Week Six SEC Power Poll Ballot: Do You Realize Four Teams Are Still Winless in Conference Play?
by T Kyle King on Oct 9, 2011 6:03 PM EDT
in SEC Football
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PrintAt this point, it’s not entirely clear who’s in the SEC, so how am I supposed to rank the teams in order? Actually, differentiating between Nos. 1 and 2 proved much more challenging than arranging Nos. 3 through 12 in the proper sequence, so I’m feeling pretty good about this week’s SEC Power Poll ballot, which shakes out as follows:
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0 overall, 3-0 SEC): I’ll be glad when November 5 gets here, so we can quit guessing about the difference between 1(a) and 1(b).
2. LSU Tigers (6-0, 3-0): Beating the crap out of Florida is so last weekend! (Not really. People can keep beating the crap out of Florida, and it will never get old!)
3. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-1, 3-1): Wait, so, Stephen Garcia was the one holding this team back?
4. Arkansas Razorbacks (5-1, 1-1): On the list of ways for a team to get on my good side, riding the Plainsmen hard and putting them up wet ranks way up there.
5. Georgia Bulldogs (4-2, 3-1): The Red and Black racked up some serious style points on Saturday night. Don’t believe me? Dude, calling a running play on third and 57 takes panache!
6. Auburn Tigers (4-2, 2-1): I thought it was a very moving gesture, the way Auburn paid tribute to Bobby Petrino by only playing 13/16ths of Saturday’s game.
7. Florida Gators (4-2, 2-2): Fortunately for the Sunshine State Saurians, they have Will Muschamp’s steady hand and calming demeanor, and Charlie Weis’s receptiveness to change and proven skill at working with college students, to rely upon during the current crisis.
8. Tennessee Volunteers (3-2, 0-2): I would’ve ranked them lower, but I was afraid Barbara Dooley would place an angry call to "The Dawg Gone Podcast."
9. Vanderbilt Commodores (3-2, 1-2): Since you started reading this posting, Vandy has picked off three passes.
10. Mississippi St. Bulldogs (3-3, 0-3): Scheduling all those Conference USA road games is going to look like a brilliant move when the Western Division Bulldogs roll into Memphis fully prepared to win the Liberty Bowl.
11. Kentucky Wildcats (2-4, 0-3): Eventually, being the worst team in the East will trump being the worst team in the West. Fortunately for Kentucky, it’ll probably be basketball season before that happens.
12. Mississippi Rebels (2-3, 0-2): Apparently, beating Fresno State on the road isn’t that big a deal, after all.
As always, your constructive criticisms and related observations are welcome in the comments below.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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I'm not ready to say Shaw is an improvement over Garcia yet...
he had his issues in this game. Plus, it was Kentucky. I’d think Coastal Carolina might give Kentucky a game, maybe even win it.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
I think
the Coast Guard could give Kentucky a game. And they don’t field a team I’m pretty sure.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Shaw is definitely
an improvement over Bad Garcia. But good Garcia is the best QB in the conference. I don’t think we’ll ever really know how many times each Garcia would’ve showed up. Maybe that’s why he’s had the longest leash of any Spurrier QB.
by Mark Mandingo on Oct 9, 2011 6:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
You'd think that, after eleven years in Spurrier's system, . . .
. . . Garcia would’ve been more mature by now.
Go 'Dawgs!
apparently
Drew Butler is one of those 9 year seniors (according to Ed Cunningham last night). Its funny how you don’t notice when its one of your guys.
by Mark Mandingo on Oct 9, 2011 6:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Each year, I thought Butler used up his eligibility the year before
And that includes his freshman year.
The 984 Has Spoken!
Kentucky is undoubtedly bad, but
they still have as many SEC wins as Georgia’s three victims combined. I still can’t tell with Georgia. If Florida really falls apart and Carolina falls in Fayetteville, you could conceivably make the SEC CG as an unknown commodity. That’s definitely never happened before.
