Week 1 has come at last, and it’s time for a brand-new set of SEC Power Rankings!
Georgia obviously took the crown last year and after this first week of games there’s no reason to move them off the spot they left off at. Every single SEC team won last week and is still undefeated…except one that played on Sunday in Louisiana. Keep scrolling to find out what that means for them in these rankings.
Like most power rankings, recent performances have a big influence on position, and I always hand out grades for each game. This season I’m also considering raising the stakes where if you get enough bad grades you can “fail out” of the power rankings and be kicked out entirely. It’s still just an idea, but LSU will probably want to pay attention.
They’ve played the games and the grades are in—here are your Week 2 SEC Power Rankings:
1. Georgia Bulldogs
While Alabama is the preseason #1 in the polls, the Dawgs showed no reason to be jumped just yet after a very successful duck hunt. Impeccable performance. Grade: A+
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Another perfect game, but against Utah State. Next week’s Texas showdown might provide an opportunity to snag the #1 spot. Grade: A+
3. Arkansas Razorbacks
Fantastic football from the Hogs, who continue to rise under Coach Pittman to higher and higher heights each week with a Top-25 win over the Cincinnati CFPers. Texas A&M wants to be the team to dethrone Alabama, but the Razorbacks get to host the Tide October 1st and might have a say in the matter as well. Grade: A
4. Texas A&M
Arkansas’s win was over a really good team so they had to jump you—sorry Aggies but an FCS shutout just doesn’t quite compare with such a small sample size right now. Still, full marks for a shutout. Grade: A+
5. Florida Gators
These ain’t last year’s Gators, that’s for sure. Going from a loss in the Gasparilla Bowl against UCF to a Top-10 win over Utah is quite the 180. Next week’s showdown with Kentucky will be a massive opportunity for one team to separate itself as Georgia’s primary threat in the East. Grade: A
6. Kentucky Wildcats
Miami-OH is one of the tougher MAC teams, so it was expected that they’d put up a fight. Good job by the special teams to put it out of reach early in the 3rd quarter and keep it at the kind of game where the fans can get a jump on the traffic at the start of the 4th. As mentioned above, next week’s game against Florida will have pretty high stakes. Grade: B+
7. Tennessee Volunteers
I still can’t believe that Tennessee offense—it just racks up points like a pinball machine. They’ll need to keep it up though if they want to do what West Virginia couldn’t against Pittsburgh next week though. Grade: A
8. Ole Miss
I know you want to be ranked ahead of Tennessee, but they just scored a whole lot more points. Good job taking care of business against Troy though. Grade: B
9. Mississippi State
An ‘A’ for the Bulldogs for rolling Memphis 49-23! They’ll debut in these rankings higher than I thought they would. Up next is a road tilt with Arizona, who is like the Vanderbilt of the Pac-12 but is still a Power 5 non-conference opponent on the road. Grade: A
10. Vanderbilt Commodores
I have to give credit where it’s due—the Commodores are 2-0 and absolutely smoked Hawaii thousands of miles from Nashville before edging Elon in a closer duel last week. Vanderbilt is 2-0 y'all—they get an ‘A’ and get to leave the basement. Knock off Wake Forest next week and things’ll get real interesting… Grade: A
11. South Carolina Gamecocks
Should be a good season for the Gamecocks, who now have Spencer Rattler catching snaps and are 1-0 after taking care of business against Georgia State. Next week’s Arkansas road tilt should reveal a lot more about this team. Grade: B
12. Missouri Tigers
52 points, not bad: B+. I see a road game against Kansas State on the docket next week—good luck. Grade: B+
13. Auburn Tigers
When you open the season with Mercer and San Jose State, that can only mean one thing—you’re gearing up for a massive non-conference smackdown with Penn State in 2 weeks! Until then not much is going to move you up these rankings, even if you are really good and we don’t know it yet. Grade: B
14. LSU Tigers
Oh, no!!! A blocked extra point! LSU loses! After tying the game with 0:00 left overtime was certain…until the Tigers blew it!!! In a battle of disgraced football schools LSU fell just short against the equally success-desperate Florida State Seminoles. What does this portend for the rest of the season?
LSU’s record: 0-1
Everyone else’s record: Not 0-1
I’ve never seen a larger zero in my life! Grade: C-
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