Everyone, raise your glass, hold your loved ones close and try to wrap your heads around this. The SEC took the week off from walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, having black cats run across their paths and they played some basketball, some competent and even glorious basketball.
In what was dubbed as another test in the Kentucky run to perfection the Wildcats ventured to the house that Jordan built and essentially curb stomped UCLA into another decade. A beat down like this I don't think many expected to happen against a competent Power 5 opponent, maybe against those directional colleges that typically beat the bottom of the SEC, this however was something else. If you didn't see it, I suggest you go watch it because it was incredible. Words, I am at a loss. While Kentucky sits at the top spot and Florida comes in at 2nd, Arkansas 3rd and LSU 4th, the divide between Kentucky and them seems huge. Almost as if there should 1st place and then a bunch of dead air before SEC second.
Speaking of rest of the top 4, they continue to plug along beating teams they should beat and not making a mess of themselves doing so. Florida knocked off Wake Forest in a "neutral site" game (neutral in that it was not in Gainesville, but still in the sunshine state and looks to be rounding into form following those early season losses to Miami, UNC and Kansas (shudders). Arkansas comes in at third having won the games they should win at home doing Mike Anderson things, with their next test coming in the new year on the road at Georgia. LSU continues to be bigger than everyone and is taking down teams in fine fashion having been able to maintain the momentum they had from winning on the road in the land of the burning couch.
Coming in in the 5th to 8th you've got Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Ole Miss who all keep chugging up the standings while the lower half continue to do that SEC thing they do. Georgia picked up a quality win against the Pirates of Seton Hall that should look nice come March. Meanwhile down in Columbia, SC Frank Martin and the entire Gamecock coaching staff donned ugly Christmas sweaters in their win over Coker. Whether you like the fad or not, props to you human Volcano Frank for going full sweater for a game. Bama meanwhile seems to be coming back down to earth following their close loss to Wichita State and eaked by App State by one. Finally Ole Miss rounds out the middle center of the league by beating two teams they should have after suffering a loss to Western Kentucky two weeks ago.
Coming in at 9th, our voters could all agree that they all like Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. This is the SEC you know and like, a mishmash of teams that are doing what they need to but not really doing anything too splendid. Hopefully SEC season helps settle some of this and we can get an idea of who's ok and who's not! Keep doing you fellas!
Finally coming in at the bottom you have the three teams that have been swapping spots all season long, Auburn, Mississippi State and finally Mizzou. Auburn got a big double OT win over Xavier in the past week and look to be making moves up the rankings, while State and Mizzou are doing things that 13th and 14th ranked teams do, namely lose. Come the end of the season I don't expect we'll see these three teams at the bottom, but for now they are what we think they are.
To the Rankings We Go!
Team | Points | Ranking | Previous Ranking | Change | Highest Ranking | Lowest Ranking |
Kentucky | 112 | 1st | 1st | None | 1st | 1st |
Florida | 101 | 2nd | 2nd | None | 2nd | 3rd |
Arkansas | 92 | 3rd | 3rd | None | 3rd | 4th |
LSU | 88 | 4th | 4th | None | 3rd | 4th |
Georgia | 73 | 5th | 7th | Up 2 | 4th | 9th |
South Carolina | 68 | 6th | 9th | Up 3 | 3rd | 11th |
Alabama | 62 | 7th | 5th | Down 2 | 5th | 9th |
Ole Miss | 53 | 8th | 10th | Up 2 | 5th | 11th |
Tennessee | 47 | 9th (Tied) | 8th | Down 1 | 7th | 11th |
Texas A&m | 47 | 9th (Tied) | 6th | Down 3 | 7th | 11th |
Vanderbilt | 47 | 9th (Tied) | 11th | Up 2 | 7th | 12th |
Auburn | 22 | 12th | 14th | Up 2 | 10th | 14th |
Mississippi State | 15 | 13th | 12th | Up 1 | 12th | 14th |
Mizzou | 13 | 14th | 13th | Down 1 | 13th | 14th |
Points were distributed 1st = 14, 2nd = 13, 3rd = 12, 4th = 11, 5th = 10, 6th = 9, 7th = 8, 8th = 7, 9th = 6, 10th = 5,
11th = 4, 12th = 3, 13th = 2, and 14th = 1
Anthony Grant has had "cant-get-over-the-hump-itis" since he's been with the Tide, and the tragic Wichita State loss is just the most recent example. (A Sea of Blue)
The Tide really needs something to go along with the victory over Arizona State. No bad losses though. (Roll Bama Roll)
I'm just doing alphabetical order in 5-11 because whatever. (Dawg Sports)
The loss to Clemson still hurts, but the win over Dayton was solid and they haven't struggled putting away inferior competition as of late. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
