Welcome to my first installment of SEC Power Rankings. Just a reminder: this is a rating of how I think these teams would fare tomorrow on a neutral field. They have nothing to do with how I think the teams will finish, or how their schedule will affect their record. How do I see the SEC? Let’s get to it!
1. LSU – Its been said about SEC teams before, and it’ll be said again: These Tigers are the best team in the country, and its going to be awfully hard for them to survive this schedule unscathed. For now, the numbers are staggering: the Tigers lead the nation in rush D, pass efficiency D, total yardage D and scoring D. The surprising stat, in my eyes, is that LSU is 9th in the nation in rushing offense, with Jacob Hester, Keiland Williams, Ryan Perrilloux and Trindon Holliday all averaging over 32 yards a game and 5.5 yards per carry. Did I mention the defense leads the SEC in sacks, TFL and turnover margin?
2. Florida – In a year when the LSU defense wasn’t making Bayou Burgers out of everyone they faced, the Gators would be the talk of the conference. Tim Tebow is .75 yards per game behind Washington’s Jake Locker for the spot as top rusher among BCS QBs, and is 3rd in the nation in passing efficiency. Tebow is a better QB now than Chris Leak was at this point last year; will the rest of the squad be up to the task? Special teams play has been strength. The Gators’ return specialist, Brandon James, is 3rd in the nation in punt return average and 9th in kick return average.
3. Georgia – No football game in this conference is a pushover, but Mark Richt has to be licking his chops at the way this schedule is unfolding. Ole Miss and Vanderbilt should be easy wins, so a road date in Knoxville out to be the only thing separated the ‘Dawgs from being 5-1 heading to the Party in J-Ville. After that, Georgia gets Troy, Auburn and Kentucky at home, where they’ll be favored in every game. None of the stats are overly impressive, but the front four has been solid against a schedule much tougher than most clubs have faced four games in. Georgia is 3rd in the conference in sacks, TFL and scoring defense. Knowshon Moreno has been a very pleasant surprise coming out of the backfield; his 85 yards per game are 4th among NCAA freshman RBs.
4. Kentucky – The Wildcats might end this season as the nation’s surprise team, or as an also-ran in a rinky dink bowl game. That’s how brutal this league is, but for now, the offense has been stunning. Andre Woodson is getting all the praise and Heisman whispers, but credit Rafael Little for returning to his sophomore year form (62 carries, 435 yards), and the offensive line for making room for Little and all the backs (227 yards a game, 5.9 yards per carry). How good will the defense be? McFadden went nuts on the ‘Cats, and while Kentucky won’t face that kind of back the rest of the year, 108th in the nation against the run isn’t going to cut it.
5. Alabama – While the media machine was salivating over Saban’s team following the Arkansas win, let’s get ahold of ourselves. Now, Bama’s resume includes a home loss to Georgia, a fairly lackluster win at Vandy, and a meaningless beatdown over Western Carolina. I’m not knocking Bama, but they haven’t impressed me that much. The future is awfully bright with Terry Grant leading the nation’s freshmen in rushing, but where is the pass rush? Considering what Saban built at LSU, you don’t expect a team he’s coaching to be 103rd in the nation in sacks, but there sit the Tide. The October 20th battle with the Vols will show me a lot about both squads.
6. Tennessee – The Vols have gagged twice in two would-be “statement” games, but with two weeks to prepare for a visit from the Georgia Bulldogs, they’ve got a chance to get right back in the hunt for a major bowl bid and, if the chips fall right, an SEC East title. Erik Ainge is putting up yards in big chunks and, for the first time in his career, is getting protection from his offensive line, having been put on his back just once in four games. The D got torched in the Swamp, but they’ve been pretty weak on the season so far. 107th in scoring D and 91st in total D? Its not like the Vol D has a specialty right now either; they’re 89th vs. the rush and 82nd vs. the pass. DL Robert Ayers is emerging as a sack threat, and somebody needs to put this D on his back. Why not Ayers?
7. South Carolina – This might seem a bit low for a Gamecock squad off to a great start, including a win over the ‘Dawgs, but with Spurrier revving up the Merry-go-Quarterback machine, and neither side of the ball looking competitive at LSU, how good can you feel about this team going forward? Cory Boyd and Mike Davis have been a great double whammy in the backfield, but my gut says they’ll have to shoulder a lot more of the load in coming weeks than they’re used to. A little bit of pressure from the front four would help the secondary.
8. Arkansas – Last year’s SEC West champs are 1-2, but the schedule lets up a bit now, which will give the Hogs yet another chance to hone their passing game. Felix Jones is once again chipping in with great support of Darren McFadden, and he’s on the verge of becoming a star in his own right, at 2nd in the nation on kick returns and an astounding 17th in rushing. The Hogs don’t have an SEC pass rush right now, with only 4 sacks in three games, and at 104th in the NCAA in scoring D. After three, Casey Dick sits at 49% completions and 5.78 yards per pass attempt.
9. Mississippi State – If Sylvester Croom’s rebuilding project in Starkville is going to take a big step forward, this is the year it needs to happen. Senior DL Titus Brown has 6 TFL for 30 yards in just four games, and Anthony Dixon has given a blue-collar performance from the backfield, getting 4 scores on the year, and putting up 103 tough yards against the Auburn Tigers. Who’s going to get snaps going forward? Josh Riddell has the highest efficiency rating in limited action, but neither he nor Michael Henig or Wesley Carroll have proven much. Croom needs to sort this out before the season’s halfway point if MSU is going to go bowling.
10. Auburn – Tiger lineman Josh Thompson proposed to his girlfriend after the New Mexico State win, but I’ve got a better proposal: anybody want to jumpstart the passing game? The Tigers haven’t faced a really good D yet, but have already given up 10 sacks and thrown 6 picks. What gives? The offensive line is off to another horrific start after letting Brandon Cox get sacked 34 times in 2006. With road dates at Florida, LSU and Arkansas before Halloween, they better figure out how to block somebody. Fast.
11. Vanderbilt – I don’t know much about this team yet, other than that they’re better than Ole Miss. Its shaping up like another bowl-less year in Nashville, but Earl Bennett has been a BEAST against sub par defenses, going off for 223 against Richmond and 100 against Ole Miss. Can he do it this year against a stout D? The ‘Dores should make short work of EMU this weekend, but then things get nasty. Auburn will be playing for its season when Vandy comes to town, and then Vanderbilt gets 4 of the nation’s top 16 teams in five weeks. How will they get wins? Keep getting pressure on opposing QBs; they’re getting 3 sacks a game to date.
12. Ole Miss – The individual pieces seem to be there; the Rebs have a top 5 performer in the SEC in rush yards, total offense and receiving yards, tackles, sacks and TFL. Ole Miss is losing in the trenches, with the SEC’s 12th best rushing attack and 12th best pass protecting line. When your five hogmollies can’t run or pass block, you’re going to have plenty of trouble in this conference.
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