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 8 SDS SEC Power Poll.

The Pac-12 South is a richer version of the ACC’s Coastal Division and a poorer version of the SEC West. Five of the six teams are ranked in the Top 25 with a record of either 5-1 or 5-2. There are two pairs: the Arizona schools and the Los Angeles schools. We’re not sure what to make of Utah, which hosts USC this weekend.

Oregon is the Georgia of the Pac-12 right now, holding a clear advantage in the North Division and an easier path to the league championship game. But if the Ducks stumble again, the Pac-12 will be in jeopardy of missing the playoff. The SEC has no such concern at present, worrying only about whether it may be able to get a second team into the four-team field.

The SEC claims five of the top six against a Pac-12 with a nearly-bare cupboard at the top.

PLAYOFF OR BUST

At least one or two of these teams will miss the playoff. But reach Halloween unbeaten, as Mississippi State will do and Ole Miss should do, and anything less than a top four ranking at the end of the season is a letdown. Oregon also controls its own fate in the Pac-12, and Alabama still has a great shot to make the inaugural field.

1. Mississippi State
2. Ole Miss
3. Alabama
4. Oregon

STILL RELEVENT NATIONALLY

One of these teams will lose another conference game on Nov. 15. If the Bulldogs win, UGA is likely to enter the SEC championship as a one-loss underdog, but one win away from a College Football Playoff bid. Auburn, meanwhile, will be lucky and good if it enters the Iron Bowl with just one loss, the same as a year ago.

5. Auburn
6. Georgia

CAPABLE SPOLIERS

Barring an unforeseen blitz by Arizona and freshman QB Anu Solomon, these teams are out of the national championship hunt, but have the talent and potential to play with any of the nation’s best teams, at least on any one Saturday. LSU, you’re up to bat.

7. USC
8. LSU
9. Arizona
10. UCLA

WINDOW DRESSING

These teams are fringe Top 25 programs, but when we’re talking about the 14th or 15th-best teams in these two conferences combined, that looks pretty good for the respective depth.

11. Texas A&M
12. Arizona State
13. Stanford
14. Missouri
15. Utah

NOT FAR BACK, BUT NOT A FACTOR IN 2014

All of these teams created some hope early in the season (or preseason, Gamecocks) only to see it wither in recent weeks. Washington, Arkansas and Kentucky all suffered demoralizing losses last weekend, but there’s reason for optimism for 2015.

16. Washington
17. Arkansas
18. Kentucky
19. South Carolina

COMPETITIVE LOSERS

Washington State in particular has been on the wrong side of several close losses. Cal lost to Arizona State and UCLA by a combined six points, while Florida already has played nailbiters against Kentucky, Tennessee and LSU.

20. Cal
21. Washington State
22. Florida

NOT-SO-COMPETITIVE LOSERS

Oregon State is 4-2, but lost 35-10 to USC, the only strong team it has faced thus far (apologies to Utah). I don’t expect that to hold against Stanford, Arizona State and Oregon. Tennessee, meanwhile, did keep it close with Georgia, but after this weekend should have sizable losses to Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Alabama.

23. Oregon State
24. Tennessee

WE BEAT UMASS

That’s still the claim to fame of these two squads, and probably will be for the rest of the season. By the way, the Minutemen are on a two-game winning streak.

25. Vanderbilt
26. Colorado