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Team Speed Kills 2016 SEC power rankings: WEEK 7 EDITION

The top looks familiar, but there’s still some movement in the middle.

Tennessee v Texas A&M Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Welcome to our latest edition of the TSK Power Rankings!

Here are the list of SB Nation blogs who were able to contribute this week:

Roll ‘Bama Roll

A Sea of Blue

And The Valley Shook

Red Cup Rebellion

Rock M Nation

For Whom the Cowbell Tolls

Garnet & Black Attack

Rocky Top Talk

In addition to these eight SBN blogs, 12 TSK contributors made their mark. So, in total, we have 20 pollsters this week. Here we go...

T-14. Vanderbilt Commodores

(Score: 13.4; Highest Vote: 12; Lowest Vote: 14; Last Week: 14)

“Well, Derrick Mason was always going to be more popular in Nashville anyway.” -- Chris Novak

“This team isn't much different than last years minus the defense inexplicably playing worse.” -- Will Marshall

“Ralph Webb is fun. That’s about it, though.” -- Rock M Nation

“Everything that’s old is new again. Vandy back in the cellar.” -- ATVS

13. South Carolina Gamecocks

(Score: 13.3; Highest Vote: 12; Lowest Vote: 14; Last Week: 12)

“Played in a game that blended in with the usual mediocre football being played on Sundays currently.” -- Chris Novak

“The team is bad and the brand of football they play is nigh unwatchable. Which is to say - things are moving right on schedule for the Will Muschamp rebuild” -- Rock M Nation

“Brought Georgia down to their level, which almost worked.” -- ATVS

12. Kentucky Wildcats

(Score: 11.9; Highest Vote: 11; Lowest Vote: 14; Last Week: 13)

“Hey, look! Midnight Madness is almost ready to start. You made it, Cats fans!” -- ATVS

“Kentucky proved that they weren’t the worst team in the conference last weekend. They’re definitely not good, but that’s at least something.” -- Rock M Nation

“This team has a low ceiling until either the quarterback position plays better or the defense enters top 40 status. Both are unlikely.” -- Will Marshall

11. Mississippi State Bulldogs

(Score: 11.25; Highest Vote: 10; Lowest Vote: 12; Last Week: 10)

“Well, I have a solid opinion about Mississippi State now. They are bad.” -- Chris Novak

"Dak, why have you forsaken me?" - Dan Mullen -- Will Marshall

“Wins are going to be Stark in this Ville for the foreseeable future.” -- Rock M Nation

“The next three weeks are critical. Even if they win their next three, the Bulldogs still need to find a win in four games against currently ranked teams to become bowl eligible. There’s no margin for error for a team that has managed to eke out at least mid-table finishes for most of Mullen’s tenure.” -- ATVS

10. Missouri Tigers

(Score: 10.1; Highest Vote: 9; Lowest Vote: 12; Last Week: 11)

“Luv 2 move up in rankings during bye week” -- Chris Novak

“This team is about as good as Georgia which is to say they'll lose to every good team they play, and will allow an upset or two to the decent ones.” -- Will Marshall

“Hasn’t won a conference game yet, but still has the Vandy-USC-Vandy troika on the schedule. So really, they might just be one win from a 500 finish.” -- ATVS

“Crossing my fingers and hoping that the Tigers won’t be suffering from any lasting effects of shell shock against Florida this weekend.” -- Rock M Nation

9. Georgia Bulldogs

(Score: 35; Highest Vote: 6; Lowest Vote: 10; Last Week: 9)

“See: Comment from South Carolina” -- Chris Novak

“The Dawgs didn’t look incredibly promising against South Carolina, but it’s understandable when you account for the Muschamp flashbacks they were likely battling throughout the contest.” -- Rock M Nation

“Jacob Eason threw for 29 yards on 5 of 17 attempts. And Georgia won by two touchdowns. Even as an LSU fan used to some horrific QB play in victories, I’m flabbergasted” -- ATVS

“Yes, tell us more about how poor old Kirby inherited a terrible roster of four- and five-star players in Athens.” -- Rocky Top Talk

8. Auburn Tigers

(Score: 6.9; Highest Vote: 4; Lowest Vote: 9; Last Week: 8)

“Suddenly, things are looking pretty good on the plains...” -- Chris Novak

“You know, it’s entirely possible that Auburn is pretty good.” -- ATVS

“Possibly good now? It’s hard to tell. They’re on a bit of a winning streak, but no one outside of the top couple of teams in the league are really any good. I’ll go ahead and say: maybe.” -- Rock M Nation

“Sean White is low-key playing well, and the defense has been rock solid all season. They took care of the teams they should have, and their only losses are to Clemson and TAMU.” -- Will Marshall

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

(Score: 6.85; Highest Vote: 5; Lowest Vote: 9; Last Week: 5)

