SEC Power Poll Results for Week Three: Movement

SEC POWER POLL RESULTS FOR WEEK 3

1. Alabama Crimson Tide, 138 points (8 first-place votes)
2. LSU Tigers, 131 (2)
3. Georgia Bulldogs, 118
4. Texas A&M Aggies, 110
5. South Carolina Gamecocks, 101
6. Mississippi Rebels, 87
7. Florida Gators, 84
8. Auburn Tigers, 61
9. Vanderbilt Commodores, 53
10. Missouri Tigers, 49
11. Arkansas Razorbacks, 42
12. Tennessee Volunteers, 33
13. Mississippi St. Bulldogs, 30
14. Kentucky Wildcats, 13

Alabama's grip on the top spot is beginning to loosen, and the erosion here is more significant than it might look; the blog that voted for LSU the first couple of weeks didn't cast a ballot this week, and had it voted the same way, more than a quarter of our bloggers would have put LSU ahead of Alabama. Which is not quite a groundswell or anything, but does show that the questions about the Tide are beginning to grow.

Elsewhere, Ole Miss became the first team from outside the perceived preseason division contenders to break into the top six after knocking off Texas in Austin. And the margin of Tennessee's loss in Eugene sent the Vols down two spots, with idle Missouri and de facto idle Arkansas moving up one spot each. Kentucky is Kentucky.

ALABAMA

Rarely do such hyped games live up to expectations the Alabama-Texas A&M game did. Again the Crimson Tide proved why they are the top team in the country. T. J. Yeldon was impressive; A.J. McCarron was even better. But you know it has to kill a little bit of Nick Saban to know that Johnny Manziel has him and his vaunted defense figured out.--Arkansas Fight

See, this is what happens when you allow a meaningless touchdown with 15 seconds left which makes the score appear closer than it was. People only care what you did wrong, not that you built a 21 point lead and had a double digit lead for almost all of the second half.--And the Valley Shook

ARKANSAS

Decent defensive line -- if not thin on depth. The secondary and quarterback play are so putrid though, they almost overshadow how good Alex Collins is going to be.--Roll Bama Roll

Rutgers this week, and then Bret Bielema gets his welcome to the SEC:  four straight ranked conference opponents.--Get the Picture

AUBURN

Auburn has plenty of areas where they still need to improve, but most didn't expect that they would have bounced back to respectability quite this quickly.--Red Cup Rebellion

Their former safety gone starting quarterback led a last minute game-winning drive to win an SEC game, albeit a dreadful Mississippi State team. For that, I will not refer to Nick Marshall as a former safety anymore but rather a quarterback.--Arkansas Fight

FLORIDA

If any team needed the Bye, it was Florida. Unfortunately, Jeff Driskel still threw three interceptions.--Roll Bama Roll

In what is the most ironic of all ironies, Florida looks like the stodgy old school SEC team now.--Georgia Sports Blog

GEORGIA

Georgia essentially has two more weeks to prepare for LSU. The West would appreciate a gameplan to beat the Tigers. If you could get on that, Mark, that would be great...--Red Cup Rebellion

You're supposed to schedule your bye week BEFORE the tough games, guys.--And the Valley Shook

KENTUCKY

Surprisingly frisky against Louisville. It's not enough to get them out of the basement, but at the end of the year, their 14-point loss is going to be used to bludgeon the Cardinals. So, congrats for essentially preventing your cross-state rivals from winning the national title. Achievement unlocked!--And the Valley Shook

Louisville had a really off day, thanks in some part to Kentucky's defensive line, and yet it felt like the Cardinals were never really threatened by the Wildcats, despite playing on the road. Failing to convert even one of 13 third downs will help with that. Maybe the bye before a three-week stretch that features Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama will ... nah.--Alligator Army

LSU

Les Miles will let the team vote on the first play from scrimmage this week against Auburn.--Georgia Sports Blog

Another quiet yet dominant performance by the Bayou Bengals this week in Baton Rouge. Two tailbacks went for over 100 yards and Zach Mettenberger threw for 264 and three scores. Get ready for Game of the Century III.  At this rate, those poor media guys in the year 2097 will be up to XXXIV.--Arkansas Fight

MISSOURI

Missouri is likely to do exactly what they need to do out of conference: go 4-0. SEC wins may be tough to come by, particularly with Ole Miss and A&M being the West opponents.--Red Cup Rebellion

Good news, a match up with Indiana can give you a good sense of how you'll do in the Independence Bowl.--Georgia Sports Blog

MISSISSIPPI

How good is Ole Miss? Hard to tell against Vandy and Texas, two of the worst defenses in the country. I suspect they're middle of the pack...which is an improvement for Ole Miss.--Roll Bama Roll

I'm not sure Saturday's game was as much a signature win for Hugh Freeze as it was a signature loss for Mack Brown.--Get the Picture

MISSISSIPPI STATE

The offense is officially dead.  Can the defense score?--A Sea of Blue

Fun fact: Mississippi State is No. 109 nationally in third-down conversion rate ... but leads the nation in fourth-down conversions, with seven. Use all four downs, Dan Mullen!--Alligator Army

SOUTH CAROLINA

We can forgive the 4th quarter lapses against Vandy; this was a complete game for the 'Cocks. The UCF game will be very telling as to their consistency.--Roll Bama Roll

The fourth-quarter scenario -- the 'Cocks get a goal line stop in a two-score game with a little more than eight minutes to go -- was an eerie flip of what happened against Georgia the week before.  So do we say Georgia is to South Carolina as South Carolina is to Vandy?--Get the Picture

TENNESSEE

They'll always have that 7-0 lead in Eugene.--Get the Picture

Well, now we know.  Great defense, by the way.--A Sea of Blue

TEXAS A&M

Deeply flawed defense, but don't think for a second that this isn't a well-coached, frightening team. WR Mike Evans cannot be defended. --Roll Bama Roll

This A&M outfit may be the best Big 12 team ever, and the 2013 SEC seems more like the Big 12 than it has in years.--Alligator Army

VANDERBILT

Complete refusal to play defense, and an offense that won't cut it against any team with a winning record. Back to being Vandy.--Roll Bama Roll

Jordan Matthews is wonderful, but another offensive playmaker has to emerge for Vanderbilt to rebound.--Red Cup Rebellion