ESPN College Football

Well, the top team in our Power Rankings certainly made sure everyone knew exactly why it was No. 1:

1. Alabama (4-0, 2-0 SEC; last week: 1): The Crimson Tide defense was tired of hearing how good it wasn't. It didn't like hearing that Ole Miss was going to score on it. So it shut the Rebels out and held them to just 205 yards of offense and 11 first downs. The Alabama offense rolled up 434 yards of offense as well, quieting a lot of doubters in the process.

2. Georgia (3-1, 2-0 SEC; LW: 4): Well, it's pretty clear that the SEC Eastern Division is now Georgia's to lose. After a thrilling 44-41 win over LSU, the Bulldogs showed that no matter how bad their defense plays, the offense will be there to rescue it. The only real defensive test remaining for this unit is Florida. But can Florida's offense keep up with the Dawgs if they score?

3. Texas A&M (4-1, 1-1 SEC; LW: 3): Like Georgia, the Aggies are equipped with an offense that can bail out its struggling defense. The Razorbacks gave A&M quite the scare in Fayetteville over the weekend, but Johnny Manziel and Co. didn't have much trouble piling on points against a struggling Arkansas defense. Still, that rushing defense has to improve with SEC play heating up.

4. LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC; LW: 2): The Tigers' defense showed its youthful age against Georgia on Saturday, especially in the secondary. Georgia churned out nearly 500 yards and averaged 7 yards per play. It didn't help that the front seven didn't generate enough pressure on Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, who threw four touchdowns. But we learned that LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger is the real deal. He delivered some NFL throws and might have outplayed Murray between the hedges.

5. South Carolina (3-1, 1-1 SEC; LW: 5): I don't know what it is with this South Carolina team. It overcame the loss of starting quarterback Connor Shaw by scoring 28 straight points on UCF Saturday, but then turned around and let the Knights end the game on a 15-0 run. The good news for the Gamecocks is they might have one of the most underrated players in the SEC in running back Mike Davis, who leads the SEC in rushing yards per game (127).

6. Florida (3-1, 2-0 SEC; LW: 7): This is officially Tyler Murphy's team, and he's been solid since replacing Jeff Driskel at quarterback. No one really expects much from the passing game going forward, so the running game has to carry this team (again). It did just that with its 246 yards in the win over Kentucky. That defense might be missing Dominique Easley, but it was fantastic against the Wildcats.

7. Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC; LW: 6): Quarterback Bo Wallace took some heat for saying the Rebels' offense would score some points on Alabama. Well, he ended up scoring for the Crimson Tide with his safety in the fourth quarter. The high-flying offense we saw in the first three games didn't make it to Tuscaloosa, and now the Rebels are gearing up for a crucial conference game at Auburn this weekend.

8. Missouri (4-0, 0-0 SEC; LW: 8): We still don't know a ton about this team, but the Tigers scored at will against their nonconference foes, averaging 45.5 points and 549 yards through the first four games. But SEC play starts now with a trip to Vanderbilt this weekend. We'll find out very soon if there was any substance to the Tigers' fast start to the season.

9. Auburn (3-1, 1-1 SEC; LW: 9): The Tigers had the week off after their loss to LSU. That gave this team time to rest and try to get the passing game in better shape for the Rebels. What Gus Malzahn and his running backs had to be excited about was seeing Ole Miss' defense give up 254 rushing yards and rushing touchdowns of 68 and 50 yards to the Tide.

10. Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2 SEC; LW: 10): The offense is only getting better, and wide receiver Jordan Matthews is getting closer and closer to breaking SEC records for career receiving yards and career receptions. With eight catches for 115 yards and touchdown in Vandy's 52-24 win over UAB, Matthews has had 100-plus yards or a touchdown in four of Vandy's five games.

11. Arkansas (3-2, 0-1 SEC; LW: 11): After a rough loss at Rutgers, the Hogs made things interesting in their 45-33 loss to the Aggies. This running game bounced back against A&M with 201 yards, while Brandon Allen's return at quarterback led to 282 passing yards. Still, this team has to clean things up on defense. The Aggies averaged 7 yards per play.

12. Mississippi State (2-2, 0-1 SEC; LW 12): The Bulldogs were off after their 62-7 win over Troy. It was an impressive win for a team looking for more of an offensive spark at the beginning of the season. The way quarterback Dak Prescott is playing, this offense has to feel confident going into this weekend's matchup with LSU. But do the Bulldogs have the horses to keep up with an LSU team that has to be frustrated after its loss to Georgia?

13. Tennessee (3-2, 0-1 SEC; LW: 13): Somehow, the Volunteers tried to give it all away late against South Alabama on Saturday. Tennessee was outscored 17-7 in the second half of its 31-24 win and even blocked its own field goal. A win is a win, especially for a program with a new head coach, but the Vols now have to regroup and face a Georgia team capable of scoring 50 in Knoxville this weekend.

14. Kentucky (1-3, 0-1 SEC; LW: 14): The Wildcats' only real positive from Saturday's 24-7 loss to Florida was that their touchdown came on a fake field goal. Other than that, the Gators dominated Mark Stoops' team. When your kicker is your leading rusher in a game (25 yards), you know you have major problems in the playmaking department.

