SEC Power Poll: Where On-Field Trumps Preseason

We were in pretty heavy agreement that, even though Alabama can be an amazingly good team, the top team in an SEC poll ought to go to the team that has done the best on the field so far.  It hasn't been the prettiest thing in the world, but undefeated is still undefeated, and the Tigers are it:

1. Auburn Tigers
2. LSU Tigers
3. South Carolina Gamecocks
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
5. Arkansas Razorbacks
6. Florida Gators
7. Mississippi St. Bulldogs
8. Mississippi Rebels
9. Kentucky Wildcats
10. Georgia Bulldogs
11. Tennessee Volunteers
12. Vanderbilt Commodores

The one note:  I moved Tennessee ahead of Vanderbilt because Vanderbilt had a benefit in the computer: their bye week meant that their W/L percentage was better than Tennessee despite the same number of wins.  If you assume another loss for Vandy (which isn't a stretch), then Vandy's computer score would be worse than Tennessee's.  That, and Tennessee has played better over a tougher schedule.  Even Vandy's lone conference win really isn't enough to call them better at this point, so I went ahead and made the flop.  If Vanderbilt beats Georgia this week, then they'll certainly move ahead of Tennessee.  Either way, both teams will have had their bye week after Saturday so we won't have this numerical problem with them again.