auburn rises in 247 sports sec experts poll

[aubiefifty 17,487]

Auburn rises in 247Sports SEC Experts Poll

• AuburnUndercover.com Staff - 3 hours ago

 

(Photo: Ted Hyman, 247Sports)

Editor's note: This article was written by SEC editor Jon Brice.

There isn’t a poll anywhere, it seems, that Alabama doesn’t own.

Texas A&M, however, strengthened its grip on the 247Sports’ SEC Experts Poll in the first season of the network-wide power rankings.

The Aggies, double-overtime winners against previously unbeaten Tennessee, improved to 6-0 for the first time in more than 20 years and commanded all second-place votes in this week’s tally.

“(The Aggies) found a way to kill the team that refuses to die,” said veteran reporter Jeff Tarpley, who covers Texas A&M. “Trevor Knight may play ugly but he always seems to look gorgeous with the game on the line and Trayveon Williams may be the best back in the SEC as a freshman.”

The Vols slipped to fourth, swapping place from a week ago with Ole Miss now at third.

“Unbelievable ability to commit costly mistakes and fall behind by double digits,” Tarpley said of the Vols. “Unbelievable fortitude to overcome such mistakes and either beat people or take them to overtime.”

LSU rounded out the top five, while Auburn and Florida received equal votes for the No. 6 spot.

“With what many called a warm seat a few weeks ago, Gus Malzahn appears to have righted the ship somewhat at Auburn,” said Kipp Adams, a fixture in Deep South reporting. “Don't look now, but Sean White is playing like a top three quarterback in the conference. What's more, the Tigers have an impressive tailback duo in Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway, the nation's best kicker in Daniel Carlson, and a top-three defense in the conference through six games. Are they for real, or will the Tigers be 6-6 come November?”

Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi State capped the network’s top 10.

Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt capped the bottom four. Perhaps surprisingly, Vanderbilt was not unanimous with its last-place finish. South Carolina received multiple votes for cellar-dweller following its 28-14 home loss Sunday to Georgia, which punctuated its win with a touchdown return on the Gamecocks’ ill-fated onside-kick attempt.

Texas A&M narrowly swept the superlatives of Team on the Rise and Team to Watch in Recruiting, with Auburn nipping at the Aggies’ heels.

“Everything somewhat stayed to the status quo this week but Texas A&M got some legitimacy in terms of the win over Tennessee,” said Texas-based Brian Perroni. “It will be interesting to see what happens against Alabama in two weeks.

“A&M had a huge weekend with most of the top recruits in the state in attendance. It paid off with an exciting environment and the Aggies made up a lot of ground on some players."

247Sports SEC poll (Week 7)

1. Alabama
2. Texas A&M
3. Ole Miss
4. Tennessee
5. LSU
T-6. Auburn
T-6. Florida
8. Arkansas
9. Georgia
10. Mississippi State
11. Kentucky
12. Missouri
13. South Carolina
14. Vandy

TEAM ON THE RISE: TEXAS A&M

TEAM TO WATCH IN RECRUITING: TEXAS A&M (Auburn was a narrow 2nd in both spots)

[logan adams 333]

How LSU is above us is wayyyy beyond me.....

[Timeslider 6 269]

That team at the #5 spot diminishes any credibility the poll may have. 

[msza 228]

Do we still have a duo at RB? What's the news on Kerryon?

[abw0004 10,139]

Putting LSU above us is like saying UGA is on the rise because they barely got by South Carolina (they really only won by 7).

[steeleagle 2,945]

beating MSU is not really a big thing as bad as they are this year. That can be part of the reason. LSU rebounded and killed Missouri.
 

But i will still thought we should have been ahead of them since we beat them head to head.