College Football Rankings: Surprising SEC Power Rankings Going Into Week 9
Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) For the last couple of years, by this time of the year it was a forgone conclusion that Alabama and Florida would meet in Atlanta, play for the SEC Championship and the winner would go on to play for a national title.
That was then.
This year at the same point it is not clear which team from either division will even make it to the SEC Championship game. At this point, even Vanderbilt still has a shot, so with all this in mind, here goes the SEC Power Rankings after week eight.
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SEC West rules yet again with the top five teams.
1. AUBURN - You can argue the point but you wouldn't make much sense doing it. Auburn has beaten LSU and cemented themselves not just as SEC contenders, but a national contender too. Much will be decided by the Alabama - Auburn Game.
Until either Cam Newton gets injured or opposing teams are allowed 14 men on the field at one time, Auburn will continue to pile up yardage and points.
As an SEC sportswriter for several years now, this is about the time Auburn starts its late season melt down due the them saving their bye week for the final game of the year. Can they avoid that this year?
That is the question. FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 183.5 85th Overall RUSHING YARDS 303.3 4th Overall
POINTS SCORED 38.6 11th Overall POINTS ALLOWED 23.5 53rd Overall
2. ALABAMA - The fall of LSU opened the door for Alabama to control its own destiny not only in the SEC, but to get back into national title talk should they beat an undefeated Auburn at the end of the year.
Last year Alabama was a totally different team after its bye week and came back with a vengeance to finish off the season strong with only a close game to Auburn.
Can they do this again this year? Did they finally find their "groove" in the second half of last week's game with Tennessee?
That is the question here.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 253.9 37th Overall RUSHING YARDS 186.9 32nd Overall
POINTS SCORED 34.3 28th Overall POINTS AGAINST 12.5 3rd Overall
3, LSU - Call him crazy, call him lucky, but please, call him a winner. Last week did less to show that LSU was a bad team than it showed Auburn was a better one.
I don't think I could name many teams out of conference who would beat this team right now and the team is playing well despite Miles shortcomings as a game day coach.
LSU is proof that you can win with great athletes even with a coach who seems to do little but recruit correctly.
Can they regroup after a gut wrenching loss to Auburn and a topple from the undefeated ranks?
That is the question here.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 138.8 113th Overall RUSHING YARDS 179.1 35th Overall
POINTS SCORED 25.5 73rd Overall POINTS ALLOWED 15.6 10th Overall
4. ARKANSAS - While Arkansas may not have proven to be a top team in the SEC season, they are leading the second tier right now at number four.
The lack of a running game has proven to be a hurdle they have had much trouble trying to overcome.
With remaining games against Mississippi State, LSU and South Carolina next week, will they remain where they are or fall behind one of these three schools?
That is the question Arkansas must answer. FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 352.1 2nd Overall RUSHING YARDS 125.6 89th Overall
POINTS SCORED 33.0 33rd Overall POINTS AGAINST 23.4 51st Overall
5, MISSISSIPPI STATE - The Bulldogs have become bowl eligible and that in itself is quite a feat from where they were just one year ago. Not only will they go to a bowl this year, but they will make some noise in the bowl season and more than likely win it.
Mullen has these boys playing at near 100 per cent of their ability and their losses don't reflect the lack of effort, just the lack of talent.
With remaining games against Kentucky, Arkansas and Ole Miss they could very well make a decent bowl this year.
Can Mullen take this season and this excitement and translate that into a good recruiting class in the future?
That is the question. FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 171.3 99th Overall RUSHING YARDS 219.3 15th Overall
POINTS SCORED 28.6 57th Overall POINTS ALLOWED 17.0 14th Overall
6. SOUTH CAROLINA - Losing a game to Kentucky spiraled Gamecocks from a league leader to fighting to stay in the upper tier of the mid pack.
This is a team without an identity and they could easily lose two more games this season and let their big win against Alabama simply look like an accident.
Remaining tough games against Arkansas, Florida and Clemson could determine in South Carolina is worthy of a decent bowl or if they're just going to have another "nice" season.
