Spring practice is getting underway around the SEC. While spring games haven’t arrived just yet, the college football media is still doing power rankings heading into 2017 based off depth charts, recruiting classes, schedules and staff changes.

Sports Illustrated recently shared its conference power rankings, with the obvious pick on top:

  1. Alabama
  2. LSU
  3. Georgia
  4. Florida
  5. Auburn
  6. Tennessee
  7. Arkansas
  8. Kentucky
  9. Texas A&M
  10. South Carolina
  11. Ole Miss
  12. Mississippi State
  13. Vanderbilt
  14. Missouri

SI’s rankings would indicate that the gap between the two divisions will continue in 2017, as the SEC West occupies the two top spots and the SEC East taking the bottom two spots. With Arkansas edging Kentucky for No. 7, the West holds 4-3 advantage when it comes to the top half of the conference.

While No. 2 in the conference will be an ongoing debate throughout the offseason, SI’s Joan Niesen went with LSU based on the Tigers’ offense improving:

Under new (or newish) coach Ed Orgeron, LSU’s offense must improve, and even without Leonard Fournette, it should. On defense, coordinator Dave Aranda should have plenty of fresh talent to fill the voids left by graduations and departures, most notably Jamal Adams and Davon Godchaux.

A summary for all 14 rankings can be found here.