Welcome back to the wild and wonderful SEC Power Rankings where each week the SEC and its teams makes every attempt to make our voters and its fans wonder what the hell its doing. Does the SEC want to get as many teams as possible into the NCAA Tournament? It’s a good question and at times it looks like the answer is a resounding “No.”
Tier 1
The top of the SEC heap has not changed, but that’s not to say one team from Columbia East didn’t spend the past two weeks attempting to fall off that perch. South Carolina lost a LONG game last week to Alabama and this week, lost to Arkansas at home. Arkansas has become a road team folks, mark this date down for the world must be coming to an end. Meanwhile, this week Florida had a closer than they wanted to game with Auburn and Kentucky straight beat down Tennessee avenging this season’s earlier loss to the Vols. All three of our top teams head on the road this weekend where things happen, especially in Nashville, so put the Cocks on upset watch…again.
Tier 2
Our second tier is a bit of a mishmash. Leading the charge is Arkansas in fourth and back in the conversation after their win at South Carolina. Sure winning in Columbia East is a big deal and should be applauded, however, losing in Columbia West against Mizzou is a bit more of a headscrather. But memories are short this time of year and the Hogs are now squarely back into the tournament conversation. This weekend they get a date with Ole Miss at home, that knowing their recent track record, will lose spectacularly. Alabama checks in in fifth place after a week where they got an EPIC (their words not mine) win over Mizzou by three points. Mizzou is not as awful as they once appeared, but that win was not epic my friends. It was more basketball terrorism for your eyes and mind. Following in sixth place we have a tie between Georgia and Ole Miss. Both teams are coming off wins, Georgia over State (decent) and Ole Miss over LSU (bad), and both get a chance at a nice win, with Kentucky coming to Athens and the Rebels heading to Arkansas. Really, not a bad little Saturday for SEC teams to prove us all wrong and get as many as five teams into the dance!
Tier 3
Tier three belongs to the state of Tennessee with both UT and Vandy checking in here. The Vols recently were handled by Kentucky and have a date at home with Mizzou tomorrow which should cure a few ills and get things back to good. Vandy meanwhile had taken a weekend loss at Mizzou (it’s all the rage in the SEC now) but got back on the good side of things by taking down A&M at home. And in Nashville anything can happen. They have a game with SC later today that could get them some NIT consideration considering the other wins on their schedule and could cause SC to get just a little nervous with selection Sunday looming less than a month away.
Tier 4
This is interesting…our voters just plum don’t know what to do about Auburn. They’re our most confusing team. This week they were beaten by Florida, but not badly and have rarely looked inept since the start of the SEC play. The Tigers get the next team on our list the Aggies of A&M this afternoon. The Aggies got a nice boost two weeks ago playing the dregs of the conference and then had to face some better teams and lost. A&M is not nearly what it was last year and could have a tough time with Auburn. In between both the Tigers and the Aggies sit the Bulldogs of State. States in a bit of skid having lost three games in a row since beating Tennessee but all the losses have been to decent teams and have all been close. Today they get a chance to tangle at home with the Gators which could be a nice win at this point in the season.
Tier 5
It’s the bottom. But the two teams that inhabit this space couldn’t be more different from one another. Mizzou is clawing out wins and keeping games close giving themselves chances at the end of games, while LSU is, like their coach just lost in the woods. Both teams will probably lose some more games for the next couple weeks, but in that time Mizzou will look like they care, while LSU will look surprised that they have to play.
Team | Points | Ranking | Ranking Last Week | Change | Highest Pick | Lowest Pick | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida | 95 | 1st | 1st | None | 1st | 2nd | ||||||
Kentucky | 94 | 2nd | 2nd | None | 1st | 2nd | ||||||
South Carolina | 84 | 3rd | 3rd | None | 3rd | 3rd | ||||||
Arkansas | 75 | 4th | 6th | Up 2 | 4th | 6th | ||||||
Alabama | 67 | 5th | 4th | Down 1 | 5th | 7th | ||||||
Georgia | 60 | 6th (Tied) | 8th | Up 2 | 4th | 8th | ||||||
Ole Miss | 60 | 6th (Tied) | 10th | Up 4 | 5th | 8th | ||||||
Tennessee | 51 | 8th | 5th | Down 3 | 6th | 9th | ||||||
Vanderbilt | 41 | 9th | 7th | Down 2 | 7th | 11th | ||||||
Auburn | 34 | 10th | 9th | Down 1 | 9th | 12th | ||||||
Mississippi State | 29 | 11th | 11th | None | 10th | 12th | ||||||
Texas A&M | 24 | 12th | 12th | None | 10th | 12th | ||||||
Mizzou | 14 | 13th | 13th | None | 13th | 13th | ||||||
LSU | 7 | 14th | 14th | None | 14th | 14th |
Points were distributed as follows: 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
Win home games this week against LSU and Georgia, and we can talk about a bubble. (Dawg Sports)
It's officially time to stop mocking teams for close wins over Mizzou. They're playing much better, and Bama was lucky to survive. (Good Bull Hunting)
The Tide have to win out to have a shot at the tournament. Survived Missouri, LSU and UGA at home this week. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Arkansas doing Arkansas things. Laying low in the weeds and just close enough to ruin someone's regular season championship. (Red Cup Rebellion)
