SEC Power Poll - Week #8

The quest to rate the jumbled mass of football teams we know as the SEC continues. Honestly, we are still lost. Most of the top teams were on byes or were playing inferior competition. You will notice very little change this week. Yes, we are still waiting for someone to overcome their own inertia and bound into the lead. You will notice that we finally put aside our biased, homer tendencies and move Auburn down. A detailed explanation follows.

Obviously, the biggest game this weekend is Florida – Georgia. I expect there to be many signs questioning Michael Adams’ heritage, but will CBS show them? Tennessee – South Carolina should also provide some excitement. However, the most competitive game by far will be Kentucky – Mississippi State.

Power Poll – Week 9

1. Florida (6-1, 4-1) – Like primeavel hunters after a big kill, the Gators fattened and rested up. They lay in wait for the World’s Largest Michael Adams Can Kiss My Grits Party in Jacksonville. Last Game: Bye, Up Next: Georgia (in Jacksonville).
   
2. Tennessee (6-1,2-1) – I always love the Tennessee-Alabama game. These are two teams that have made an absolute living out of playing like crap for two and half quarters and then creating more excitement than is healthy for their fans in the last one and half quarters. Last Game: Beat Alabama 16-13, Up Next: at South Carolina.
   
3. LSU (6-2, 2-2) – After a bye this week, LSU plays four straight games that will essentially decide both division races. The Tigers play at Tennessee, are at home for Alabama and Mississippi, and then finish up in Little Rock against the Hogs. If they aren’t prepared, they could go 1-3 in that stretch. Last Game: Beat Fresno State 38-6, Up Next: Bye.
   
4. Arkansas (6-1, 4-0) – Not a misprint. We finally are sold on the Hogs. In fact, they might deserve to be higher. What sold us was the defense. The defense is winning games for them. The offense is not very imaginative nor surprising, but does what it is supposed to do, gain yards and chew clock. The defense is a thing of beauty. Last Game: Beat Mississippi 38-3, Up Next: UL – Monroe.
   
5. Auburn (7-1, 4-1) – As we said in the game recap for Tulane, we finally have this team figured out. It is slightly above average for an SEC team. That means 9 or 10 wins and a nice bowl game. No one is going to convince us that Auburn doesn’t have another loss ahead of them. Don’t mistake this for pessimism, it's more like realism. Auburn can hang with anyone and is easily a top ten program and top ten team right now, but our expectations have changed. We are no longer expecting BCS. Maybe a January trip to Dallas? Last Game: Beat Tulane 38-13, Up Next: at Mississippi.
   
6. Alabama (5-3, 2-3) – A stronger team than the record would indicate and most people would give them credit for. Are they strong enough to beat LSU and Auburn? I guess we will see. We think they will go 1-1 in those two games. Last Game: Lost to Tennessee 16-13, Up Next: Florida International.
   
7. South Carolina (5-2, 3-2) – Game #2 in the annual Steve Spurrier Hate Caravan. Lost to Georgia earlier in the season. What happens when the Great Pumpkin visits Colombia? Last Game: Beat Vanderbilt 31-14, Up Next: Tennessee.
   
8. Vanderbilt (3-5, 1-4) – The Commodores needed that one against South Carolina. Well, maybe next year they can make a bowl game. Last Game: Lost to South Carolina 31-14, Up Next: at Duke.
   
9. Georgia (6-2, 3-2) – Any complaints that the Dawgs are ranked this low? Name a team above them they could beat right now. Just one. Didn’t think so. Last Game: Beat Mississippi State 27-24, Up Next: Florida (in Jacksonville).
   
10. Kentucky (3-4, 1-3) – What can you say? They still have a chance at a bowl game. A small chance. The big question is has Rich Brooks done enough to keep his job? Actually, the real question is when does basketball season start? Last Game: Bye, Up Next: at Mississippi State.
    
11. Mississippi (2-6, 1-4) – With a little luck and a near perfect game, they could easily pull the upset this weekend against Auburn. Or, they could lose like they did to Arkansas. Last Game: Lost to Arkansas 38-3, Up Next: Auburn.
    
12. Mississippi State (2-6, 0-4) – Coach Croom, where is your freakin’ brain? You are on Georgia’s 22 with 18 seconds to go and down by three points. Why in the name of all that is good and holy are you throwing the football? Kickers suck, but there is a time to be brave and a time to just kick the football. Yes, you would have lost in overtime, but you had played great up to that point. You forced 5 turnovers. Maybe Georgia coughs another one up in overtime. It is decisions like this that make Alabama look good for passing you up. Last Game: Lost to Georgia 27-24, Up Next: Kentucky.