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SEC Power Poll, Week 3: Things get interesting

Secpowerpollweek3_medium

1. Florida, 261 points (8 first-place votes)

2. Georgia, 257 (14)

3. LSU, 233 (1)

4. Alabama, 205

5. Auburn, 174

6. Vanderbilt, 161

7. Tennessee, 122

8. Mississippi, 121

9. South Carolina, 96

10. Kentucky, 89

11. Arkansas, 39

12. Mississippi State, 36

Florida and Georgia continue their back-and-forth battle for first place. The interesting thing about this race is that those who like Georgia still like Florida. Some of those who like Florida, though, are still hesitant about Georgia. Real hesitant. Like, one of them voted Georgia 8th. (You know who you are and I know who you are. But it's way too early in the season to call anyone out, so...)

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt creeps ever closer to that elusive 5th spot, going from 48 points down to 13. Tennessee slips past Ole Miss by a single point despite a near consensus that their undefeated season will end against Florida in ugly fashion. For some reason, South Carolina moves to ninth -- hooray moral victories! -- while Arkansas holds a slim three-point lead in the race to avoid the coveted "Worst of the Best" cup.

That said, many of our voters are still trying to sort things out.

"Next week the percentage of cream-puff games drops dramatically and we start answering some questions," noted Save the Shield.

Or, as Pelican State Sports said: "Next week, most teams will have some SEC play, and so this ballot should start to look a bit more reasonable and consistent.  Or, it could be like last year, and I will pull the teams out of a hat and rank them that way."

A team-by-team look at things after the jump.

FLORIDA

Against a tough D in week 2, Florida's offense was able to adjust and explode in the fourth. When faced with the same thing vs. SC, Georgia's offense couldn't. That's all that separates them right now.--Year 2

I say bye weeks aren't good for national perception of Florida.  Why?  Because the epic myth of Tim Tebow somehow proves occasionally to be less impressive than the actual performance of Tim Tebow.--Red Solo Cup

Tebow took a break this weekend, electing to save only 4 or 5 people from burning buildings.--Tide Druid

GEORGIA

I'm not going to blast them for winning close. Good teams have to weather those sorts of games in the SEC.--Garnet and Black Attack

So the crying begins (again) after USC manages to lose the game to UGA. Dawgs only get 2 first place votes in the AP Poll. Besides the head coach of UGA, I wonder who gave them the second #1 vote?--Loser With Socks

I'd be just as tempted to ding them as the sportswriters and coaches were if I weren't conditioned to seeing something just that ugly happen every time Georgia and South Carolina get together.--Hey Jenny Slater

Georgia should have blown out South Carolina. The Dawgs can ill-afford to take any days off coming up.--UK Wildcat Country

LSU

The snacks have been whisked away and it's time for the Bayou Bengals to deal with the main course. Whatever the line on LSU-Auburn turns out to be, take the under.--Hey Jenny Slater

While the SOME of the SEC teams are taking the classy road and edging out their weaker opponents, LSU takes the easy way out and just blows away North Texas... no class.--The Auburner

People question their quarterback play.  I say the rest of this team looks like another group of high draft picks.--Pelican State Sports

ALABAMA

Their One Big Win is fading in my memory.--Save the Shield

There's a storm brewing down in Tuscaloosa, every week I get closer to thinking they'll win the SEC West.--UK Wildcat Country

The Alabama Crimson Tide did some walloping of Western Kentucky, a program which is known for its great skill in losing to major opponents.--Gate 21

AUBURN

Still undefeated, but with LSU coming to town, they'll have to play better to stay that way.--Garnet and Black Attack

Here's a question for you: If Auburn's administration had been so incensed by the Tigers' offensive performance against MSU that they up and fired Tony Franklin, would that count as being Croomed?--Hey Jenny Slater

If you take out the penalties, turnovers, and FGs, then Auburn wins by a landslide.  In other words, if Auburn had played nothing like they did on Saturday, then they would have done great!--The Auburner

