Quick Observation

There are five SEC teams ranked in the top 12 of the AP poll, Auburn being the highest ranked at number seven. Three of the remaining four are Western division teams while the lone representative from the Eastern division is South Carolina. Three of the five have one loss, all of which came from another member of this quintet (Arkansas to Alabama, South Carolina to Auburn, Alabama to South Carolina). Every one of these teams still has a shot to play for it all as there are enough big games remaining on their schedules. Auburn still has three of the four teams left on their schedule not counting the potential SEC Championship game rematch with the Gamecocks.

The SEC's six team Western division has at least double the number of teams ranked in the top 12 than any other entire conference in the country. Teams from other conferences can talk about having tough games against top 25 opponents but none of them will have to beat four national championship contenders in their season, not even close.

It is also clear who belongs in the SEC's upper teir. Not much seperates the top five teams and in a round robin scenario any of the five could emerge on top without it being a surprise. The next highest ranked SEC team is Florida at number 22 and after getting crushed by Alabama and losing at home to LSU it is clear they are no longer in the SEC's top group.

Right now this is how I'd rank the SEC's teirs:

Teir 1 (National Title Contenders): Auburn, LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas

Teir 2 (Not Ready for Primetime): Florida

Tier 3 (Dangerous But Not Complete): Mississippi State, Georgia, Kentucky

Teir 4 (Looking Ahead to 2011): Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee