We’re entering the final quarter of the season and time is running out for schools to make moves in the SEC Power Poll. I missed the Week 10 update due to some outside obligations, so time to shuffle the deck as needed. Enjoy!

1. Texas A&M – I continue to underestimate these dudes. They’ve caught a couple of breaks with conference scheduling, but credit to them for taking care of business and seemingly getting better the past couple of games. Only one major hurdle left on their schedule playing in Austin to close the season, but 12-0 is certainly in play for these guys.
2. Alabama – Bama has been pushed the past couple of games. They got through South Carolina with a little good fortune, and LSU pushed them hard in Tuscaloosa in a very physical game. Can’t believe a 4-5 FSU team is their lone defeat. I don’t care what it would mean for us…I’d like for Bama to lose Oklahoma this weekend and Auburn to close the year. Can’t stand ‘em.
3. Georgia – We looked better this weekend, but can’t put us ahead of Alabama when they beat us at home. If we get the Georgia team that played MSU the rest of the way, we’re a very tough out. If the MSU game was some sort of a tease and we revert back to the “Stomach Ulcer” Dawgs…let’s just not think about it right now.
4. Ole Miss – Beat the crap out of Citadel…and had some fun doing it. Did you see Lane photo bomb the newly engaged couple during a timeout? I know he’s a fun guy to beat, but damnit, the Laner is the most entertaining side show of any coach in America right now. College Football is much more interesting with him involved.
5. Texas – I said it a few weeks ago…this team just won’t die. I did not want these dudes coming to Athens with anything left to play for, and that’s exactly what we’re going to get…with an off week to prepare no less. Credit to them for finding more ways to survive than 1983 NC State Basketball, but let’s do America a favor this weekend and take care of Wooderson’s favorite team.
6. Oklahoma – Somehow these guys are still hanging around in contention for the CFP. Didn’t see the win over Tennessee in Knoxville happening, but here we are. Make or break weekend for the Sooners going to Tuscaloosa…but they are coming off a bye week and playing a Bama team that just went to war with LSU. Stranger things have happened.
7. Vanderbilt – Anytime Vanderbilt sits at 8-2, that deserves recognition. But these guys are looking shakier than tone deaf karaoke singers. Auburn had them dead to rights and blew it. They’ll probably get through Kentucky, but will Tennessee have enough state pride to end the dream on the final week?
8. Tennessee – What could’ve been. The Oklahoma loss is still puzzling me. They’re effectively out of the CFP barring some really crazy things happening. They can still salvage 9-3 if they take care of business against a Florida team that has decided football isn’t for them the rest of the season, as well as caring enough about ruining Vanderbilt’s dream season…which I bet they will. If you can’t achieve your own goals, make sure you ruin someone else’s.
9. Missouri – I never bought into these dudes and feel a little validated that they’re sitting 2-3 in conference play. They’ve come up short in every major game they’ve had this year and are now out of CFP consideration. They still have zero ranked wins on the season.
10. Kentucky – I might catch some hell for this, but it’s a Power Poll, and recent play is a part of the ranking equation. Kentucky has just as many conference wins as LSU, Florida and Missouri…and more than the bottom four teams in the conference. They figured out a way to beat Auburn on the road and completely thumped a Florida team who took apathy to new levels. Congratulations Wildcats…you’re no longer the most embarrassing team in the conference!
11. LSU – They’ve dropped 3 in a row…but the competition was strong, to quite strong. Without Brian Kelly to hold them back, they gave Alabama more of a game than I would’ve predicted. If they would’ve cashed in on a couple of opportunities, that game would’ve been very interesting. That said…they still lost and the best I can do is #11 for this week.
12. Auburn – This is where things get really tough. These last five teams are maddeningly inconsistent and there is no rhyme or reason to their results, so I’m going with some recency bias for this week’s poll. Auburn pulled another coulda woulda shoulda this week…and found a new, exciting way to lose another game. I’ll give them credit for taking a Top 20 team to OT on the road…when they have very little to play for…but still grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory.   
13. Mississippi State – I’ll stand by my statements in other columns…these guys are not that bad. They had been in every tough game except A&M and ran into a great version of Georgia this past week. Bad timing for MSU, but opportunity to close strong with a couple of big games ahead. I don’t see them stopping Ole Miss very much in the Egg Bowl…but can Ole Miss stop them? Over/Under for that game needs to be in the 90’s.
14. Florida – It would have been fun to put them last, but I don’t want to let a couple of idle teams jump them…trust me, there’s still time. That said, Florida’s level of disinterest in Lexington was unbelievable. Getting beat by 31 points to a 3 win Kentucky team is nothing more than, “Put us out of our misery” play. When these guys mail it in, they leave no stone unturned. Starting to wonder if their pregame meal was weed brownies.
15. South Carolina – Awesome! We get to play A&M in College Station this week!
16. Arkansas – Never before has an upcoming game in Baton Rouge looked so winnable.

Go Dawgs!