Week Four SEC Power Poll Ballot: Logjam at Top Followed by Steep Drop After First Four
by T Kyle King on Sep 25, 2011 11:07 PM EDT
in SEC Football
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PrintThe division races have taken shape, and it’s pretty clear at this point that Louisiana State’s visit to Tuscaloosa on November 5 and Florida’s visit to Columbia on November 12 will decide which teams are in Atlanta on December 3. This week’s SEC Power Poll ballot features a tiny gap between Nos. 1 and 2, a tiny gap between Nos. 3 and 4, and a yawning chasm between Nos. 4 and 5. Here, as I see it, is how the twelve (for now) teams of the Southeastern Conference stack up relative to one another:
1. LSU Tigers (4-0): This spot easily could’ve gone to the Tide instead, but the Bayou Bengals get extra credit for pounding West Virginia and taking their lunch money.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0): It’s appropriate that Alabama’s most recent national championship trophy was put on display at Wal-Mart, as the Tide, like Wal-Mart, are ruthlessly and mechanically efficient to an extent that threatens the long-term viability of all competitors and comes across as downright scary.
3. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-0): The defending SEC East champions continue to take care of business, dispensing with four valid challenges in the autumn’s first month. You can’t ask for much more from a team than that.
4. Florida Gators (4-0): They’ve looked better than everyone (well, everyone except pessimistic Georgia fans) expected over the first third of the season, but they have yet to do anything as impressive as beating Vanderbilt.
5. Vanderbilt Commodores (3-1): Believe it or not, this presently is the best team in the SEC never to have been coached either by Nick Saban or Steve Spurrier.
6. Tennessee Volunteers (2-1): The Big Orange looked better during a bye week than any of the teams ranked behind the Vols looked in actual college football action.
7. Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1): I only have the Hogs this high because the Plainsmen looked even worse and the bottom third of the league is mediocre at best. This club of cupcake-crushers had the equivalent of three-fourths of an NFL preseason (fractional portions of NFL seasons being a measurement with which the Arkansas head coach is quite familiar) to get ready for its first real game, and the Razorbacks failed miserably.
8. Auburn Tigers (3-1): I’d love to be able to say that Arkansas is the weakest 3-1 team in the conference, but Auburn followed up a pair of close shaves and a hammering at Clemson with another lackluster performance, in which the Tigers led FAU by a 10-6 margin at halftime.
9. Georgia Bulldogs (2-2): The Classic City Canines are money against any opponent other than a Division I-A team that will finish the season with a winning record.
10. Mississippi St. Bulldogs (2-2): Is there a rule that requires a team to play its worst the week before facing Georgia?
11. Kentucky Wildcats (2-2): I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but, the next time Kentucky beats Florida in football, the next day’s Sunday morning sermon will be taken from the Book of Revelation.
12. Mississippi Rebels (1-3): Ole Miss is so bad, the Black Bears lost to Georgia at home. Houston Nutt may have just been Richted. It could be worse, though; if the Texas A&M Aggies had officially joined the league before the weekend, the Rebs would’ve ranked 13th.
That is how the SEC looks to me, but, of course, I could be wrong about that. Your comments, constructive criticisms, and other observations are welcome and encouraged.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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So
Why the love for Vandy?
They aren’t the 5th best team in the SEC.
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
by Jman781 on Sep 25, 2011 11:14 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
They've played like it so far.
On paper, I agree with you, but which team(s) would you have me rank above them? (That’s not a rhetorical question; I’m genuinely asking.)
Go 'Dawgs!
by T Kyle King on Sep 25, 2011 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Okay...
To make it easy, I’d rank them behind UGA, which other teams I rank them behind depends on their relation to UGA. As of now, I’d rank UGA either 7th or 8th, depending on my mood about Auburn. Thus, to keep it simple, I’ll place Vandy 10th.
Let’s look at Vandy:
Beat Elon; we beat Coastal Carolina: I’d argue that 59-0 is better than 45-17, but, really, what’s the point?
