Again, numbers in the parentheses are a team's average points per ballot in Week 1...Week 4...and Week 8. Note Auburn's revival, the plateauing of surprises Kentucky and South Carolina and the slow, steady declines of Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas.
1. LSU (12), 154 points
Still not unanimous. Still way ahead.
- Florida (1), 144 points
- Auburn, 123 points
- Kentucky, 115 points
- Alabama, 99 points
- South Carolina, 92 points
- Georgia, 73 points
- Tennessee, 63 points
- Arkansas, 55 points
- Vanderbilt, 53 points
- Mississippi State, 30 points
- Mississippi, 13 points [NOTE: They are unanimous No. 12s]
Voters tell us what's going on after the jump...
1. LSU
If Matt Flynn's going to continue to show that kind of Kurt-Warner-in-1999 accuracy, just hand them the crystal football now. And oh yeah--if the LSU timekeeper's not asleep at the wheel, no one's questioning Miles.--Jerry, Joe Cribbs Car Wash
Les Miles is 2 for 3 in the idiot savant coaching department. "So dumb it's brilliant" play calls have become Miles' M.O. this season, and he will either live by it (Florida, Auburn) or die by it (Kentucky). I just hope he doesn't take the still title-contending Tigers down with him.--Erik, Deep South Sports
Looked vulnerable early, but roared back to dominate the second half. Lester made a ballsy call, but it is getting way too much attention as a game breaker. Risky? Sure, but every play is. There are only two logical calls there. Run to position the kick or take a shot at 6. The receiver caught it with :04 left. If deflected, it would have needed to go to the moon to run the clock out. The real wonder is how that team gets behind late.--Quinton McDawg, Georgia Sports Blog
2. Florida
Perhaps the best offense in the league but a middle of the pack SEC defense. Playmakers are the difference here as Florida has a ton of them and they are relatively healthy. However Florida is always an injury or two away from dropping in offensive efficiency.--Scott, Orange and Blue Hue
Kept the SEC East pillow fight interesting. UF is still the best team in the east, as the Gates haven't lost to a divisional foe since November 2005.--Erik, DSS
3. Auburn
Awful spot for that ball. Still, Tubby and crew should have challenged it. What's with the squib kick call?--Tide Druid
Heartbreaking loss, but it proved what many were starting to realize. Auburn is still top tier.--Erik, DSS
4. Kentucky
I know this is really low after they put up good numbers against Florida, but that's a game they should have won, and Woodson has gone flat the past few weeks. They're crashing back to Earth, and will likely have plenty more struggles to overcome in the next few weeks.--Todd, Roll Bama Roll
After Woodson re-affirmed his Heisman bona fides, 'Cats should be favored over both Tennessee and Georgia down the stretch. In other news, Satan has called for a 12 p.m. press conference tomorrow at which he is expected to announce that due to recent developments, Hell will shortly be reopening as Lil' Devils Sno-Cone and Shaved Ice Emporium.--Jerry, JCCW
Acquitted themselves well in defeat. Likely no SEC Championship this year for the 'Cats but regardless of the finish they'll have exceeded all expectations.--And the Valley Shook
5. Alabama
Sure, they don't look impressive at times but they manage to play hard for 60 minutes and make plays when it counts. Hammering a pathetic Tennessee defense isn't as impressive as holding their potent offense to 0 points in the second half.--Scott, O&BH
Wow, where's that offense been the last month?--Doug, Hey Jenny Slater
6. South Carolina
HUH?!--Tide Druid
Apparently Spurrier spent some time hanging out in smoking jackets with Charlie Weis in the Offensive Geniuses Club last week. Nonetheless the 'Cocks' wins over Kentucky and Georgia still trump 'Bama's over Tennessee and Arkansas, both at home.--Jerry, JCCW
Just when Steve Spurrier was on the cusp of going back to his old rip-on-other-schools ways, he serves one up for the rest of the SEC in losing to lowly Vandy.--ATVS
7. Georgia
Saturday might have been the Dawgs' most consistent performances since the season opener against Oklahoma State; too bad it was a bye week. Needing a last-second FG to escape Vanderbilt no longer looks quite as embarrassing as it did, but Alabama's performance last weekend just makes me wonder what the hell the Dawgs were thinking when they went up to Knoxville.--Doug, HJS
Week off shouldn't obscure fact that Dawgs' last two games have been bludgeoning at hands of Keystone Vols and lottery-winner-fortunate win over Vandy.--Jerry, JCCW
8. Tennessee
After being dealt a humiliating loss at the hands of the State of Alabama's Flagship University last Saturday, Coach Phillip Fulmer was able to hold his "poker stare" Saturday in the Ghetto of T-Town long enough to make Saban flinch, and cash-in yet one more moral victory of this highly successful gridiron campaign. Remember, finishing 7th or 8th in the SEC is nothing to sneeze at, it is the same as winning the Big 10 Championship!!--Jai, Losers With Socks
[Computerized voice:] "Thank you for pressing the self-destruct button."--Glenn, A Sea of Blue
Just wow.--ATVS
9. Arkansas
Casey Dick threw 3 touchdown passes. Read that again, I don't believe it either.--Glenn, ASOB
Looked like the Hawgs of better times. 2006. Before all hell broke loose. Could Houston save his job yet?--Erik, DSS
Now that's the Arkansas team we thought we were getting this year. Big performances by DMac, Felix Jones, and even Casey Dick threw for scores on misdirection plays. The problem is that it is way too late in the season for the Hawgs wake up to make a difference.--Quinton McDawg, GSB
10. Vanderbilt
Gaining ground on UT for the 8 spot. They proved the Georgia game wasn't a fluke performance. Not a team you want to be playing late in the year.--Scott, O&BH
Completely dominated a Top Ten team a week after giving UGA all they could handle.--Todd, RBR
The Commodores' overall talent level still might only be so-so, but last week's game makes it clear that they're extremely well-coached. Most of the Vanderbilt teams of the last 25 years would've found a way to blow that lead in Columbia.--Doug, HJS
11. Mississippi State
After giving up a quick 28 in the 1st quarter, the Bulldogs dug in and limited a potent offense to only 10 more the rest of the way. Unfortunately, they suck.--Todd, RBR
I was gonna say "At least they covered the spread against West Virginia," but it turns out they didn't actually do that. Oh well.--Doug, HJS
12. Mississippi
This is what happens when you study film from your last game more than the film for the next game.--Tide Druid
No matter where they rank on this list, the girls will always be hot in Oxford.--ATVS