Final SEC Power Rankings: Where do the losers of a thrilling Iron Bowl, a bland Egg Bowl rank?

Tommy Deas, The Tuscaloosa News
·4 min read
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Note: Some of the comments have been updated to reflect Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma to coach Southern Cal. None of the rankings have changed.

The 2021 SEC regular season has ended after bringing us thrills and upsets, triumph and disappointment, epic finishes and one-sided blowouts.

In the SEC Power Rankings, as in life, there are winners and losers. Now that it's all over except for the league championship game, and the bowls and playoff that follow, we can take stock of how the conference's 14 teams rank against each other with a full body of work.

Here are the rankings at the end of the regular season:

No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0)

Last Week: 1

This week: vs. Alabama in SEC Championship Game

What to know: The Bulldogs marched through Atlanta like Sherman this week, but they'll have to do it again. And Alabama team should offer more resistance than Georgia Tech did.

No. 2 Alabama (11-1, 7-1)

Last Week: 2

This week: vs. Georgia in SEC Championship Game

What to know: All Alabama has to do to make the College Football Playoff is beat a Georgia team that's about 10 times as good as the Auburn team that took it to overtime. Or hope the CFP committee hands it a gift based on past performance.

No. 3 Ole Miss (10-2, 6-2)

Last Week: 3

This week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Ole Miss needs to sell the Faulkner collection and hand Lane Kiffin the proceeds if that's what it takes to keep him. Faulkner never won an Egg Bowl anyway.

More SEC football: Alabama football and Bryce Young don't succumb to knockouts. They fight. | Toppmeyer

More SEC football: A 12-team playoff would include Ole Miss football, but Rebels don't sweat that | Toppmeyer

No. 4 Kentucky (9-3, 5-3)

Last Week: 4

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: These Wildcats have claws, as Louisville found out. And with the crazy coaching carousel this year, they need to use them to latch onto Mark Stoops and keep him at the helm.

No. 5 Arkansas (8-4, 4-4)

Last Week: 5

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Give Sam Pittman a raise so he can rent storage space for the three rivalry game trophies the Hogs have won this year, not to mention his bowling ball.

Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban share a laugh as they meet in the middle of the field before an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban share a laugh as they meet in the middle of the field before an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

No. 6 Tennessee (7-5, 4-4)

Last Week: 8

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Looks like it's going to be one of those crazy years where Tennessee doesn't have a coaching search. But with Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma for Southern Cal, could Josh Heupel jump ship for OU after one season?

No. 7 Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4)

Last Week: 6

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Speaking of Riley, no wonder LSU (reportedly) averted its gaze from Jimbo Fisher to look his way.

No. 8 Mississippi State (7-5, 4-4)

Last Week: 7

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: We get Mike Leach and Lane Kiffin on the sidelines and the Egg Bowl becomes a peaceful affair with no controversy. Where's the fun in that?

No. 9 South Carolina (6-6, 3-5)

Last Week: 9

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Clemson didn't accomplish much this season, but it did take time to remind Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks of their place.

No. 10 LSU (6-6, 3-5)

Last Week: 12

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Outgoing coach Ed Orgeron says he's going to take a year off from coaching. Seems like he's been taking every other week off the last two years.

No. 11 Missouri (6-6, 3-5)

Last Week: 10

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Remember that time Missouri drove the final nail in Dan Mullen's tenure at Florida? Arkansas didn't.

No. 12 Auburn (6-6, 3-5)

Last Week: 11

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Leading Alabama most of regulation and taking the Crimson Tide to four overtimes is impressive. Losing four in a row to close the season is not.

Oct 23, 2021; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2021; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

No. 13 Florida (6-6, 2-6)

Last Week: 13

This Week: Awaiting bowl assignment

What to know: Florida can put itself right up there alongside Jacksonville State now that both beat Florida State this season. And now both are looking for new coaches.

No. 14 Vanderbilt (2-10, 0-8)

Last Week: 14

This Week: Awaiting 2022

What to know: How ironic is it that the only SEC school not going to a bowl is the only one with an NCAA bowling championship?

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Final SEC Football Power Rankings for 2021 regular season