Beat UConn close at home; we get crushed by Boise State in the Dome. This must be the game that swings the vote: they beat a team that also lost to Iowa State; we lost badly to a top-5 team…Hmmm. In my opinion, these games are a wash, for I strongly believe we beat UConn at home and that BSU would demolish Vandy…
They lose on the road to South Carolina by 18; we lose a game, which we should’ve won, to South Carolina by 3 at home. I’d say we performed MUCH better against the Gamecocks, but maybe this is considered a wash, too…
23 point win at home over Ole Miss; had UGA made their FGs against Ole Miss, which admittedly we missed, we beat Ole Miss by 23 on the road. Same difference. Literally, except we were on the road.
Thus, looking at the schedule, they’ve done nothing more than us, other than beat a terrible UConn team and win by 9 more points over Ole Miss.
Thus, are you saying that we’re really only 3 missed FGs away from being the 5th best team in the SEC, or are you knocking us too much for losing to Boise State?
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
Sorry...I'd rank Vandy 9th...
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
All valid points.
My only response is this: Georgia missed those field goals, and Vanderbilt is 3-1. That won’t hold up, but, as long as it does, yes, the Commodores have played better football than the Bulldogs.
Go 'Dawgs!
Fair enough...
Luckily, we’ll get to see the clash of the titans (well, the Titans are different team in Nashville, but it’s too early to think of another cliche this morning) soon enough!
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
We're ahead of Miss St?
Bad juju…
/Starts uncontrollable shaking
Success is never final. --Winston Churchill
I told him weeks ago to put UGA at 12 and keep them there. For a man that is all about football superstitions, he is really blowing this one.
(oh, and I think this goes to SB Nation so he has to keep it legit).
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
/Starts frothing at the mouth
Success is never final. --Winston Churchill
by Inteljumper on Sep 25, 2011 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions
how is auburn not 11th or 12th?
Utah St manhandled them, MSU was robbed, literally raped by the refs, then Clemson exposes them, then the worst team in CFB that had less than 300 yards on offense combined on the season, 18 1st downs on the season, and 0 TDs, matched all 3 stats in one game against Buck Chizick and crew except that they finally got their TD. Not to mention AU had a pick 6 and 2 other terribly thrown INTs that proved to be the difference as FAU dominated the line of scrimmage and outgained them.
I’ll bet anyone any amount that Arkansas will win by at least 50 points against the boogers.
by callmedeaconblues on Sep 26, 2011 12:44 AM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
"literally raped by the refs"
Surely those big football players would be able to fight them off.
Yeah, I was going to respond to that.
Avoiding rape reference is preferable, callmedeaconblues, but let’s at least distinguish our “literally” from our “figuratively.”
Go 'Dawgs!
Did you just say Drat?
Are we in an alternate universe where we still say that word? I feel like an L7 weeny! :)
I say drat all the time.
I generally need something stronger on Saturdays in the Fall, but drat works for minor inconveniences.
by Cherokee's Grip on Sep 26, 2011 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Well said Deacon Blue's
"Uvarum, Uvarum Fit, Uvarum.... double Fit..."
- Augustus "Gus" McCrae
by Munson's_Marbles on Sep 26, 2011 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I think you are being a little hard on the Dawgs....
Believe me I am not going to say a 59-0 thrashing of CCU and a win over Ole Miss that looked closer than it was a cure to all ills, but I really like what I am seeing from this team so far. I am not sure who said it but by playing Boise the first game we “know” more about the Dawgs than we do about say…oh…Florida who hasn’t played anyone with a pulse yet (no I don’t buy UT and “Slasher” Bray as being legit). My rankings and reasons below. I watched every minute of UGA-Ole Miss, Bama-Arky, LSU-WVU, and parts of UK-UF and Vandy-USC.
1.) LSU-They are a much better team than they were a year ago. Les Miles would be foolish to take Jarret Lee out when Jefferson returns. Their Defense is so good that the final score of the Saban Bowl might be 3-0.
2.) Bama-only because of their Defense though. Not sold on their QB, and I think a Defense that can shut down the run will beat them. Richardson is a beast though!
3.) South Carolina-Here is where things get dicey. Garcia was awful on Saturday night and once again it was Lattimore to the rescue. The Chickens will go down FAST if anything happens to him. The Defense was good but then again they were playing Vandy.
