Moral Victory! Power Ratings for Week 5

Now teams are starting to play somebody.

1. Alabama, 5-0 (2-0)
The Tide is counting the days until the SEC championship game. At least that's the conventional wisdom, and talk like that around T-Town is Nick Saban's toughest opponent.
Last week: No. 1
Next week: At Ole Miss

2. LSU, 5-0 (3-0)
The Tigers picked up their biggest win by far to date and now face a game that could propel them to No. 1 if they win.
Last week: No. 5
Next week: At home against Florida

3. South Carolina, 4-1 (1-1)
Don't the Gamecocks wish Garcia had kept the ball and run it into the end zone for the victory over Georgia? Spurrier has a top-flight defense, and the Gamecocks don't lose at home unless they're playing Florida...or Vanderbilt.
Last week: No. 3
Next week: At home against Kentucky

4. Georgia, 3-2 (2-1)
Richt has to be steaming over (1) the horrible celebration penalty that enabled LSU to get such great field position at the end of the game and (2) the poor tackling his defenders displayed after performing so brilliantly for almost the entire game.
Last week: No. 2
Next week: At Tennessee

5. Auburn, 5-0 (2-0)
What a difference a year makes. But the Razorbacks present a real test. And to think the Tigers won't have faced a ranked team in the first six games of the season.
Last week: No. 4
Next week: At Arkansas

6. Florida, 4-0 (1-0)
The game of the year so far in the SEC. The key will be if Tebow plays.
Last week: No. 6
Next week: At LSU

7. Ole Miss, 3-1 (1-1)
The Rebels defense is tough, and Jevan Snead sure handled Vandy in the first half. But he still looks a bit shaky, and maybe you've heard the Tide is slightly better than the Commodores. But Nutt and friends have had this game circled for almost a year, so you never know.
Last week: No. 8
Next week: At home against Alabama

8. Miss State, 2-3 (1-2)
Like Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs have to be kicking themselves for scheduling Georgia Tech. Still, the Dogs have represented themselves well this season and have a shot at a quality win at home against Houston, which has been in the Top 25 this season but has a suspect defense.
Last week: No. 7
Next week: At home against Houston

9. Arkansas, 2-2 (0-2)
Texas A&M was a quality win, though the Aggies were probably a bit overrated. The Razorbacks have a good shot to give Auburn its first loss on Saturday in Fayetteville.
Last week: No. 7
Next week: At home against Auburn

10. Tennessee, 2-3 (0-2)
With only one more non-conference game (Memphis) this season, the Volunteers will need three conference victories to become bowl-eligible. Amassing nearly 400 yards total offense against Auburn was a step in the right direction.
Last week: No. 8
Next week: At home against Georgia

11. Kentucky, 2-2 (0-2)
Considering their exceptionally weak non-conference schedule, the Wildcats need two conference wins to become bowl eligible again. Likely won't get one this weekend in Columbia.
Last week: No. 9
Next week: At South Carolina

12. Vanderbilt, 2-3 (0-3)
Commodores haven't recorded what could even remotely be called a quality win, and beating Army on Saturday won't give them one either. But they'll get plenty of chances in the second half of the season.
Last week: No. 10
Next week: At Army