We’re a quarter of the way into the college football season, and two-time defending national champion Alabama is right where it started -- No. 1 in the polls.

In fact, Alabama is the only one of the five SEC teams that opened the season in the top 10 that hasn’t lost a game. So everybody’s still chasing the Crimson Tide, but it’s a race that could still go any number of ways, especially with some of the offensive numbers being generated. If the first four weeks taught us anything, you better be ready to score some points if you’re going to win a title this season.

Here’s a quick recap:

Best game: Take your pick. There have been some dandies to this point. The very first SEC game between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on a Thursday night produced a thrilling ending in Nashville with the Rebels pulling out a 39-35 win. Both of Georgia’s first two games were incredibly entertaining, their 38-35 loss at Clemson and then their 41-30 win over South Carolina the next week. But nothing tops Alabama’s wild 49-42 win at Texas A&M in Week 3. The two teams combined for 1,196 total yards and 62 first downs. The Aggies jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but the Crimson Tide answered with 35 unanswered points only to have the Aggies come roaring back with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. It was so much fun that maybe we’ll see them go at it again in the VIZIO BCS National Championship Game if everything falls right. Wouldn’t the rest of college football just love that?

Best player: Even though he caused an uproar with some of his antics and a 15-yard taunting penalty in the opener against Rice, the real news surrounding Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is that he’s even better than he was a year ago. All he did a year ago was win the Heisman Trophy and set the SEC record for total offense. Manziel’s arm strength has improved. He’s spreading the ball around, and he’s still carving defenses apart with his ability to make something out of nothing. Manziel is averaging 370.8 yards of total offense per game, completing 70 percent of his passes and has already accounted for 15 touchdowns. Honorable mention goes to Georgia running back Todd Gurley, Vanderbilt receiver Jordan Matthews and LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

Best performance: Once again, Johnny Football takes top honors. Yes, it came in a loss, but he was brilliant in passing for five touchdowns and rolling up 562 yards of total offense (the most ever in an SEC game) in the 49-42 setback to Alabama. The guy Manziel was throwing to that day, sophomore receiver Mike Evans, comes in a close second with his seven catches for 279 yards. And let’s also not forget about how good Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron was in that game. He finished 20-of-29 for 334 yards and four touchdowns, completing passes to 10 different players. Sticking with Alabama, Christion Jones returned a kickoff for a touchdown, returned a punt for a touchdown and also caught a touchdown pass in the season-opening win over Virginia Tech. Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray deserves a shout-out for his four-touchdown outing in the win over South Carolina, and the same goes for Ole Miss running back Jeff Scott and his 243 all-purpose yards in the win at Texas. Scott rushed for a career-high 164 yards and a touchdown and also scored on a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Best surprise: It has to be LSU’s passing game and how balanced the Tigers have been offensively through four games. In the offseason, Les Miles talked about the need to throw the ball better, and that’s exactly what the Tigers have done under first-year coordinator Cam Cameron. The days of loading up against LSU's running game and not worrying about the passing game are over. Mettenberger has 10 touchdown passes and only one interception. The receiving duo of Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham has been dynamite with 11 combined touchdowns, and then there’s also Jeremy Hill trucking everything in sight in the running game. This has the makings of Miles’ best and most explosive offense since he has been in Baton Rouge.

Biggest disappointment: Granted, the expectations were through the roof, but South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been a mere mortal in the Gamecocks’ first three games. He has been solid, but hasn’t been that consistent of a disruptive force so many people were anticipating to start his junior season. To be fair, he’s dealing with a foot injury that sounds like it will plague him for the rest of the season, and teams have done their best to run away from him and make him chase. Clowney still has two sacks, and at this point a year ago, he had only three and finished the season with 13. The Heisman Trophy chatter may have quieted, but you can bet that No. 7 won’t stay this quiet on the field all season.

Connor Shaw has seen this scenario play out for Georgia over the last two seasons. Now South Carolina's quarterback hopes his team can follow the Bulldogs' example.

Shaw's Gamecocks defeated Georgia in each of the last two seasons, only to see the Bulldogs go undefeated afterward and claim the SEC East title in both years despite head-to-head losses to South Carolina. So despite seeing his team's winning streak over Georgia end with last weekend's 41-30 loss in Athens, Shaw has seen first-hand that a good team with a manageable schedule is not out of it even after a loss in that key division showdown.

“It's frustrating, but the past two years we've beat them and they've gone on to play in Atlanta, so that's the mindset we have to have going forward,” Shaw said.

No. 13 South Carolina (1-1, 0-1 SEC) can still be the team that represents the East in the SEC championship game, but the Georgia loss means the Gamecocks likely don't have room for error against remaining conference opponents like Vanderbilt (1-1, 0-1), which visits Columbia on Saturday night.

Out of preseason Eastern Division favorites Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, it is the Gamecocks who enjoy the most reasonable conference schedule, with cross-divisional games against Arkansas and Mississippi State, while the Bulldogs must face LSU and Auburn and the Gators play LSU and Arkansas.

Georgia used such fortuitous scheduling -- missing Western Division powers Alabama, Arkansas and LSU in 2011 and facing Auburn and Ole Miss from the West last season -- to its advantage over the last two seasons and South Carolina hopes it can do the same. But beating a team like onetime SEC doormat Vanderbilt is the first task.

