SEC Résumé Rankings – Week 4

Here are last week’s rankings.

This week:

1. Alabama – There’s no doubt they are #1 right now. They have given up 21 points this year in four games, that’s 5.25 PPG.

2. Florida – Another SEC win, albeit vs. Kentucky. They’ve got a bye and they’ll need it because they face LSU next. UF has the #3, #4, #5 and #6 ranked teams left on their schedule. If they could win the East they’d play #1, and if they win that they’d play #2.

3. Georgia – They absolutely demolished Vandy. UGA is looking like a complete team and next week vs. UT they get back their full compliment of defensive players (Rambo & Ogletree).

4. South Carolina – The Gamecocks struggled in Week 1 but have since dominated including that beatdown of Missouri.

5. LSU – Since this isn’t a power ranking I’ve got to slide them down here as they have 3 blowouts vs. mediocre non-conference competition and then a two-point win vs. a 1-3 team.

6. Mississippi State – The last of the unbeatens, the Bulldogs have played largely uninspired the last two weeks and have not been able to demolish their cream-puffs as the teams above them have.

7. Tennessee – The Vols let Akron stay with them for a half but pulled away and Tyler Bray threw for 400 yards. Their win over N.C. State gets them in the top half.

8. Missouri – True outsiders. Most SEC folks are rooting against them within the conference and they are the only team with a 2-2 record. But they were able to knock off Arizona State so that counts for something.

9. Texas A&M – If this were a power poll I think they belong in the top half, but just based off who they’ve beaten so far, SMU and South Carolina St. don’t do much no matter how bad they beat them. The Aggies will have a shot to get their first SEC win next week at home vs. Arkansas.

10. Mississippi – They have done well to beat up on who they should and they’re now positioned to enter SEC play with a chance to make this into a very successful rebuilding year.

11. Auburn – In a game everyone thought they had no chance to win, the Tigers almost knocked off LSU. They didn’t, but our view of them has changed a little. Still, 1-3 and the worst September in school history.

12. Vanderbilt – What happened, James Franklin? 48-3 between the hedges? The ‘Dores seem to be moving backwards.

Battle for last place

Arkansas and Kentucky have had similar paths in their mediocrity so far this year. While UK was expected to be horrid, UPig has fallen so hard they have virtually equaled the Cats pathetic display. Similarities: both are 1-3, have lost to a 4-0 Big East team (Louisville, Rutgers), have been stomped and shutout in their only SEC game (38-0 at Florida, 52-0 vs. Bama), and have lost at home in overtime to a Sun Belt team (WKU, ULM). The only difference I can see is that at least Kentucky has beaten a FBS team (Kent State) and their loss to Louisville was on the road.

13. Kentucky

14. Arkansas

SEC Standings

WEST

Alabama, 1-0
LSU, 1-0
Mississippi State, 1-0
Mississippi, 0-0
Arkansas, 0-1
Texas A&M, 0-1
Auburn, 0-2

EAST

Florida, 3-0
Georgia, 2-0
South Carolina, 2-0
Kentucky, 0-1
Tennessee, 0-1
Missouri, 0-2
Vanderbilt, 0-2

If there’s someone in your life that’s been begging you to do something any particular weekend this fall, Week 5 will be the weekend to do it. MSU will have a bye and the only game of significance is Tennessee at Georgia. After that, things will get heated up in October. Week 6 has #5 UGA at #6 USC and #3 LSU at #11 Florida; Week 7 has #6 USC at #3 LSU and Tennessee at #19 Mississippi State. Come October 1st it will be time to fasten your seat belt.