(I still hate Garcia as a quarterback).
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Oct 9, 2011 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Tennessee in '07 already owns that dubious claim
…you could conceivably make the SEC CG as an unknown commodity.
http://hobnailboot.wordpress.com/
I'm pretty sure "That's definitely never happened before" . . .
. . . was sarcastic, and it might even have been self-deprecating. I certainly don’t think it was serious.
Go 'Dawgs!
I was serious.
The other two teams were known to be flawed teams that made it to Atlanta. 07 Tennessee caught every bounce to win some tight games down the stretch. 11 Carolina rode a great RB-WR combo to win a down East. In both cases, I think there was a pretty good idea of what those teams had.
Georgia could go10-2 (7-1) and win the East without anyone having a good feel for their place in the national pecking order. I don’t think I could every say that of an SEC East champ before.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Oct 9, 2011 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I think any SEC team that goes 10-2 (7-1) is a top ten team
Unfathomable to dream up a scenario where it ain’t so.
by Xon on Oct 10, 2011 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I concede that Georgia is an unknown commodity right now.
However, if the Bulldogs make it to Atlanta, they will have beaten Florida and Auburn in the process. (I don’t believe it’s likely Georgia goes 6-2 in conference and South Carolina goes 5-3.) At that point, the Bulldogs would be a known quantity, and would be highly ranked, and deservedly so. There’s half a season left to be played, and we’ll have a pretty good idea of the national pecking order six games hence.
Even if you’re right, though, you’re focusing solely on one half of the conference. There have been several occasions on which non-Alabama Western Division teams (including one LSU team, in 2001) attended SEC Championship Games as unknown quantities.
Go 'Dawgs!
I agree...
our 3 SEC wins aren’t over difficult competition. I was simply saying that Connor Shaw got yanked against East Carolina for a reason, and they are probably better than Kentucky. Spurrier, who is pretty well known for his willingness to yank underperforming QBs, stuck with Garcia through the last few weeks even though the guy looked like he was drinking Everclear instead of water on the sidelines (inside source, Garcia LOVES grain alcohol). Yet in spite of those struggles, especially against Vandy, Shaw never entered. If Shaw was that good, we’d have seen him a lot sooner. I’m still thinking y’all would be better off letting Martay Mattox take your snaps.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Problem was he WAS drinking water...
…he plays better when he is drunk. It’s that whole state-dependent learning thing. Spurrier really needs to find him a bartender for the sideline.
by rxmaster on Oct 9, 2011 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Speaking of quarterbacks...
I’ll be out under my truck. I’m O.K. rain, ants, mediocrity
No. 7 is very generous. Thank you T. Kyle.
Although I must say, that the Sauria reference has always been one of the better ones out there. Very clever. Most of the time, it is just the same old garbage nickname every time.
Editor at Alligator Army - The Florida Gators Blog
The Florida Gators - The most despised team in all of college football - Which is fantastic.
Kyle
Is good at not taking the easy way out.
In fact, I’ve stopped using childish nicknames for many teams since reading/interacting on this blog.
As an aside, if you don’t mind, what’s the status of Brantley?
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
You will know in time.
All good things happen for those who wait.
Amen
and amen:
People can keep beating the crap out of Florida, and it will never get old!
Leaving insightful football commentary and analysis to other people since 2006.
How is arkansas not #3 over South Carolina?
You guys beat South Carolina up and down the field, but they killed you with turnovers and whatnot. I don’t really count that as a quality win. They lost to Auburn…. Auburn!
Ark just whooped Auburn, and their only loss is to Bama.
"Those are just facts and facts are just opinions and opinions can be wrong"
-Veronica, Better Off Ted
I suspect there's a belief that
Garcia was a millstone around an otherwise respectable team. Neither victim is good, but we are the only defense to hold Vandy or Kentucky under 100 yards total offense.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Oct 9, 2011 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions
The Razorbacks' "only loss is to Bama" the way Hiroshima's only loss was to the atomic bomb.
