Every Friday, we rank the SEC and Pac-12 teams in one power poll. The order of the SEC teams is based on the Week 9 SDS SEC Power Poll.
The last month of the season, as it always is, will be huge for the SEC and the Pac-12. The latter is jostling with the Big 12 for the right to be perceived by the majority as the second-best conference in college football, while the SEC will pare down five true contenders into two or three by season’s end.
There are a few spoilers — LSU in the SEC and the entire Pac-12 South — but at this point only a few horses have a chance to take the
The top six teams in our combined power rankings are competing with Florida State, Notre Dame and the Big 12 and Big Ten champions for spots in the four-team playoff.
PULLING A MEB
As in Keflezighi, the surprise winner of April’s Boston Marathon. Keflezighi shot out to a big lead and then kept pressing as the heavy favorites in the chase pack hunted him down. Kenyan Wilson Chebet, who had run faster than Keflezighi had ever dreamed, got close, but spent too much energy catching up, and the American surged to a patriotic win. The Bulldogs are trying to do the same now in the SEC West.
1. Mississippi State
THE HUNTERS
These five one-loss teams have a tremendous shot at making the College Football Playoff. Mississippi State may have to face all five before the season ends. The Bulldogs have beaten Auburn, face Alabama and Ole Miss in November, could square off with Georgia in the SEC championship and then Oregon in the playoff. Meanwhile, these teams will continue efforting to replace MSU at No. 1.
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Auburn
5. Georgia
6. Ole Miss
CAPABLE SPOILERS
The Utes keep winning games we expect them to lose, including last week against USC, and finally are in the Top 10 of our combined Pac-12 and SEC power rankings at 6-1. Sure, LSU managed to knock off Ole Miss at home, but don’t turn them into a national contender just yet. I still expect this team to lose three or four games. Incidentally, three of these teams, including both Arizona schools, reside in the jumbled Pac-12 South (as the unexpected favorites).
7. Utah
8. LSU
9. Arizona
10. Arizona State
MISJUDGED PRESEASON
We thought the Bruins could compete for a national championship and that the Aggies could remain a Top 25 team. We thought that Stanford and USC were Top 15 programs adding tremendous depth to the Pac-12. All of that, of course, was wrong. Still, the battle for Los Angeles remains fascinating, and the Cardinal are a foil to Oregon until proven otherwise.
11. UCLA
12. Texas A&M
13. Stanford
14. USC
EAST VS. WEST
Arkansas, dead last in the SEC West and potentially destined for another 0-8 conference record, split up the two teams potentially competing for second place in the SEC East in the Saturday Down South power rankings this week. Think the SEC West may get just a tad more respect?
15. Kentucky
16. Arkansas
17. Missouri
DEFENSE VS. OFFENSE
The Huskies are loaded with NFL prospects on defense, but thanks to an LSU-type exodus on offense last season, coach Chris Petersen’s team has been a slight disappointment. The Gamecocks have the opposite problem, scoring 38 and 35 points in October losses.
18. Washington
19. South Carolina
COMPETITIVE LOSERS
The Bears weren’t quite as competitive against Oregon, though the team did put up 41 points. Florida is doing its best to rally around Will Muschamp and freshman quarterback Treon Harris, and Washington State doesn’t deserve to be 2-6 right now. Overall, though, these teams are at least semi-competitive.
20. Cal
21. Florida
22. Washington State
NOT-SO-COMPETITIVE LOSERS
Mike Riley had to answer questions on a radio station this week about whether or not he’s gotten soft, lost the team, things like that. And the Vols turned to QB Josh Dobbs, who may be a better fit than Justin Worley for the Butch Jones offense. But South Carolina is out for revenge, so UT fans may want to brace themselves for what could be yet another painful Saturday.
23. Oregon State
24. Tennessee
WE BEAT UMASS
The Buffaloes have won two games by one score and lost three games by five or fewer points. CU hasn’t been this competitive in years, though the team remains 2-6 with a likelihood of closing the season 2-10. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, should — emphasis on should — collect its third win of the season Saturday.
25. Vanderbilt
26. Colorado
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
