This year’s favorites to win the conference has become much more clear, and that’s reflected in our favorites. Meanwhile, one team shot up the rankings with an impressive win. The basement also saw some shakeup.

Here are our SEC power rankings after Week 11:

Note: () by each team indicates whether teams moved up, down or remained unchanged.

BASEMENT

14. South Carolina Gamecocks (-2)
13. Missouri Tigers (+1)
12. Kentucky Wildcats (-1)
11. Vanderbilt Commodores (+2)

South Carolina has hit rock bottom, now boasting the league’s worst overall record (3-7) while being officially eliminated from bowl eligibility with its 24-14 loss to Florida. The Gamecocks have what should be an easy game against The Citadel before looking to spoil Clemson’s season the following week at home. Let the job search begin in Columbia. Missouri picked itself up with an inspired 20-16 win over BYU to snap a four-game losing streak and avoid matching the school’s longest skid under Gary Pinkel. Kentucky may be playing worse than any SEC team at the moment, having lost five straight. We dropped UK a spot, and with the way it’s playing, it could finish at the bottom. We’re far removed from the Wildcats beating South Carolina and Missouri, both literally and figuratively. Vanderbilt was the latest team to add to Kentucky’s misery. The Commodores’ defense was at it again in that game. However, they got a solid effort from true freshman QB Kyle Shurmur, who the team is hoping will be their QB of the future.

WHAT DO WE MAKE OF YOU?

10. Auburn Tigers (-1)
9. Texas A&M Aggies (+1)

Auburn entered last week’s matchup against Georgia as a much-improved team over its previous four games. The lone win over that stretch came in impressive fashion, a 26-10 road win over Texas A&M. However, the 20-13 loss to the Bulldogs still gives the Tigers three losses in their last four games and all three losses have come by one possession. It’s hard for us to put a finger on Auburn’s “power” right now. All we know is the Tigers aren’t quite middle of the pack, but they’re not in the basement. The same can be said for Texas A&M, which had lost three of their previous four games before expectedly coming away with a win over Western Carolina. However, the Aggies were only up a touchdown (21-14) on the Catamounts entering halftime. Kyler Murray threw 2 interceptions before the break against an FCS opponent that entered the game with only 7 interceptions previously all season.

MIDDLE OF THE PACK

8. Georgia Bulldogs (-)
7. Tennessee Volunteers (-)

These SEC East rivals stay right where they were. It can thank Isaiah McKenzie’s 53-yard punt return TD in the fourth quarter, but Georgia‘s win over Auburn was a healthy one for the Bulldogs as coach Mark Richt continues to get criticism in Athens. After the win, Richt said, “… 10-3 is a glorious thing in our league, and I’ll take 10-3 any year.” Well, his Dawgs can reach that mark if they win out against Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech and whoever they play in a bowl game. I’m betting all Georgia fans weren’t happy with hearing that. Tennessee took care of business in a 24-0 shutout of North Texas to clinch its bowl eligibility. The Vols look poised to close out the season on a five-game win streak with remaining games at Missouri and vs. Vanderbilt. That comes after starting the season 3-4. If Tennessee can manage that, those eight wins (not including a potential bowl victory) would be the most for the program since 2007.

SECOND-TIER

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (-2)
5. Ole Miss Rebels (-)
4. LSU Tigers (-2)
3. Arkansas Razorbacks (+3)

The Razorbacks are our big risers this week, leaping three spots into No. 3 in our rankings. Outside of Alabama, no one in the SEC is playing better football right now. Arkansas has won four straight and five of its last six behind maybe the most balanced offense in the conference. Meanwhile, one of the team’s biggest weaknesses, getting to the quarterback, looked like a strength last Saturday. The Razorbacks recorded five sacks after only posting eight all season previously, which was the fewest in the SEC. Over that stretch, the Hogs beat Tennessee, Auburn and Ole Miss before thrashing LSU in Death Valley on Saturday. The Tigers are now right behind the Razorbacks at No. 4. It’s amazing how much has changed for LSU in a matter of two weeks: going from unbeaten to twice-beaten, from driver’s seat to Atlanta to sitting in the backseat, from Leonard Fournette being the unequivocal Heisman frontrunner to simply being in the discussion. The Rebels remain at No. 5 coming off a bye week and getting set to host those Tigers. Mississippi State drops a couple spots into No. 6 after its humiliating 31-6 loss at home to Alabama. The Bulldogs have a tough stretch to end the season with games against a couple teams in this category: at the red-hot Razorbacks and vs. Ole Miss.

SEC FAVORITES

2. Florida Gators (+1)
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (-)

There are only two favorites in this category now. Alabama is clicking on all cylinders right now. The offense is pounding the ball with Derrick Henry, who’s posted at least 200 rushing yards in three of the last four games. Meanwhile, the team is making big plays in the passing game. There isn’t enough room to get started on the defense. The Tide have the best front seven and back seven in the entire conference. It sacked Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott nine times while holding him to a 51.2 completion percentage with no touchdowns and an interception, just his second of the season. Florida was up 17-0 on South Carolina, and it looked like it was going to get exactly what fans were hoping for on Saturday, which was a dominant win over arguably the worst team in the conference. Instead, the Gamecocks cut the deficit to 17-14 before Kelvin Taylor’s 53-yard run set up the game-sealing touchdown. The Gators have a great defense that can keep it in any game, but they’ll be consistently living on the edge if they don’t get more from the offense. Against a rush defense that ranked as the worst in the league entering the game, Florida only managed 148 rushing yards. That was South Carolina’s best defensive effort this season outside of holding 0-10 Central Florida (the 2nd-worst rushing offense this season) to 26 yards on the ground back in Week 4.