Now that the College Football season is really underway and conference play has begun, it is time to rank the teams. The SEC has now a record with 8 ranked teams in the AP top 25. The SEC power rankings are as follows.
14. Kentucky
The Wildcats. This really should come as no surprise to anyone that is a fan of SEC football. In reality Kentucky has not done a thing in football in a very long time. They have had talent but nothing has come from it. Kentucky has definitely struggled in the SEC in recent years, with 0 wins vs ranked opponents in the last 12 years. That is embarrassing. Since 2002, Kentucky has only won a total of 59 games, (excluding 2013-2014 college football season), which is an average of 5 wins per season. Kentucky’s best season since 2002 was 2007 when they went 8-5 and had a victory over the LSU Tigers. That is also the last time Kentucky has beaten LSU. Obviously without a doubt they have a long way to go, as they sit at 1-5 in the 2013 college football season.
13. Vanderbilt
The Commodores. This is a football team that has plenty of talent but have their schedule results have not shown it at all. Coach James Franklin is a very good coach and fits right in there with the Commodore type of play. Unfortunately, Vanderbilt has been in plenty of games, only to lose them right at the last second, including the season opener to Ole Miss, 39-35. They made a comeback from 10-0 at the beginning to take the lead 21-10 by halftime. However, they blew the lead and ended up losing the game 39-35. Vanderbilt currently sits at 3-3. The team has to prove to people that they are capable of being good again. It wasn’t too long ago when Vanderbilt was ranked in the top 15. The Commodores are rising again but they have a few more rungs before they move up in the power rankings.
12. Mississippi State
The Bulldogs. The Mississippi State Bulldogs might be ranked higher for other people but to me, the Bulldogs are not as good as people say. They have been ranked in past years, however this year Mississippi State just does not show the fire they have shown in the past. They started the season last year at 7-0 only to drop four of their final five regular season games including the annual Ole Miss vs Mississippi State game, followed a bowl game loss, to finish the season 8-5. Mississippi State is really a team that relies on their ground game. Their passing game is just not there and it has cost them games. They have a solid defense, however it has not shown up at all this year after escaping Bowling Green at home this past week. Mississippi State has not shown they are a terrible team, but they are not a team that can contend with a Missouri, A&M, or even an Auburn team.
11. Arkansas
The Razorbacks. This is a team that has been in the top ten in the past. They have not been doing well at all in the past two years, but mark my word, Arkansas football is coming back. Maybe not this year or next year, but Arkansas will be ranked again and will win big games against marquee teams. So get ready Fayetteville. In fact, Arkansas almost pulled out a huge win vs #9 ranked Texas A&M a few weeks ago. However, against South Carolina, Arkansas looked terrible the entire game. The team is in rebuild mode, but they are rebuilding a lot faster than Kentucky or Vanderbilt. Razorback football is going to be back soon.
10. Tennessee
The Volunteers. These guys almost pulled out the biggest win in the last 5 years for the football department at Tennessee. It was oh, so close, against the Georgia Bulldogs. A controversial play and a goal line fumble cost the Volunteers probably their only shot at a huge upset of the season. Tennessee has not had a season to remember since 2007, which is also their only season to be above .500 in a regular season, when they went 10-4 and lost a bowl game to the Wisconsin Badgers. The last two years Tennessee has gone 5-7. They should actually be thankful to be ranked ahead of Arkansas, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Tennessee, you have to get better at finishing games. “C’mon Man’!
9. Ole Miss
The Rebels of Mississippi. Ole Miss, a team that last year ended the a very long drought without a conference win with 16 consecutive conference losses. They finished the drought after defeating Auburn 41-20. This year Ole Miss, for the first time in 6 years, was above .500 in conference play after a season opener victory at Vanderbilt. Since that victory, Ole Miss has dropped 3 straight conference game to Alabama, Auburn, and Texas A&M. In those games they were outscored 96-60, including a shutout at Alabama. Ole Miss Quarterback Bo Wallace claimed that the Rebels would put points on Alabama with their offense – usually reserve trash talking when playing the Tide. However, the field goal kicker couldn’t even put points on the board as they got shutout 25-0. The Rebels desperately wanted to beat Texas A&M this past weekend, but that was not to be as the Aggies drive into Oxford two straight years and defeated Ole Miss. Both of those game Ole Miss had the lead on the Aggie by more than 6 points with 6 minutes left, and both years they lost. Ole Miss is on the upswing, but this year is not looking good in Oxford.
8. Auburn
The Tigers. This is a team that would be ranked a lot higher if they had actually beaten somebody. I know they just beat an Ole Miss team, but look at Ole Miss now. They have now dropped 3 in a row. Auburn is sitting in prime position at 5-1 and and 2-1 in the SEC. They are showing that they can compete again since the Cam Newton season. The Tigers are playing great and are doing it not by passing the ball, but by running the football – they average 287 yards per game, which is 7th best in the country. Auburn is facing a huge test next week as they head to College Station to take on the Aggies, Johnny Manziel, and Kyle Field. That stadium is without a doubt one of the loudest, if not the loudest stadium in the country. They will have to play great against Johnny Manziel and the Aggie offense. It will be a good game, and it will show how good the Tigers really are.