“What’s the phrase? ‘Pigs get fat, hogs get slaugh—’ oh no.” -- Chris Novak

“Their best win is against a TCU team in overtime that seems less impressive by the week. There's a lot to like about their passing game and the overall tenacity, but this team is step down from last season.” -- Will Marshall

“The Hogs put up as valiant of a fight as you can ask for against Alabama. Their reward is a chance to play a solid Ole Miss team who just happens to be fresh off a bye week and favored by a touchdown, which means Arkansas will probably paste them.” -- Rock M Nation

“I actually think the Hogs are a pretty good team, but there comes a point you have to actually win an SEC game.” -- ATVS

6. Florida Gators

(Score: 6.5; Highest Vote: 5; Lowest Vote: 9; Last Week: 7)

“If we were ranking this based on AD’s, Florida would be at the top. Foley dragged his feet and dared the SEC to make a call. Predictably, they didn’t, and now his Florida team will get to play LSU with a healthier lineup or even better, not all, which could allow the Gators to win the East on percentage points” -- ATVS

“Can you really call it homecoming if you chose not to leave the house the week prior?” -- Rock M Nation

“Jeremy Foley is the oldest super villain on the planet, but as usual, our favorite geriatric Mephistopheles gummed up Greg Sankey and the rest of the league office like an Early Bird Special at a Birmingham Luby's.” -- Rocky Top Talk

5. LSU Tigers

(Score: 6.25; Highest Vote: 4; Lowest Vote: 9; Last Week: 6)

“I’m not sure a team can go through two more eventful weeks than LSU’s last couple. I think I speak for everyone - including, and probably especially the team - in saying that I’m ready for the Tigers to get back to playing football, regardless of the outcome.” -- Rock M Nation

“Willing to play Florida anytime, anyplace, so long as it was a last weekend, and preferably not in Gainesville.” -- ATVS

“The Tigers are poised to turn the corner. There's a lot of talent, and they've now had two full weeks to effectively prepare for Ole Miss.” -- Will Marshall

“DACOACHO REDDA PLAY ALLA TIME DAYONIGH. TELL EM ABOUT IT JOJO.” -- Rocky Top Talk

4. Ole Miss Rebels

(Score: 3.75; Highest Vote: 3; Lowest Vote: 5; Last Week: 4)

“Well, Ole Miss against Arkansas should be pretty dang fun.” -- Chris Novak

“Keeps climbing up the rankings due to the greatest two words in the English language: De Fault” -- ATVS

“Unlike a few teams below them in the rankings, Ole Miss was able to successfully abstain from football activities this weekend without looking like they were ducking a game.” -- Rock M Nation

3. Tennessee Volunteers

(Score: 3.35; Highest Vote: 2; Lowest Vote: 5; Last Week: 3)

“I think we all thought Tennessee was going to find a way again on Saturday.” -- Chris Novak

“Great difference-makers on both sides of the ball. The team has been a bit lucky anecdotally, but at this point all the comebacks suggest its more than just dumb luck. There's talent that just needs to be channeled properly for 48 minutes.” -- Will Marshall

“The Vols nearly won a game that the very forces of the universe attempted to ruin for them. Of the seven turnovers they tallied, I can think of at least three that seemingly teleported into the hands of a Texas A&M player like an unfortunate Tracer blinking into a well-timed Roadhog hook.” -- Rock M Nation

“This big comeback came up just short, but the Vols have earned a place at the big boys table this season. Up next, the biggest of boys” -- ATVS

“Coughed up the ball 7 times on the road and lost in overtime? Yeah, Tennessee's offense is:”

-- Rocky Top Talk

2. Texas A&M Aggies (1)

(Score: 2.05; First-Place Votes: 1; Lowest Vote: 3; Last Week: 2)

“The Aggies are still staying hot. How much longer will they? The world may never know.” -- Chris Novak

“That was the sort of game that A&M usually loses and spins out into a middle of the pack finish. This team isn’t giving much for skeptics to cling to.” -- ATVS

“I too would be wary of foul play after receiving so many gifts from an opposing team, but not so wary that I would nearly waste seven turnovers by losing the dang game.” -- Rock M Nation

“Their explosive offense and special teams give them the ever-so-slight edge over 'Bama for the top spot.” -- Will Marshall

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (19)

(Score: 1.05; First-Place Votes: 19; Lowest Vote: 2; Last Week: 1)

“The Tide are really good. I’m not really sure what else to say at this point. Arkansas is a good team, and an Alabama win never felt threatened. We don’t have enough goof fuel to power the funny thrusters. Hopefully playing Tennessee this weekend will change that.” -- Rock M Nation

“Alabama’s overall margin of victory this season is 174 points. That’s more than seven SEC teams have scored all year.” -- ATVS