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Each week, we rank the SEC and the ACC is one poll. The order of the SEC teams is dictated by the Week 3 SDS power rankings.
There was a shakeup in the SEC this week after Ole Miss beat then No. 2 Alabama and LSU steamrolled Auburn. The ACC is in kind of a neutral point with no team really taking charge of either division in the conference.
Here are our combined rankings:
PLAYOFF CALIBER
Ole Miss has vaulted to the top of the SEC rankings with the big win last week in Tuscaloosa. Georgia is also in the conversation after beating South Carolina in convincing fashion. The ACC champion will have a shot at the playoffs, but it can have no more than one loss. At the moment, that team appears to be Clemson.
1. Ole Miss (3-0)
2. Georgia (3-0)
3. Clemson (3-0)
SERIOUS CONTENTION
Again the SEC has more teams that could contend for a shot to make the playoffs than the ACC. LSU, Alabama and Texas A&M each still have a real shot at making the four-team playoff. Perhaps Florida State has the best shot in the ACC after Clemson.
4. LSU (3-0)
5. Alabama (2-1)
6. Texas A&M (3-0)
7. Florida State (3-0)
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
In the SEC, there are four teams knocking on the door to get into the upper echelon of this poll, while the ACC adds two.
Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi State and Auburn still have decent shots to finish in contention for the SEC title. Georgia Tech, North Carolina State and Syracuse are still in the fight in the ACC. Syracuse could move up substantially should it knock off LSU this week.
8. Miami (3-0)
9. Georgia Tech (2-1)
10. Missouri (3-0)
11. Syracuse (3-0)
12. Mississippi State (2-1)
13. Tennessee (2-1)
14. North Carolina State (3-0)
15. Auburn (2-1)
BETTER THAN YOU THINK
This is the category that gets crowded. Three SEC teams fit here while five others from the ACC join the group.
16. Boston College (2-1)
17. Virginia Tech (2-1)
18. Arkansas (1-2)
19. Florida (3-0)
20. Pitt (2-1)
21. Duke (2-1)
22. Kentucky (2-1)
23. North Carolina (2-1)
AND THE REST
Although we are only heading into the fourth week of play, these teams are already in wait-until-next-year mode.
24. South Carolina (1-2)
25. Virginia (1-2)
26. Vanderbilt (1-2)
27. Wake Forest (2-1)
28. Louisville (0-3)
Steve Barnes is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football.