VANDERBILT

If you stop Nickson, you stop the Commodores. No one has stopped Nickson yet.--The Auburner

Won, but giving up 350+ yards/game, last in the SEC. Give them credit, but not too much.--A Sea of Blue

Lots of weird things are happening in the world these days, and every week that Vandy continues to be ranked ahead of UT only adds to that unsettling feeling.--Razorback Expats

TENNESSEE

UT sputtered and clanked on offense.  Most of their success was just going to the power running game against an overmatched UAB team.  That won't work against the Gators and the rest of the SEC.--Orange and Blue Hue

The offense only really flowed once they took the ball out of Crompton's hands and let the running backs do all the work, precisely the sort of thing Tennessee should have done against UCLA.--Year 2

Coach Fulmer, the Dean of SEC Coaches, finds that being the best coach in the SEC is a lonely job. I am sure that he is identifying with trials and tribulations that Bear experienced at the capstone.--Loser With Socks

OLE MISS

Game against Vanderbilt looms large as to how far each team can go.--Garnet and Black Attack

If the Rebels beat Vandy on Saturday, they'll match their win total from last year. Of course, that's a big if.--The Dead Guy

Must beat Vandy in Oxford to keep the congregation hopeful.--Georgia Sports Blog

That win over whoever it was by that, that score that they won by ... that was thrilling stuff.--Joe Cribbs Car Wash

SOUTH CAROLINA

Close game against a national power restores some hope. It's as though Vanderbilt somehow exorcised all its ghosts, and shipped them to Williams-Brice.--Save the Shield

There's always Wofford.--Tide Druid

Don't let that won-lost record fool you. The Gamecocks are a gritty team, they field a speedy and stout defense, and their offense is getting better. The Palmetto State Poultry may be in a tailspin as far as their ledger is concerned, but the quality of their play is on the upswing. Yes, believe it or not, you can lose several straight S.E.C. East games and still be a big, powerful team. The ‘Cocks will not go 0-3 against the Gators, the Vols, and the Tigers.--Dawg Sports

KENTUCKY

UK is 3-0 and could go 4-0 against WKU before getting pounded in their SEC campaign.--Orange and Blue Hue

I'll admit it, what a ugly, shaky win. But MTSU beat Maryland, who beat Cal. It's not like they aren't a good team.--UK Wildcat Country

FG kicker made UK look much worse than they are and nearly cost them the game.--A Sea of Blue

Hey, everybody! They beat Middle Tennessee State by a yard on the last play of the game! They're totally top-25 now, they just gotta be! Right guys? Guys?--Joe Cribbs Car Wash

ARKANSAS

A hurricane-induced postponement and MSU's bizarre loss to Auburn means the Hogs vault ahead of the Bulldogs in the hotly contested battle for 11th and 12th places. This will be a matchup to watch all.--Razorback Expats

Petrino + Dick + surprise bye week + at home + 500 yards against ULM = closer to the Tide than you think.--Joe Cribbs Car Wash

The Razorbacks needed fourth-quarter comebacks to avoid losing to the weak sisters on their schedule. Had the weather permitted the Hogs to keep their scheduled date with Texas last Saturday, Arkansas might have been ranked 14th in the league, behind former members Georgia Tech and Tulane.--Dawg Sports

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Somebody needs to explain game tactics to coach Croom and also let him know what an offense is supposed to do.  Offenses are not just placeholders between defensive possessions.--Orange and Blue Hue

Is State better than we thought or is Auburn worse?   I thought State might decline one of those fumbles because keeping the defense on the field was their only hope of scoring.--Save the Shield

It must be frustrating to be handed the game 8 times and still lose.--The Auburner

How the hell does this team keep getting on TV week after week? Crooms: The non-narcotic, no risk of dependency sleep-aid.--Deep South Sports

That was a great defensive game for the Bulldogs, but the offense looked like a Junior High team. The Maroon faithful are going to begin calling for Croom's head soon -- or at least Woody McCorvey's.--Mississippi State Sports Blog