WBN SEC Football Power Rankings: Pre-Turkey Week Showdowns Edition
By Paul Jordan
SEC EAST
South Carolina 5-3 (8-3)
Florida 4-4 (7-4)
Georgia 3-5 (5-6)
Kentucky 2-5 (6-5)
Tennessee 2-5 (5-6)
Vanderbilt 1-7 (2-9)
SEC WEST
Auburn 7-0 (11-0)
LSU 6-1 (10-1)
Alabama 5-2 (9-2)
Arkansas 5-2 (9-2)
Mississippi State 3-4 (7-4)
Mississippi 1-6 (4-7)
BOWL WATCH
BOWL ELIGIBLE (8): Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky
STILL BOWL POSSIBLE (2): Georgia, Tennessee
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Vanderbilt, Mississippi
WBN SEC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS
1. (1) Auburn (11-0) – It was a bye week for the Tigers and regardless of what happens with this team after the NCAA investigation with Cameron Newton, you have to judge them by their on firld merit. This week gives us Auburn’s toughest matchup yet this season. UP NEXT: @ Alabama
2. (2) LSU (10-1) – I think I have figured it out. The Tigers are the worst “good” team … possibly ever. Each game has been a dogfight except for Vanderbilt, McNeese State, and Louisiana Monroe. You would think a team with a chance for a national title still would be blowing people out right and left. UP NEXT: @ Arkansas
3. (3) South Carolina (8-3) – The Gamecocks rolled over Troy this week 69-24 and have the trip to Atlanta locked down, but still have a bitter rivalry game on tap this weekend. Marcus Lattimore gets better each week though and it is good to see the redemption of Stephen Garcia this season. UP NEXT: @ Clemson
4. (4) Alabama (9-2) – The Tide rolled over Georgia State this weekend 63-7 while their bitter rival Auburn took the week off. It’s nothing new for the Tide this season as it seems they are playing most of their opponents on a week of rest and still doing OK with it. Can we say this could be the biggest Alabama – Auburn matchup … ever? UP NEXT: vs Auburn
5. (5) Arkansas (9-2) – It’s a shame the Razorbacks have not gotten more national media attention as I really think they should be a BCS team, but had a couple of hard luck losses. They continued to roll this weekend, beating Mississippi State in an overtime thriller. This week can be considered their Super Bowl UP NEXT: vs LSU
6. (7) Florida (7-4) – Urban Meyer loves those running QB’s and he has quite a QB controversy for next season in Gainesville as Jordan Reed has now thrown his helmet into the mix for next year. Reed led the Gators to a 48-10 win over the FCS Appalachian State team and in the process ended that three game home losing streak at the swamp. So he gets the Tebow like adulation for this week. UP NEXT: @ FSU
7. (6) Mississippi State (7-4) – Dan Mullen’s team has taken its lumps the last couple of weeks versus ranked teams and just lost an OT heartbreaker to Arkansas. Never the less, you have to be impressed with how Dan Mullen has turned this Bulldog program around in such a short time. UP NEXT: @ Ole Miss
8. (8) Kentucky (6-5) – It all boils down to the Tennessee game. I know Kentucky fans expected more, but in all reality, you can’t argue with a 5th straight bowl, a 7-5 record, and breaking the South Carolina/Spurrier/Tennessee streaks. But the Cats have to beat the Vols first …. UP NEXT: @ Tennessee
9. (9) Georgia (5-6) – The Bulldogs had a bye week to contemplate what has gone wrong this season. True, the Dawgs did discover their QB for at least the next two seasons in Aaron Murray, but otherwise the season has been a disaster. Georgia can redeem the season a bit and earn a bowl bid by beating their bitter in-state rival. UP NEXT: Georgia Tech
10. (10) Tennessee (5-6) – Don’t look now, but the resurgent Vols have won three games in a row and have a chance to get a bowl bid by beating Kentucky. To be honest, the Vols have cleaned up on three really bad football teams, but hey, momentum is momentum. UP NEXT: Kentucky
11. (11) Mississippi – (4-7) – Heartbreaking loss for the Rebels against LSU knocked the Rebels out of bowl contention. It’s been a rough season for the Rebels and the program is definitely in decline. You have to wonder if a loss next week puts more heat on Houston Nutt. UP NEXT: Mississippi State
12. (12) Vanderbilt – (2-9) – Make no mistake, Vandy wins the worst team in the award hands down. Eight of their losses have been double digit ones and that includes the last six games in a row. UP NEXT: Wake Forest
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