The Commodores have made big strides under Coach James Franklin, winning nine games last season for the first time since 1915 and finishing the season ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1948. One thing they haven't done in Franklin's two-plus seasons is knock off one of the East's three top teams. Franklin's teams have made Georgia, Florida and South Carolina sweat over the previous two seasons, but are 0-6 against them so far.

While he wouldn't admit it publicly at his weekly press conference on Monday, Franklin knows that Vanderbilt cannot consider itself as an equal to the division titans until it beats one of them.

“I think we've had some pretty dramatic [success] and some statement wins, program wins,” Franklin said. “Is it enough for the fans, is it enough for the media, is it enough for me and our players? No, we want more. But I'm not getting caught up in those things that other people find important.

“I'm very, very comfortable with the direction of the program, where we're going, how we're doing it, and that's really my focus. Nothing more than that.”

Vanderbilt gave South Carolina all it could handle last season before the Gamecocks rallied for a 17-13 win in Nashville. It was something of a coming-out party for Commodores receiver Jordan Matthews, who posted 147 yards and a touchdown en route to a 1,262-yard season.

He could enjoy similar opportunities against a South Carolina defense that showed unexpected vulnerability in surrendering 536 yards to Georgia last weekend.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier vowed earlier this week that changes were coming for the Gamecocks, although “I can't spill all the beans and tell you what we're going to try to do, but I will say we're going to try to be fundamentally sound. If we do that, we have a chance. If we don't, then we have no chance.”

For his part, Spurrier was not interested in buying into Shaw's line of logic. After voicing his disgust with the way the Gamecocks performed against Georgia, Spurrier said perhaps it would be smarter for his team to focus on smaller goals before worrying about making it to Atlanta in December.

“We're not a very good team right now,” Spurrier said. “We'd better work hard and get our stuff together or we don't have to worry about any kind of division or SEC championship. We're worried about going to a bowl game right now. That's what we need to worry about, winning seven games, eight games if we can. That's what we need to do, but we need to try to beat Vandy this week. That's what we need to worry about.

“We can let all the talk go to those other guys right now. When we have zero conference wins and the way we performed [against Georgia], it doesn't look real pretty for us unless we change our ways around here.”

The first week of college football is in the books, and it's time to see where we think all 14 SEC teams stack up in our weekly power rankings:

1. Alabama (1-0; LW: 1): OK, Alabama isn't perfect. Contrary to what AJ McCarron said, the offensive line looked ugly for most of the night in Alabama's win over Virginia Tech. It has to get better in a hurry. But when your defense and special teams are clicking like they were on Saturday, who needs offense?

2. South Carolina (1-0; LW: 4): Two players I've been saying to keep an eye on since the spring: Mike Davis and Shaq Roland. Both looked pretty good, especially Davis, in that opening win, and both will be fun to watch this weekend. The defensive front looked great, but can someone please give Jadeveon Clowney some vitamin C and an extra Gatorade?

3. LSU (1-0; LW: 6): Don't sleep on these Tigers. They're undervalued, but were very impressive in their 37-27 victory over a ranked TCU team in their own backyard. The defense still looks fast, and the offense racked up nearly 450 yards behind some explosive plays. The return of running back Jeremy Hill should make this team even better.

4. Texas A&M (1-0; LW: 2): Johnny Manziel looked good when he was actually playing football Saturday. He went through his progressions and didn't think "run" first. But his antics have to stop (just ask Kevin Sumlin), and that defense has to get much, much, MUCH better before Alabama rolls into town in two weeks.

5. Florida (1-0; LW: 5): It doesn't look like the Gators will miss much of a beat defensively after they suffocated Toledo and that uptempo offense. The offense? Well, it did look more polished and the passing game actually moved down the field, but the Gators were very vanilla. Expect that to change against Miami.

6. Georgia (0-1; LW: 3): We knew the defense would struggle against Clemson's high-octane offense, but the Bulldogs looked really bad in the tackling department. This group has to go back to the basics, and that isn't a good thing with physical South Carolina coming to town this weekend. Also, that offensive line has to protect Aaron Murray better because Todd Gurley can't do it all himself on offense.

7. Ole Miss (1-0; LW: 8): The future certainly looks bright in Oxford, Miss., but this program is hoping the present is just as bright. The Rebels kicked off the college football season with an electric, back-and-forth win over Vanderbilt. This offense looks built to go the distance, but depth is still a major concern. Health is key.

8. Vanderbilt (0-1; LW: 7): The Commodores lost a heartbreaker to the Rebels at home, but this team still looks as explosive as it was last year. The defense has some things to clean up, but defensive coordinator Bob Shoop should make sure that happens. Jordan Matthews has star status, but not having Chris Boyd on the other side of him hurts the offense.

9. Auburn (1-0; LW: 9): The Tigers had quite a fun opener. Both the offense and defense were up and down, but it had to be nice for Gus Malzahn to see his running game put up 295 yards on Washington State. The pass defense has some work to do and injuries won't help.

10. Missouri (1-0; LW: 11): The 58-point, 694-yard performance from the Tigers' offense looked more like what people in Columbia, Mo., expected to see more often last year. Granted, it was against Murray State, but that sort of outing will build some confidence within this group. It was good to see James Franklin and Henry Josey on the field and healthy again.