That is delimma that they must find an answer for.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 260.7 31st Overall RUSHING YARDS 143.3 70th Overall
POINTS SCORED 29.6 53rd Overall POINTS ALLOWED 18.9 27th Overall
7. GEORGIA - From dead last to leading the second half of the SEC. It's not much, but being ahead of Florida at this point has to be something for the Bulldogs to bark about.
But what they may not realize is that is has nothing to do anything they've done, Florida simply isn't the "mighty Gators" this year.
Still Georgia has been showing signs of life and could still go to to the SEC Championship because of the total collapse of the SEC East.
Can they be the kings of weak sister division and make the most of another miserable season?
That is the question for the Georgia faithful to sit and wait out.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 228.4 55th Overall RUSHING YARDS 153.8 58th Overall
POINTS SCORED 31.5 39th Overall POINTS AGAINST 19.1 30th Overall
8. FLORIDA - Urban say it isn't so! The Gators in the bottom half of the SEC after week eight? Maybe he should have taken more time off, maybe he should have taken less, but whatever he's done, something wasn't right.
With remaining games against Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State, this could be an ugly season for the Florida faithful and a total waste of a good recruiting class.
Who would have thought that Florida may have to beat Vanderbilt and Appalachian State simply to make a bowl?
That is the question Florida fans must wrestle with instead of wondering if they'll have a better shot at Alabama the second time around. Funny how far things have changed since week five to week eight.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 186.9 82nd Overall RUSHING YARDS 142.1 74th Overall
POINTS SCORED 27.6 62nd Overall POINTS ALLOWED 18.7 26th Overall
9. KENTUCKY - Will the real Kentucky Wildcats please stand up? They beat the number ten team in the nation one week and lose to Georgia the next. Can you say inconsistent?
Mississippi State may hand them another loss, but remaining games against Charleston Southern, Tennessee and Vanderbilt will get them to a bowl and the Kentucky fans will be happy.
Will they look back at the season that could have been?
That is the question. With an oh so close loss to Auburn, a stupid loss to a horrible Ole Miss team and dropping one to Georgia, will they ever realize just how close they were to being great this year?
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 280.9 23rd Overall RUSHING YARDS 147.6 64th Overall
POINTS SCORED 34.8 23rd Overall POINTS ALLOWED 31.6 98th Overall
10. VANDERBILT - Is actually better than their record. They played a good Nothwestern team close, and they beat the team directly under them in the rankings in heads up play.
But it may be tough for Vandy to come up with another conference win and ultimately escape the SEC cellar, but at least for now, they can lord over Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Has coach Robbie Caldwell done enough to keep the Commodore fans behind him?
That is the question Vandy fans will wrestle with this season.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 159.6 105th Overall RUSHING YARDS 146.368th Overall
POINTS SCORED 18.9 105th Overall POINTS AGAINST 24.9 64th Overall
11. OLE MISS - Only a single win against an up and down Kentucky team keeps this team from being the bottom of the barrel.
Should Ole Miss beat Tennessee as expected, then they can climb one more spot by then end of the year. But taking a look at the FBS rankings on points allowed and you have to wonder if that will happen.
There will be no bowl game for the Rebels this year and the question that Ole Miss fans must ask is, what happened?
How much damage that answer does to Houston Nutt's career may be a telling thing for the future of the entire program.
FBS RANKINGS
PASSING YARDS 199.1 75th Overall RUSHING YARDS 211.120th Overall
POINTS SCORED 31.4 40th Overall POINTS ALLOWED 32.0 101st Overall
12. TENNESSEE - No matter how you feel about the Volunteers, it's sad to see a traditional power at the bottom of the conference.
The Athletic Director at Tennessee must pay for his flawed decisions in booting Fulmer too soon or either for bringing in a chronic job hopper like Lane Kiffin. These decisions have set the Vols back for years.
Tennessee won't make a bowl this year and simply stink. They could have beaten a top 10 team, LSU, but they couldn't do something as simple as putting eleven men on the field.
There is a lot blame to go around, so who will pay the price?
That is the question the Vol Nation must answer.
FBS RANKINGS
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