7. Florida
The Gators. Florida did great last year, defeating Texas A&M and LSU, but this year it has been a rocky start. They have lost both of their big games this year, Miami and LSU. Miami actually came as a shock to many people, however I actually did pick Miami to upset the Gators. The game was on the road and Florida wasn’t looking anywhere near as good as they looked last year. Miami was rolling and they just took it to the Gators from the opening play. Florida’s defense I think could honestly beat Alabama right now. Seriously. It’s the offense that is killing Florida. It is terrible. That is the reason they lost to LSU and Miami, not the defense. Florida definitely deserves to be ranked right now but I don’t know if that will hold up at the end of the season.
6. South Carolina
The Gamecocks. South Carolina have opened the 2013 season great, sitting at 5-1. They should be ranked higher than this but the only thing is that they haven’t beaten anyone good. They lost to Georgia in a great game, which was their only loss. But their wins came at the expense of North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Central Florida, Kentucky, and Arkansas. And added to that, they only barely escaped Central Florida and Kentucky, yet are still ranked #11. That is honestly a blessing because there is no reason why they should be ranked that high. The Gamecocks are in for a rude awakening when they take on Missouri, Florida, and Clemson. They can easily lose all three of those games. South Carolina is having trouble with the passing game, but their running game is doing great. Their defense is adequate, but if you’re giving up 22 points a game to teams like Central Florida and Kentucky, just wait until they take on Tajh Boyd and the Clemson Tigers. Gamecocks get ready, you are about to head into hell.
5. Georgia
The Bulldogs. What a terrible chain of events has taken place in Athens, Georgia. Started the Season off 0-1 to Clemson and lost a very key player in that game. They have lost 5 starters on the Georgia roster including Running Back Todd Gurley. Georgia has won two very big games, against LSU and South Carolina. This past weekend the Bulldogs took on the Missouri Tigers and lost in bad fashion. Missouri jumped out to a 28-10 lead at halftime. Missouri dominated Georgia from the very beginning. The Bulldogs did win two huge games but have also lost two big ones against Clemson and Missouri. With those losses it almost puts them out of any national championship hopes. Georgia honestly were victims of circumstance this year. Injuries killed them.
4. Missouri
The Tigers. These guys are finally for real again, after not being ranked inside the top 15 in 3 years. The last time the Tigers started 5-0 they knocked off the number #1 ranked team in the country, the Oklahoma Sooners. While they won’t defeat the number 1 team this time around, they might continue their dominating wins over ranked opponents. Missouri doesn’t have a tough schedule after this weekend when they take on the South Carolina Gamecocks until the final game of the season against Texas A&M. Those two games will determine if they are going to the SEC Championship. Missouri, however, lost their starting Quarterback James Franklin. I don’t know how badly that will affect the Tigers, but expect some fall out for certain.
3. LSU
The Tigers. This years LSU team is ranked not at 2, but at 3. This is the reason why: their “number 1 defense” has not shown up except at home against Florida when they didn’t give up a touchdown. But Florida’s offense is not fiery, and is actually quite bad. LSU gave up 44 points to Georgia, and has given up an average of 22 points a game. It’s not gonna be 22 points for Alabama and Texas A&M. The defense has got to get their game on and play better as a unit if they want to beat Alabama and Texas A&M. Also the offense for LSU, led by Zach Mettenberger, went cold. So if a team gets LSU backed up in a corner, they may crumble as witnessed in that performance in the final minutes against Georgia. LSU is good, but can they win in crunch time? Last year the exact thing happened against Alabama, only it wasn’t Mettenberger, it was LSU’s defense. So we will wait and see for the big games, at Alabama and vs Texas A&M in back-to-back weeks.
2. Texas A&M
The Aggies. Yes this may come as a shock due to the defensive performances by Texas A&M, but you cannot contain Johnny Manziel and the Aggie offense. Johnny Manziel and the Aggies put up almost 600 yards of total offense in a game this year. They almost pulled out another upset over Alabama at home this year, but they fell in a close one, 49-42. The offense was great in that one, but their defense lost the battle on the ground and in the air. In fact, they almost lost to Ole Miss for a second straight year because of their defense as the Rebel offense was relentless against the Aggie defense. The Aggies have 6 games left and that includes away games against LSU and Missouri. The Aggies are also praying for Alabama to lose a couple of games and A&M to win out. If Alabama loses to LSU, A&M controls their ow destiny. This is college football, and anything can happen.
1. Alabama
The Crimson Tide. This should come as no surprise to anyone. The Crimson Tide has been the better team by far in the SEC. Their defense has been relentless including a shutout against Ole Miss, right after Ole Miss Quarterback Bo Wallace said they would put points on Alabama just like Texas A&M did. Well that didn’t work at all. Alabama shut down Ole Miss, and their offense. Alabama looks to defend their back to back national championships, and they sit on prime position to take three in a row. I honestly believe Alabama will lose this year and it will cost them a chance at a “three-peat”. The reason behind it, their offense is not as dominant as it has been in previous years. They still average 440 yards per game but it doesn’t really show as it has in the past few seasons. That said, their defense is certainly up to the task of winning a third straight National Championship. The Tide defense, aside from the Texas A&M game, has only given up 26 points this season. Alabama is by far the better team this year, and that is why they are #1 in the SEC Power Rankings. What I believe should be this year’s National Championship, is a rematch of Alabama vs Texas A&M. It very well could be the most viewed National Championship game ever.