11. Arkansas (1-0; LW: 13): By looking at the box score, you'd think Bobby Petrino's offense was back in Fayetteville, Ark., after the Hogs put up 522 yards on Louisiana-Lafayette. The Hogs could run and pass, and the defense held the Ragin' Cajuns to just 274 yards. The Hogs still have a couple of cupcakes to face before things get interesting at Rutgers.

12. Tennessee (1-0; LW: 12): We really don't know what to take from Tennessee's thumping of a very overmatched Austin Peay team, but the Vols looked to have some real legs in the running game. How long that will last is a mystery, but it was a good start. Things get tougher this weekend when Western Kentucky and Bobby Petrino visit Rocky Top.

13. Mississippi State (0-1; LW: 10): That was a bad offensive performance by the Bulldogs in their 21-3 loss to Oklahoma State. Mississippi State was 2-for-16 on third downs and Tyler Russell threw for only 133 yards against a defense that ranked 113th nationally in pass defense last year. The Bulldogs held the Cowboys to just 146 passing yards, but allowed nearly 286 rushing yards.

14. Kentucky (0-1; LW: 14): That was not the opener Mark Stoops wanted or needed. The Wildcats looked overmatched against Western Kentucky and are still struggling mightily to find playmakers in the passing game. What had to really upset Stoops was that his defensive line, which was supposed to be this team's best unit, didn't get enough pressure up front and allowed the Hilltoppers to rush for more than 200 yards.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If this was any indication of what’s on the horizon this season in the SEC, we could be in for the football ride of our lives.

Then again, how does anything trump this gem of an opener?

Ole Miss won it, then seemingly lost it and somehow managed to win it again Thursday night in a 39-35 shootout over Vanderbilt that swung back and forth and featured a little bit of everything.

“It’s the wildest roller coaster I’ve ever been on,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said.

And an incredibly entertaining one.

It was college football at its finest. Unpredictable. Emotional. Captivating.

It’s why the season can’t start soon enough for college football fans. And while openers can sometimes be sloppy and mundane, we might look back four months from now and say this was one of the games of the year.

“If I wasn’t playing, this is a game I would have loved to have been at home watching,” said Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt, whose interception with 26 seconds to play finally sealed it for the Rebels.

But not before there were six touchdowns scored in the final 25 minutes of the game, three lead changes in the final nine minutes and an electrifying 75-yard touchdown run by Ole Miss’ Jeff Scott with 1:07 left, capping a 29-point second half by the Rebels.

Only two plays earlier, Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels had connected with a wide-open tight Steven Scheu on a 34-yard touchdown pass to give the Commodores a 35-32 lead.

And that wasn’t the best of it. Vanderbilt’s brilliant senior receiver, Jordan Matthews, managed to get behind double coverage on fourth-and-18 and haul in a 42-yard catch to set up Scheu’s touchdown, which came on a busted coverage. Matthews had courageously gone back into the game after absorbing a vicious hit over the middle a few plays earlier and throwing up on the field.

Earlier in the game, Matthews cramped up and had to go to the locker room to take some IV fluids. He said he threw up from having all the fluids on his stomach.

“That’s the kind of game it was. Nobody wanted to lose it,” said Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace, who rolled up 331 yards of total offense and carved the Commodores apart in the second half with several keepers on the zone read play.

The truth is that nobody deserved to lose it.

Ole Miss, which made a habit of losing games in the fourth quarter last season, fought back from a 21-10 halftime deficit.

But even with the Rebels scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions in the second half, the Commodores kept answering.

“The game is never won,” Vanderbilt coach James Franklin said. “They played for four quarters just like we played for four quarters [last year in a 27-26 win at Ole Miss]. I could name 15 plays that would have made a big difference.

“We had the lead, lost the lead, lost the momentum and gave up a big play to end the game.”

Both teams were hoping to build on the momentum they generated last season. The Commodores won nine games for the first time in nearly 100 years and were sporting the SEC’s longest active winning streak at seven straight games.

The Rebels, in Freeze’s first season, had gone from two wins to seven and capped their season with a top 5 recruiting class nationally.

“It was important that we started this season the right way,” Scott said. “The thing you see about this team is that we’re going to keep fighting no matter what. We learned some hard lessons last year.”

The Rebels also learned that their freshman class is for real. Receiver Laquon Treadwell caught everything and led the team with nine catches for 82 yards. Defensive end Robert Nkemdiche had several key stops. Safety Tony Conner had an interception, and offensive tackles Laremy Tunsil and Austin Golson both played extensively as the Rebels churned out 185 of their 206 rushing yards in the second half.

Granted, it was just one win, but it was a win the Rebels absolutely had to have when you look at what’s looming on their schedule. They play at Texas in two weeks, and after a bye travel to Alabama and Auburn in back-to-back weeks.

“This is just the first step in getting us where we want to be, but it’s a step we had to take,” Wallace said.

We can only hope the next few are just as entertaining.

Last year, it was Vanderbilt who rallied to beat Ole Miss in the final minutes. This year, the Rebels turned the table on the Commodores. With just more than a minute to go, Jeff Scott ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run to take back the lead, and Ole Miss hung on to win Thursday’s season opener, 39-35.


