Previous Power Rankings:

It’s officially rivalry week!

Every week, SDS will poll its writers, and we’ll provide a collective SEC power rankings. Here are the SEC power rankings after Week 13, according to our staff:

Eliminated from bowl game

14. Vanderbilt Commodores (3-8)

There’s not much else to say about Vanderbilt. The Commodores were blown out 51-0 against Mississippi State Saturday and really struggled to show a pulse the entire season. One more game remains for Vanderbilt to salvage the season against Tennessee.

Projected out of bowl game

13. Kentucky Wildcats (5-6)

Kentucky can make it a historic bowl season for the SEC. Should the Wildcats beat Louisville, 13 SEC teams will go bowling. After starting 5-1, Kentucky has lost five straight games and looks to end the streak against the ever-improving Cardinals.

SEC East trio

12. Florida Gators (6-4)
11. Tennessee Volunteers (5-6)
10. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-5)

Florida punched its bowl ticket Saturday against Eastern Kentucky, and the Gators can send Will Muschamp out on top with a win over No. 3 Florida State…Tennessee’s offense struggled to block Mizzou’s dominant defensive line, and the Vols are still looking to become bowl eligible Saturday against rival Vanderbilt…South Carolina is officially going bowling, and this season can only get better with a win over Clemson Saturday to finish 7-5. With wins over Florida, Georgia and Clemson, Steve Spurrier may forget all about his team’s struggles throughout the season.

SEC West quartet

9. Texas A&M Aggies (7-4)
8. LSU Tigers (7-4)
7. Arkansas Razorbacks (6-5)
6. Ole Miss Rebels (8-3)

Following bye weeks, Texas A&M and LSU play each other Thursday night, which could decide the the label of the ‘worst team in the West’…Arkansas is a team determined to prove everyone wrong. The Hogs just posted back-to-back shutouts against ranked opponents, and the Hogs turn their attention to Friday to ruin Missouri’s season…Ole Miss is free falling right now, and the lack of offensive playmakers heading into the Egg Bowl is worrisome.

Second Tier

5. Missouri Tigers (9-2)
4. Auburn Tigers (8-3)
3. Georgia Bulldogs (9-2)

Missouri is the least talked about 9-2 team, maybe ever. The Tigers have won 10 straight road games and only lack one win against Arkansas to win the SEC East in back-to-back dramatic seasons. The Tigers love being the SEC’s most overlooked team…Auburn better hope for a faster start against Alabama than they had against Samford, and the Tigers looked very lackluster against the Bulldogs. Auburn’s offense just looks out of sync, and the defense has been vulnerable all season…Georgia is still hoping Missouri loses Friday so the Bulldogs can punch their ticket to Atlanta. UGA is one of the hottest teams in the SEC entering rivalry week against Georgia Tech.

Projected in College Football Playoff

2. Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-1)
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1)

Mississippi State throttled Vanderbilt Saturday, and style points matter. Now, the Bulldogs have one more huge Egg Bowl with more on the line than any game this season. A convincing win Saturday against Ole Miss and the Bulldogs should make the College Football Playoff…Alabama had a lackluster start against Western Carolina, and the Crimson Tide  are banged up heading into the Iron Bowl. A win against Auburn would put Alabama playing for another SEC Championship.