College Football: SEC Power Rankings After Big Week 4

Week 4 was one that really shaped the focus of the SEC. It was the only week this season that saw so many undefeated SEC teams face off with one another, and for those teams that came away with a win, they now have a measuring stick to know where they really are.

For the losers, they also know where they are. Kentucky found out that they’re not as good as they hoped, while South Carolina and Arkansas saw they were that good but just a mistake or two away from being a top team.

So with all that said, here is how the dynamics of the SEC shape up after a busy and brutal week four.

SEC East

Florida: SEC Power Ranking 2/12

The Gamecocks' fall and the Gator offense's resurgence clearly puts the Gators back on top of the heap in the SEC East.

Kentucky is a solid team and the Gator’s total dismantling of the Wildcats may prove that Florida is hitting their stride just in time for this week’s game with Alabama.

With 466 yards of total offense and four running backs gaining good yardage to go along with five receivers who helped put up over 290 yards, Alabama will have their hands as full with Florida as they did with Mallett.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 185.5, 90th

Rushing Yards: 169.0, 48th

Points For: 37.8, 19th

Points Against: 14.3, 15th

South Carolina: SEC Power Ranking 5/12

Even in losing to another good SEC team, South Carolina showed that they are still a team to be reckoned with and one that could still defeat any team left on their schedule.

Though the Gamecocks could very well lose another game against Alabama, the upcoming game with Florida will tell who has the real power in this division. Auburn’s win over the Gamecocks may have shown the real power in the SEC resides in the West.

With a week off to prepare for Alabama, will the team dwell on the loss to Auburn or focus on the schedule ahead. Their next game should tell the tale.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 221.8, 59th

Rushing Yards: 168.5, 50th

Points For: 30.75, 50th

Points Against: 18.3, 37th

Kentucky, SEC Power Ranking 8/12

The Wildcats looked like mild cats with their loss to Florida. The drop off in talent and power in the East certainly drops off after Florida and South Carolina. Though the Cats may still make a bowl game and continue their bowl streak, they are not a power in the SEC.

With games remaining with Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Charleston Southern, and Tennessee, they will only have to win three of these seven to make a bowl and they should do so.

Kentucky has good weapons on both sides of the ball, but not the depth to be a top team.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 254.8, 35th

Rushing Yards: 206.3, 28th

Points For: 36.8, 24th

Points Against: 25.5, 74th

Tennessee, SEC Power Ranking 9/12

The boys in Orange have played with heart this season, but with such limited depth and talent, they just can’t hang on with a top team for four quarters, and they barely hung on against little UAB this past Saturday.

Matt Simms is looking like a star of the future, and once Derek Dooley has a few seasons to build, the future could be brighter in Knoxville.

The chances of the Vols making a bowl this year are tough. With just two wins after four games, they would have beat their last four opponents to have a chance: Memphis, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and Kentucky. That’s a tall order.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 215.0, 66th

Rushing Yards: 146.3, 70th

Points For: 28.0, 60th

Points Against: 27.0, 81st

Vanderbilt, SEC Power Ranking 10/12

With a surprise win against Ole Miss last week, Vandy escaped the SEC cellar, but that doesn’t mean better days are ahead.

There won’t be a bowl game in the cards for the Vanderbilt team this year, but they do have room for a few more victories and upsets. Given the relative ease of their win over Ole Miss, they certainly got some SEC opponents to raise their eyebrows.

The killer schedule that remains may do Vanderbilt in for the season, but they could use this year as a building point to play hard and get better.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 127.7, 113th

Rushing Yards: 161.3, 54th

Points For: 17.3, 109th

Points Against: 21.3, 54th

Georgia, SEC Power Ranking 12/12

My how the so-called mighty have fallen. With no SEC wins and coming off a previous 8-5 season, Mark Richt would be smart to look for a good moving company.

Georgia fans can argue the Bulldogs aren’t the worst SEC team, and the world will be glad to listen even though their only win was against Louisiana-Lafayette.

