-contenders. I'm not buying LSU yet. The offense has been unimpressive so far, but the defense has been solid.
Let's see how a visit from West Virginia treats the Tigers.
No. 5 Auburn
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The come-from-behind win over Clemson showed that Auburn is back as a contender. So far this season head coach Gene Chizik is proving his doubters wrong, and Auburn is winning by gritty and gutsy performances.
This week, the surprising South Carolina Gamecocks head down to the plains to battle Auburn. For Auburn to survive this week, they must avoid falling behind the way they did against Clemson.
The South Carolina defense will by far be the toughest game for Auburn so far. Look forward to another good, hard-fought SEC game this weekend.
No. 4 Florida
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The Gators used 17 third quarter points to put away Tennessee after leading only 7-3 at halftime. The opponent was different, but the game looked the same: a slow, sluggish start from the Gators while the defense kept them in the game.
The Gators will face a Kentucky team that is in the top five in the conference in most offensive and defensive categories.
If Florida is to win its 24th straight over the Wildcats, it will have to get off to a fast start at home on Saturday. If they struggle in the first half again, they could see themselves not only losing, but being behind Kentucky in the East standings as well.
With a trip to Tuscaloosa on the horizon, the Gators may overlook Kentucky and put themselves in a bad spot. Look for this game to be an upset pick by some of the experts this week.
No. 3 South Carolina
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South Carolina moves back a spot this week due to a less than stellar performance against FCS school Furman.
The Gamecocks got a big lead and let Furman climb back into the game. It could be that South Carolina was looking past this game, but given their recent history with FCS schools, that was a mistake.
South Carolina could still be the best team in the East, but this week's game at Auburn will be the measuring stick by which they are graded. Auburn showed last week that they have the moxie and talent to come back from large deficits.
South Carolina has to shake off the cobwebs from last week or they will find themselves falling fast.
The South Carolina defense is still very strong and will test Cameron Newton, but the offense has to maintain its mental toughness with games at Auburn, home for Alabama, and at Kentucky in the next three weeks. This is where we find out if South Carolina is for real.
No. 2 Arkansas
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The Bobby Petrino system seems to be taking hold in Fayetteville, and Ryan Mallett is reaping the benefits.
The Hogs toughed out a tough road game at Georgia, and the offense was impressive in doing so. I do still have questions about the defense, but they are playing well enough to win.
This week, we get to see what should be a phenomenal football game when the national champion Crimson Tide travel to Arkansas for an afternoon game. This is my call for game of the week.
How will Mallett handle the Tide defense? Will he be able to pick on some of the inexperienced starters from Alabama? I think Arkansas can keep it close, but I see too much of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson in their future.
If the Razorbacks can pull this game off, the nation's eyes will be on Fayetteville for the next SEC champion and possible Heisman front runner.
No. 1 Alabama
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Yes, it was Duke that Alabama rolled up 62-13—and yes, it was Duke that Mark Ingram gained 151 yards on nine carries against. Still, the champs showed no signs of letting up this year.
This week, the Tide rolls into Fayetteville to face the Razorbacks. This will be a true test for Alabama. While the Penn State game was much hyped, sending a freshman quarterback into Bryant-Denny Stadium was like feeding him to the wolves.
This week Alabama will face its first downfield, high-powered offense. The young defensive backfield will have to show that its talent can overcome its inexperience.
Next week doesn't get much easier, as the Crimson Tide welcome Florida to Tuscaloosa. The champs will have to be ready if they are to make it back to their second straight BCS national title game.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
