Week 4 SEC Power Rankings

Sep 6, 2014; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Kenny Hill (7) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Lamar Cardinals at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

I have a new rule in wake of the completely inconsistent play by most of the teams in the SEC East. Until one team proves they can consistently beat good teams, none of them get to be ranked higher than a team in the SEC West. Is that extreme? Probably. But I’m done expecting anything to impressive from that side of the Conference. After the impressive performance by the Razorbacks in Lubbock, I’m more convinced that the SEC West is just better than anything else there is in college football. Feel free to disagree, but I think the West has done enough to be placed above every team in the East. Here is how I stacked them up last week.

1. Texas A&M Aggies 3-0 (Last Week 2): The Aggies were pretty ho-hum in their 38-10 dismantling of the Rice Owls. I don’t believe they are the best team in the SEC, but they have played deserving of the #1 spot up until this point.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide 3-0 (Last Week 3): The Crimson Tide looked a little sluggish early on against Southern Miss, but they eventually pulled away like we all expected them to.
3. LSU Tigers 3-0 (Last Week 4): The LSU Tigers took care of business against UL Monroe. The Bulldogs might be their biggest test yet next weekend depending on what you think about the Wisconsin Badgers.
4. Auburn Tigers 2-0 (Last Week 5): Auburn had the week off, and are looking to step out of conference and pick up a good win against Kansas State on Thursday.
5. Mississippi State Bulldogs 3-0 (Last Week 6): Mississippi State looked more like the team that dominated in week 1 against Southern Miss than the team that struggled at times against UAB. This version had better show up next week in Baton Rouge if they want to avoid starting their toughest stretch of games off with a loss.
6. Ole Miss Rebels 3-0 (Last Week 8): Ole Miss mopped up ULL Saturday. They should be able to defeat a Memphis team with relative ease after their bye, but the Tigers are a much better than they have been in recent years. Could be a trap game if the Rebels get caught peaking ahead to Alabama and the Crimson Tide, especially with the possibility of Gameday coming to Oxford that week.
7. Arkansas Razorbacks 2-1 (Last Week 13): Arkansas did what a lot of people didn’t expect and that was go on the road and beat a quality team. Their defense still needs lots of work, but the Razorbacks are a lot better in year two under Bielema.
8. Missouri Tigers 3-0 (Last Week 9) The Tigers may do the same thing they did last year, win the SEC East while being completely under the radar. They’re probably better than Arkansas, but let them establish and they will get moved ahead of them.
9. South Carolina Gamecocks 2-1 (Last Week 11): So which version of the Gamecocks is the real one? The one where they get crushed by Texas A&M at home, or the one that beat the team that many thought might be the best in the SEC through the first three weeks of the season.
10. Georgia Bulldogs 1-1 (Last Week 1): The other Dawgs had a chance to bury the one team that most thought would be their toughest competition, and they blew it.
11. Florida Gators 2-0 (Last Week 12) : Florida almost lost to the Kentucky Wildcats at home. Let that sink in for a minute.
12. Tennessee Volunteers 2-1 (Last Week 7): The Vols put up a fight against the Sooners, but they showed why they are going to have a hard time beating good teams this year.
13. Kentucky Wildcats 2-1 (Last Week 10): The Wildcats almost pulled off the upset against the Gators in the Swamp, but I think that says more about the Gators.
14. Vanderbilt Commodores 1-2 (Last Week 14): Vanderbilt finally puts one in the win column.  A three point victory over UMass gets you back to 14…barely.

Maybe the East will jump some teams in the West next week, so come back here at 3:00 next week to see how the results from this coming weekend affect the rankings.