Like many teams, they're not as good away from home, but they have two very nice blowout wins over Dayton and Iona in Fayetteville. But you look at their game against Clemson, and you look at South Carolina's, and tie goes to the team that doesn't lose to Clemson. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Don't expect to see them move up any more than this until they play somebody inside the top 50 – and win. (A Sea of Blue)
Double OT win over Xavier, KT Harrell carrying the load...look out BBQ Bruce Pearl is doing things. (Rock M Nation)
Three game winning streak! The streak includes a win over the team that beat Michigan State… so basically Auburn is #2 in the Big Ten. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
Beating Xavier at home is great! Beating Texas Southern at home by one keeps you here one more week, Tigers. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Quietly pounding everyone they've played now that they are no longer playing very good teams away from Gainesville. (Garnet and Black Attack)
I bet the Gators didn't think before the season that blowing out Yale and Texas Southern would give them a leg up on UConn and Michigan State. (Roll Bama Roll)
Any win over a kansas coach led team gets two thumbs up from this guy. (Rock M Nation)
If they could make some threes, this team could be very dangerous. (A Sea of Blue)
G comes after A. Seriously analysis is Kenny Gaines and Marcus Thornton can carry this team into March. A road game at Kansas St on New Year's Eve is a big NCAA bubble litmus test before the SEC schedule begins. (Dawg Sports)
Beat the Pirates of Seton Hall who were without both Chico Lind and Mike LaValliere. (Rock M Nation)
Ripped UCLA's heart out Mortal Kombat-style. (Roll Bama Roll)
Doing it with defense. (A Sea of Blue)
Beat Louisville and they will finish the regular season undefeated. No team in the SEC has a chance. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
They are getting hot, and look to me as the best non-Bluegrass SEC team. (Dawg Sports)
Six game winning streak since the loss to Clemson, but they have struggled at times against weak competition. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
Still improving after two weak losses at a neutral site. Playing some of the better basketball in the league right now. (Garnet and Black Attack)
If the Bulldogs win a game and no one notices, does it count? (Rock M Nation)
Ended their five game losing streak against a terrible Jacksonville team. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
Because I'm stubborn and liked them early, I won't put them last. (Dawg Sports)
I'm sorry. But at least you still got football. (Dawg Sports)
Rayvonte Rice, welcome to every Mizzou fans sports hate list and nightmares. (Rock M Nation)
The Tigers showed some serious life against Illinois. Maybe they are starting to turn it around. (Roll Bama Roll)
I'm duly impressed by the wins over Creighton, Cincinnati, and Oregon, but three home losses to mediocre competition just isn't good enough. Nice job finally holding on to one of those close games at home, though, with the three-point win over Coastal Carolina. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Took care of their cupcakes this week! (Roll Bama Roll)
Beat Dayton and I might notice. I might. (A Sea of Blue)
Did what no other SEC team did this season by beating Clemson. Props to Frank Martin for his work this season by getting a 2-3 squad on a five game winning streak. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
It's time to acknowledge that the Gamecocks are absolutely, at this point, playing like the third-best team in the SEC. Sure there's probably something a bit aberrational about their last two performances, but blowing out Oklahoma State and Clemson deserves credit. (Garnet and Black Attack)
The only way Frank Martin's ugly sweater could have been better would have been if it had been made out of velour. (Rock M Nation)
The tightest part of my 5-11 bunch, because it took all the way to the third letter. N beats X. (Dawg Sports)
Terrible defensive team, but they can score a little. (A Sea of Blue)
The loss to NC State isn't enough to drop Tennessee too far considering the Vols still have one of the best collections of mounted opponent heads above their fireplace. (Roll Bama Roll)
Nothing bad about their performances against BIG 12 foes, but it would have been nice to get an big OOC win. (For Whom the Cowbell Tolls)
Looking shaky after a seven-point loss against Kansas State and getting run out of the gym against Baylor. (Garnet and Black Attack)
5-11 glob fest continues with our second to last injury.(Dawg Sports)
Last of the bunch. In part because V comes after T, O, G, and A. But also because Mr. Obama, TEAR THAT ABONIMABLE ARENA DOWN! (Dawg Sports)
Vandy is playing some quietly good basketball right now, moving to the new middle of the SEC, and let's never forget their court smells of beef and cheese. (Rock M Nation)
I have to say, this may be the best coaching job of Kevin Stallings' career, so far. (A Sea of Blue)
That's it! Our last ranking of the calendar year 2014. Who knows what's coming for the SEC in 2015 (other than Kentucky going all Kaiser Soze on the SEC), I don't, you don't, but we know it's going to be weird, wild and wonderful. See you on the other side readers, it's gonna full of the Fever.