SEC Power Poll Ballot for Week 1: Viva L'Ambivalence

1. Alabama
Of all the many, many times I've voted Alabama as the No. 1 team in the SEC Power Poll, this is the least confident I've felt about it. The team that took the field in the Georgia Dome didn't look like an unstoppable dynasty. It looked like a good team that got a few breaks en route to a deceptive blowout.

2. LSU
Yeah, yeah, they had all the late-game heroics and anti-heroics that you expect from a Les Miles team. You gonna tell me anybody in the SEC looked better?

3. Texas A&M
Another one I'm really, really shaky on right now after the game against Rice. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt given that Manziel threw nine passes and seemingly half the team was off violating team rules somewhere.

4. Georgia
Don't make me defend the Dawgs again.

5. South Carolina
At times, they looked like a team that could easily win the SEC East. At times, they looked like a team that could go 9-3 against a relatively easy schedule. Next week will give us a few more clues as to which one it is.

6. Florida
Mack Brown looked good and Jeff Driskel looked like Jeff Driskel. Of all the teams in the race for the SEC East, this is the one with most room to improve over time.

7. Ole Miss
They went on the road against an SEC team for the first game of the season and rallied twice for the win. This is a dangerous team.

8. Vanderbilt
With everything going against this team on Thursday, they almost managed to win a tough SEC game. But they didn't. That's the difference between the AdvoCare V100 Bowl and the Capital One Bowl.

9. Missouri
I'll take my time figuring out how good this team is for the moment.

10. Mississippi State
The defense looked okay for long stretches against an explosive offense. The offense? Let's put it this way: It becomes more and more peculiar how Florida was that good on offense in 2007 and 2008.

11. Auburn
I still don't trust them. Sure, it was a win over a Mike Leach-coached Washington State. But the Cougars were mighty generous and still gave the Tigers' defense fits. Let's wait and see before we go saying that the tough times are over in the plains.

12. Tennessee
Folks, it was Austin Peay.

13. Arkansas
They beat a moderately more difficult cupcake. I'll re-evaluate if they continue to look good when the strength of schedule picks up.

14. Kentucky
Pathetic. Just pathetic. You don't even warrant a "they s'pposed to be SEC" anymore.