1. Alabama (9-0): The Crimson Tide is the best team in America, but the Starkville Dogs can bite in this schedule spot.
2. Georgia (8-1): For all the season craziness, Georgia vs. Alabama is the SEC Championship Game we all expected in the summer.
3. LSU (7-2): We found out that Coach O is more than just a nickname, it’s also a scoreboard.
4. Mississippi State (6-3): MSU has been moving up quietly, which is hard to do when you wear a cowbell.
5. Auburn (6-3): Could the Tigers be setting up another miracle November? Road games like Georgia make it harder.
6. Kentucky (7-2): The big stage proved too big. The goal now is a warm-weather bowl.
7. Texas A&M (5-4): Jimbo’s making lots of money and can afford to be generous, so he gave Auburn an entire football game.
8. Missouri (5-4): Mizzou’s computer profile has exceeded its win total so far, but don’t try telling that to Florida.
9. Florida (6-3): Dan Mullen’s first year at Florida is morphing into Nick Saban’s first year at Alabama.
10. South Carolina (5-3): At least the Gamecocks were exciting last Saturday but a return to dullness could happen quickly.
11. Ole Miss (5-4): The Rebels can’t win because they stop no one — but they go down swinging.
12. Tennessee (4-5): The Tennessee vs. Charlotte game had to be the worst ever seen, if anyone saw it.
13. Vanderbilt (4-5): The Commodores could still find themselves in a bowl game ...
14. Arkansas (2-7): ... so could the Razorbacks, if they buy themselves some tickets.