SEC Power poll ballot

First, a minor announcement: I'd hoped to go full-throttle, wall-to-wall Iron Bowl this week, but life has gotten other ideas. Plenty of content later in the week, but this is likely the last post until tomorrow evening. Do check back then and on your way back to the fridge for the leftovers.

On with this week's ballot, with the full poll as always available at Garnet and Black Attack ...

1. LSU. Alleged defensive "problems" probably less of a problem when a) opponent isn't worth preparing for b) offense is back to scoring 40 a game anyway.

2. Georgia. Suffered inevitable letdown vs. quality opponent, fell behind 10-0, and won by two scores anyway after supposedly soft-spot defense holds Woodson and Co. to a FG in the second half. If they do indeed meet Hawaii or Boise St. in the Sugar Bowl, hellooooo slaughter.

3. Florida. Defense, schmefense. How do you think alternate-universe Tebow is faring in Tuscaloosa right now after getting a year's worth of the same tutelage that's turned J.P. Wilson into a walking flaming car wreck? (Actually, alternate-universe Tebow is still talented enough that he's probably doing fine. Never mind.)

4. Tennessee. The news that LSU's AD was celebrating their win over Vandy should carry so much karmic weight that the Vols would actually stand a chance against LSU. Then again, after yet another high-wire escape over the World's Unluckiest Losers, karma probably can't be arsed on the Vols' behalf anymore regardless.

5. Kentucky. Still the owner of the best win of the remaining teams on this list and having not only a functional quarterback (such a rarity i nthe SEC these days, unfortunately) but an out-and-out prize like Woodson keeps them fifth. Close-but-no-cigar frustrations in the East race to be taken out on the Vols?

6. Auburn. Suddenly a decisive home favorite against a talented-but-struggling team -- the exact scenario Tubby has traditionally found to be his Achilles heel. Yay. Not good considering that the stakes for Auburn--for recruiting-, bowl-, streak-, and coaching-situation-blown-up-related reasons--are going to be higher than for a 'Bama program that's worried more about next season.

7. Arkansas. On one hand, a handful of plays are all that separate Arkansas from being 10-1. On the other, after this past off-season, it's probably best for all concerend if Nutt walks away now anyway. (By the by: could wind up at 7-5 and bowl-bound ahead of possibly 6-6 Carolina and possibly 6-6 Tide basically only by virtue of the SEC's weakest nonconference schedule. Boo.)

8. Miss. St. Funny how the Bulldogs don't look nearly as good when their opposition doesn't actively help them out, huh?

9. Alabama. So much for the conference's perfect record against non-BCS-conference opposition. The Florida St. loss wasn't embarrassing enough, guys?

10. South Carolina. Now Clemson's even try to steal their "inexplicable collapse" thunder, though it's not like anyone didn't see that particular maneuver coming from Bowden's boys.

11. Vanderbilt. Remember that episode of DuckTales where Scrooge's insanely lucky relative got cursed by Magica De Spell and became insanely UNlucky, so much so that Scrooge was able to predict the horrible things would happen as a result of his actions and used him to recover his No. 1 Dime from Magica? Yeah, me neither, but if I did, I bet that unlucky relative would remind me of poor cursed Vanderbilt.

12. Ole Miss. How, exactly, in the single craziest college football season known to man has Coach O managed to go the entire season without springing a single upset? Remarkable.