We have some major shakeups in our power rankings after an exciting Week 11.
We have a new No. 1 team in the conference based on Saturday’s results. We have Kentucky vaulting up the rankings after a dominant win over Florida on Saturday night. We have 4 teams vying for spots in the SEC title game.
What’s at stake as we enter Week 12? Who can still make the Playoff?
Let’s dive into this week’s SEC power rankings:
16. Arkansas (2-7 overall, 0-5 in SEC)
- Previous ranking: 16
- Last week: OFF
- This week: at LSU
Arkansas has played in some truly chaotic games this season, and has found increasingly bizarre ways to lose those games. I expect nothing different this coming weekend in Baton Rouge. LSU has QB uncertainty and an interim coaching staff, but playing in Death Valley is never easy. This game should be just the latest loss in Arkansas’s season to forget.
15. Auburn (4-6, 1-6)
- Previous ranking: 15
- Last week: 45-38 (OT) L at No. 16 Vanderbilt
- This week: OFF
I will give credit where credit is due. This Auburn staff under interim coach DJ Durkin deserves credit for actually throwing the ball to Cam Coleman. That guy is a special talent. Why Hugh Freeze couldn’t see that is beyond me. “Throw the ball to the best player on the field” is the sort of offensive strategy I and every reader of this column could come up with. Freeze couldn’t. And now he’s somewhere enjoying his buyout money.
14. South Carolina (3-6, 1-6)
- Previous ranking: 13
- Last week: OFF
- This week: at Texas A&M
The Gamecocks move down not because of anything they did during their bye week, but rather, because a red-hot Kentucky team (a phrase I didn’t think I’d write this season) jumped them. South Carolina has to win out to get bowl eligibility, but that’s not looking likely with a trip to face undefeated Texas A&M this weekend. It doesn’t seem that the postseason is in the cards for Shane Beamer and company this year.
13. Florida (3-6, 2-4)
- Previous ranking: 12
- Last week: 38-7 L at Kentucky
- This week: at Ole Miss
Can an interim coach be fired? That was a truly abysmal showing by Florida in Lexington. The Gators hadn’t lost like that to Kentucky since the 1950s. QB DJ Lagway was benched after throwing 3 more interceptions. After showing some fight against Georgia last week, the Gators completely rolled over and let Kentucky do whatever it wanted. Things are going to get ugly in Oxford this weekend.
12. Mississippi State (5-5, 1-5)
- Previous ranking: 11
- Last week: 41-21 L vs. No. 5 Georgia
- This week: at Mizzou
Mississippi State came out hot, scoring on the opening drive. That’s about the only positive thing I can say about the Bulldogs’ performance. Well, I guess there’s one more positive — freshman QB Kamario Taylor looked good, running for 3 touchdowns. He’ll be tough for Mizzou to stop if he gets the start next weekend.
11. Kentucky (4-5, 2-5)
- Previous ranking: 14
- Last week: 38-7 W vs. Florida
- This week: vs. Tennessee Tech
At the very least, Kentucky has proven to be a killer for teams with coaching turmoil. A week after handing Auburn a loss that cost Hugh Freeze his job, Kentucky absolutely embarrassed Florida in Lexington. The Wildcats, against all odds, should have a 3-game winning streak heading into Week 13 after facing FCS Tennessee Tech this coming weekend. The Wildcats haven’t given up on Mark Stoops yet.
10. LSU (5-4, 2-4)
- Previous ranking: 10
- Last week: 20-9 L at No. 4 Alabama
- This week: vs. Arkansas
LSU finally benched QB Garrett Nussmeier. Something’s not right with him this year. It’s sad that this is how his final college year is ending, but it’s time to make a change. Interim coach Frank Wilson will have a decision to make ahead of a home game against Arkansas this coming week, but this is a lost season for the Tigers, plain and simple.
9. Mizzou (6-3, 2-3)
- Previous ranking: 8
- Last week: 38-17 L vs. No. 3 Texas A&M
- This week: vs. Mississippi State
Facing an undefeated Texas A&M team was an impossible task for true freshman QB Matt Zollers. But the Mizzou backup did well in the second half, showing he could at least put up points against an elite defense. Playing Mississippi State won’t be easy, but the Tigers have a real chance to win this game and keep the season from getting out of hand.
