SEC Daily: SEC Power Rankings After Rivalry Week

My oh my that was quite the rivalry week that was filled with upsets, drama and intensity from all teams in the SEC. Texas A&M’s conference title hopes were dashed on Black Friday as Georgia snuck its way into Atlanta. Alabama and Oklahoma, on the other hand, survived upsets as they both tried to secure playoff spots.

After the final week of the regular season, here are my final SEC power rankings ahead of the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta next Saturday.

1. Georgia

Georgia got the win over Georgia Tech on Friday to get to 11-1. With a loss from Texas A&M, the Bulldogs sneak into the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta next week. Georgia is playing very well of late as it looks for revenge against Alabama

2. Alabama

Alabama jumps back into the top two because the Crimson Tide moved to 10-2 and won at the “haunted house” that is Jordan-Hare Stadium 27-20 off a gutsy fourth down play from the Auburn 6-yard line. The Crimson Tide will be in Atlanta next week trying to beat Georgia yet again.

3. Ole Miss

Ole Miss took care of Mississippi State in the second half to move to 11-1. Ole Miss did miss out on the SEC title game, and it may even miss out on its head coach Lane Kiffin. If Kiffin leaves, it will be interesting to see what happens to Ole Miss’ playoff seeding.

4. Texas A&M

Texas A&M falls a couple of spots with a loss to Texas. Texas A&M was overwhelmed in the second half by Texas’ adjustments and could not make up for it. But the Aggies are still 11-1 and will be in the playoffs without question.

5. Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt rocked Tennessee in the second half, outsourcing Tennessee 24-3 after halftime. The Commodores made one last statement before the committee decides their fate Tuesday and on Selection Sunday. If Vanderbilt does not get a playoff spot, Vanderbilt would be a good option for the Citrus Bowl.

6. Texas

Texas got a huge win over Texas A&M after making nice adjustments in the second half. The Longhorns were unstoppable in the final two quarters and spoiled the Aggies’ conference title and first-round bye hopes. Texas has nice wins, but its 9-3 record will not be enough to get to the playoffs more than likely.

7. Oklahoma

Will Oklahoma be in the playoffs? Probably. But the Sooners were very unimpressive against LSU. The offense for Oklahoma is a major issue when vying for the playoffs. Could the Sooners be a first round exit? If they play like they did against LSU it will be.

8. Missouri

The Tigers got a solid win over Arkansas to close the regular season. Seventeen unanswered points in the second half were the difference in the win. Missouri is 8-4 as it waits for its bowl destination.

9. Tennessee

Tennessee got manhandled in the second half. The Volunteers looked like it was going to score enough to win the game in the early stages, but Vanderbilt made great defensive adjustments to counter the up-tempo Tennessee offense. Tennessee finishes 8-4 and will see which bowl game it goes to.

10. LSU

LSU stays in the No. 10 spot for competing against Oklahoma despite its loss. The Tigers had a 13-10 leading before giving up a 58-yard touchdown to lose the game. LSU finishes the regular season 7-5 and will await to see which bowl it plays in and who its opponent is. By the way, LSU may have Lane Kiffin as its new coach.

11. Auburn

Auburn stays at the No. 11 spot because it challenged Alabama and almost pulled off an upset. The Tigers are one of the best 5-7 teams in the country, but that is not good enough to make a bowl game. Auburn has a very important decision to make in terms of who its new head coach will be. Will it be the interim DJ Durkin or someone else? Time will tell.

12. Mississippi State

Mississippi State competed with Ole Miss for a little while in the Egg Bowl, but Ole Miss pulled away in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss sent Mississippi State into the offseason 5-7 without a bowl game opportunity.

13. Kentucky

Kentucky got the score run up on them in its 41-0 loss to Louisville. It was an abysmal ending to the season for Kentucky after it won three in a row to get to 5-5. The Wildcats miss out on a bowl game and head into another offseason at 5-7.

14. Florida

Florida ends the year on a high note, bearing Florida State 40-21 to finish the season 4-8. The Gators got on top of the Seminoles early and did not give them much hope to comeback. The biggest question now is who Florida’s next head coach will be.

15. South Carolina

South Carolina is in for a long offseason. Shane Beamer’s team took a major step back this year by finishing 4-8 after coming up just short of the playoffs a year ago. This weekend, the Gamecocks took a 28-14 loss to Clemson. South Carolina finished the season 1-6 after its 3-2 start to the season. Should be an interesting offseason in Columbia.

16. Arkansas

Arkansas’s season came to a brutal end Saturday as it lost to Missouri 31-17. The Razorbacks took a lead into halftime, but did not score after the break. The loss dropped Arkansas to 2-10 as the fanbase looks to the offseason.