SEC First and 10: #7

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This week’s SEC Power Poll – and one big thing.

1. Alabama: This nonsense about the Jaylen Waddle injury not impacting Alabama’s CFP run? Crazy talk. You’re talking about losing the most dynamic player in the game. Slade Bolden isn’t changing that.

2. Georgia: Unless he’s physically not ready to play, this week is where we see QB JT Daniels. You know what you have in Stetson Bennett. You don’t know how much better you are (or worse) with Daniels.

3. Florida: Now more than ever, Gators must lean on QB Kyle Trask and an offense that can score every possession. Hey, don’t knock it. It has led to more than a few Big 12 titles over the past 10-15 years.

4. Texas A&M: A dicey spot for the Aggies. The Arkansas defense isn’t a fluke, and a loss here – at home – will undo all the goodwill earned by beating Florida.

5. Missouri: Tigers are quickly becoming a balanced offense. That’s significant stress for a Florida defense that hasn’t proven it can stop the run or pass.

6. LSU: The gutty, gritty games of the last few years in the LSU-Auburn rivalry are over. This will be ugly. LSU’s ugly, however, has a better chance to get a lot prettier before the end of the season.

7. Auburn: Imagine how ugly – frankly, hostile – The Plains would be for coach Gus Malzahn if SEC officials hadn’t gifted Auburn the Arkansas and Ole Miss wins? Those fat cat boosters would be pooling $20-plus million as we speak.

8. Kentucky: The philosophy of avoiding the passing game doesn’t work (it was fun while it lasted in 2019). At some point, Terry Wilson or Joey Gatewood must complete enough throws to give UK balance.

9. Tennessee: The mirage of 2019 has become Reality, 2020 (more on that later). If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: only a unique coach pulls Tennessee from the pile of average.

10. South Carolina: Gamecocks have 2 weeks to prepare for a home game against Texas A&M. A line in the sand game if there ever was one in the Will Muschamp era. A must-have win.

11. Arkansas: The next step in the evolution of a program under a new coach: How do they respond to A) success and B) a bye week. It’s a double hit this week against Texas A&M – and a chance to change the way they think about football in Fayetteville.

12. Ole Miss: Two ways to look at the 2020 season: Rebels should be 2-3 (thanks, SEC officials, Part II), or Rebels could be 0-5 (thanks, Kentucky).

13. Mississippi State: Are there holes in the Alabama secondary? Plenty. But this offense still is figuring out Mike Leach’s Air Raid. If this were Washington State’s offense of 2019, it would be one wild game.

14. Vanderbilt: I’ll just throw this out there for those who like to wager on games: Arkansas DC Barry Odum and Vandy head coach Derek Mason are good friends. The talent level on defense between Arkansas and Vanderbilt isn’t that significant.

Wow! Missouri number 5? Really? Wow!

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