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8. Tennessee (6-3, 3-3)
- Previous ranking: 9
- Last week: OFF
- This week: vs. New Mexico State
Is it likely that Tennessee makes it to the Playoff with 3 losses? No. But is it possible? Yes. The ACC isn’t really doing much to make its case to get multiple teams into the 12-squad field. If Tennessee wins its last 3 games, starting with an easy one against New Mexico State, crazier things have happened. Josh Heupel just needs to keep his team focused.
7. Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2)
- Previous ranking: 7
- Last week: OFF
- This week: at Alabama
No 2-loss team has a tougher path to the Playoff than Oklahoma. The Sooners have to visit Alabama this coming weekend and then finish with home games against Mizzou and LSU. Are the Mizzou and LSU games winnable? Absolutely. Are they easy? Absolutely not. We’ll learn a lot about the Sooners this weekend in Tuscaloosa.
6. Vanderbilt (8-2, 4-2)
- Previous ranking: 6
- Last week: 45-38 (OT) W vs. Auburn
- This week: OFF
Vanderbilt has struggled recently against teams that a Playoff-caliber squad should beat handily. I still think the Commodores are firmly in the Playoff mix, as evidenced by them being No. 6 in my power rankings, but they need to clean some stuff up in a hurry. Needing overtime to beat Auburn isn’t a good sign (just ask Mizzou).
5. Texas (7-2, 4-1)
- Previous ranking: 5
- Last week: OFF
- This week: at Georgia
The Texas Longhorns had the week off to prepare for a game at Georgia. That’s a plus, especially since Georgia had to visit Mississippi State this past weekend. Will that be enough of an advantage for Steve Sarkisian and company to finally get over the Georgia hump? We’ll see, but the Bulldogs are playing some of their best football these days. More on that later…
4. Ole Miss (9-1, 5-1)
- Previous ranking: 4
- Last week: 49-0 W vs. The Citadel
- This week: vs. Florida
Ole Miss did what it needed to do against The Citadel. Not a lot to say about that game. And frankly, the Rebels are in a prime position to pounce should any of the teams above them in these rankings lose. Ole Miss has Florida this weekend, then a bye week, then the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. You never want to say a rivalry game as intense as the Egg Bowl is a gimme, and I won’t say that, but anything less than a 3-0 finish to the regular season would be disappointing for Lane Kiffin and company. Now it’s up to the 3 teams next on this list to continue taking care of business, otherwise Ole Miss could punch a ticket to Atlanta.
3. Georgia (8-1, 6-1)
- Previous ranking: 3
- Last week: 41-21 W at Mississippi State
- This week: vs. Texas
Finally, Georgia put together a complete, dominant game. The Bulldogs controlled the other Bulldogs, Mississippi State, for most of the game following the opening-drive score by the home team. Kirby Smart and company emphatically proved they weren’t looking ahead to Texas, though that showdown in Athens against the Longhorns is a huge one on the Week 12 slate.
2. Alabama (8-1, 6-0)
- Previous ranking: 1
- Last week: 20-9 W vs. LSU
- This week: vs. Oklahoma
The Alabama Crimson Tide still control their SEC destiny. It wasn’t pretty, but the Tide picked up another convincing win on Saturday night at home against an LSU squad with nothing to lose. Alabama is a perfect 6-0 in SEC action. Hosting Oklahoma won’t be easy, but this year’s Alabama team has proven that it can grind out tough victories against quality opponents.
1. Texas A&M (9-0, 6-0)
- Previous ranking: 2
- Last week: 38-17 W at No. 22 Mizzou
- This week: vs. South Carolina
It’s time. After seeing the way the Aggies controlled the game against a tough Mizzou defense, running for over 200 yards in the second half alone, I’m moving Texas A&M into the No. 1 spot. Alabama hasn’t looked special lately. The Aggies definitely do. A home game against South Carolina this weekend shouldn’t provide too much trouble for Mike Elko and company, who have a real chance at an unbeaten regular season and a spot in the SEC title game.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
