MrSEC’s Week Six Power Ratings

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Here are this week’s SEC rankings from MrSEC.com.

I rate teams based on their body of work so far and their current level of play… not on how I think they will finish.

So…


1.  Alabama (6-0, 3-0)

Last Week:  Beat Ole Miss 22-3 in Oxford
Up Next:  South Carolina at home

The offense needs to show more ability to separate from an opponent.  The Tide had to settle for five field goals of 31 yards or less or else Saturday’s game could have been much, much worse for Ole Miss.  The defense has been so good that the red zone woes haven’t hurt yet.  And that defense should be even better with the return of linebacker Jerrell Harris.  Bama gets the nod over Florida by virtue of their win over what looks to be a legitimate Top 5 team in Virginia Tech.


2.  Florida (5-0, 3-0)

Last Week:  Beat LSU 13-3 in Baton Rouge
Up Next:  Arkansas at home

Saturday’s win was a workmanlike effort.  The big play Gators of 2008 have turned into the punch-you-in-the-mouth Gators of 2009.  Gutty, tough and savage on defense, this team lacks only a Percy Harvin playmaker from being better than last season’s squad.  And, oh yeah, Tim Tebow is a killer.  Need a two-yard run?  Need a third down completion?  The guy is clutch.  Concussed or not.



3.  VACANT

No one in the league is even in the same ballpark with Alabama and Florida.  So we’ll just skip down a notch and lock two teams in at #4.


4 tie.  Auburn (5-1, 2-1)

Last Week:  Lost to Arkansas 44-23 in Fayetteville
Up Next:  Kentucky at home

Three turnovers and a passing game that returned to earth cost the Tigers in Arkansas.  But I’m not ready to write this team off yet.  Their ground game is still solid.  If Chris Todd can prove that this was just one bad day, Gus Malzahn’s attack will continue to scare opponents.  Injuries to a thin-to-begin-with defense could be this team’s ultimate undoing.


4 tie.  LSU (5-1, 3-1)

Last Week:  Lost to Florida 13-3 in Baton Rouge
Up Next:  Open Date

Sixty-six yards rushing.  Ninety-six yards passing.  That was it.  Though LSU’s defense played bravely, I never felt that LSU had any chance of winning Saturday’s game.  They simply couldn’t move the football.  Throw in a missed field goal and a failed 4th-and-two end-around (that would have been a Tim Tebow run had he been healthy) and Florida could have won this in blowout fashion.  LSU looks to be a good team, but nowhere near a great team.  That said, the reaction to the loss has been over the top on the Bayou.


5.  South Carolina (5-1, 2-1)

Last Week:  Beat Kentucky 28-26 in Columbia
Up Next:  At Alabama

A two-point squeaker over a banged up Kentucky team didn’t exactly convince me that the Gamecocks are Top 25 ready.  Check back after their trip to Tuscaloosa on Saturday.


6.  Arkansas (3-2, 1-2)

Last Week:  Beat Auburn 44-23 in Fayetteville
Up Next:  At Florida

Two nice wins and two impressive offensive showings in a row have Razorback fans feeling pretty good about things.  Too bad the Hogs have to face Florida’s defense and ground attack on Saturday.


7 tie.  Georgia (3-3, 2-2)

Last Week:  Lost to Tennessee 45-19 in Knoxville
Up Next:  At Vanderbilt

Too many turnovers.  Too many penalties.  Too few defensive adjustments.  Too few rushing yards.  Too many weeks in a row.  Still… this team is one bad call in the LSU game away from being 4-2.


7 tie.  Ole Miss (3-2, 1-2)

Last Week:  Lost to Alabama 22-3 in Oxford
Up Next:  UAB at home

I’ve been waiting for the Rebels to “put it all together” for five weeks now.  Jevan Snead and his offensive line look worse every Saturday.  Give the Rebel defense credit for hanging tough.  But now that the preseason goals are flushed away, you have to wonder if this team is on the verge of completely unraveling.


7 tie.  Tennessee (3-3, 1-2)

Last Week:  Beat Georgia 45-19 at home
Up Next:  Open Date

Monte Kiffin’s defense has allowed just seven touchdowns through six games.  If the Vols could get Jonathan Crompton to play anywhere near the level he reached on Saturday they could possibly win five of their last six.  Of course, that’s an “if” the size of Montana.  And the Vols simply cannot cover kickoffs.


10.  Kentucky (2-3, 0-3)

Last Week:  Lost to South Carolina 28-26 in Columbia
Up Next:  At Auburn

Rich Brooks’ injured Cats showed a lot of heart at Carolina on Saturday.  Problem is, they’ve now lost the quarterback that Brooks and Joker Phillips clearly felt best about.  With three losses in a row, at some point does this team just quit?


11.  Mississippi State (2-4, 1-2)

Last Week:  Lost to Houston 31-24 in Starkville
Up Next:  At MTSU

The Bulldogs continue to turn the ball over at an alarming rate and their defense can’t defend against the pass.  They’d better not take MTSU too lightly on Saturday.  If the Dogs turn it over four more times this week they’ll come home 2-5.


12.  Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-3)

Last Week:  Lost to Army 16-12 in overtime in West Point
Up Next:  Georgia at home

The Commodores have had too many injuries and too little passing attack in 2009.  Now they face an angry, embarrassed Georgia team.  Bobby Johnson has done great work in Nashville, but his lack of a quarterback undermines everything.