(Credit image to the Associated Press / Times Free Press)
Greetings college football fans, my name is Bill Griffin. Each week, I’ll be ranking the SEC as they battle one another for conference dominance.
Before I begin this week, I feel obligated to point out the following: TEN. Count ’em! TEN SEC teams are ranked in the AP Top 25! That also happens to break the record of eight teams held by, you guessed it, the SEC. It’s also worth noting that the entire SEC West is currently ranked in the AP Top 25. Nobody should question the gauntlet that is the SEC, particularly the SEC West. Now, on to the rankings!
14. Vanderbilt – Is anyone surprised by this? Vandy is looking down the barrel of a 1-11 season and the hunt for a new head coach. While the defense showed signs of promise, that offense is abysmal. Plus, they were the only SEC team to lose in week one.
13. Kentucky – I actually had some hope for the Wildcats this season, but struggling to mount an impressive win against Louisiana-Lafayette keeps them toward the bottom of the list. That being said, wins against South Carolina and Florida can’t be ruled out. We’ll see.
12. Florida – New HC Jim McElwain looks to have the Gators offense back to form. 600 yards of offense and 61 points is certainly a good sign, but keep in mind that New Mexico State won just two games last season.
11. South Carolina – The Gamecocks defense showed flashes of promise, while the offense looks like it’ll struggle for a few more games. Spurrier found a way to win against a quality opponent in UNC, but I’m not buying into the Gamecocks as contenders yet.
10. Mississippi State – (#25 in the AP, #10 in the SEC, #7 in the West. Yes, the SEC is definitely dead.) The Bulldogs didn’t exactly dazzle in their opener, but still handily defeated Southern Miss. We’ll learn plenty next week against LSU. Is it odd to anyone else that Mississippi State isn’t getting much love considering they were #1 at one point last year?
9. LSU – Don’t get offended, Tigers. It’s not my fault your game was canceled. I don’t know where else to put you. I chose nine. We’ll talk after the Miss. State game.
8. Tennessee – One of the favorites to win the East, the Vols showcased a high powered offense in week one. Unfortunately, the Vols also showcased a secondary that was roasted repeatedly by Bowling Green State. Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara might be one of the best rushing duos this season, but the secondary needs to make huge strides to make UT a contender.
7. Missouri – The Tigers look to be the most complete team in the East. While a win over SE Missouri State isn’t exactly thrilling, Missouri has veteran QB Maty Mauk at the helm and a defense that appears to be the best in the East.
6. Arkansas – Coming into the season, we expected a team built around a run-heavy offense. Brandon Allen then decided to throw for 300 yards and four TD’s. Who knew? The Hogs are no joke this year kids.
5. Texas A&M – Take a bow, John Chavis. A&M looks to finally have the thing it has lacked for so long: a smothering defense. Christian Kirk is also a name worth remembering as the year goes on. And while the win over Arizona State is impressive, let’s not forget about how the Aggies started last season…..
4. Ole Miss – A powerful defense? Check. Starting QB controversy solved? Seemingly check. Robert Nkemdiche scoring a touchdown? Check.
3. Auburn – Everyone seems to be downplaying Auburn’s win against Louisville. Bobby Petrino, while a poor cyclist, is a phenomenal coach and had a solid game plan ready for the Tigers. Louisville is not a pushover team, so Auburn’s win shouldn’t be overlooked. The Jeremy Johnson hype should quiet down now, however.
2. Georgia – Greyson Lambert seems to be the man in GA, and looked confident while beating a cupcake. Let’s face it, Lambert is a game manager. The real show is Nick Chubb, who looks to continue to be as explosive as hoped. Expect a lot of fireworks from the Heisman hopeful.
1. Alabama – The most formidable front seven in college football completely shutdown the highly touted Wisconsin run game. Derrick Henry was more powerful than anyone could have anticipated. Jake Coker looked both confident and efficient. The break in the armor? A very green secondary. The Tide might continue to struggle against pass heavy spread offenses if the CB’s can’t learn to look for the ball.
Bill Griffin is the lead SEC contributor for the SoBros Network, and serves as our resident expert on the human anatomy, fixin’ stuff, and tomatoes. Follow him on Twitter @Winter_Griffin
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