It’s becoming obvious each week: Nobody is going undefeated in the Southeastern Conference.
Only one undefeated SEC team remains, as upsets within the conference have become a weekly occurrence. The undefeated team, No. 1 Mississippi State, still has two road games against top-10 teams.
With the first College Football Playoff poll out — and three SEC teams in the top four — the rest of the conference schedule should be a treat to watch, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
1. Mississippi State, Prev. 1 (7-0, 4-0 SEC)
Somehow, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is still talked about in the same regard as Bulldogs’ quarterback Dak Prescott for the Heisman race.
Unless I missed a week, Oregon still has one more loss than Mississippi State despite playing a far easier schedule. The lone loss, a 31-24 defeat by Arizona, was sealed when Mariota fumbled on Oregon’s final drive. Prescott hasn’t even needed to make a final drive despite beating three top-10 teams this season.
Prescott and his offense have rolled through opponents in the same way Oregon offenses have before, but they’re doing it against SEC opponents rather than the Pac-12. Hopefully, Heisman voters realize this before doing something moronic.
2. Alabama, Prev. 3 (7-1, 4-1 SEC)
The rule about playing Alabama this season is simple: Cover junior receiver Amari Cooper or prepare to take a loss.
Cooper embarrassed Tennessee on Saturday, catching nine passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. The Tide’s only loss and closest win of the season, Ole Miss and Arkansas, just happen to be the two games Cooper has not reached 100 receiving yards.
Cooper runs routes like a professional and is a menace when given space. LSU will have to shut down Cooper if it plans to have a chance at pulling off another upset at home.
3. Auburn, Prev. 4 (6-1, 3-1 SEC)
Auburn moves up in this week’s rankings and up to fourth nationally, but Saturday’s win was anything but impressive.
Auburn battled a weak South Carolina team to a 42-35 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the defense making multiple stops in the fourth quarter to keep the Gamecocks behind. Since the win against LSU, Gus Malzahn’s team has made a major slide and has displayed weaknesses on defense.
Auburn will play at Ole Miss this Saturday, and it must bring the intensity it showed to start the season if it wants to survive.
4. Ole Miss, Prev. 2 (7-1, 4-1 SEC)
“Bad” Bo Wallace returned Saturday night, and he saved his dumbest decisions for the end of the game.
Wallace seemed confused when coach Hugh Freeze wanted to kick a field goal with nine seconds left in the 10-7 loss to LSU, and the indecision led to a delay-of-game penalty. Wallace then topped that by throwing a duck into the arms of senior defensive back Ronald Martin to seal the game.
“Bad Bo” will return at some point this season, and it will be as glorious to watch as Saturday’s debacle.
5. LSU, Prev. 6 (7-2, 3-2 SEC)
This team has seen some massive falls and sudden rises, but the Tigers now appear to be the same team everyone thought they would be.
Like many predicted before the season, LSU rallied behind a strong offensive line and a suffocating pass defense in the victory against Ole Miss. Sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings will need this type of production if the Tigers want to continue their winning streak and keep pulling upsets.
6. Georgia, Prev. 5 (6-1, 4-1 SEC)
Georgia will follow up a bye week with its rivalry game against Florida in Jacksonville on Saturday, which should hardly be a problem. The rest of UGA’s schedule looks promising as well, so it has a chance to make it back into College Football Playoff contention.
7. Kentucky, Prev. 11 (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
The Wildcats looked impressive and completely different from their loss to LSU in a close loss Saturday against Mississippi State.
Beyond the loss in Baton Rouge, sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles has been better than average. He recorded 466 total yards and four touchdowns in the loss to MSU on Saturday, and he’ll find a way to lead the Wildcats to bowl eligibility.
8. Texas A&M, Prev. 7 (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
The Aggies get a tune-up game against University of Louisiana at Monroe on Saturday, but it probably won’t save them in a game against Auburn next week. Sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill looked just like a first-year quarterback should in the last two road games, so don’t expect anything different at Jordan-Hare.
9. Missouri, Prev. 9 (6-2, 3-1 SEC)
Missouri beat Vanderbilt, 24-14, Saturday to clinch bowl eligibility, which is bad news for everyone. Having to watch sophomore Maty Mauk attempt to play the quarterback position is something no one wants to see, even in some pathetic bowl game.
10. Arkansas, Prev. 8 (4-4, 0-4 SEC)
The depression seen on coach Bret Bielema’s face isn’t from Arkansas’ continued conference losing streak. It comes from watching Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon and thinking about what could have been if Bielema had stayed in Madison.
11. South Carolina, Prev. 10 (4-4, 2-4 SEC)
The Gamecocks’ close loss at Auburn on Saturday proved their win earlier in the season against Georgia was no fluke. If it brings its best game, USC can compete with any team in the conference.
The problem, of course, is finding that best game. Its schedule becomes a bit easier down the stretch, especially after it finishes SEC play Nov. 15.
12. Tennessee, Prev. 12 (3-5, 0-4 SEC)
The Volunteers put up a great fight against Alabama on Saturday, but “put up a great fight” has almost been the motto of the Tennessee’s season, and the team is probably getting tired of it.
At some point, the Volunteers have to win their first game. Butch Davis is too good a coach, and the players are too talented. Home games against Kentucky and Missouri should finally end the drought, and a road win against Vanderbilt could get the Vols to a bowl game.
13. Florida, Prev. 14 (3-3, 2-3 SEC)
Billy Donovan has a great group of players coming back from last season’s dominant basketball team, so at least there’s that. Gator fans will only have to endure one more football game before basketball plays its first exhibition game.
It is pretty dark when Florida fans are begging for basketball season to start, but it’s where they are. How Will Muschamp remains employed still fascinates me.
14. Vanderbilt, Prev. 13 (2-6, 0-5 SEC)
Now here’s a fan base who really deserves to storm the field if the Commodores beat someone.
Tommy Romanach is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Dallas, Texas. You can reach him on Twitter @troman_92.