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SEC Power Rankings: West leading the pack

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SEC Power Rankings: West leading the pack

After the HBC-retirin’, Will Grier-suspendin’ start to this week, actual football might feel a bit anticlimactic this Saturday … if not for, you know, the pair of top-10 matchups featuring three undefeated teams and those once-defeated scrubs at Alabama. Here’s how all four of those teams — plus 10 more — shape up in this week’s CBS Sports SEC Power Rankings. Enjoy:

Tier One: the Contenders

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (Last week — 1): On the one hand, the devil on Jake Coker’s shoulder that whispers mischievous interception-causing advice returned, and Alabama trailed Arkansas 7-3 seven minutes into third quarter. On the other, the Razorbacks rushed 25 times for 44 yards, meaning their chances of actually scoring more points than Alabama over the course of 60 minutes were somewhere between slim and get-the-entire-hell-out of here.

The Tide have now cracked the FBS top five in yards per-carry allowed. I’d like to try and explain how in the simplest possible terms … maybe in 140 characters or less with an accompanying image … lemme see …

That’ll do it.

2. Ole Miss Rebels (3): Justin Fuente and Memphis are one-of-if-not-the darlings of the Group of Five world right now, and not without reason; Fuente took over a football program that wasn’t a “smoldering crater” or “dumpster fire” so much as the unholy love child of both, and somehow has it undefeated and in the Coaches Poll despite losing his top assistant (defensive coordinator Barry Odom) to Missouri.

But Odom’s absence also helps explain how the Tigers gave up 41 points to Bowling Green and 46 to Cincinnati’s backup quarterback. If the Rebels are truly worthy of being ranked ahead of 12 other SEC teams (as I obviously do), the Tigers bandwagon is due to lose a few of its passengers in the Liberty Bowl this weekend.

3. Texas A&M (4): Maybe the unbeaten Aggies shouldn’t be behind two teams with a loss, especially now that that Arizona State win looks meaningful again and that going to overtime with Arkansas isn’t as unsightly a blemish on the ol’ resume as it was at the time. Still: (1) the Hogs outgained A&M by 34 yards, but were outgained by Alabama by 176 yards (2) Ole Miss’s win in Tuscaloosa remains better than any of the Aggies’ (or any other SEC team’s) by some distance.

Then again, judging by how unhappy John Chavis is with the AP ranking the Aggies No. 9, maybe I should rethink things.

4. LSU Tigers (5): One of these weeks we’ll do something for the LSU entry in these rankings other than just show you a Leonard Fournette highlight.

Not this week, though.

5. Florida Gators (2): Waylp, Gators, Will Grier’s done. But at least you get to break Treon Harris back into the starting lineup gently …

… with a night game at LSU.

Tier Two: The Uninspiring Middle

6. Tennessee (10): The phrase is “what goes around, comes around.” Its definition is the Volunteers losing to Florida on an increasingly improbable set of fourth-down conversions, then doing this down 24-3 to Georgia:

If the Gators fail to convert any of their five fourth downs on their final two drives, they lose to Tennessee. If the Vols fail to convert either of their fourth downs on that all-important second-quarter drive, they lose to Georgia. We think Jim Harbaugh would call this the circle of life.

7. Mississippi State Bulldogs (8): Dan Mullen’s team has lost to the two top-tier teams it’s faced, both times after falling into large deficits. It’s beaten each of the four lesser teams it’s faced, each time after building sizable leads that were never threatened. It’s a weird thing to say about a team with Dak Prescott, but … you’re kinda dull, Bulldogs.

8. Arkansas Razorbacks (7): After Bret Bielema Flag-DanceGate, fair to say Arkansas folks have gotten back in touch with their, uh, conspiracy-minded side:

Parabolic microphones have been used for espionage purposes, according to Wikipedia. So go nuts, Hog fans.

9. Kentucky Wildcats (9): Beat walking disaster film Auburn at home on Thursday night, and you’re 5-1 with a home game vs. Charlotte still to come. Lose to Auburn, and you’re going to have to beat Tennessee or Louisville at home or Georgia, Mississippi State or shockingly competent Vanderbilt on the road to go bowling.

Of course, none of the five wins in the second scenario is at all out of reach for Mark Stoops new-and-improved Wildcats, so the smart money’s on a first postseason berth since 2010 regardless of how things go on Thursday. But it’s still not time to wager one’s immortal soul on it just yet, Wildcats fans.

10. Georgia Bulldogs (6): Football Study Hall’s definition of a passing down is “second-and-8 or more, third-and-5 or more, or fourth-and-5 or more.” It defines a successful play on second down as one that gains 70 percent of the yardage to gain, or on third or fourth down that moves the chains.

Georgia is currently 113th in the FBS in passing downs success rate. That is all.

Tier Three: Respectable(ish) Vandy Is All By Its Lonesome For Now

11. Vanderbilt Commodores (12): Having played only two SEC games (one of them at Ole Miss), the ‘Dores haven’t proven enough yet to ascend to the nougaty middle but also look too feisty to be lumped in with the pushovers below. They’ll move one way or the other at South Carolina this Saturday.

Of course, in one sense, Vandy’s already won its visit to Columbia:

Tier Four: Basement Battle

12. Auburn Tigers (13): Maybe the rumored return of Jeremy Johnson combined with a much-needed bye week will give Auburn the shot-in-the-arm it needs to revive its season. And maybe Auburn’s about to miss out on its best chance for an SEC win this season in a fit of raw desperation. Here’s a scientific, #FactsOnly guess as to when one of Auburn’s rare visits to Lexington has had higher stakes: never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever.

13. Missouri Tigers (11): Of Missouri’s six games, how many would you guess have gone under the Vegas total? (A) three (B) four (C) OK you’re interrupting me to yell “all of them, all of them” at me loudly and you’re right it’s all of them.

14. South Carolina Gamecocks (14): Thanks for everything, HBC.

A win over Texas A&M would have Alabama in sight of an Atlanta return. (USATSI)A win over Texas A&M would have Alabama in sight of an Atlanta return. (USATSI)

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