Every week, we learn a little more about SEC football. It certainly seems as if the top teams have been figured out, and the bottom teams are also set. There is movement in those two groups, but not any jumpers from one group to the other. The only exception may be South Carolina, which looks really good some weeks and really incompetent other weeks. The biggest mystery of the season in the SEC may end up being how Kentucky beat Ole Miss.
Last week ranking: 2
There is certainly a case to be made that they have had the weakest strength of schedule in these top SEC teams. However, they win, and other teams have lost around them; they move back to the top and have to play a scrappy Arkansas team this week.
Last week ranking: 4
A big win over Georgia propels Ole Miss up these rankings. They have one stain on their resume with the loss to Kentucky, but since that was their first SEC game, they may get a pass. They are cruising into their bye week with a ton of energy for the final push to the College Football Playoffs.
Last week ranking: 3
Beating Mississippi State and Kentucky in back-to-back weeks is not that impressive; there's no reason to move them higher in the rankings. They can prove the haters wrong if they beat Georgia this week.
Last week ranking: 1
Georgia has had a tough schedule this year, and they've mostly managed it with a couple of blips. This week, they have another tough game as the Volunteers come to Athens, Georgia. Both teams are vying for a playoff spot, and this game matters more than either coach will admit.
Last week ranking: 5
They were on a bye this week and saw a bunch of teams move around them, but they stayed at the fifth spot.
Last week ranking: 8
A big, gutty win for Bama over LSU in Death Valley. What a statement game for new head coach Kalen DeBoer. He needed it more than he would admit, and he now gets to take his team to the bye week.
Last week ranking: 9
What is this Gamecocks team? Besides that big win over Texas A&M, they've beaten all the bad teams and lost to all the good ones. So, does that make them an average SEC team? Maybe.
Last week ranking: 6
Yikes. Dreams died in Death Valley this week. LSU fans are now going to be wringing their hands as the College Football Playoffs get closer. The good news for the Tigers is that they have three very winnable games to finish the season: Florida, Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma. They need them all.
Last week ranking: 11
Eli Drinkwitz is convinced that his team can still make a playoff push. Maybe if they win out, there's a case, but that seems very unlikely. It's doable for sure, with South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Arkansas as the final slate. The Gamecocks may crush their dreams this week.
Last week ranking: 7
Vanderbilt fell from grace this week against South Carolina; they needed that win to prove they were for real and not just a fluke. They have another shot this week against LSU.
Last week ranking: 12
They moved up these rankings because of the Gators' fall. Arkansas has a cupcake game this week against Louisana Tech, which should get them the bowl game they are looking for.
Last week ranking: 10
The Gators probably had a tough time focusing this week. So much news came out of Florida this week in the football and basketball programs. They looked so overmatched by Texas that it was embarrassing.
Last week ranking: 14
Thanks to Oklahoma, Auburn gets to move up even though they were on a bye.
Last week ranking: 15
Thanks to Oklahoma, Kentucky get to move up even though they were on their bye.
Last week ranking: 13
The Sooners are not a good football team this year. They may be better than Kentucky and Auburn, but I'm not convinced. They look bad.
Last week ranking: 16
The one team that has never changed in the rankings all season. They've sat at 16 and have no plans to get off of it. They are a bad team and probably won't have an SEC win all year with only Missouri and Ole Miss left.