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Since I didn't explain how I come to my power rankings last week I will elaborate this week. A teams overall record plays a big part. The level of compitition they have played throughout the season, as well as, in their most recent game is considered. Their performance throughout the season, and especially most recently plays a huge roll since the ranking could change week to week. For example this week I think Arkansas performance against Florida is more impressive than Ole Miss blowing the doors off of UAB. Why, because Florida was a 27 point home favorite and their wasn't many people who would have figured the game would have to come down to Florida hitting a game winning field goal on their last possession. However, everyone who breathes oxygen knew Ole Miss should have blown UAB's doors off and they did. I am thinking of adding Player of the Week for the rest of the season also. As always everyone's insight and opinions are welcome as long as they are intelligent. So with out further ado Week 8's Power Ranking's (as I see it.).

 

1. Alabama Crimson Tide - They didn't win big against a game South Carolina team, but as is usually the case with Alabama they do just enough to win when it comes to the better compitition. Will Mark Ingram be invited to New York at the end of the season? I can't see how he won't be as he keeps getting better and the other preseason Heisman favorites just don't seem to be living up to the hype. Next game: Tennessee Volunteers Last week's rating: 1.

2. Florida Gators - Interesting fact about the Tebow as the Gator starter. The Gator's were only 1-5 when trailing going into the 4th quarter. Make that 2-5 as Tebow put the team on his back on the final drive and led the Gator's to a tougher than expected victory against the rapidly improving Razorbacks. Gators will visit former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen in Starkville, Ms.  Next game: Mississippi St. Last week's rating: 2.

3. LSU - Spent the weekend preparing for Auburn's new and what had been improved offense before the past two games. Next game: Auburn. Last week's rating: 3.

4. Arkansas - Despite losing to the Gator's the Hog's move up in the power rankings because of their impressive performance against the defending National Champs. Defense has really stepped up the past two weeks and slowed down what had been the two most high powered offenses in the SEC. Is it possible the offense is even more dangerous without their starting running back? It sure appears that way. Next game: Ole Miss. Last week's rating: 6

5. South Carolina - No shame in losing to the Tide in Tuscaloosa on homecoming. No defense has really slowed Ingram this year and he is the best running back the Gamecocks have faced to date, or will face for the rest of the season. The defense has to be proud about only giving up 13 points to Alabama's formidable offense. To bad they could only manage 6 themselves. 1st quarter pick 6 hurt. This is the point of the season where the Gamecocks have began imploding the past two years was this loss the beginning of the end for the Old Ball Coach? Next game: Vanderbilt. Last week: 4.

6. Ole Miss- Yes the Rebels won and the Hog's lost but that was the first impressive game the Rebel's have played all year and it came against less than stellar compitition therefore they move up in the ratings. Since the Rebels and Hog's play each other this weekend 4 and 6 will sort itsself out on the field and not just my opinion. Next game: Arkansas. Last week: 8.

7. Georgia - Did defensive coordinator Willie Martinez save his job this week after the beat down of the Commedore's? Well he lived to survive two more weeks since the Dog's have this week off to get ready for the game formerly known as the World's Largest Outdoors Cocktail Party. Next game: Florida week 9. Last week: 9

8(tie). Auburn- Will the true Auburn offense please step up? Is it the one that was averaging over 40 points a game the first 5 games or is the one that has shown up the past two weeks? My guess is it is somewhere in between. Shades of 08 are starting to creep up with Chris Todd unable to put zip on the deep passes. The schedule gets no easier with a visit to the Bayou coming this week. Next game: LSU. Last week: 5

8(tie). Tennessee- Dropped a spot despite the off week due to big wins by Ole Miss and Georgia and the fact that I couldn't justify dropping Auburn behind the Vols after Auburns big win against them in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. Next game: Alabama. Last week: 7.

10. Kentucky- Kentucky broke a losing streak to Auburn that dated back to win the Rolling Stones were young (1966). They did it on the road in Jordan Hare so despite their win being less lopsided than Mississippi St. I have the Wildcats leapfrogging the Bulldogs. Middle Linebacker Micah Johnson will hear his name called on Sunday's next year. Next game: La-Monroe. Last week:11.

11. Mississippi St- Bulldog's keep getting better and better and their drop in the rankings this week has more to do with the Wildcat's big win than anything the Bulldog's did wrong. Bulldog's and coach Dan Mullen get a visit from his former mentor Urban Meyer's Gator's this week. Next game: Florida, Last week: 10.

12. Vanderbilt- Commedore's lose again and losses keep getting uglier and uglier. Coach Johnson is a winning coach, but there probably isn't a coach in the country that could win consistently in Nashville. Next game: South Carolina, Last week: 12.  

Player of the Week: Mark Ingram, Alabama- 246 yards on the ground plus a touchdown against a tough Gamecock defense earns Ingram this weeks player of the week awary.

