Week 4 SEC rankings: Tennessee’s our No.1
This season, I have been consistently hit by the fact that Tennessee should be ranked as the No.1 team in the SEC, and maybe the No.2 team in the country.
It’s not because of the Josh Heupel offense or because I’ve automatically decided that orange is my favorite colour – it’s because Tennessee has beaten two ranked sides, and Alabama and Georgia has only beaten one.
There is no ‘common opponent’ between Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. There will be when the Vols play both teams, but right now, the Vols have had the harder of all three schedules.
Each have played SEC teams. Georgia and Alabama destroyed South Carolina and Vanderbilt respectively, but Tennessee beat a better opponent in Florida.
Anyway, here are the rankings:
- Tennessee: Might not be here for much longer, but their ranked win on the road at Pittsburgh and home win over ranked Florida have more weight to me. Their offense is also one of the best in the country.
- Georgia: The Bulldogs struggled against mighty Kent State last week. The win and lack of impressiveness definitely cast doubt as to what the Bulldogs are. But the key is always to ‘win your clunkers’, the Georgia avoided embarassment.
- Alabama: Looked impressive enough in thrashing Vanderbilt, but it’s Vanderbilt. The offense is clicking against bad, bad opposition. Can’t wait to see them against someone good in a week-or-so’s time against Texas A&M.
- Kentucky: The defense is solid enough. We’re not excited about the offense, but Will Levis has been exceptionally efficient.
- Texas A&M: Max Johnson isn’t the second coming of Johnny Manziel, but he’s elusive, has a good brain, and makes the plays. He has a weapon in Devon Achane who’s going to be fun on Sundays, although the injury to Ainias Smith to a season-ending leg injury ain’t gonna help him or team.
- Arkansas: Only here because they were beaten by A&M last Saturday, the Hogs squandered a bunch of chances to win the game. KJ Jefferson might not quite be the real deal that many thought after him after, er, Week 1, but Arkansas will be competing to for the West.
- LSU: We don’t know what Brian Kelly’s got cooking in Baton Rouge, because he’s 1-1 in good sample sizes. The loss against Florida State was laughable, but the comeback and runaway win against Mississippi State was fantastic. Congrats to Kayshon Boutte on being a new father, by the way!
- Mississippi State: Will Rogers is still putting up great numbers this year, but how good is the defense? They struggled against LSU, and have been pretty mediocre so far.
- Ole Miss: The Rebel fanbase got called out for nothing bothering to watch half of the Tulsa game in its first struggle of the season. Look, we know Jaxson Dart isn’t great, but give him time, team!
- Florida: Anthony Richardson might be a gamechanger, but Florida’s defense is a gamechanger in all the wrong ways. The Gators could be 1-3 so far this year.
- South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ first half against Charlotte was a reminder to all of us about how bad this Carolina team really is. Spencer Rattler’s offensive line has been so bad (10 sacks given up in 4 games) that Rattler himself hasn’t been given a chance to show off what he can do. And the defense? Eesh.
- Vanderbilt: Honestly, this is because Missouri and Auburn are worse. It’s a pity that the Commodores don’t have a fixture against both teams, because they might get two wins in the conference this year.
- Auburn: Because they beat Missouri on a squandered overtime win in a game that everyone was happy ended
- (or 13=). Missouri: There is nothing good about this program, and the rumors are already rife that Luther Burden’s putting himself in the transfer portal. Eli Drinkwitz’s offensive decision making has been so stupid that Burden has only had 10 receptions in 4 games – and none of them at the Auburn, where he would be best-used.