04. Georgia Bulldogs (15-3, 3-2)
Just when you think Georgia is starting to fall off, it picks up a huge win. The Bulldogs fell short against Ole Miss but followed that up with a dominant 14-point win over No. 17 Arkansas. Georgia’s defense still has a ways to go; against the Hogs, it gave up a 19-point lead before still winning by double-digits. There will likely be games where the offense struggles, but I feel confident that those nights will likely be rare. Georgia simply keeps winning and has been nothing short of impressive this season.
03. Alabama Crimson Tide (13-5, 3-2)
It took two huge second halves, including fighting back from a double-digit deficit against Oklahoma, but Alabama picked up two important SEC wins this week. The Tide’s offense was nowhere near as crisp as it normally is, but Nate Oats’ crew found ways to get the job done. Alabama’s inability to keep teams off the offensive glass is starting to be a real concern. The Tide have allowed at least 14 offensive boards to each of their last three opponents. Nate Oats has made it far with bad defenses before, so I’m not ready to worry.
02. Vanderbilt Commodores (16-2, 3-2)
After 16 straight wins to open the season, Vanderbilt's hot start has finally come to an end. The Commodores, surprisingly, went 0-2 this week with losses at Texas and against Florida. And for the first time in over a month, have fallen from the top spot in these rankings. Vanderbilt finally found out what it’s like to play against bigs with legitimate size, and things didn’t go well. But I still think this team will be in the hunt for a conference title at the end of the season, so Vanderbilt fans shouldn’t worry just yet.
01. Florida Gators (13-5, 4-1)
Since their loss at Missouri to open SEC play, the Gators have been nothing less than incredible. Florida has rattled off four straight, including road wins over Oklahoma and Vanderbilt this week. The way the Gators are currently playing is exactly the team I thought we’d get in the preseason. It might have taken the Gators a couple of months to reach their top form, but with solid guard play to go along with their already stellar interior play, it looks like Florida has fought its way back into the national title conversation.