Previous Power Rankings:

LSU played wrecking ball against Ole Miss, and the Tigers ruined the Rebels’ perfect season. Now, just one SEC team is undefeated: Mississippi State.

How far did the Rebels drop? Who’s the SEC’s best one-loss team? Every week, SDS will poll its writers, and we’ll provide a collective SEC power rankings, instead of it coming from just one writer with one impression of every team.

Here are the SEC power rankings after Week 9, according to our staff:

Projected out of a bowl game

14. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-6)
13. Tennessee Volunteers (3-5)
12. Florida Gators (3-3)

Vanderbilt played much better in a losing effort against Missouri. Saturday’s game against Old Dominion may be the Dores’ last opportunity to snatch a win…Tennessee’s offense was much better with a mobile quarterback, but the Vols struggled covering Amari Cooper during his record-setting night…Florida had the bye week before Georgia comes calling Saturday in Jacksonville. Will this be Will Muschamp’s last week as the Gators’ head coach?

Projected in a bowl game

11. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-4)
10. Missouri Tigers (6-2)

South Carolina put together a valiant effort, and the Gamecocks made the Auburn Tigers beat them when Steve Spurrier was at his best. However, the defense is still struggling mightily against good running teams…Despite being 6-2 and still in the thick of the SEC East race, Missouri comes in at No. 10 in this week’s power rankings after defeating Vanderbilt, lagging behind Kentucky and Georgia. And speaking of Kentucky, the Tigers and Cats will be an interesting matchup Saturday.

One out and two in

9. Arkansas Razorbacks (4-4)
8. Kentucky Wildcats (5-3)
7. Texas A&M Aggies (5-3)

Our staff still thinks Arkansas is better than five other SEC East teams. Is that crazy? The Hogs won their fourth game of the season, and Arkansas will have to win two against Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri to reach a bowl game. Do you think it’s possible?…Kentucky surges up the rankings this week to No. 8 following Saturday’s valiant effort against No. 1 Mississippi State. The Wildcats fought hard, but as we’ve seen the last two weeks, the Wildcats just aren’t there yet – however, they’re still well ahead of schedule. UK is projected in a bowl game…Texas A&M remains in the middle of the SEC following Saturday’s bye week. The Aggies have to get things rolling again prior to this week’s game against ULM, before facing Auburn, Mizzou and LSU to finish.

Start the arguments

6. LSU Tigers (7-2)
5. Ole Miss Rebels (7-1)

LSU is arguably the SEC’s most improved team over the course of the season, and the Tigers shockingly upset No. 3 Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium. However, with two losses, they still sit behind 7-1 Ole Miss…Ole Miss’ perfect season is no longer attainable, and following the loss to LSU, the Rebels dropped behind Alabama and Auburn. The SEC West is about to get really jumbled.

UGA making the East respectable

4. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1)
3. Auburn Tigers (6-1)
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1)

The Georgia Bulldogs remain the SEC’s silent assassin, slowly and quietly moving up the power rankings. The Bulldogs will continue their assault on the SEC East against Florida following Saturday’s bye week…Auburn won a thrilling shootout over South Carolina, and the Tigers beat Steve Spurrier at his best. Despite having the early loss to Mississippi State, the Tigers are in great position with a brutal schedule to make their case…Alabama moves up the power rankings this week and ahead of Ole Miss, despite having the head-to-head loss to the Rebels. Alabama is getting hotter, but the Tide finish at LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn.

Then there was ONE

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-0)

Gloat all you want to, MSU fans. Two Power 5 unbeatens remain in college football, and one is Mississippi State, while the other is defending champion FSU. The Bulldogs should debut as the first-ever College Football Playoff No. 1 team in Tuesday’s rankings, just like we all thought prior to the season, right? While the secondary is a concern, Mississippi State continues to prove doubters wrong.