It’s very possible at this point that Georgia doesn’t even make a bowl, and now even the most vocal Mark Richt backers are being drowned out by the fans who are so upset. The trends in Georgia football over the past two years are simply appalling.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 228.0, 53rd

Rushing Yards: 124.3, 86th

Points For: 24.3, 73rd

Points Against: 19.8, 46th

SEC West

Alabama, SEC Power Ranking, 1/12

There’s no doubt that the reigning King wasn’t rattled last week by having to come from behind to beat a good Arkansas team.

That game will either make Alabama a better team by exposing its flaws and letting them work them out, or it could be bad by showing teams how to frustrate the Tide.

With a game against Florida this week and a rested and “something to prove” South Carolina team the following week, there is little room for rest for the Tide.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 267.0, 28th

Rushing Yards: 244.8, 13th

Points For: 39.5, 15th

Points Against: 9.8, 1st

Auburn, SEC Power Ranking 3/12

Auburn took a big step up by knocking off the former best team of the East this past week and only a big step forward by Florida kept the Tigers from grabbing the No. 2 spot.

After seemingly easy games against Louisiana-Monroe and Kentucky, they face the same team that gave Alabama such fits. That will be the game that many will use to see how interesting the Iron Bowl can be.

The scary thing about Auburn is almost the total reliance on one man, Cam Newton, to do it all on offense. He throws for all the yardage and is also the team’s top rusher. If he sustains an injury, the whole team could go with him.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 190.0, 82nd

Rushing Yards: 278.0, 7th

Points For: 32.8, 41st

Points Against: 22.8, 61st

Arkansas, SEC Power Ranking 4/12

The Razorbacks may have dropped a game, but they clearly showed that they are a force to be reckoned with and deserved their No. 10 ranking nationally and the top team among the one loss teams in the SEC.

This past week the Hogs showed they finally have a defense to go along with the Ryan Mallett air show. That could serve them well the rest of the year against the other SEC teams they’ll face.

With three tough games in the SEC left against Auburn, South Carolina, and LSU, Arkansas will indeed earn a top bowl with a strong finish the rest of the year.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 365.0, 3rd

Rushing Yards: 103.0, 104th

Points For: 31.5, 46th

Points Against: 14.5, 19th

LSU, SEC Power Ranking 6/12

Yes, Arkansas has a loss and LSU doesn’t, but then Arkansas has shown to be more of a power team, and LSU just keeps struggling along.

LSU’s 4-0 start means they’ll land a good bowl this year, but they could lose games to Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and Arkansas, meaning they finish once again in the mid-tier pack of the SEC just like last year.

Until LSU cures its offensive sluggishness, they are not going to be considered a top power in the SEC or the country.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 110.0, 115th

Rushing Yards: 189.8, 35th

Points For: 26.56, 5th

Points Against: 12.0, 5th

Mississippi State, SEC Power Ranking 7/12

The Dogs may not have the won-loss record to back up such a high ranking, but they have the power. They almost knocked off Auburn, and no team plays the Dogs without worrying about it.

Dan Mullen is putting confidence in this team with each passing week, and if he can just get some talent in Starkville, he could really step up and challenge the big boys week in and week out.

I could see the Bulldogs making a bowl this year, and that would mean quite a lot to this team and to future recruiting.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 188.0, 85th

Rushing Yards: 161.3, 55th

Points For: 23.5, 75th

Points Against: 16.3, 28th

Ole Miss, SEC Power Ranking 11/12

They say Houston Nutt is most dangerous when the least is expected of him, so he should win out from here. Ole Miss’ collapse is dwarfed only by Georgia’s.

The Rebels won’t make a bowl this year and Nutt will be officially placed on the hot seat at the end of the season for it. With his one year Masoli experiment not panning out this year, the future could be just as bleak.

Now you have to wonder how this on field performance will translate to recruiting. Has Nutt started a downhill avalanche? Only time will tell.

2010 Overall FBS Rankings

Passing Yards: 216.86, 4th

Rushing Yards: 237.3, 16th

Points For: 36.0, 28th

Points Against: 32.0, 100th