The Gamecocks lost a three-point ballgame to the defending national champion in a contest that was every bit as wonky as their three-point win over Georgia. Also, South Carolina has gotten to 5-1 against legitimate competition, week in and week out, while Arkansas has replicated that record against the Little Sisters of the Poor. Auburn is the Hogs’ lone quality win.
Finally, it’s the SEC Power Poll, so, all other things being equal, I’m going to reward the team that’s 3-1 in SEC play (with one close loss) over the team that’s 1-1 in SEC play (with one blowout loss). I could be wrong, of course, but, fortunately, these teams play, so it’ll all sort itself out in the end.
Go 'Dawgs!
Arkansas also beat Texas A&M. 2 quality wins for Arkansas vs 1 for USC (and that one was a bit of a fluke).
"Those are just facts and facts are just opinions and opinions can be wrong"
-Veronica, Better Off Ted
In the end, it's probably splitting hairs
It’s like arguing over who’s better between Alabama and LSU (we know how you would go) but with much fewer national title implications.
The 984 Has Spoken!
Exactly.
They play one another. It’ll all come out in the wash. It’s one ballot out of several, and it’s one poll position on that ballot. It’s also October 9.
Go 'Dawgs!
Likewise...
Kentucky, Miss. State, and Ole Miss will all play each other, thus sorting out the bottom, too!
Jolly good.
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
Basically...
Kyle, in his own way, just called Bama “da bomb!”
You should be happy.
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
speaking of Hiroshima ...dedicated to my ex (and all ex's everywhere)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCKCj3QAyG0&feature=related
“when I start erupted anin’t nobody gonna make me stop”
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the Dawgs of war; - Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene 1
by Vietnam Dog on Oct 9, 2011 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1 for Wanda
Audemus jura nostra defendere
Every day we make it, we'll make it the best we can.
by animalcracker on Oct 9, 2011 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I know this likely strengthens Zoltar's point,
but Auburn is not a quality win (or loss). They are still awful, and I still don’t really want to talk about it.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Oct 9, 2011 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions
It happens...
Truly.
The SEC is a wacky place.
In 2007, we lost to y’all and Tennessee, but, by the end of the season, our team was playing like the best team in the country…
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
I also take issue with "beat [us] up and down the field"
Georgia was +41 in total yards, and that margin is the result of going against a prevent defense on their final drive when we had a two score lead. We were +1 in TO’s, but the Dawgs showed no ability to stop Lattimore when the game was on the line. I feel the game is still the best the Dawgs have played to date, and I understand the big plays went our way that day. However, I would not put that result among the most flukey of the last decade in the series between the programs.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Oct 9, 2011 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
You turned your turnovers directly into points
and scored a TD on a fake punt that everyone knows was not designed to do THAT well. You scored 21 points that had absolutely nothing to do with your O moving the ball against our D.
It happens, and it’s part of the game. But when it happens that much in a single game, it’s flukey.
Fair enough...
That game is hard to judge, for, who knows what y’all would have done after the turnovers/fake punt had y’all not scored (or almost scored) on all four key plays?
It’s not your fault your guys had the nerve of getting into the endzone or inside the 5-yard line!
We lost fair and square. Luckily for us, we didn’t let that awkward game get to us, and, for the moment, it looks like your team has put the Auburn game behind them.
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
"for the moment" is the key phrase
We won’t know for sure until we go to Fayetteville. Any confirmation before then (at MSU and at Bray-less UT) will only be of the negative sort.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Oct 10, 2011 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
I tend to agree.
But really, they’re both awful, so I’d probably just make them 11a and 11b.
by Biggus Rickus on Oct 10, 2011 6:03 AM EDT up reply actions
More accurately...
11F and 11F-
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
by Jman781 on Oct 10, 2011 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
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