Vanderbilt thought it hit the knockout punch with 1:30 remaining when Austyn Carta-Samuels connected on a 34-yard touchdown pass with his tight end Steven Scheu. However, Scott answered just two plays later with the long touchdown run.

The heralded 2013 recruiting class for Ole Miss was on full display Thursday night with a number of newcomers making an impact. True freshman wide receiver Laquon Treadwell had nine catches for 82 yards, and Robert Nkemdiche, the nation’s No. 1 recruit a year ago, was disruptive all night for the Rebels.

It was over when: Cody Prewitt intercepted Carta-Samuels in the final minute of the game. Vandy wide receiver Jordan Matthews had a gutsy performance, finishing with 10 catches for 178 yards and a touchdown, but the ball deflected off his hands and went right to Prewitt.

Game ball goes to: Both Scott and Treadwell deserve recognition, but the player of the game for Ole Miss was quarterback Bo Wallace. Coming off clavicle surgery in the offseason, Wallace finished 31-of-47 for 283 yards through the air, and he also rushed for 48 yards and two scores.

Stat of the game: Outside of a lull in the second quarter, the Ole Miss offense looked good all night. More importantly, the Rebels didn’t turn the ball over once. Last year, they were in the bottom half of college football in that category, turning the ball over 29 times.

What it means for Vanderbilt: It’s a crushing loss for the Commodores to open the season, but more importantly, they have to make sure Matthews is healthy going forward. He took a big hit late in the game and was throwing up on the field. He came back to make a crucial catch on that same drive, but there’s a chance he sits out the next game.

What it means for Ole Miss: Believe in the hype. The Rebels finished 7-6 a year ago, the first year under head coach Hugh Freeze, and it looks like they’re ready to take the next step this season. They got a lot of key contributions from freshmen, and Wallace made plays when he needed to.

There are always a couple of players on each football team that you just can't replace. Most of the time they are quarterbacks, but every so often someone else emerges as that indispensable player teams just can't live without.

Today, we're looking at those players. It's easy to talk quarterbacks being the most important people on a team, so we decided to look at the most indispensable players on each SEC school who aren't lining up under center.

Here's our list for the 2013 season:

ALABAMA

C.J. Mosley, LB, Sr.

Nothing about C.J. Mosley's game fits the typical Alabama mold. He's rarely the biggest or the strongest player on the field. Next to Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower, he looked like a safety. But Mosley's sideline-to-sideline speed is outstanding, and in a league that continues to feature mobile quarterbacks that trait is invaluable. Last season Mosley became the first Alabama defender to break the 100-tackle mark since Rolando McClain, and he did it while splitting time. Now that the job is all his, it's up to Mosley to do even more in terms of production and leadership. -- Alex Scarborough, TideNation

ARKANSAS

Travis Swanson, C, Sr.

The 6-foot-5, 314-pound Swanson has started all 38 games of his career and was a second-team All-SEC selection last year. He has blocked for three 3,000-yard passers and will be an integral part of the Razorbacks this year as well, as they move to a more run-oriented attack under new coach Bret Bielema. The new head coach has been quoted as saying Swanson is the "best center in college football." That's high praise from a coach who has seen plenty of talented offensive linemen over the years. -- Sam Khan, GigEmNation

AUBURN

Reese Dismukes, C, Jr.

All eyes will be on first-year starting quarterback Nick Marshall, and although Auburn has plenty of skill players for him to utilize, the most important player will be the one who is snapping him the football. In his first two seasons on The Plains, Dismukes has started all but two games at center. He’s become a mainstay on the offensive line and was a constant even through all of the turmoil a year ago. He’ll be counted on again this year to serve as the rock for Marshall and the entire offense. -- Greg Ostendorf, TideNation

FLORIDA

Matt Jones, RB, So.

This is bad news for the Gators because they may very well be without Jones for the season opener against Toledo -- and possibly beyond -- because he has not yet been cleared to return to the field (viral infection). The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Jones is a bruising runner who was a perfect fit for the Gators’ between-the-tackles running game. He is UF’s best offensive player and his top backup is Mack Brown, who has just 40 carries in three seasons. -- Mike DiRocco, GatorNation

GEORGIA

Damian Swann, CB, Jr.

The first name that comes to mind is Todd Gurley, who will surely rank among the nation’s top tailbacks. But Georgia’s ship probably wouldn’t sink if it relied on Keith Marshall to carry the running game. Perhaps Georgia’s most indispensable player is on defense. Cornerback Damian Swann -- who led the team with four interceptions last year -- is the only returning starter in the secondary and is one of the young defense’s clear leaders. -- David Ching, DawgNation

KENTUCKY

Alivn "Bud" Dupree, DE, Jr.

It will be interesting to see how Dupree transitions from linebacker to end this fall, but regardless of position, he’s the best player on this UK defense. And there’s no doubt it will be a defense that new head coach Mark Stoops will count on to keep them in games. As a sophomore, Dupree emerged as one of the SEC’s top pass-rushers, finishing with 91 tackles and seven sacks. This fall, he’ll also serve as a mentor to newcomers Za'Darius Smith, a junior college transfer, and Jason Hatcher. -- Greg Ostendorf, TideNation

LSU

Anthony Johnson, DT, Jr.

