Vassallo: SEC Strength Ratings Following Week 2

Photo by Steven Gagliano.

Alabama: 100… Bama hitting on all cylinders on both sides of ball.

Georgia: 98… Beast of the East. These guys are for real. Ask SC.

Auburn: 98… The LSU showdown is here to see who challenges Bama in the West.

LSU: 92… The jury is still out, but the verdict to be delivered this Saturday on the Plains.

MSU: 88… Another impressive outing. First major test in two weeks in Lexington.

Texas A&M: 87… Battled Clemson close. Should be a force all year.

S. Carolina: 86… The bubble burst vs Georgia. The game in Nashville in two weeks will help right the ship.

Ole Miss: 83… The scoring machine must find a way to play “D” for two halves.

Missouri: 80… Getting better, but have they arrived? Purdue will provide more insight.

Kentucky: 77… The Cats shellshocked the Swamp. In two weeks we’ll know how wild the cat truly is.

Florida: 74… The two TD favorite came up way short. The honeymoon ended abruptly for Mullen & Co.

Vanderbilt: 73… Off to a great start, but Notre Dame is next.

Tennessee: 70… Thank God for Arkansas. Vols need to beat somebody. Gators will offer that opportunity in two weeks.

Arkansas: 67… It got ugly early as Hogs got thumped by a team they should have defeated. Schedule now gets a lot more difficult.

For our Rebels, Saturday showcased the best and the worst. The passing game, as well as the total offense, is superior in all respects. However, the defense is another matter. Allowing Southern Illinois to score on six of six drives in Oxford is uninspiring. Unless the “D” can hold for 60 minutes, the SEC play will be rough sledding. Having the offense score so quickly is only complicating the situation. With the number one team in the nation in the on-deck circle, all of the August questions will now be answered.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is an active Economic Development Consultant working with communities globally who live in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.