SEC Power Rankings After Week 7

After another exciting week of SEC ball, division leaders are really separating themselves from the bottom half of the conference. Lots of close games this week, and many could have swung in either direction on Saturday. The Hawg Country SEC Power Rankings are in, and you may be surprised at where Arkansas ends up. As always, Go Hogs.

1. Georgia 7-0 (4-0)

at Vanderbilt- W 37-20

Slow starts have become somewhat commonplace for Georgia’s offense over the course of the season. A better team like Florida or Tennessee might have beaten the Bulldogs the way they played against Vanderbilt. Being able to score early and often is vital in keeping your team out of dogfights in the second half. Luckily, the Georgia defense was able to stave off the Vandy offense for just long enough.

2. Alabama 6-1 (4-0)

vs. Arkansas- W 24-21

A second half collapse on offense almost cost the Tide the game against Arkansas. Strong defensive play throughout (especially in the first half) gave them just enough to survive. Leading the SEC West and still undefeated in conference play, Alabama is without a doubt the favorite to win the division. Having elite receivers to throw to is making things much easier for the young quarterback Jalen Milroe.

3. LSU 5-2 (4-1)

vs. Auburn- W 48-18

With a dominant second half performance, LSU handled Auburn easily. The LSU defense is still a major concern, but there’s seemingly no stopping their offense, led by Jayden Daniels and an entire crew of highly skilled backs and receivers.

4. Missouri 6-1 (2-1) 2

at Kentucky- W 38-21

Missouri just keeps on finding ways to win. This game could have gone either way, but the Missouri defense stood tall in the fourth quarter. Starting out down by 14, I was starting to think the Mizzou magic had run out. Not quite, apparently. A fake punt touchdown completely shifted the momentum of this ballgame, and the Tigers outscored Kentucky 38-7 starting at that point. Taking chances in smart situations wins games. Great performance on both sides of the ball especially in the second and fourth quarters.

5. Tennessee 5-1 (2-1) 2

vs. Texas A&M- W 20-13

Tennessee has the best rushing attack in the conference and showed it against the Aggies Saturday. A&M’s defense is no pushover, especially that front seven. Also, a return touchdown for Texas A&M about midway through the third ended up being one of the key factors in deciding this game. Special teams can make or break you.

6. Ole Miss 5-1 (2-1)1

Bye

7. Florida 5-2 (3-1) 1

at South Carolina- W 41-39

Florida pulled it out in a barn-burner. This game easily could have ended up going either way, but the fourth quarter touchdown from Graham Mertz to Ricky Pearsall with less than a minute to go sealed the deal. Great game management and a 14-0 scoring stretch in the fourth quarter clinched this one for the Gators.

8. Texas A&M 4-3 (2-2)4

at Tennessee- L 20-13

The defense had no answer for Tennessee’s rush. The offense had a really tough time getting things going. Max Johnson’s pair of interceptions sucked the life out of the A&M offense.

9. Kentucky 5-2 (2-2)

vs. Missouri- L 38-21

I thought Kentucky might blow Missouri out early on in this one. Going up 14-0 in the first quarter is about as good a start anyone could ask for. After that, Kentucky just struggled to get things churning on offense. Turnovers really hurt them in this one. After an easy start to the season, you’ve got to wonder how Kentucky’s record is going to look in a few weeks. Especially after back-to-back losses where they struggled to move the ball consistently.

10. Arkansas 2-5 (0-4) 2

at Alabama- L 24-21

Just when you’re about to count the Hogs out, they find a way to give you hope. After the incredibly slow start to this game on offense, a second half resurgence just wasn’t enough to put Alabama down. While this seems promising, five consecutive losses has got to be tearing away at any remaining confidence the team has. The schedule is about to let up, and while I’m not a fan of moral victories…the Hogs are probably the best 2-5 team in the country. They’ve played an unmatched stretch of games over the last five weeks, proving they can be competitive with anyone in the country in the process. A bowl game is within reach as long as this team continues to fight and play at the level they know they’re fully capable of. Strong defense is going to win ball games in the latter half of the schedule.

11. South Carolina 2-4 (1-3) 1

vs. Florida- L 41-39

The defense is a major concern, but South Carolina will win games down the road if Spencer Rattler keeps playing like this. Huge game from him, but just wasn’t enough in the final minutes as Florida was able to erase a ten-point deficit in about 9 minutes of game-time in the fourth quarter.

12. Auburn 3-3 (0-3)2

at LSU- L 48-18

Auburn has the worst offense in the conference. Their defense isn’t something to brag about either. More losses are coming their way in the next few weeks.

13. Mississippi State 3-3 (0-3)

Bye

14. Vanderbilt 2-6 (0-4)

vs. Georgia- L 37-20

Vanderbilt put up a valiant effort against Georgia. The defense played much better than expected which helped keep them in this game. Georgia’s D was just too much in the second half. Taking advantage of the Bulldogs’ slow start in the first half was key, but the Commodores had a hard time keeping pace with a team that is simply better than them at every single position on the field.

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