LSU had a chance to send the entire Southeastern Conference into chaos last weekend, but after another emphatic Alabama win, everyone continues to look up at the Tide.
Therefore, there isn’t much movement at the top of this week’s rankings.
1. Alabama (9-0, 6-0 SEC)
Alabama was tied with LSU in the third quarter, but the Tide turned it on when they needed and ran over the Tigers. As the biggest and most physical team in the country, Alabama is built to wear down opponents and pull away late like it did Saturday night.
With one more hurdle cleared, the Tide now have just Auburn and the SEC East champion standing between them and a shot at a third straight BCS National Championship. If they keep playing like they have been, there’s no reason to think that won’t happen.
Last Week: 1
2. Auburn (9-1, 5-1 SEC)
With quarterback Nick Marshall and running back Tre Mason leading the way, Gus Malzahn’s offense ranks third in the country with 320 rushing yards per game. Marshall threw just seven passes in Auburn’s 55-23 steamrolling of Tennessee.
The Plainsmen get Georgia and Alabama at home to close out the regular season. If they win both, they will be the most unlikely SEC Championship Game participant in quite some time.
Last Week: 2
3. Missouri (9-1, 5-1 SEC)
Missouri still controls its own destiny after consecutive blowouts of Tennessee and Kentucky. But the road gets tougher from here as the Tigers will have to beat Ole Miss and Texas A&M to win the SEC East.
Winning both will be a tall task for the Tigers, but it seems more possible since freshman quarterback Maty Mauk has thrown eight touchdowns and no picks in the last two games.
Last Week: 4
4. Texas A&M (8-2, 4-2 SEC)
Johnny Manziel threw three interceptions and got beaten up by the Mississippi State defense, but still tossed five touchdowns in a wild victory.
Potentially playing his final home game in College Station, Johnny Football was serenaded with chants of “one more year” from the A&M faithful after the game. That’s unlikely, but they will get to watch college football’s best player make a run at a second consecutive Heisman.
Last Week: 3
5. South Carolina (7-2, 5-2 SEC)
The Gamecocks have the easiest road to finishing the season with two conference losses, but they need a lot of help to get to Atlanta.
Steve Spurrier and company will have no trouble beating Florida, but they need both Missouri and Georgia to lose again to win the SEC East.
Last Week: 5
6. Ole Miss (6-3, 3-3 SEC)
Upsetting LSU last month turned the season around for Ole Miss, which is now on a three-game winning streak.
After what should be an easy game against Troy on Nov. 16, Ole Miss will welcome Missouri into Oxford. Another upset against a top-10 group of Tigers will likely mean a nine-win season for Ole Miss.
Last Week: 8
7. Georgia (6-3, 4-2 SEC)
After losing two straight conference games, Georgia has righted the ship with back-to-back wins and is getting healthier by the week. A healthy Todd Gurley gives the Bulldogs a puncher’s chance of going into Auburn and winning on Saturday.
Last Week: 7
8. LSU (7-3, 3-3 SEC)
Let this sink in for a minute: LSU is fifth in the SEC West.
The Tigers had chances to make the Alabama game closer, but they never had a chance to knock off the Tide. Plus LSU’s supposed quality win against Florida can no longer be used to prop the Tigers up in the rankings since the Gators have utterly fallen apart.
Les Miles’ teams have a history of mailing it in after their third loss. If that happens again, Johnny Football is going to put up 60 points in Tiger Stadium in two weeks.
Last Week: 6
9. Vanderbilt (5-4, 2-4 SEC)
The Commodores defeated Florida 34-17 for their first win in Gainesville since 1945.
James Franklin guided his team through a rough start, and with three cupcakes left on the schedule, he’s primed to win at least eight games for the second straight season. That’s a major accomplishment at Vanderbilt.
Last Week: 10
10. Florida (4-5, 3-4 SEC)
The nightmare continues as the loss to Vanderbilt means the Gators will almost certainly not go to a bowl game for the first time since 1990. And with South Carolina and Florida State left on the schedule, it’s only going to get uglier for Florida.
It could even get bad enough to put Will Muschamp’s job in jeopardy.
Last Week: 9
11. Mississippi State (4-5, 1-4 SEC)
Quarterback Dak Prescott showed tremendous heart in keeping the Bulldogs close with Texas A&M in the week following his mother’s death from cancer. The sophomore courageously threw two scores and ran for 154 yards in the 10-point loss.
Last Week: 12
12. Tennessee (4-6, 1-5 SEC)
Tennessee got beaten down at home by a team that only threw seven passes. That is the definition of getting physically dominated in tackle football.
Last Week: 11
13. Arkansas (3-7, 0-6 SEC)
A 10-point loss to an unranked team being treated as a moral victory shows this Arkansas team would be the worst team in the SEC most seasons.
However, there’s still Kentucky.
Last Week: 13
14. Kentucky (2-7, 0-5 SEC)
What was that about a football game? Julius Randle for President!
Last Week: 14
James Moran is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from
Beacon, N.Y.