Paul's Power Poll: Final Rankings

1. Auburn (12-0 overall, 8-0 SEC): While Cam Newton could take up an entire highlight reel this year with did-you-see-that plays, Newton made his best play of year on Tuesday when he scrambled out of NCAA ineligibility. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 2010 recipient of the Heisman Trophy, Mr. Cameron Newton. 

2. Arkansas (10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC): If it weren’t for Auburn, the Razorbacks would be at the top of the Southeastern Conference this year. The Razorbacks could feasibly be in Auburn’s position right now if Bobby Petrino would have doled out a little cash for some run stoppers in February. 

3. South Carolina (9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC): The Gamecocks emerged as the top team in an abysmal SEC East and now have the distinct pleasure of being taken behind a metaphorical barn in Atlanta to get the you know what kicked out of them. Expect Steve Spurrier’s visor to be air-born early and often.

4. LSU (10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC):  It seems that one can only get lucky so many times after the Tigers finally were nabbed by Arkansas on Saturday. After finishing third in the SEC West, will the hooligans in Baton Rouge run Les Miles out of town?

5. Alabama (9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC):  It’s a shame that such a colossal choke job happened under the watch of Nick Saban, one of the nicest guys in all of college football. Oh – wait – Saban is a hot-headed jerk who finally got his in the Iron Bowl. Take a chill pill Nick, and try again next year.  

6. Mississippi State (8-4 overall, 4-4 SEC) : After defeating the Rebels in Oxford, Dan Mullen made a decree that the Bulldogs would never lose to the Rebels again. Every time Mississippi State played a game this year I have been impressed with Mullen – that is until he opens his mouth. 

7. Florida (7-5 overall, 4-4 SEC):  Last December, Urban Meyer announced his retirement from coaching only to come out of retirement a few weeks later. After a 7-5 year in Gainesville, I have a statement and a question. First of all, Meyers should have taken retirement more seriously. Secondly, how in the hell did the Gators finish second in the SEC East?  

8. Georgia (6-6 overall, 3-5 SEC):  It has yet been determined whether or not Mark Richt will get the Bulldog bite and be cast out of Athens. If he’s back in 2011, he has a great young quarterback to work with in Aaron Murray, but stud wide receiver AJ Green is likely off to the NFL.

9. Tennessee (6-6 overall, 3-5 SEC): After looking dead in the water at the beginning of November, Derek Dooley inserted true freshman quarterback Tyler Bray into the starting line up. Bray and the Tennessee subsequently rattled off wins against four mediocre-at-best teams to become bowl eligible. 

10. Kentucky (6-6 overall, 2-6 SEC): The Wildcats have two of the SEC’s premier playmakers in Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke but failed to take things to the next level under first-year coach Joker Philips. Kentucky is nevertheless going bowling for the fifth straight year.  

11. Ole Miss (4-8 overall, 1-7 SEC): Rumor had it Sunday night that Houston Nutt was leaving the Rebels to coach underwater basket weaving at the University of Vermont. Okay, that didn’t really happen, but Nutt was linked to several coaching jobs after the Rebels fell to Mississippi State on Saturday. Nutt is staying, but he has a hell of a rebuilding job to do in Oxford.

12. Vanderbilt (2-10 overall, 1-7 SEC): After an exhaustive in-house search for the ‘Dores next coach, I’ve found the perfect man for the job. Dr. Robert Scherrer is currently the department chair for Vandy’s department of physics and astronomy. There’s no telling what kind of wacky plays Dr. Scherrer might concoct in Nashville.