The SEC laid claim to an ugly slate of games in Week 8, as four of five SEC showdowns were decided by 29 points or more (the lone exception was Georgia’s 13-point win over Arkansas, but the Bulldogs led that game by 32 points at halftime). In the only non-conference game featuring an SEC team this weekend, South Carolina topped Furman by 31 points to snap a two-game losing streak.

Here’s what we learned about every SEC East team following an unusual weekend of college football in the South.

RELATED: Updated AP Poll | Coaches’ Poll

Florida Gators

Week 8 result: Lost to Missouri 42-13
What we learned: We didn’t learn a lot from Florida’s embarrassing loss to Missouri, but we were able to reaffirm a lot of what we already knew about this Gators team. The loss cemented Will Muschamp’s inevitable exit as head coach, be it this week or at season’s end. The loss confirmed Jeff Driskel is out of chances as Florida’s starting quarterback. And, lastly, the loss ensured that no matter how weak the SEC East is, Florida is not going to win the division this year. When a team holds its opponent to fewer than 120 total yards and still loses by 29, what we ultimately learn is that the losing team (Florida) is a bad team. There’s just no way around it.

Georgia Bulldogs

Week 8 result: Defeated Arkansas 45-32
What we learned: Georgia’s convincing win over Arkansas taught us the Bulldogs are by far the best team in the East, and the only team in the division with a chance to reach the College Football Playoff. Georgia led the Razorbacks 38-6 at halftime, and has now won back to back road games by wide margins without star tailback Todd Gurley. The Bulldogs appear to have rallied together in Gurley’s absence, and pending a game with Auburn in a few weeks they have a great chance to close the regular season with just one loss. Georgia is the most complete team in the East, and it proved that on Saturday against a quality Arkansas squad.

Kentucky Wildcats

Week 8 result: Lost to LSU 41-3
What we learned: Saturday’s 38-point loss to LSU taught us Kentucky is not the SEC East contender we thought it was. The Wildcats were out-classed by a team still finding its way after a ton of roster turnover from last year, and they appeared overwhelmed by the atmosphere under the lights in Death Valley. Kentucky is moving in the right direction as a program, but the loss to LSU showed its not ready for the big stage quite yet. Kentucky’s best win this season came against a modest South Carolina squad, and the loss to LSU showed the Cats are merely a modest team themselves.

Missouri Tigers

Week 8 results: Defeated Florida 42-13
What we learned: The win over Florida taught us Missouri is still a very flawed team on offense, despite a 42-point performance Saturday night. The Tigers couldn’t even muster 120 yards of total offense, and won the game thanks to great performances by the defense and special teams, as well as a complete collapse by the Gators. Florida lost the game more than Missouri won it, and Maty Mauk’s 6 of 18 day through the air is not going to cut it in meaningful SEC games moving forward.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Week 8 results: Defeated Furman 41-10
What we learned: South Carolina beat an FCS foe, so it’s tough to say we learned anything about the Gamecocks this week. There’s nothing wrong with scheduling an FCS team, as everyone else in the SEC does it, too. However, beating Furman by 31 is an expectation, and following through teaches us nothing. The Gamecocks are back above-500 following the victory, and perhaps the win will give them confidence moving forward.

Tennessee Volunteers

Week 8 results: Lost to Ole Miss 34-3
What we learned: Tennessee taught us its defense is better than most give credit, even in a 34-3 loss to No. 3 Ole Miss. The Rebels silenced the Vols offense all game, but Ole Miss boasts the nation’s best scoring defense and silences every offense it faces. Tennessee didm’t play well on offense, but it’s not entirely due to a lack of talent or execution. However, the Tennessee defense did an admirable job keeping it in the ballgame heading into the second half. The Vols shut out the Rebels in the first quarter, and allowed Ole Miss to score just 14 first half points. Bo Wallace completed just 13 of 28 passes for the game, and it wasn’t until the Rebels defense took over that Ole Miss pulled away. Tennessee’s defense is good enough to help it win some big SEC games down the stretch against teams like Missouri and Kentucky.

Vanderbilt Commodores

Week 8 results: Bye week
What we learned: Vanderbilt didn’t play this week, so we learned the easiest way for the Commodores to avoid a loss is to take the weekend off. The Commodores are still 2-5, they still lost to Temple by 30 at home, they still beat an FCS school by just one point at home, and they still have absolutely no clue at the quarterback position. We didn’t learn these facts this week, but we did learn those facts are rendered meaningless when Vanderbilt has an open date. Hopefully the ‘Dores enjoyed a weekend away from national scrutiny.