AllGators SEC Power Rankings After Week 11
How good is Alabama? How good is Florida? What are the Gators chances in the SEC Title game? Where does Texas A&M stand in all of this?
To answer all of those questions and more, we're back with our weekly SEC Power Rankings here at Sports Illustrated-AllGators. These are compiled weekly after assessing each team following every game, in order to best rank the SEC beyond just team records.
With that being said, how do things look after week 11?
1. Alabama (9-0)
Watching Alabama against LSU, it was hard to determine something:
Is Alabama's passing offense that good? Or does LSU not know how to cover people?
Give Bama credit, in its 55-17 victory over the Tigers, the Crimson Tide got receivers wide open and quarterback Mac Jones hit the right on the money. That said, it was unbelievable how wide open crimson jerseys were deep down the field constantly.
Jones had 385 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions on the day. Wide receiver Devonta Smith had 231 of those yards and three of those touchdowns himself. This all happened while running back Najee Harris had 145 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Bama's attack is so balanced and explosive everywhere. They have a quarterback who plays within the system and doesn't miss open targets. Anyone will have a tough time taking Nick Saban's group down this year.
2. Florida (8-1)
The Gators had a rough start against Tennessee this week and an overall frustrating game. In a 31-19 victory over the Vols, quarterback Kyle Trask had a typical day for himself with 433 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
UF's defense surprisingly played on of its better games for the duration of the day it seemed. Outside of a 96-yard drive by UT on its second possession, Tennessee really never got anything going offensively until late in the fourth quarter when the game was already over.
The most alarming issue it seemed for the Gators on Saturday was the inability to run the football. When the Gators play Alabama in Atlanta, they have a QB to rival or perhaps out-duel Mac Jones in Kyle Trask, they have a weapon to rival or perhaps out-duel Devonta Smith in Kyle Pitts.
UF does not have a Najee Harris and it does not have an offensive line remotely comparable to Alabama. That could haunt them all game.
3. Texas A&M (7-1)
It seems that every year there is one really good team in college football that gets absolutely screwed. There is a team that has the resume for the college football playoff but for whatever reason, the way the schedule shakes out, they won't get the opportunity to punch their ticket.
That team is Texas A&M this season.
With its only loss to Alabama, the 7-1 Aggies, who beat Auburn this weekend 31-20, won't play in the SEC title game and don't get the big stage shot at Bama in Atlanta like Florida does.
If TAMU and Florida played again, it would be a toss up on who won.
4. Georgia (6-2)
With Georgia's snooze-game against Vanderbilt postponed, the No. 4 spot remains status quo this week. Nobody else impressed enough to take the Dawgs spot.
5. Auburn (5-4)
The Tigers lost to Texas A&M but played a decent game. Losing only 31-20 to the No. 3 team in the conference isn't bad considering Auburn's quarterback is horrendous. In a season where defenses give out touchdowns like candy on Halloween, Bo Nix threw for zero and only had 144 yards.
He did serve as Auburn's best running back, as he often does, with two touchdowns with his legs.
6. Ole Miss (4-4)
The Rebels cranked out a really fun, 4-4 season in the first year under Lane Kiffin. People in Oxford have a lot more reason to be happy than people in Starkville.
How Kiffin gets his defense under control will define his career at Ole Miss. But elite quarterback play and explosive offense will be a staple as long as he is there.
7. Kentucky (4-6)
Kentucky is not a good team. But they compete in every single game. That includes games where they absolutely embarrass inferior opponents like the Wildcats did when they beat South Carolina on Saturday 41-18.
8. Missouri (5-3)
Arkansas and Missouri played a thrilling game on Saturday. The Tigers came out on top 50-48. Both of those teams have lost a lot of games this year but have a ton of reason to be happy moving forward.
9. Arkansas (3-6)
This is the best 3-6 team maybe ever in the SEC. Arkansas is right in the thick of every game. Recruiting will define Sam Pittman's time in Fayetteville as the talent is inferior on his sideline in almost every game.
However, close games and cranking out the occasional surprise win is more than that program has had in a very long time.
10. LSU (3-5)
At what point is losing a lot of players and staff no longer an excuse?
It was understandable for LSU to struggle this year and not be the powerhouse it was last season. But 3-5? Not even remotely competitive against its biggest rival in Alabama?
In LSU's 55-17 loss, every Bama touchdown seemed easier than the last. LSU's secondary was covering absolutely nobody. It doesn't matter who you have lost.
That is just bad coaching.
11. Tennessee (2-6)
The Vols fought hard against the Gators. Despite a 31-19 loss, the defensive line for Tennessee had a phenomenal game, sacking Trask twice and forcing Florida to average an embarrassing 1.1 yards per carry.
Recruiting and defense have been pretty solid for Jeremy Pruitt in his time there. The quarterback situation will define his career.
12. Mississippi State (2-6)
Mike Leach's group was the disappointment of the year in the conference. This was supposed to be an explosive offense that could beat anyone on any given Saturday. The first game of the year, beating LSU had everyone on notice for the Bulldogs.
But one win and six losses later, here we all are.
Disappointed.
13. South Carolina (2-8)
A few weeks ago in these rankings. I said that South Carolina without Will Muschamp had to be careful. They had to stay competitive in games to not completely fall of the map and be unattractive to any recruit that may come there.
They didn't have to win games, but they had to be competitive and show fight. For their fans, for recruits and for boosters.
That has not happened. A 41-18 loss against Kentucky is as brutal as it gets to finish the season.
14. Vanderbilt (0-8)
No surprise here.
