SEC Power Rankings After Week 12

Welcome to your post SEC - Big 12 Challenge SEC Power Rankings where everything seems to have crystallized in our voters minds about where the SEC stands on the season and where they’re headed.

Our voters feel very strongly about certain teams and their standings, with five different teams getting every vote for their respective ranking, which is very un SEC of the conference that likes to keep things “interesting.” The top three are strong in their spots, the bottom two are lousy and are who we know them to be and the middle is exactly what you would expect of the middle of the conference.

On the whole, the conference acquitted itself quite well in the challenge taking 5 out of 10 games, the best they had done in the challenge’s history, which against what might be the strongest or second strongest conference is nothing to get upset about. Good on you SEC, way to keep it even steven.

TIer 1

I’ve consolidated the top three teams in our poll into the top Tier of our rankings because at this point, they’re our top three, they’ll be dancing and while Kentucky is pulling all our first place votes, they’re not the dominant force we may have perceived them to be. They’ve won three of seven Top 50 KenPom games and no longer look like a lock for a one seed, so they can hang with SC and Florida at the top and know that they’re better than everyone. This past week, both South Carolina and Florida dined on Mizzou, which means absolutely nothing at this point and Kentucky managed to get back to winning by beating Georgia after their two game slide, showing that they are in fact human.

Tier 2

In the second tier (no one wants to be called tier 2, it sounds like a bathroom function) we’ve got two teams who have played well enough this season that they could be dancing in March and quite honestly may be included only because the Tournament Selection Committee plum runs out of teams to fill the bracket, hello Vanderbilt last year. Arkansas got a nice win this week over defensive minded Alabama after the pasting they got on the road at Oklahoma State, where road teams under Mike Anderson do not win. Tennessee meanwhile has been the revelation of the season. In the non con they came close in every game they played against Power 6 teams, and now they’ve won four games in a row with that win over Kentucky thrown in there. Before a return date with the ‘Cats, the Vols get games at State, home to Ole Miss and at Georgia, all winnable games that if they do win, could have an at large bid firmly on the table. Don’t let us down Tennessee, we’re all counting on you.

Tier 3

Leading Tier 3 we’ve got two teams coming off losses. ‘Bama got beat by Arkansas at Bud Walton, where winning has become difficult for road teams again, and Georgia lost to Kentucky by not a horrific margin, but a loss nonetheless. Georgia appears to be in very real danger of not making anything happen in March, while Alabama is doing what they do, winning with defense. There’s nothing to get too excited about either team, but one is clearly moving in the right direction, the other not so much.

Tier 4

Hi, welcome to the upper bottom, Ole Miss lives here, and you may just be stoping by or leasing, while Ole Miss owns this portion of the polls. Andy Kennedy’s team, slow and steady doing exactly what we all know they’ll do, sticking around .500 in conference and got a nice win over State in the basketball version of the Egg Bowl, where the winner received some egg bowl stuff. Joining the Rebels (for this week) are the fancy pirates from Vanderbilt. Vandy’s got a nice two game win streak over former conference mates Iowa State and Texas A&M, that if these wins were last year, would have been a lot better looking on the resume, but hey they’re winning games and they have a great young coach, so things are looking up and they could be bouncing up to Tier three this coming week. Picking up the rear of Tier 4 are the Bulldogs of Mississippi State who are on a two game losing streak but have a nice opportunity to get a big win over Tennessee, so there’s that.

Tier 5

Tier 5 is not a hopeless set of teams, but they aren’t good either. Auburn in year three of the Bruce Pearl era was probably hoping for better at this point and Texas A&M is circling the drain. Long gone are the days of last year where they fought for a conference title. RICK STANSBURY WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN US?! Auburn got a good win over formerly hot TCU in the SEC Big 12 challenge and now have a date with in state rival Alabama in the basketball version of the Iron Bowl, which like the aforementioned Egg Bowl, no one cares about. The Aggies meanwhile fought against the men and women who took their place in the Big 12-1+1-1+1, the really good West Virginia Mountain Folk. They were beaten though they did keep it close and then followed that nice effort up losing at home to Vandy.

Tier 6

I mean, do we even have to do this? LSU has one win in conference over fellow bottom feeder Mizzou. Both teams are unanimous choices for the bottom and both teams appear to have given up. May your coaching searches bear fruit, in LSU’s case I hope they hire Shaq and in Mizzou’s case anyone who is not a D2 coach that’s best attribute is that he’s nice.

