So, let’s all calm down a moment. I know, this was a pretty eventful weekend and a lot has happened, and not all of it is good.
But, never you worry! Poppa Bear is here to help you digest the last few days. We’re in this together, people.
To start, the College Football Playoff Committee released its first rankings of the season. The SEC is holding down TWO of the current playoff spots! Now listen, I know that these rankings are pretty fluid and will change periodically. But, did they get it right? In a word: no. I won’t go too crazy here, because I think it’ll solve itself by the end. I’m just not thrilled with the prospect of a playoff game that we saw in the regular season. (By we, I mean all of us except for David Pollack. Even though he was literally AT Gameday for his JOB a few weeks back).
You know what? I’ll digress.
And can someone please tell me what’s happening in Knoxville? I need an insider on Rocky Top to keep me informed on the Hurd Soap Opera. We’ll talk about that in a moment. On to the rankings!
1. Alabama – Coming off of a bye week and being ranked #1 in the playoff rankings, the Tide gets ready for Death Valley at night.
2. Texas A&M – The surprise of the rankings, the Aggies find themselves in great shape to make noise in the big picture. Will they be able to fend off Washington for that fourth spot? I doubt it, but they remain in a solid spot. After a beat down of New Mexico State, the Aggies travel to Mississippi State to deliver another probable beating.
3. Auburn – And the Tigers keep rolling. The latest victim is Ole Miss, who was steam rolled by the Auburn run game. The Tigers boast the top rusher in the conference with Kamryn Pettway. He’s a sophomore that’s played in six games! Auburn hosts Vanderbilt this weekend.
4. LSU – The Tigers come off of a bye week. They welcome the Tide at night for Gameday.
5. Florida – The Gators defeated Georgia at the Cocktail Party this weekend while continuing to lean on that defense. The biggest news of the weekend, however, was Tennessee losing to South Carolina. Florida needs that cushion over UT for control of the East, especially with how they end the season (LSU and FSU back to back). Florida heads to Arkansas this Saturday.
6. Tennessee – I feel like Brennan Huff in Step Brothers: WHAT HAPPENED? Things keep getting worse for the injured Volunteers. This loss to South Carolina has to sting, and could keep the Vols out of Atlanta in December. Pair that with Jalen Hurd transferring out, and Rocky Top is awfully shaky. With three losses in a row, the Vols need to get back on track. They’ll look to do that against Tennessee Tech (My alma mater) this weekend.
7. Arkansas – Bye week keeps the Razorbacks at 7. They welcome Florida on Saturday.
8. Kentucky – Well, well, well. Guess who is sitting at second in the East? The Wildcats are sitting one game away from bowl eligibility, and could actually win the East with a little luck. (Seriously, that’s a thing. How sick would that be?). Kentucky took down a terrible Missouri, but I’m going to count it. Could they upset Georgia this weekend? I’m calling it now.
9. Vanderbilt – That’s right, Vandy hit single digit rankings on a bye week. It’s almost the holiday season, and I’m feeling charitable. They head to Auburn to for a massive test of their run defense.
10. Ole Miss – The Rebels lost to another ranked team this week. Again, the run defense was exposed and thrashed. It’s hard to believe that Ole Miss has five losses, but that’s why they’re sitting at 10. It’s also hard to imagine that the Rebels haven’t locked up bowl eligibility yet. They’ll need three wins in these last four weeks. The Rebels should get one of those this weekend while hosting Georgia Southern.
11. South Carolina – This certainly looks like a different Gamecocks squad doesn’t it? Jake Bentley (again, solid name) has given Will Muschamp and company something to rally around. While beating an injured UT isn’t quite as special right now, that’s still a win over a ranked opponent. Surprisingly, SC is 4-4, which is two wins away from a bowl game. They’ll get one of those wins when they welcome Missouri on Saturday.
12. Georgia – The Bulldogs just aren’t very good, are they? The formidable Nick Chubb was basically non-existent against the Florida defense. Jacob Eason can’t do it alone, so the struggles will continue. They still have a chance to become bowl eligible, which also means they have a chance to miss it.
13. Mississippi State – Miss State is no longer tied for last in the rankings, but letting Samford hang up 41 is ridiculous. With the remaining schedule, the Bulldogs may have won their last game of the season. No bowl for Mullen. They host A&M this weekend.
14. Missouri – Just imagine a dumpster fire. Or maybe Stoney will put one here.
Editor’s note:
Have a good week folks. Poppa Bear loves ya.
Bill Griffin is the lead SEC contributor for the SoBros Network, and serves as our resident expert on the human anatomy, fixin’ stuff, and tomatoes. Follow him on Twitter @Winter_Griffin
Follow us on Twitter: @SoBrosNetwork