With a rebuilt defensive line, Johnson has become arguably the Tigers' most important player outside of quarterback Zach Mettenberger. He's strong, big, athletic, fast and ready to live up to his full potential as "The Freak." He'll anchor LSU's defensive line. Without him, the Tigers have a gaping hole in their relatively younger defense. Johnson is the team's best run stopper, but also has the ability to rush the passer and make plays outside of the box. -- Edward Aschoff

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Gabe Jackson, OG, Sr.

The Bulldogs have a lot to replace in the receiving game, but if the offensive line doesn't come together, the offense will be in trouble. Jackson is the heart and soul of Mississippi State's offensive line and without him, the Bulldogs could have big problems up front this fall. He's an NFL prospect and is great pushing the run and protecting the pass. Losing him would greatly set this unit back. -- Edward Aschoff

MISSOURI

Evan Boehm, C, So.

The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Boehm is the Tigers’ best offensive lineman despite being only a sophomore. He moved from guard in the spring and struggled a bit with the transition, but is settling into the position. Boehm was the only lineman who didn’t miss a game last season and those injuries played havoc with the offense. Missouri has the offensive weapons to score points, but the line has to be better and stay healthy. That begins with Boehm. -- Mike DiRocco, GatorNation

OLE MISS

Donte Moncrief, WR, Jr.

The Rebels have some depth at receiver, even with Vince Sanders going down this preseason with a broken collarbone. But they don’t have anybody quite like Moncrief, who caught 10 touchdown passes last season and opens up the field for everybody else. He takes plays that should go for minimal gains and turns them into touchdowns, and he wins one-on-one battles with cornerbacks even when the ball isn’t thrown perfectly. Defenses have to play the Rebels differently when Moncrief’s on the field. -- Chris Low

SOUTH CAROLINA

Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Jr.

Clowney is easily the best defensive player in the country and he might be the nation's best overall player, regardless of position. He has incredible measurables, elite speed and athleticism, and is stronger than an ox. Without him, South Carolina's new-look defense would take a major hit in 2013. He's the motor that makes that defense run and is the main reason why the Gamecocks have the SEC's best defensive line. His mere presence on the field makes teams change their game plans. -- Edward Aschoff

TENNESSEE

Antonio Richardson, OT, Jr.

Call him "Tiny" at your own peril. Tennessee's Antonio Richardson is anything but small. The 6-foot-6, 327-pound offensive tackle is a mountain of a man, and the Vols will need every bit of protection they can get when they find their quarterback of the future. If Richardson can help relieve the pressure on the passing game and help open up holes in the running game it would go a long way in helping an offense in transition under new coach Butch Jones. -- Alex Scarborough, TideNation

TEXAS A&M

Jake Matthews, OT, Sr.

When looking at non-quarterbacks, the guy who protects the quarterback's blind side is of utmost importance. Last season, Luke Joeckel had a stellar season in that role while Matthews was anchoring the right side of the line. This year, Matthews, son of NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, slides to left tackle. There's no reason to believe Matthews will miss a beat and he has the look of a high first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Kevin Sumlin calls Matthews a classic "low maintenance, great player." -- Sam Khan, GigEmNation

VANDERBILT

Jordan Matthews, WR, Sr.

Coming off the best season by a Vanderbilt receiver (94 catches, 1,323 yards, 8 TDs), Jordan Matthews is the clear pick. Chris Boyd will also produce big numbers, but it’s unusual for a Commodore to claim the SEC’s career lead in a top statistical category. Matthews can do that in receptions (he has 150, needs 86 to tie Vandy’s Earl Bennett’s record) and receiving yards (has 2,290, needs 803 to tie Georgia’s Terrence Edwards) if he duplicates last season’s numbers. -- David Ching, DawgNation

Sticking to our offensive theme this week, we’ll rank the top receiving corps in the SEC today, and we’ll take into consideration both wide receivers and tight ends.

1. Alabama: This is the deepest and most talented group of pass-catchers the Crimson Tide have had under Nick Saban and maybe ever. Amari Cooper is the headliner and should be scary good his second time through the league, but a couple of newcomers -- redshirt freshman receiver Chris Black and true freshman tight end O.J. Howard -- will both make big impacts. There’s also Kevin Norwood, Kenny Bell, Christion Jones and DeAndrew White. Think AJ McCarron is pumped about this season?

2. Georgia: If not for Alabama’s wealth of talent, Georgia would be an easy choice for the No. 1 spot. Malcolm Mitchell is one of the best big-play receivers in the league, and don’t forget about Michael Bennett. He was off to a great start last season before his knee injury. Rantavious Wooten and Chris Conley are both proven threats and only add to the Bulldogs’ depth. The tight end tandem of Arthur Lynch and Jay Rome ranks right up there with anybody’s in the league. Aaron Murray will have lots of options this season.

3. Vanderbilt: Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd formed the SEC’s most productive receiving duo last season, and they’re both back for more in 2013. Between them, they averaged 161.3 receiving yards per game and combined for 13 touchdown catches. Senior Jonathan Krause is also back, and incoming freshman Jordan Cunningham could provide an immediate boost. Kris Kentera is a polished pass-catching tight end, and there’s always a chance that versatile Josh Grady could still get some snaps at receiver despite working at quarterback in the spring.

