Half of the SEC Power Poll Ballot

1. Alabama

Ever the slightest edge over Florida for now, but the offense needs to wake up to maintain it.

2. Florida

Getting better, but there's still work to be done.

3. LSU

The win over Tulane doesn't prove anything, as even last year's Tigers were able to beat a team of similar value (North Texas) 41-3. It just means they were able to stay focused in the face of having to go against Bama this weekend.

4. Tennessee

On the one hand, Tennessee's improvement as the year goes on is surely a good sign. On the other, it might just be something about Knoxville since Fulmer's teams always were better at the end too.

5. Auburn

Probably 5 and 5A with South Carolina right now, but from a power polling standpoint, it's better to be coming off a win than a loss.

6. South Carolina

Still tied with Auburn for the fourth best conference and overall record in the SEC despite showing signs of collapse again.

7. Ole Miss

The have the same number of conference losses as Georgia does, but they just feel like they're in better shape.

8. Georgia

At least with Tennessee Tech and Kentucky left to go, a bowl is pretty likely.

9. Mississippi State

Had they played Arkansas State instead of Georgia Tech out of conference, a bowl bid would be looking fairly likely right now.

10. Arkansas

I'm going to reuse a line from my preseason assessment: like Steve Nash, they're just good enough to keep both teams in the game.

11. Kentucky

It's tough enough to compete as a basketball school in this league. It becomes downright impossible when you have continual plagues of injuries.

12. Vanderbilt

Hey, they cracked 30 points on a team that's likely to go to the BCS.