ESPN ranks SEC Football teams from first to last after Week 11

Heading into the final few games of the season, the SEC race remains tight as ever. And with the latest results, the Football Power Index (FPI) is adjusting accordingly.

According to ESPN, The FPI is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule.

With that in mind, let’s check out how the FPI has the SEC sorted through 11 weeks of the season. We dive in below.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1) – 22.3 FPI rating

While Texas A&M leads the pack in the College Football Playoff rankings and the polls, it’s Alabama that tops the SEC in terms of the FPI. The Crimson Tide have turned into a juggernaut capable of waxing ranked teams on a weekly basis.

That was certainly the case when Alabama piled up four straight wins over ranked teams in the middle of the season. Will it hold true this weekend in a game against No. 11 Oklahoma? We shall see.

2. Georgia Bulldogs (8-1) – 21.5

Not far behind Alabama, Georgia sits a touch behind after having lost the head-to-head meeting (at home). But that’s the only blemish on Georgia’s record at the moment, which makes it primed to claim a playoff berth.

Georgia still has at least two tricky games remaining. The first is a massive clash with Texas this weekend. The other could be a de-facto elimination game against Georgia Tech at season’s end. No pressure.

3. Texas A&M Aggies (9-0) – 20.7

The team with the most leeway currently, even if not in the FPI, is certainly Texas A&M. The lone SEC team without a loss, the Aggies can presumably afford to take one and still be playoff bound. Now, more than one would be an issue.

That said, it’s hard to see multiple losses coming. Up next are South Carolina and Samford. The finale against Texas is definitely more of a toss-up, but Texas A&M remains in excellent position heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.

4. Texas Longhorns (7-2) – 19.9

For weeks considered a program that was just hanging on by a thread after close calls against Kentucky and Mississippi State, Texas finally put together a more complete outing against Vanderbilt. Even then the final margin finished at just three points after a late Commodores surge.

Now it’s onto the matchups that will make or break the season. First up is a road trip to Georgia. Survive that and a likely win-and-you’re-in scenario develops for the finale against Texas A&M. But that’s a long way to go still.

5. Ole Miss Rebels (9-1) – 18.0

Ole Miss might be in the safest position in the SEC when it comes to making the College Football Playoff. With only one loss and others also in the mix for the SEC title game berth, it’s conceivable the Rebels can simply win two more and be assured of a playoff spot.

Those two games remaining? Florida and at Mississippi State. Neither gimmes, but not exactly a murderer’s row when put together, either. Ole Miss will be favored considerably in both games.

6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-2) – 16.2

Another team clinging to its playoff hopes and relatively in charge of its destiny, Oklahoma has to avoid further losses to make the field. It’s really about that simple, though it will not be easy to pull off.

The Sooners first take on Alabama on the road this weekend. Survive that and a pair of home dates against Missouri and LSU will be tough but manageable fixtures to flex in front of the committee.

7. Tennessee Volunteers (6-3) – 16.1

Tennessee remains ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings, even with three losses. But it would probably take a slew of things going the Volunteers’ way to entertain a playoff bid at this point. There’s just too much that would have to happen.

The end of the regular season should be a positive for Tennessee, though. First it gets New Mexico State and Florida. Then it gets a potential spoiler matchup with in-state rival Vanderbilt in Knoxville to end the year. That one figures to have fans amped.

8. Vanderbilt Commodores (8-2) – 15.2

Down to just two games remaining, Vanderbilt still has a very reasonable shot at the playoff. It must first get by a Kentucky team that has picked up some momentum in recent weeks, coming off back-to-back wins. But that’ll be after a bye to rest and recuperate.

Assuming Vanderbilt can get by Kentucky — and there are no safe assumptions in this league — it’ll meet Tennessee to end the year. That could very well be for a spot in the playoff if current trajectories hold.

9. Missouri Tigers (6-3) – 13.4

Missouri likely saw its playoff hopes erased when it fell to Texas A&M in blowout fashion over the weekend. Truthfully, you can probably trace it back a little further to Beau Pribula‘s injury in the Vanderbilt game.

The Tigers simply haven’t been the same team since that injury. Matt Zollers will do his best to continue to adapt, but at this point Missouri is mostly playing for pride. Remaining games include Mississippi State at home, followed by road trips to Oklahoma and Arkansas.

10. LSU Tigers (5-4) – 13.0

LSU has now lost three straight games, albeit all to ranked opponents. The Tigers have since fired coach Brian Kelly and are just playing out the string. Bowl eligibility is on the line, though.

That figures to be achieved, at the very least, when Western Kentucky heads to Death Valley in two weeks. LSU will also have a chance to claim bowl eligibility this week with a home game against Arkansas. The regular season finale is on the road at Oklahoma.

Rest of the SEC in the FPI

11. Auburn Tigers (4-6) – 11.1
12. Florida Gators (3-6) – 8.5
13. Kentucky Wildcats (4-5) – 8.1
14. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-6) – 8.1
15. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-7) – 7.6
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-5) – 6.9