4. Ole Miss: All nine wide receivers who lettered for the Rebels last season are back, and it gets even better when you consider that one of those guys is as talented as Donte Moncrief. He’s 6-foot-3, 220 pounds-plus and has 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons. Ja-Mes Logan and Vince Sanders combined to catch more than 80 passes last season and are also back, while Korvic Neat returns in the slot. More talent is on the way, too. Freshman Laquon Treadwell was ranked by ESPN as the No. 2 receiver in the country last year.

5. Texas A&M: Even with Ryan Swope’s departure, the Aggies will again be loaded with guys who can make plays in the passing game. It starts with 6-5, 225-pound sophomore Mike Evans, who caught 82 passes for 1,105 yards last season. Junior Malcome Kennedy is also back, and he had the big touchdown catch against Alabama. Freshmen Ricky Seals-Jones, Ja’Quay Williams and LaQuivionte Gonzalez will all be worth watching, and junior college tight end Cameron Clear is a 270-pound target who can run and get open down the middle.

6. LSU: It’s true that LSU’s passing game was spotty last season, but juniors Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. are both back and form what should be a productive combo. Landry is one of those guys who makes the tough catches, while Beckham averaged 16.6 yards per catch. It’s an experienced group as well. Seniors Kadron Boone and James Wright return, and junior college newcomer Logan Stokes should add a different dimension at tight end. Look for Cam Cameron to use the tight ends more in this offense.

7. Missouri: Too much was probably expected of Dorial Green-Beckham in his freshman season, but he still led the team with five touchdown catches. Don’t be surprised if he emerges this season as one of the most dangerous playmakers in the league. He’s that talented. Marcus Lucas led Missouri in catches last season, and he also returns along with L’Damian Washington. Those three combined for 10 of the Tigers’ 15 touchdown catches last season, and all three go 6-foot-4 or taller. Talk about matchup problems.

8. Auburn: Given how poorly Auburn threw the ball last season, the Tigers being ranked this highly may surprise some people. But Sammie Coates and Ricardo Louis are both primed for breakout seasons. Quan Bray should also excel in Gus Malzahn’s system, while junior Jaylon Denson came out of nowhere this spring to be the most consistent of the bunch. Maybe this is the year Trovon Reed stays healthy, too. Throw in tight ends C.J. Uzomah and Brandon Fulse, and this should be a very solid group.

9. Arkansas: Cobi Hamilton was the heartbeat of the Hogs’ offense last season, and he’s gone. So is talented tight end Chris Gragg, who battled injuries a year ago. New offensive coordinator Jim Chaney does inherit some experience with seniors Demetrius Wilson, Javontee Herndon and Julian Horton. Sophomore Mekale McKay (6-foot-6, 195) also showed some flashes last season as a freshman. At tight end, incoming freshman Hunter Henry is a terrific looking prospect and should contribute immediately.

10. South Carolina: Losing Ace Sanders early to the NFL draft was a bummer, especially with everything he could do. But Bruce Ellington is back and should be even better after leading the team with 600 receiving yards last season. The Gamecocks also have one of the best tight end tandems in the league with Rory Anderson and Jerell Adams, but the X factor is sophomore receiver Shaq Roland. He made big strides this spring and looks like he could be one of the most improved players on the team.

11. Florida: There’s no reason the Gators should be this low, but they've struggled at the receiver position the past couple of seasons. The talk of spring practice was true freshman Demarcus Robinson, who was an early enrollee and made several highlight reel catches. The key will be consistency -- for everybody. The Gators really need veterans Andre Debose and Quinton Dunbar to step up this season, and cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy could be on loan from defense. Purifoy is a game-changing athlete, and Will Muschamp wants to use him some on offense.

12. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs lost three senior starters, including Chad Bumphis, who led the SEC with 12 touchdown catches. This is a big season for junior Robert Johnson, who has the size and skills to be a feature receiver, and the Bulldogs are also looking for 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior Joe Morrow to put it all together. Malcolm Johnson has the makings of an excellent pass-catching tight end. Talented true freshman Fred Ross is the newcomer to watch along with junior college transfer Jeremy Chappelle.

13. Kentucky: This is a position where the Wildcats will definitely need help from newcomers. New offensive coordinator Neal Brown wants to throw the ball, and the three leading returning receivers -- Demarco Robinson, Daryl Collins and A.J. Legree -- combined for no touchdown catches last season. With DeMarcus Sweat transferring out, junior college transfer Javess Blue and freshman Ryan Timmons will almost certainly have to play this season.

14. Tennessee: The Vols were depleted at receiver when Cordarrelle Patterson, Justin Hunter and Zach Rogers took their combined 21 touchdown catches and headed to the NFL. Also gone is tight end Mychal Rivera. Nobody really separated himself as the go-to receiver in the spring, which means much will be expected of heralded incoming freshman MarQuez North. The Vols also need redshirt freshman Jason Croom to come back strong from shoulder surgery and Pig Howard to have a big sophomore season.

Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews will be in reach of a couple of different SEC receiving marks in 2013.

He needs 804 receiving yards to break the career record held by Georgia’s Terrence Edwards, who racked up 3,093 yards from 1999-2002. Matthews can also break the career receptions record if he catches 87 passes next season. That record was set by Vanderbilt’s Earl Bennett, who caught 236 passes from 2005-07.