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Alabama and Arkansas remain in the top half of the league but there are plenty of games down the stretch for both that will shake out the top 4 teams that will get a double bye in the SEC Tournament. (Orange and White Report)

The next three games will show us exactly how real Bama is. (College and Magnolia)

Don't worry guys, you won the thing that really matters on Wednesday and it wasn't that game at Arkansas. (Anchor of Gold)

Everything went wrong at Oklahoma State, but the Hogs are still really well positioned to lead the tier just beneath the big three. (Good Bull Hunting)

Lost by 28 on the road, won by 19 at home. Move into 4th place with the win over Alabama. If they can avoid a bad loss and only lose to one of the top 3 in the SEC tourney, they should be in the big dance. (Garnet and Black Attack)

Arkansas is going to back its way into the dance the way people hook up at closing time, they don’t look hideous and are good enough to occupy each other’s time for about 40 minutes. (Rock M Nation)

They aren't the worst. (Dawg Sports)

For the second straight week, Auburn had a great win and a bad loss. If you drink enough, you stop noticing the whiplash. (College and Magnolia)

Not sure what to think. Looks good as long as they're not facing SEC teams, or Boston College. (Anchor of Gold)

South Carolina and Florida have continued to play good basketball. (Orange and White Report)

Since the loss to Vandy, the Gators have won three straight by 30+. Three bad teams but still impressive. Have UK this weekend before going to UGA. (Garnet and Black Attack)

They have a chance for a big win against Kentucky if their D and the ODome crowd can rattle Monk and the rest of the kids. (Dawg Sports)

You gave Brent a great sendoff, and you beat the Longhorns. That's an easy way to win our heart, Georgia. (Good Bull Hunting)

The same team that took Kentucky to overtime in Rupp got curb stomped by Bama at home and forgot how to inbound the ball at Texas A&M. We are this season's personification of #SECbasketballfever. (Dawg Sports)

How in the world did Georgia blow that game? (College and Magnolia)

This version of Kentucky feels like they’ll get a four seed and then somehow win the whole thing and we’ll have to hear about it for the rest of our natural lives. (Rock M Nation)

It's sort of telling that they haven't played well for what seems like a month and they're still first. (Anchor of Gold)

You know, if it weren't for Kentucky, we might get a little national recognition as a basketball conference. Can't believe these slackers cost us a chance at the Big XII / SEC title. (Good Bull Hunting)

Two more losses but still beat Mizzou. (Garnet and Black Attack)

It's a total cluster in the backend of the SEC. No one is particularly good but LSU and Missouri are especially bad. (Orange and White Report)

LSU might be the second worst power five team in America. (Good Bull Hunting)

Miss State has to win one of the next two if they don't want to go back to the dungeon with LSU and Mizzou. (College and Magnolia)

Struggling down the stretch as the schedule gets unkind, having lost three straight on the road around a Mizzou home win. (Dawg Sports)

Rough week for the Bulldogs. Got swept by Alabama and got hammered by Ole Miss. (Garnet and Black Attack)

I shouted "Stop, stop, they're already dead!" at my TV seventeen different times last night. (Good Bull Hunting)

It’s gotten so bad that former Mizzou players are openly mocking the coaching staff on Twitter. DO YOU TI! (Rock M Nation)

Getting Mike Anderson at home this weekend might be their best/only chance for an SEC win this year. (Dawg Sports)

(inserts GIF of Vanderbilt's current coach making a basket against them followed by "u mad bro?" meme) (Anchor of Gold)

Is there any doubt they're going to end the SEC slate at 9-9? (Good Bull Hunting)

Two winnable games this week at Vandy and at Tennessee to help Andy Kennedy maintain his innate need for .500 play. (Dawg Sports)

Might as well have just taken the last week off. (Anchor of Gold)

Did not participate in the Big 12 challenge, won comfortably against LSU after going through the motions at Missouri. Have UGA and Alabama at home this week, big games to keep pace with UK for first in the SEC. (Garnet and Black Attack)

They took care of an extremely easy week with minimal fuss. You know, the stuff good teams do. (Good Bull Hunting)

The Vols have won 5 of 6? Sure, why not. (College and Magnolia)

Tennessee has emerged after wins over Kentucky and Auburn and now appear to have real shot at the tournament. (Orange and White Report)

So many five star hearts on this squad. (Rock M Nation)

We get another matchup of who wants to get fired more between Billy Kennedy and Johnny Jones this weekend! This is why basketball hates our conference. (Dawg

It took a while, but we finally secured 12th position. Let it never be said that this program is not on #brand. (Good Bull Hunting)

Aggies gave West Virginia all they wanted but then lost another home game in the SEC. 2-3 at home in conference. (Garnet and Black Attack)

In the middle of an impressive 3-1 stretch that includes two road wins and a nice win over Iowa State. I don't think this is a short term run, either. This is who they are. (Good Bull Hunting)

Their SOS numbers mean they're like another win or two away from being on the bubble, honestly. (Anchor of Gold)

Bryce Drew...BRYCE DREW!!! Interested in another SEC job where you wouldn’t have to change any of your suits and ties...hmmmmm??? (Rock M Nation)

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Thanks for reading all, have a great Saturday and we’re almost to March, soak it all in and get ready for the fun in just 5 weeks!

Have a SUPER weekend.