Arkansas losing at home and winning on the road feels like one of the signs you see before Gozer the Destructor shows up and you have to make a really tough decision about crossing streams. (Rock M Nation)
Wait, Arkansas plays better on the road? (Good Bull Hunting)
Great offense, terrible defense. Given up 90+ seven times this season, including last three games. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Just a guess that they finish stronger than the rest of the bottom batch, although that may be schedule created. Bruce Pearl is getting talent, now he has to get them to play better. (Dawg Sports)
The Tigers are getting scary good at home, you know, like Arkansas used to be. (Rock M Nation)
Big-time improvements from year one to year two for Michael White. Now, let's see if he can maintain this level. And recruit. (Red Cup Rebellion)
Florida lost a big contributor in John Egbunu but they should fine going forward. (Orange and White Report)
One of the hottest teams in the country right now. Suffered a big loss in Egbunu. That injury could cost them the SEC title. (Garnet and Black Attack)
I give up. I don't know what they are, and I have no idea what they'll do next. (Good Bull Hunting)
Getting Florida, South Carolina, and Kentucky twice gives them the hardest conference schedule, but this team simply has underperformed this season and doesn't deserve to dance without an unlikely hot streak. (Dawg Sports)
I stand by my prediction that the Dawgs will flail their way through the season and then win the the whole thing in Nashville...thanks for keeping me in line on the first part of my prediction. (Rock M Nation)
Florida is in first but doesn't it seem like Kentucky is going to just "figure it out" when it needs to? (Red Cup Rebellion)
Kentucky and Florida have set themselves apart as the top two teams in the SEC and really, it's not that close. (Orange and White Report)
If you beat Kentucky, they'll get angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry. (Good Bull Hunting)
Losers of 12 in a row. (Garnet and Black Attack)
More like LLLLLLLLLLLLSU, amirite? (Good Bull Hunting)
NC State has given the blue print to a quality mid season firing, your move LSU. (Rock M Nation)
This team should be able to rise fast next season with a lot of good young talent. Aric Holman in particular could be a force if he can learn to play without fouls. (Dawg Sports)
The Bulldogs experienced success, panicked, and ran from it as fast as they could. Best I can tell, they haven't stopped running. (Good Bull Hunting)
Three straight defeats and Florida is next. (Garnet and Black Attack)
2! TWO WHOLE WINS! IMPROVEMENTS! (Dawg Sports)
Mizzou is 2-0 at home in the month of February when games begin before the sun goes down, so they’ve got that going for them. (Rock M Nation)
That's two straight weeks of really solid performances. It's not the end game, but it's a start. (Good Bull Hunting)
Similar situation to Alabama. At Arkansas and Mississippi State this week. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Terence Davis is easily the most electric player in the SEC not in a Kentucky uniform. (Red Cup Rebellion)
7-6, with 3 road games remaining and one of their two home games coming against the Gamecocks. Andy Kennedy is gonna do it again! (Dawg Sports)
South Carolina has a slippery slope on the horizon: road games at Vandy, Florida and Ole Miss to close the year. (Red Cup Rebellion)
This team is reeling. Three losses at home to bubble teams in Clemson, Alabama and Arkansas. Defense was lacking against the Hogs. Second team to score 80+ in regulation, the other was Kentucky. Tough games this week at Vandy and at Florida. (Garnet and Black Attack)
South Carolina lost at home twice in the last week, making me question how good they really are. (Orange and White Report)
Two weeks ago, the world conned me into saying nice things about Rick Barnes. You win, world. (Good Bull Hunting)
Tennessee has slightly come off the rails with a loss at home to Georgia and then a blowout loss at Kentucky, though they're still somehow firmly on the NCAA tourney bubble. (Orange and White Report)
Flirted with the bubble for about ten days. Need to lock up an NIT spot now. Host Missouri and Vandy. (Garnet and Black Attack)
Does 3 or 4 wins save Billy Kennedy's job for another year? Probably shouldn't with Rick Stansbury already gone. (Dawg Sports)
We are 0-4 in our last four games against not-Mizzou/LSU. Is that bad? Seems bad. (Good Bull Hunting)
Looks like they’re back to being a football school, and really that’s what the SEC wanted in the first place. (Rock M Nation)
Vandy got whipped by Missouri and nothing makes sense anymore. (Orange and White Report)
Road trips to Tennessee and Kentucky, with a home game vs. South Carolina and another vs. Florida remaining will make it hard for Vandy to finish strong. (Dawg Sports)
The Dores are the next team to cause South Carolina fans to start losing their hair. (Rock M Nation)
That’s your weekly rankings. Be sure to check out today’s games because they’ve all got a chance (for the most part) to matter to someone’s March plans, and really for the SEC to have that be the case in late February is nothing to scoff at...too much.
Home Team | Away Team | Time | TV | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tennessee | Mizzou | 1:00 PM | SEC Network | |||
Mississippi State | #15 Florida | 2:00 PM | ESPN | |||
Alabama | LSU | 3:30 PM | SEC Network | |||
Texas A&M | Auburn | 4:00 PM | ESPNU | |||
Arkansas | Ole Miss | 6:00 PM | SEC Network | |||
Georgia | #13 Kentucky | 6:00 PM | ESPN | |||
Vanderbilt | #21 South Carolina | 8:30 PM | SEC Network |