Vassallo: SEC Strength Ratings Following Week One

1. Alabama    100     Still the star of the west. The 37 point blowout of
                                Louisville reminded us that nothing has changed.

2. Georgia      97      Austin Peay was not any indication. However, this week
                                at SC will say volumes about the race in the east.

3. Auburn       97      Could be the league’s sleeper this season. Taking
                                advantage of Washington miscues was the difference.

4. South Car.  91      Coastal Carolina was a nice warmup to the pending
                                storm this week. A must win early for the Gamecocks.

5. LSU            90       Not taking anything away from the Tiger victory, however,
                                 Miami does not look like a top ten team. AU awaits 9/15.

6. Florida        88      The jury is still out on this chapter of Gator football. KY
                                 this week will provide a better insight to the future.

7. TX A&M      87       The Aggie matchup with Clemson this week will be a telltale
                                 sign for SEC foes.

8. MSU           85        The Bulldogs are off to a fast start. Each week starts getting
                                 more difficult with an unusual road game at Kansas State next.

9. Ole Miss      82       The Rebel Air Force won’t allow this team stay 9th much
                                  longer if they keep playing up to their potential.

10. Missouri    79        Has Mizzou turned a corner? This weekend the Tigers play host to              Wyoming. Next week on the road at Purdue will help answer this question.

11. Vandy       72        Impressive opening win versus MTSU. Nevada next and
                                   then that trip to South Bend. Ouch!

12. Kentucky   70         Central Michigan was an exhibition game compared to
                                     this week in Gainesville.

13. Arkansas    70         A team with low expectations. On the road to Colorado State
                                     will showcase how bad these guys truly are or aren’t.

14. Tennessee  67        My how far the once mighty have fallen. If the pass “D” doesn’t
                                     correct itself quickly, Smokey is looking at an 0-8 SEC tally.

There you have it after the opening bell. Ole Miss looked outstanding against Texas Tech. My grades….Offense A+  Defense B-  Special Teams A+. The two-point underdog winning by 3 TD’s made a Texas two-step statement! Congratulations are in order and well deserved to Coach Luke and the entire team. This group is truly fun to watch!

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.