Power Rankings: Week 13

Power Rankings – Week 13: And Now Our Watch Has Ended

Welcome to the final Power Rankings of the year, since this time next week there will be baseball in Hoover and there will hopefully be more fun to watch. There are still things to watch for this weekend and they will be highlighted in the write-ups below. I think we have a pretty good shakeout of where everyone is in the conference but let’s take one last look at how things went this weekend in the SEC.

#1 Vanderbilt – LW 1 – (41-10)

• vs Missouri, FRI: 5-2 W, SAT: 5-2 L, SUN: 7-2 W

WHAT?! Vandy lost a game?!?!

Ok so not really. The Dores are the first team to the 20 win plateau in the conference which shows just how good they are. Interestingly they still have the regular season title to play for this weekend as they are only a game and a half ahead of Arkansas (they hold the tiebreaker over the Hogs thanks to a 2-1 series win earlier this year). Things look good for Vandy to hoist the trophy though as they travel to Lexington this weekend.

#2 Arkansas – LW 2 – (39-13)

• vs LSU, THU: 14-4 W, FRI: 11-6 W, SAT: 3-2 L

Talk about shots being fired! Arkansas dominated the visiting Tigers this weekend and wanted to make sure LSU knew they didn’t forget the last time LSU was there and that their rally animal had met its match.

WHOOOOO buddy! As for this week, the Hogs have the only true top 25 matchup in the conference as they travel to Texas A&M in what is a very interesting matchup. Arkansas can’t lay up as Mississippi State is still within striking distance of them, so there will be no resting pitchers this weekend for Dave Van Horn and the boys.

#3 Mississippi State – LW 3 – (42-10)

• @ Ole Miss, FRI: 2-0 W, SAT: 8-5 W, SUN: 11-5 W

Talk about living right. State crushed, and I mean CRUSHED the Rebels in Oxford this weekend to the tune of 21-10 over the 3 games at the Swaze, and even that differential doesn’t do that series justice. THEN, only out a game and a half from 1^st in the west, they host South Carolina who will be playing for their postseason lives, trying to get to Hoover. It will be a fun weekend at the Dude.

#4 Georgia – LW 4 – (39-14)

• @ Auburn, FRI: 11-2 W, SAT G1: 4-3 L/10, SAT G2: 10-8 W

If a couple of balls bounce differently and we are talking about a sweep or a series loss in this one, but that’s baseball. I think a lot of the national pundits will look at these box scores and read what they want to into it, but if you were there or watched on TV, you know Auburn gave Georgia all they wanted. That said, this was a solid series win for Georgia as it pretty much locks up a first round bye in Hoover for the Bulldogs, especially with Alabama coming to Athens this weekend. If Georgia can get the Thursday night win, don’t be surprised if they go with midweek starters from there on to rest some arms, which could benefit Alabama.

#5 Texas A&M – LW 8 – (34-18-1)

• @ Alabama, FRI: 3-2 W, SAT: 2-1 L, SUN: 6-5 W

The Aggies got all they wanted in more and had to hold on by the skin of their teeth to keep the series in the bottom of the 9^th as Alabama had a runner in scoring position to tie things up. A&M still has a shot at hosting a regional so don’t expect any let up against the Hogs this weekend, especially at Blue Bell, which is a really tough place to play. It’s no Baum Stadium, but it’s really tough.

#6 LSU – LW 6 – (31-21)

• @ Arkansas, THU: 14-4 L, FRI: 11-6 L, SAT: 3-2 W

This one hurt for the Tigers. Saturday was the only day they got decent pitching but by that point, the damage was done. Now they must regroup and take on Auburn who played tough against Georgia this weekend. If the effort levels stay the same, Auburn would take the series this weekend. That’s not how baseball works so this one will be very interesting as LSU tries to bounce back from a disappointing road loss and tries to lock up the 5 seed in Hoover.

#7 Missouri – LW 7 – (34-18-1)

• @ Vanderbilt, FRI: 5-2 L, SAT: 5-2 W, SUN: 7-2 L

Talk about the ultimate underdog for the 2019 season. Mizzou hands Vandy their first loss in 14 games and, if everything falls just right, has a chance to be the 5 seed in the SEC Tournament, which they were banned from a week before the season. They have since appealed and will be eligible to play this time next week. Now they host the Gators and, should Mizzou win the series, could knock the Gators out of the big tournament all together!

#8 Tennessee – LW 10 – (35-17)

• @ Florida, FRI: 10-9 L, SAT: 8-7 W, SUN: 5-4 W

Living in Tennessee, I know how much Vol fans enjoy giving the Gators grief and man did they do it this weekend. 2 runs shy of a road sweep in Gainesville, the Vols teased the Gators on how close the series was and yet they walk away the victors. Now the Vols have to buckle down against a very…very…very upset Ole Miss Rebels team. A .500 record seems a long shot but if they can get to 14 wins in the conference…man that would be huge.

#9 Ole Miss – LW 5 – (32-20)

• vs Mississippi State, FRI: 2-0 L, SAT: 8-5 L, SUN: 11-5 L

Worst. Case. Scenario. State came in and punished Ole Miss and completely removed them from the SEC West race. Now Ole Miss must lick their wounds and host Tennessee in a series of who wants it more. Both teams are very talented so I know I will be watching.

#10 Auburn – LW 9 – (30-21)

• vs Georgia, FRI: 11-2 L, SAT G1: 4-3 W/10, SAT G2: 10-8 L

Auburn is in an interesting position. Auburn seems to be ok for the post season, even with a not so sterling regular season mark, but an RPI of 19 as we speak right now. That said, Auburn only has 2 good series wins on the season (Tennessee and Ole Miss) and a lot of near misses. A feather in the cap like a series win in Baton Rouge sure would lock things down and help Butch Thompson breathe a bit easier.

#11 Florida – LW 11 – (30-23)

• vs Tennessee, FRI: 10-9 W, SAT: 8-7 L, SUN: 5-4 L

It’s do or die time for the Gators this year. Florida has made their hay when they could, going 7-2 against the bottom three in the conference while they are just 3-12 against teams from 1-10 in this week’s standings. Also, the 10-19 mark against the Top 50 in the RPI isn’t a solid look either (contrast that with Auburn’s 13-17 and 2 series wins (5-1) over teams that either swept or took the series from the Gators (1-5)) With a current RPI of 33, the Gators find themselves on shakey ground to say the least and a road series at Mizzou isn’t what they needed.

#12 Alabama – LW 12 – (29-23)

• vs Texas A&M, FRI: 3-2 L, SAT: 2-1 W, SUN: 6-5 L

(See below)

#13 South Carolina – LW 14 - (26-25)

• vs Kentucky, FRI: 5-4 W, SAT: 11-3 W, SUN: 6-2 L

(See below)

#14 Kentucky – LW 13 – (25-26)

• @ South Carolina, FRI: 5-4 L, SAT: 11-3 L, SUN: 6-2 W

I am going to do this all together because these 3 teams are fighting for 1 spot. It may come as a shock but Kentucky finds themselves in the best situation going into the final weekend. The Bat Cats take on Vandy and if they can get just 1 win, they might be in Hoover, thanks to the 3 team tiebreaker. Both Alabama and South Carolina got swept by Vandy, so if Kentucky can get a win, the Cats get the nod if all 3 are tied. If all three teams get swept, Kentucky still gets the nod as the Cats got a win over Georgia earlier this season and both Carolina and (in this scenario) Alabama would have gotten swept. Of course someone could just win a game or 2 and win it out right, which would be fine too.

SEC Standings (and Projected Bracket)