SEC POWER POLL, WEEK 14
1. Alabama Crimson Tide, 112 (8 first-place votes)
2. Mississippi St. Bulldogs, 104
3. Georgia Bulldogs, 96
4. Auburn Tigers, 88
5. Missouri Tigers, 73
6. Arkansas Razorbacks, 70
7. Ole Miss Rebels, 65
8. LSU Tigers, 62
9. Texas A&M Aggies, 49
10. South Carolina Gamecocks, 34
11. Tennessee Volunteers, 33
12. Florida Gators, 27
13. Kentucky Wildcats, 19
14. Vanderbilt Commodores, 8
The turnout was kind of low this week, which frequently happens in the last two regular-season polls, given the holiday weekend and such. Given that, reading too much into changes in the rankings can be a little bit perilous. So let's get right to it!
The Top 4 are now all unanimous selections for their respective spots, and Vanderbilt also picks up all the votes at No. 14 (of course). Ole Miss slides all the way from a tie for No. 3 to No. 7, which mirrors their drop in the national polls given the loss to Arkansas.
The Razorbacks are the only ones to move up more than a spot in the entire survey, moving up from No. 8 to No. 6. Meanwhile, LSU drops a one spot, because reasons. South Carolina actually nudges ahead of Tennessee, but given the number of votes and the margin, it's basically a tie.
Overall, the story of this week is stasis. The No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 (again, tie), No. 9, No. 12, No. 13 and No. 14 team are all the same as they were last week. The only highly controversial team at this point is Arkansas, which got three votes at No. 5 and a vote apiece at No. 8 and No. 9. (Tennessee had one vote each at ninth and 13th, but the vast majority of voters put them in the No. 10 to No. 12 range.)
Voters?
ALABAMA
This might be the quietest great season in Alabama history, not that they won't claim at least three national titles if they win it all.--Georgia Sports Blog
All it'll take for the Tide to punch their ticket to Atlanta is an Iron Bowl victory. Luckily, that game doesn't have any history of being a wild, crazy game where anything could happen. Nope, just a plain, ol' walk in the park right there.--Rock M Nation
ARKANSAS
The best last place team in America?--Get the Picture
Is this defense one of the top three in the league? I'll give you Alabama and Florida but then ... Arkansas?--Arkansas Fight
AUBURN
Auburn is much like the Wizard of Oz after Toto pulls the curtain back: Lot's of smoke, a lot of luck, and people no longer afraid of what they don't understand.--Georgia Sports Blog
The Tigers head into this year's edition of the Iron Bowl with a chance to throw the whole game into chaos. Besides Les Miles, there aren't many people I would trust more to set the world on fire than Gus Malzahn.--Rock M Nation
FLORIDA
Jeff Driskel, you'll always have Eastern Kentucky.--Get the Picture
The argument can be made that if Will Muschamp doesn't beat Florida State in the Gators' final game, it would mean that Coach Boom wasn't as good of a commander-in-chief as Ron Zook. Just sayin'.--Rock M Nation
GEORGIA
Some of Georgia's wins (Arkansas, Missouri) look even stronger now. Unfortunately, that isn't the case for the two losses.--Get the Picture
A space cruiser from Athens crash-lands in Fayetteville. Out of the wreckage, a droid emerges. Razorback leaders were befuddled at first as to the motive of the ship and its passenger, but the mystery was unraveled for them as soon as they reached out to the football team. The mechanical being flickered to life as soon as BERT entered the room, turning toward the coach and projected a hologram onto the floor. They were being addressed by none other than Mark Richt. The exiled head coach looked longingly into the eyes of his peer and called out in desperation: "Help us, BERT. You're our only hope."--Rock M Nation
KENTUCKY
All you have to do to become bowl eligible, 'Cats, is beat Louisville on the road. Er, have a nice Christmas.--Get the Picture
Remember when Kentucky had 5 wins? Oh yeah, that's been all season.--Georgia Sports Blog
LSU
Florida has scored more points on the season than LSU. And in one less game, to boot.--Get the Picture
Death Valley is so named because of its penchant for brutally murdering the potential of any offense that resides therein.--Rock M Nation
MISSISSIPPI STATE
When is the last time Mississippi State went into the Egg Bowl with bigger aspirations than winning the Egg Bowl?--Georgia Sports Blog
The Bulldogs also hosted an FCS err ... FBS foe, Vanderbilt, and proceeded to demolish any inclination that there might be a even a sniff of a hangover after their loss to Alabama.--Arkansas Fight
MISSOURI
Missouri is laughing at the concept of game control.--Get the Picture
Despite some shoddy officiating and shoddier penalty discipline, Mizzou planted an oval Tiger flag at the summit of Rocky Top. (NOT A FLAG WITH A BLOCK M. NO SIREE.) At this point, I'm fairly confident that this defense could stop a speeding bullet.--Rock M Nation
OLE MISS
In a miracle of science, Hugh Freeze has apparently replicated Dr. Bo Wallace, much to the chagrin of Ole Miss fans.--Georgia Sports Blog
The Rebels -- who at one point this season would've been the favorites to win the Egg Bowl -- are just hoping not to get scrambled this week.--Rock M Nation
SOUTH CAROLINA
It only took the 'Cocks eleven games to become bowl eligible.--Get the Picture
Golf season is so close that Steve Spurrier can taste it.--Rock M Nation
TENNESSEE
Mizzou did just about everything they could to give you this game, Vols. H---, they let you recover that final onside kick TWICE, if you could've just done it right.--Rock M Nation
Joshua "Astronaut" Dobbs came back to earth after an outstanding performance over Kentucky last week. Dobbs was sacked six times and had a pick and lost a fumble this week.--Arkansas Fight
TEXAS A&M
Spent the week taking questions about a bowl game they won't play in.--Get the Picture
The Aggies had a bye this week, but their scout team offered a tougher challenge than some of the opponents their SEC brethren played.--Rock M Nation
VANDERBILT
Remember Vandy, if you beat Tennessee this weekend, you don't have to have all those Vols at the Music City Bowl Christmas week.--Georgia Sports Blog
Mississippi State's coach Dan Mullen said he felt sorry for the 'Dores and didn't want to run up the score in the most PC way possible during his postgame presser. That's some true sympathy coming from a team who wouldn't be hurt by a few style points.--Arkansas Fight