Well, that was entertaining! Who knew an off week could be that much fun? Definitely going to be some shakeups in this week’s Power Poll, so let’s get to it.

1. Texas A&M – Every man has to admit when they’re wrong and time for me to pay up. I called for LSU to pull the upset over A&M and looks like I was incorrect. OK, incorrect is not nearly strong enough to categorize that pick. It was dumber than Garth Brooks creating an alter ego named Chris Gaines. I think it’s fair to say I’ve underestimated A&M and they deserve to be on top of the mountain this week. LSU was good enough for a half, but A&M was clearly better the final 30 minutes and coasted to victory in a place that’s usually a tough environment to win. Still a couple more obstacles on their schedule but sitting pretty for SECCG appearance and a spot in the CFP.
2. Alabama – Why can’t Alabama give that kind of effort when they play Georgia? I thought that game could be tricky, but I didn’t expect Bama to be losing by 8 points deep into the 4^th quarter. But, God’s favorite team found a way to escape, yet again. They’re in great position to close out the year with home games against the remains of LSU, a completely deflated Oklahoma, some horrendous OOC team and the Iron Bowl. Out of all those, I could see Auburn giving them some hell in Jordan-Hare. Won’t matter much either way, these guys are a near lock for the SECCG and CFP.
3. Georgia – Enjoyed a well-deserved off week. I can only imagine we are scheming up new and exciting ways to make DJ Lagway look like the best QB in the country on Florida’s first two drives of the game.
4. Ole Miss – They just made our win over them look a hell of a lot better. Left no doubt who was the better team on Saturday. Hard to believe an SEC team with such a vulnerable defense is going to likely be 11-1 and cruise into the CFP…but this is the new world we live in. The Lane Kiffin coaching sweepstakes is in full swing and one thing is for sure…Lane Kiffin will be significantly richer wherever he is coaching next year.
5. Vanderbilt – They just keep winning. Raise your hand if you predicted at the beginning of the season Vanderbilt would roll into Austin as a +1.5 underdog. Between their Texas and Tennessee games on the road, I don’t see them coming out unscathed…but would one win and a 10-2 season be enough to secure a CFP birth?
6. Tennessee – Beat the crap out of a bad Kentucky team, but gave up a lot of points to a bad Kentucky team. I’m starting to sense there will be a lot of 2 loss SEC teams all claiming to be the most deserving of a CFP birth.
7. Missouri – They’ve played two ranked teams and have lost both of them. Huge opportunity to stay in the conversation with a home game against A&M this weekend. I’ve learned my lesson about calling upsets against A&M this season…just know that it’s on my mind.
8. Texas – To quote Commodus, “You simply won’t…die.” In the past two weeks, they’ve compiled two of the least impressive SEC road wins you’ll ever see. We do not want them coming to Athens with anything to play for. I repeat, we do not want them coming to Athens with anything to play for. The past couple of years, we have made a lot of QB’s look like #1 draft picks and it would be all too appropriate for Manning to find his form against Georgia. Prove me wrong Glenn Schumann…I frickin’ dare you.
9. Oklahoma – The party is officially over. They’re not that good and they could drop…gasp…three more games on their schedule. Seriously backloaded schedule for the Sooners and a once promising year could end up looking very Venables-ish when all is said and done.
10. LSU – Well, that escalated very quickly. I can’t believe I had them #1 in the Power Poll after the first week. I don’t remember a time when I’ve called for an upset and been that wrong, so I’m not feeling too proud of myself right now. Now that Brian Kelly has officially been ousted (shocker), there’s at least a couple more losses to finish the year. Going to need odds on what kind of accent Brian Kelly will be utilizing before next season.
11. Auburn – Somebody had to win that game and Auburn wanted to lose a little less. Will Hugh Freeze survive? Realistically speaking, they’re not an awful team. None of their losses were lopsided and one could argue they could easily have two more conference wins to their name. Good opportunities to pad their resume with games against Vanderbilt and Alabama remaining…will be interesting to see how Auburn handles this one.
12. Florida – Off week following the inevitable Napier release. I’m already mentally prepared for Florida to show us the most innovative offensive performance we’ve seen in decades to open the game. I don’t want anyone to worry, we’ll play a good 30 yards off the line of scrimmage and keep everything in front of us.
13. South Carolina – When you go to the Hall of Fame for painful losses, the Gamecocks probably have their own wing. They had no business being competitive with Alabama, yet they were. They had no business holding a late 4^th quarter lead, yet they did. They had no business driving the field for a game winning field goal with less than 2 minutes remaining, yet they…wait, they didn’t. Instead, after an extremely gritty performance all game, their best player fumbles with the game tied, their defense wilts and Alabama scores the game winning touchdown with less than a minute remaining. Damn, that is the most South Carolina thing ever.
14. Mississippi State – I’ll see your Gamecock painful loss and raise you a blown 17-point lead in the 4^th quarter. When will people realize you can’t punt to that dude? I learned Jean Van De Velde was watching this game and said, “That’s the worst choke job I’ve ever seen.”
15. Arkansas – Why the hell can’t we play Kentucky?
16. Kentucky – We’ll always have Toledo and Eastern Michigan.

Go Dawgs!