:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51038027/610203444.0.jpg)
- Alabama Crimson Tide - Cruising past Kent State 49-0 is more than enough evidence to keep the number one team in the country at the top of the polls, but there are still cracks in Nick Saban’s invincible college football death machine.
- Texas A&M Aggies - Kevin Sumlin’s once innovative offensive scheme has taken a much more ‘ground and pound’ look than in years past, but, this team has some serious talent. It’s frightening to think what might transpire in one week’s time in Williams Brice Stadium.
- Ole Miss Rebels - Reeling from some pathetic second-half stumbles, the Rebels pulverized an anemic Georgia team in the Grove this past Saturday. Led by the sometimes ridiculous but always interesting Chad Kelly, this team has the potential to win the remainder of their games.
- Tennessee Volunteers - After scoring 38 points in the second half to zoom past a suddenly inept Florida team and break an eleven-game losing streak, Josh Dobbs and company seem to be figuring things out in Knoxville. It could be a one week bounce, but the Vols might also be as good as we thought they were in the preseason.
- Arkansas Razorbacks - Despite Austin Allen being stuffed multiple times near the goal line by the Aggies defense, don’t count out Bret Bielema and the ‘Hogs just yet: they usually don’t get rolling ‘till late October anyways.
- Auburn Tigers - Auburn is proof that all you need is one second (or none) on the clock and a decent place kicker to win games in the SEC. Sean White is okay, I guess, but this team has got to find some form against ULM because their schedule’s about to get tough, FAST.
- LSU Tigers - A coachless team led by a former Purdue quarterback. What could go wrong? After yet another strange finish that included questionable play-calling and clock management troubles, things may have gone from bad to worse for the Bayou Bengals because they’re going to have to manage the rest of their season without Les Miles and may be without Leonard Fournette for a significant amount of time.
- Florida Gators - You’re telling me there’s ANOTHER former Purdue quarterback starting for a team in the SEC? Florida may have a ton of playmakers on the corners, but you cannot hide poor quarterback play...and they may have picked up that second-half virus from Ole Miss.
- Georgia Bulldogs - Seriously, the SEC quarterback thing is no more evident than it is in Athens, Georgia. It may have been just a fluke performance for the Dawgs this past week, but a thumping is still a thumping and they might be licking their wounds from this one for a while.
- Mississippi State Bulldogs - Jamoral Graham is fun to watch. The rest of this team, not so much. A second-half rally against UMass is something that, apparently, every SEC team is going to do this season, so you can’t knock them just for that, but you can be concerned about their ability to contain inferior opponents.
- Missouri Tigers - Missouri actually has an offense, and that pleases me, but the wins have come against some pretty weak competition. We’ll know more about the quality of this squad after they roll into Baton Rouge this week.
- Kentucky Wildcats - The return of JoJo Kemp is a very good thing for Mark Stoops’ program, which is a much-needed boost because this Kentucky team is going to need all it can get offensively because their defense is downright offensive. Unless, you’re playing the Gamecocks, that is.
- Vanderbilt Commodores - You get this spot merely because I can’t conjure the words to describe something positive about this team and it would destroy the bit. At least you actually beat Western Kentucky this year.
- South Carolina Gamecocks - This isn’t actually where the Gamecocks belong, but it’s where they’re going this week because three strikes against Kentucky and you have to sit in time-out for a while.