Biggest Surprise of the week.- Arkansas Razorback defense. The Razorback much maligned defense has stepped up the past two weeks against what had been the two highest scoring offenses in the SEC and held them to half of what they had been routinely scoring.  

October 19, 2009  12:34 AM ET

Hey Bill, good work

October 19, 2009  02:54 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

Hey Bill, good work

You just like that I moved Arkansas up this week. LOL

October 19, 2009  09:01 AM ET

Good reading again. Keep it going.

Very close call this week for my Gators. I had this game marked on my calendar since before the season as the game Florida was most likely to lose. I predicted an Arkansas win in the out on a limb thread before the season started. The week after a road game against LSU and against a team not considered elite, but very dangerous, it always looked like a strongly possible upset.

My personal power rating agrees with your top three. Its very close between Bama and Fla. By the end of the season I expect I will give Fla. the nod if they play as undefeateds, but if they played this week, I would go with Bama. They have been more consistent and more impressive.

The middle six is still the middle six..hard to sort them out. Unfortunately your Tigers had to slip a bit this week but I still keep them a nose ahead of Tennessee for the 8th spot. I would move Mississippi up to 4 with Ark trailing at 5th and have Georgia and S. Carolina in a tie for 6th. I do mine a bit different but based on your way of doing it, I think you ordered them correctly.

Kentucky and Miss St. both scored nice wins. Its very close between those two and I have them in a virtual dead heat.

Vanderbilt is just not cutting it.

October 19, 2009  09:34 AM ET

Good call on the Arkansas defense being biggest surprise. Particularly the defensive line work. Very impressive.

October 19, 2009  05:00 PM ET
QUOTE(#4):

Good call on the Arkansas defense being biggest surprise. Particularly the defensive line work. Very impressive.

Their DL scheme really neutralized the Gator run game. That dive play that ground up yards against LSU got totally squashed all game long.

By the 3rd quarter, when they ran the dive, I just about went hoarse yelling at the TV - couldn't they see that Ark had that one down cold? Addazio was REALLY slow on the uptake there.

Nice job btw, WB. Sorry UK took you guys this week, several in my family went to the game, said they froze to death in the upper deck.

October 19, 2009  10:49 PM ET
QUOTE(#3):

Good reading again. Keep it going. Very close call this week for my Gators. I had this game marked on my calendar since before the season as the game Florida was most likely to lose. I predicted an Arkansas win in the out on a limb thread before the season started. The week after a road game against LSU and against a team not considered elite, but very dangerous, it always looked like a strongly possible upset. My personal power rating agrees with your top three. Its very close between Bama and Fla. By the end of the season I expect I will give Fla. the nod if they play as undefeateds, but if they played this week, I would go with Bama. They have been more consistent and more impressive. The middle six is still the middle six..hard to sort them out. Unfortunately your Tigers had to slip a bit this week but I still keep them a nose ahead of Tennessee for the 8th spot. I would move Mississippi up to 4 with Ark trailing at 5th and have Georgia and S. Carolina in a tie for 6th. I do mine a bit different but based on your way of doing it, I think you ordered them correctly. Kentucky and Miss St. both scored nice wins. Its very close between those two and I have them in a virtual dead heat. Vanderbilt is just not cutting it.

I keep Arkansas ahead of Ole Miss because to me its more impressive to hang with the number 1 team in the country than to beat a team with no pulse to a pulp. That will sort itsself out this weekend though when they play each other.

October 19, 2009  10:50 PM ET
QUOTE(#4):

Good call on the Arkansas defense being biggest surprise. Particularly the defensive line work. Very impressive.

Well that just isn't the same Arkansas defense that played against Georgia. They have virtually shut down Auburn and Florida the past two weeks. I think the spanking Alabama put on them woke them up or something.

October 19, 2009  10:54 PM ET
QUOTE(#5):

Their DL scheme really neutralized the Gator run game. That dive play that ground up yards against LSU got totally squashed all game long. By the 3rd quarter, when they ran the dive, I just about went hoarse yelling at the TV - couldn't they see that Ark had that one down cold? Addazio was REALLY slow on the uptake there.Nice job btw, WB. Sorry UK took you guys this week, several in my family went to the game, said they froze to death in the upper deck.

Well I think Todd's arm is shot. He has been under throwing guys the past two weeks big time, and has actually ran the ball a couple of times whether by design or neccessity. It may be time for them to bring in Caudle or Trotter because lack of velocity to me is a QB's worst enemy you have to have some zip on the ball. I also have to question either Malzahn's play calling or Todd's decision making at the end of the Kentucky game on their last drive instead of going for first downs and getting out of bounds they seemed like they were trying to go for the end zone, and you can't do that on a defense that is sitting back playing the deep pass.

October 21, 2009  11:12 PM ET

excellent work bill.

 
October 22, 2009  12:57 AM ET

Thanks Bruce.

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