SEC power rankings and grades after Week 9

Week 9 only had four SEC games, but they were all big ones. Georgia rolled against Florida, Auburn knocked off Ole Miss on The Plains, Kentucky fell to Mississippi State on the road, and Missouri survived a shootout in Nashville with a Vandy team still looking for a conference win. That one might’ve been the most entertaining SEC game of the day.

They’ve played the games so let’s pass out the grades—this is your Week 8 SEC Report:

1. Georgia Bulldogs

In the annual Jacksonville game with Florida, which they lost last year, the Bulldogs found themselves in a slugfest, leading only 3-0 with a few minutes before halftime. Then they trotted to the locker room up 24-0 a few minutes later. That’s one way to win a game! Grade: A+

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Tide were off this week to prepare for LSU, who probably needs to do more preparing than Bama. Grade: N/A

3. Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies were off this week but climb thanks to Ole Miss’s defeat. Next week they host the same Auburn team that beat the Rebels. Grade: N/A

4. Auburn Tigers (Win of the Week)

Bo Nix and Co. are clicking at the right time, ascending the SEC West ladder with a big home win over the Rebels ahead of a Texas A&M showdown. A 9-3 season is on the table, which would be huge for their first-year coach and recruiting. Grade: A+

5. Ole Miss

No shame in losing a close battle on The Plains, but the Rebels will need to bounce back against a Liberty team that’ll be looking for an upset opportunity. Grade: B

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs

The Bulldogs are on the rise, fresh off a 14-point home win over Kentucky and making noise in the CFP rankings. They also, unlike Florida, overcame a bunch of false start penalties in their victory. Whether they keep their momentum when they visit Arkansas this weekend will tell us if they stay in the top five of the power rankings. Grade: A

7. Kentucky Wildcats

Tough loss for the Wildcats in Starkville, who got spooked by the Pirate and his cowbell-ringing scallywags on Halloween weekend. They probably should have controlled this game, but when Mike Leach got crafty and drew up a bunch of run plays and used a defense that kept on tipping passes, Kentucky had no answers and folded. Credit to them for only losing by 14 after the game got out of hand in the 3rd quarter. They won’t let the same thing happen against Tennessee. Grade: C-

8. Arkansas Razorbacks

Now the Hogs have another opportunity to make noise coming off their bye, as Mississippi State comes to town in a game that will get them to bowl eligibility and closer to the CFP rankings if they shut down the Air Raid. Grade: N/A

9. Florida Gators

Dan Mullen’s Gators, last year’s SEC East champions and the team that almost beat Bama earlier this season, is 4-4. In this conference that can happen very easily, especially when you give up 21 points to Georgia in the final two minutes of the first half. Grade: C-

10. LSU Tigers

The Tigers were off last week as they prepare for Alabama this Saturday. They sure needed that bye too, because apparently they didn’t have enough healthy players to practice a few days ago. Will we see Coach O suit up to play “O-line?”. Grade: N/A

11. Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee was also off last weekend, preparing for their matchup with Kentucky this Saturday in Lexington. The ‘Cats won’t take it easy on them, and the Vols won’t take it easy on the ‘Cats. This one could get ugly. Grade: N/A

12. South Carolina Gamecocks

The 4-4 Gamecocks were off as they prepare to host Florida, who is also 4-4. How little the numbers really tell you sometimes. Grade: N/A

13. Missouri Tigers

The Tigers almost got themselves locked into last place for the rest of the season, but got the road win in Nashville. It still wasn’t enough to get them ahead of South Carolina though, because a win over Vandy doesn’t boost you much. Grade: B

14. Vanderbilt Commodores

Amazing effort and determination from the Commodores, but they couldn’t quite pull it off in the end. Now they see if they can pull an upset against Open Date State this Saturday, or at least cover. Grade: B-