1 Georgia
Last week: beat Auburn 34-10; this week: vs. Kentucky
Surely nothing bad can happen with a Georgia team on top of the world.
2 Alabama
Last week: lost to Texas A&M 41-38; this week: @ Mississippi State
The only thing Nick Saban likes more than winning is losing because he can tear into his team and it holds some kind of weight.
3 Ole Miss
Last week: beat Arkansas 52-51; this week: @ Tennessee
Having beaten Arkansas, Ole Miss has staked its claim as the second best team in the West.
4 Kentucky
Last week: beat LSU 42-21; this week @ Georgia
Look give credit to Kentucky, the Wildcats absolutely steamrolled LSU. Now are they going to beat Georgia? Probably not. But still, Mark Stoops and company have a real shot at 11 wins and a New Year’s Six bowl.
5 Florida
Last week: beat Vanderbilt 42-0; this week: @ LSU
Florida got the pick-me-up it needed in the form of a home game against Vanderbilt. Now they go on the road to take on an LSU team that’s flatlining.
6 Arkansas
Last week: lost to Ole Miss 52-51; this week: vs. Auburn
The difficulty of Arkansas’s schedule is starting to catch up to them and it doesn’t really let up this week either.
7 Auburn
Last week: lost to Georgia 34-10; this week: @ Arkansas
Speaking of rough schedules, Auburn’s in the meatgrinder too. They go to Fayetteville before getting a much needed off week.
8 Texas A&M
Last week: beat Alabama 41-38; this week: @ Missouri
I don’t know what to make of A&M. Sure they beat Alabama but I can’t ignore their showings against Arkansas or Mississippi State either.
9 LSU
Last week: lost to Kentucky 42-21; this week: vs. Florida
Thankfully LSU has the tiebreaker otherwise I’d have to put them last in the West. But I doubt anyone is thrilled about being in sixth.
10 Mississippi State
Last week: bye; this week: vs. Alabama
Poor Mississippi State. They’re the unlucky bastards who draw Alabama coming off a loss.
11 Tennessee
Last week: beat South Carolina 45-20; this week: vs. Ole Miss
This is the second week in a row Tennessee’s absolutely trashed a conference opponent. But now the Vols step up in weight class and welcome back Lane Kiffin to Neyland Stadium.
12 Missouri
Last week: beat North Texas 48-35; this week: vs. Texas A&M
I don’t think we understand how bad Mizzou is. The Tigers lost to Boston College, got blown off their own field by Tennessee, and this past week kind of struggled with North Texas. But it’s not as bad as...
13 South Carolina
Last week: lost to Tennessee 45-20; this week vs. Vanderbilt
Shane Beamer and the Cocks have dropped its first three conference games by a combined score of 101-43. That’s bad but not as bad as...
14 Vanderbilt
Last week: lost to Florida 42-0; this week: @ South Carolina
Remember how Carolina’s been outscored 101-43 in conference games? Vanderbilt’s lost by a combined score of 104-0. Zero!