4.) Arkansas-I was not impressed AT ALL with the Hogs on Saturday. However I think that their high powered offense will still be enough to beat anyone not named LSU or Alabama.
5.) Georgia-For all the warts that the Dawgs have they are this-close to being really, really good. The Defense is easily the best we have had in many years, Crowell is the real deal and it seems our TE’s are off the milk cartons. If we can avoid the “Big Mistake” (i.e. turnovers at the most inopertune time or special teams break downs) I think that we can play with anyone in the conference not named LSU or Bama.
6.) Florida-Their entire offense is Demps and Rainey. If one or both of them go down then they have virtually nothing. Quick someone get Rainey a phone with unlimited text messaging. I do have to give the Crocs some credit though, the front 7 on Defense is solid.
7.) Tennessee-They have no defense and no running game. Get to Slasher and you shut them down.
8.) Miss St-Clearly not as good as advertised which means we’ll get their best shot on Saturday.
9.) Vandy-Offensively challenged. The Defense is pretty good though.
10.) Auburn-When you almost lose to Utah St. and then you almost lose to Florida Atlantic you have serious defensive issues.
11.) Kentucky-they are just awful…..
12.) Ole Miss-they are worse than awful……
by RocketDawg on Sep 26, 2011 10:44 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I think you are being a little hard on Ole Miss
Did you see Kentucky versus Florida? Holy Schlomo Lipschitz! They were freaking horrible. Seriously, 1000 x’s worse than Ole Miss. So I am going to say that you having Ole Miss ranked lower than Kentucky is dead wrong… dead wrong…CHANGE IT!
I am being silly here… but seriously change it.
/kentuckyishorrible
"Uvarum, Uvarum Fit, Uvarum.... double Fit..."
- Augustus "Gus" McCrae
by Munson's_Marbles on Sep 26, 2011 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions
For everyone thinking MSU isnt that good because of OT with La Tech,
It may take another year or two, but La Tech has some good players and a good team getting built. How many of you have actually watched them versus just the assumption they are bad? They didnt take MSU to OT by accident.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
True, but...
They did it with a 17 year old starting at QB. That just shouldn’t happen to any team in the SEC not named Vandy or Kentucky.
http://hobnailboot.wordpress.com/
there is 3 tiers right now
Alabama and LSU are clearly the cream of the crop. Kentucky and Ole Miss are clearly bringing up the rear (or bringing down the rear). In the middle seems like a big ol’ mess. Some teams have looked better than others (SC, Florida), but I don’t think the difference between #3 and #7 or 8 will be that big when all is said and done. SC relies on their DL and Lattimore, and if the beast gets hurt, their offense will go bad fast. Florida is about to see the teeth with Bama coming to town and back to back trips to Baton Rouge and Aubie. Arkansas feasted of weaklings, so we’ll see going forward what they actually got. But imo, teams 3-10 would all beat the two at the bottom, lose to the two at the top, and it’d depend on the week when they face each other.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Watched it and agree
That 17 year old was impressive to watch.
"Uvarum, Uvarum Fit, Uvarum.... double Fit..."
- Augustus "Gus" McCrae
by Munson's_Marbles on Sep 26, 2011 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Please help me.
I have not heard or read a discussion about the play JUST BEFORE Ole Miss scored on the long pass play. I thought their receiver was out of bounds and that the play would be reviewed. After the “catch” on the sidelines, Ole Miss lined up real fast and then ran the trick play. We were not set defensively and I was waiting for someone to call a time-out, to perhaps challenge the ruling on the field.
What is the skinny on this?
There was some brief comments about it on the live thread.
Bottom Line is the D should be ready to roll period, and the coaches and captains should be looking for TOs. Are switch needs to be set to “ON” and not waiting around to see.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
I remember expecting a challenge/review as well
I then promptly forgot about it what with the yelling profanity and throwing things that immediately followed.
Sacrificing goats, chugging Maker's Mark, and walking underneath The Arch.
by RedCrake on Sep 26, 2011 4:56 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
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