SEC Power Rankings: Week 3
Is the SEC what we thought it was? It is hard to think it is the best conference in all off football after some really bad showings this past weekend. As a result, there is a pretty big shakeup in my SEC Power Rankings.
- Alabama (2-0, Previous Week: 1st) Alabama won, and they didn’t really try that hard against MTSU. It’s a huge game next week as the Tide take on Ole Miss and look to avenge their loss to the Rebels from a year ago.
- Georgia (2-0, Previous Week: 2nd) Georgia wasn’t spectacular, but they won, and you never felt like Vanderbilt had much of a chance in this game. They stay at second.
- Ole Miss (2-0, Previous Week: 5th) Ole Miss has dominated cupcakes. I think this team is good, but I’m not willing to say just how good until I see what they do this weekend in Tuscaloosa. The one thing I do know is the winner of the Ole Miss and Alabama will be the early favorite to win the SEC West.
- LSU (1-0, Previous Week: 4th) LSU has an NFL caliber running back in Leonard Fournette. But if they are going to beat Alabama and Ole Miss and win the SEC West, they are going to have to trust Brandon Harris more, and he will need to perform. It’s that simple.
- Texas A&M (2-0, Previous Week: 5th) I would have put the Aggies a little higher, but the really impressive win they had last week against Arizona State looks a little less so after the Sun Devils struggled with Cal Poly.
- Mississippi State (1-1, Precious Week: 9th) I never move a team up that lost, but I am with our Bulldogs this week. The Bulldogs played better than most teams in the SEC and they had the most difficult opponent. This is more of a result of the other members of the conference playing as poorly as I have seen in a while.
- Missouri (2-0, Previous Week: 8th) Missouri survived a scare in Jonesboro. You could even make an argument the Tigers were outplayed. This Missouri team is reminding me of the Mississippi State team of 2012. They’ll win some games, but they are likely not going to be as good as their record indicates.
- Kentucky (2-0, Previous Week: 13th) I’m still not sure what to make of Kentucky. Yes, they won and won pretty easily against South Carolina. I’m starting to think South Carolina is in for a really long year though. I still need to see a little more before I move Kentucky up further.
- Auburn (2-0, Previous Week: 3rd) Was the debacle against Jacksonville State a mirage or is this the real Auburn team? Yeah, they won, but it felt much more like a loss. They get to go to Death Valley this weekend, and I wouldn’t be surprised if LSU hands them a beat down like Auburn gave LSU last season in Auburn.
- Florida (2-0, Previous Week: 11th) Florida won, so they get to go up a spot. The Gators have a lot to improve on, because a 7 point win over ECU doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season.
- Tennessee (1-1, Previous Week: 10th) For some reason, people were willing to anoint Tennessee as the team to beat with just one season under Butch Jones. They still have a chance to be good, but there is a lot to be concerned with after blowing the lead they had against Oklahoma.
- Arkansas (1-1, Previous Week: 6th) While everyone has been so quick to rush and proclaim Arkansas as the team on the biggest rise in the SEC, I have been slow to believe this team can win playing football the way they do. Put the game in the hands of Brandon Allen, and you can beat the Hogs. Their offensive line is huge, but Toledo made them look slow. Toledo just showed the SEC how to beat Arkansas. Bielema better adjust in a hurry.
- South Carolina (1-1, Previous Week: 12th) Steve Spurrier is about to do to the Gamecocks what Jackie Sherrill did to the Bulldogs his last three seasons. This team isn’t good.
- Vanderbilt (0-2, Previous Week: 14th) Vandy is going to struggle to win games just like last season, but the decision by Derek Mason to make himself the defensive coordinator is going to keep Vanderbilt in games more than they were last season.
Another week in the books, and we’ll see how the conference respond to a disappointing weekend in Week 2, and just how much it changes the SEC Power Rankings.