POWER RANKINGS
Breaking down the SEC
1. Alabama (8-0): While Baton Rouge raged all week, Tuscaloosa was quiet. Tua quiet.
2. LSU (7-1): The first time Alabama tackles a Tiger player on Saturday, you’ll hear “Dat’s targeting!!!” from Slidell to Shreveport.
3. Georgia (7-1): Georgia can clinch the SEC East on Saturday in Lexington. Sounds easy. Might not be.
4. Kentucky (7-1): The Wildcats have been to a lot of Final Fours, but never in football … until now.
5. Mississippi State (5-3): If MSU can get a solid performance from Nick Fitzgerald, State’s big men up front can do the rest.
6. Florida (6-2): Dan Mullen can coach but now has to focus on recruiting. Georgia had more dudes and more quarterbacks.
7. Texas A&M (5-3): Suddenly, the Aggies’ game against Auburn is a real battle for the title of West Division’s Biggest Disappointment.
8. Auburn (5-3): On the other hand, lots of AU fans will be disappointed if Gus isn’t the Biggest Disappointment after all. 9. South Carolina (4-3): Their season has been as dull as a documentary on the sea urchin, but the Gamecocks are plodding away.
10. Missouri (4-4): Somehow Mizzou was ref-jobbed out of a win over Kentucky that it hadn’t earned in the first place (zero second-half first downs), a rare feat.
11. Ole Miss (5-3): Will they be serving roasted Gamecock in The Grove on Saturday? Probably cold shark dip instead.
12. Tennessee (3-5): Hopefully Jeremy Pruitt’s dad will call him by Tuesday night this week.
13. Vanderbilt (4-5): The Commodores made a statement at Arkansas on Saturday. No sinking to the bottom this year.
14. Arkansas 2-7): Time for Chad Morris to look at the Razorback roster and decide what will help in 2019.