I’ve been graciously asked by the guys over at SBNation to participate in the SEC Power Poll this year.  While I voted last week, I completely forgot to post my rankings and thoughts over here.  I’ll post a link to the final poll itself once posted.

1) Florida

They’re so good – and have been so dominant – I’ll probably keep them here even if they lose to Ole Miss on Saturday.  Their margin of victory for their six SEC games: 33, 22, 21, 31, 17, and 35 (average: 26.5).

2) Ole Miss

No one else to put here, but I was surprised by their struggles against Auburn.  It’s their week to show where they belong – home to Kentucky, and on the road to Florida.

3) Alabama

This is a three-team race between the Tide, Missouri, and Kentucky – Bama beat UK, but Mizzou beat Bama.  Transitive properties say you put Missouri here, but in conference play, the Tide have been slightly more impressive thus far, despite a tough one-point loss to Tennessee on Saturday.

4) Missouri

Hanging in without Bowers by grabbing two wins over weaker teams in Columbia (though not before the Gamecocks gave them a scare).  They will be hellishly underseeded for someone in post-season play if they get healthy by March.

5) Kentucky

They’re good, we all know they’re good, but need to start playing like it a bit more – far too close to LSU at home on Saturday, and dropping a game in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday night.  Chance for an impressive road victory in Oxford coming on Tuesday.

6) Arkansas

Speak now if you have a coherent, rational way to start separating teams from 6-14 in the SEC.  I just ranked a team 6th that lost by over 20 on Saturday to a team ranked in the bottom half of this poll.

7) Tennessee

 Lossess are to Mississippi twice, Kentucky, and Alabama, and one of their wins is against Alabama. They got the toughest schedule in the conference this year, but softens up in the weeks to come.  Will probably not make NCAAs though given all their missed opportunities for quality wins that are gone.

8) Texas A&M

I’m not sure what’s more confounding – winning at Rupp, or losing at home to Georgia.  Both shocked me.

9) South Carolina

I think this is high as well, but if you look at how they’ve played in conference games, the only real argument against this rating is that other teams have their scoring margins in SEC play wildly skewed because they’ve had to play Florida. And you know what?  That’s the best argument against this. But they’re playing the part thus far.

10) Auburn

I don’t understand this team at all.  Give Arkansas all it wants in Fayetteville, disappear at home to Kentucky.  Get run out of Nashville on Wednesday, almost beat Ole Miss at home on Saturday.

11) Vanderbilt

 Ranked above Georgia because one of you lost to Mississippi State at home, and it wasn’t you, ‘Dores.

12) Georgia

This team’s offense begins and ends with Caldwell-Pope.  When he goes 8-12 from the field and grabs 9 rebounds against A&M on the road, they win. When he’s 5-14 from the floor at home against Mississippi State, they lose.

13) LSU

Gave Kentucky a good run at Rupp, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them peel off a few wins in the next three games: home to a beat-up Missouri, at Miss. St., and home against Vandy.

14) Mississippi State

They’re not as strongly tethered to the bottom as Florida is to the top, but I’ll be surprised if I vote anyone else here the rest of the year.