(Credit image to OleMissSports.com)
OK.
Everyone calm down. Let’s all take a a deep breath and relax for a minute. The world isn’t ending. The sky isn’t falling. There’s literally no need to sound the alarm. Yet.
Look, we knew 10 SEC teams in top 25 couldn’t last. That’s just the nature of the beast. What really stings coming off of week two is how incredibly flat several teams looked. For many, this was meant to be “tune-up” week, i.e. beat up on some smaller schools to work the kinks out for conference play. Instead, we actually saw some competitive games and a major upset. Just another Saturday in the fall. On to the rankings!
14. Vanderbilt (Last Week – 14, Peak – 14) – At 0-2, Vandy has to sit in the last spot. The Georgia game went as expected for everyone, including most Commodore fans. Vandy’s defense continues to be the bright spot while the offense couldn’t find much of a rhythm.
13. South Carolina (Last Week – 11, Peak – 11) – A loss to Kentucky at home has to sting for Steve Spurrier and company. With Connor Mitch sidelined, the Gamecocks are likely to continue to struggle. Traveling to Georgia this weekend won’t be doing them any favors.
12. Arkansas (Last Week – 6, Peak – 6) – I JUST finished bragging about you last week, and this is what I get?! I’ll also point out that Bret Bielema spent last week complaining about Ohio State’s strength of schedule, then lost to the FOURTH best team in Ohio. And, how in the world do you rack up over 500 yards of offense and score 12 points?!? Nothing about this game made sense. Arkansas, you sit at #12. It’s like a timeout to sit there and think about what you’ve done. There’s one positive though: I get to make fun of Stoney for saying that Arkansas could beat Georgia.
11. Florida (Last Week – 12, Peak – 11) – The Gators defeated ECU in ugly fashion. ECU had a chance to send the game to overtime until a turnover sealed a Florida win. Jim McElwain was obviously not pleased with the collective effort of his team, even with a win. With an unsolved quarterback controversy, Florida travels to Kentucky for what could prove to be a pretty competitive game.
10. Mississippi State (Last Week – 10, Peak – 10) – The Bulldogs lost a tough one to LSU, but didn’t look awful doing it. Dak Prescott continues to be one of the best in the SEC, but doesn’t have the supporting cast to pull out the big wins. They get to stay at #10 this week, mainly because of Arkansas.
9. Kentucky (Last Week – 13, Peak – 9) – A big win against South Carolina has Kentucky starting off conference play in a strong way. Even with an ugly road win and a less than stellar 2nd half, the Wildcats are in better position than any time in recent memory. With Florida visiting this weekend, Kentucky could make a huge statement with a win.
8. Tennessee (Last Week – 8, Peak – 8) – I can’t let the Vols move up in position with a loss, but dropping them didn’t feel right either. Tennessee looked absolutely dominant for 3.5 quarters. A colossal collapse gave a double overtime win to the visiting Sooners. Inexperience and lack of depth caught up to the Vols late in the game, and I’m betting it might not be the last time it happens.
7. Auburn (Last Week – 3, Peak – 3) – A bit of a fall from last week for the Tigers. Auburn looked beyond flat against Jacksonville State; they looked downright lost. Jeremy Johnson has not lived up to the preseason hype at all: five interceptions in two games, with most of them being the result of poor decision making. Malzahn needs to teach Johnson how to read a defense, and it needs to happen soon. He can’t expect to escape again this weekend when the Tigers walk into Death Valley.
6. Missouri (Last Week – 7, Peak – 6) – I’m sure a lot of people will disagree with this, but Missouri continues to find ways to win. The offense didn’t exactly impress against Arkansas State, but the Tigers look to have another top 20 defense. They get another tune-up this weekend before starting conference play.
5. LSU (Last Week – 9, Peak – 5) – A big road win for the Tigers this week against a talented Mississippi State squad. Leonard Fournette is the real deal and will continue to carry the offense. Brandon Harris, while impressive, seemed a little tied down by an unusually conservative Les Miles. With another great defense shaping up, LSU has to be a top contender for the West.
4. Georgia (Last Week – 2, Peak – 2) – No surprises this week. Vanderbilt got a healthy dose of Nick Chubb to the tune of 189 yards. The only major question mark seems to be the passing game. Another stifling defense keeps Georgia the favorite in the East.
3. Alabama (Last Week – 1, Peak – 1) – Alabama falls 2 spots after turning in a flat performance. The spread offense of MTSU gave the Crimson Tide problems early and often. Could they have been looking over MTSU to Ole Miss? Maybe, but I’m not buying that. The run game and run defense are Bama’s bread and butter, but that might not be enough if the DB’s can’t pull it together. The Tide looked mortal on Saturday, and that doesn’t bode well for them with Ole Miss coming to town.
2. Texas A&M (Last Week – 5, Peak – 2) – The Aggies look dominant and very comfortable to start the season. The two quarterback system is working for Sumlin, and there might not be a more explosive offense in all of college football right now. If I could give awards, I’d have to hand the “Most Improved” superlative to the Aggies defense.
1. Ole Miss (Last Week – 4, Peak – 1) – Chad Kelly makes it look easy. And let’s face it, it’s been very easy for the Rebels so far. Fresno State isn’t exactly defensive powerhouse, but you can’t deny the chemistry between Kelly and the Ole Miss receiving corps. After putting up 70+ points twice, the Rebels travel to Tuscaloosa for Gameday. Would anyone be surprised if Ole Miss upset the Tide without attempting a single run play? I wouldn’t.
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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