Matthews, who produced one of the finest seasons ever a year ago by a Vanderbilt receiver, is fully aware that those records are out there. But he’s not chasing them.

He’s chasing a lot more than records.

“My goal is to go out and win an SEC championship and a national championship and be a pivotal part of that happening,” said Matthews, who caught 94 passes for 1,323 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

“That’s the legacy I want to leave.”

Even with his huge season a year ago and the Commodores winning nine games for the first time in nearly a century, Matthews was convinced there was more to accomplish. He considered making himself available for the NFL draft, but kept arriving at the same conclusion.

The best was yet to come at Vanderbilt.

“I’m fully committed to going 1-0 every week and getting this Vanderbilt program where we all know it can be,” Matthews said. “The only thing I see is what’s in front of me.”

Matthews’ razor-sharp focus is one of his best traits, not to mention his 6-3, 205-pound frame, massive hands and the ability to go up and over just about any defensive back and get the football.

“Even when he’s not open, he’s the kind of receiver who’s going to find a way to go make the play,” Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels said.

But, then, Matthews has always found a way.

He went to high school in Madison, Ala., and barely got a sniff from college recruiters. Matthews admits he didn’t know much about the recruiting process at the time. He went on a mission trip to Africa in June prior to his senior year of high school and didn’t attend any camps until later that summer.

“I was the first player to go to a Division I school from my high school (Madison Academy),” Matthews said. “Head coaches were hesitant to pull the trigger.”

Matthews, who had 13 touchdown catches his senior year of high school, sent out his game tapes and did his best to market himself. But there weren’t a lot of takers.

In fact, there were none.

“My senior season ended, and I’m standing there on the field with no state championship ring and no scholarship offers,” he said. “Not even Alabama A&M offered me. Troy didn’t. Jackson State didn’t. None of those schools did.”

Matthews said Vanderbilt had been recruiting him all along, but had talked about the possibility of his grayshirting and delaying enrollment until that next January.

“My mom wasn’t crazy about me hanging around in the fall and not being in college,” Matthews said.

The Commodores were only going to take four receivers in that class. But right before Christmas, one of them de-committed.

“Coach (Bobby) Johnson called me on Christmas Eve, and I committed on Christmas Day,” Matthews said. “I just hung in there and waited by the phone.”

It’s a Christmas gift that keeps on giving for the Commodores, and that whole experience only made Matthews that much more determined.

“My mom would always say that it was a blessing in disguise,” Matthews said. “Look at the way it’s turned out, to be here at a great school like Vanderbilt and a part of what coach (James) Franklin is building here.

“But I can tell you that I still play with a chip on my shoulder, and that chip has helped drive me to where I am. I don’t plan on letting up any time soon.”

Matthews was a first-team All-SEC selection last season. His 94 catches were the second most ever by an SEC player in a season, and he’s a lock to be on the preseason Biletnikoff Award lists.

Where does he rank among the best returning receivers in college football in 2013?

Matthews offers a confident shrug.

“I’m used to being overlooked,” he said. “When you go through that for so long, you end up being immune to it and don’t care. To be honest, I can play with any receiver, so I’m not worried about that.

“People say statistics don’t lie. What doesn’t lie are wins and losses. That trumps any argument. You can’t argue with championships.

“That’s what I’m worried about.”

And just like that, we're done with the 2012 SEC player rankings.

Johnny Manziel appropriately capped things off in our countdown to No. 1, so it's time to take a closer look at how things played out in our rankings. Remember, we could only put 25 players on our list. I wasn't a math major, but I'm pretty sure you can't squeeze 30 players into a list made up of 25. Trust me, we wanted to, but we just couldn't figure out a way to do it.

When ranking players, we looked at stats, progress through the season, impact, and importance to their team on and off the field.

Some very good players were left off the list ... but we'll get to that later. For now, let's see a breakdown of our countdown:

TEAMS

Alabama: 7
Georgia: 4
Texas A&M: 4
Florida: 3
LSU: 2
Mississippi State: 1
Missouri: 1
South Carolina: 1
Tennessee: 1
Vanderbilt: 1

A lot of readers displayed their disapproval of all those Alabama players who made it. I believe some even referred to it as a "love fest" with the Crimson Tide. Well, look at the seasons those players had and that team had. Look at where some of the Alabama players on our list are ranked in mock drafts. Six Alabama players were All-Americans. It's hard to leave any of those players off.

Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky and Ole Miss were the only schools without any representatives. Now, there certainly were deserving players on each of those teams, but, again, space was limited.

The biggest complaint from readers dealt with us not having Arkansas wide receiver Cobi Hamilton on our list. He was in our first couple of drafts, but when the final list came out, we decided to go with Vanderbilt's Jordan Matthews. Yes, Hamilton had 12 more receiving yards than Matthews to lead the SEC, but Matthews finished with three more touchdowns, had 130 more receiving yards in conference play, led the SEC with seven 100-yard receiving performances and grabbed five touchdowns in SEC play compared to Hamilton's one.

We also felt Matthews meant more to his team last fall. Someone had to be left off, and this was by far the toughest decision we had when it came to cutting players. As for the other receivers, Amari Cooper was arguably the SEC's best wide receiver during the final stretch of the season, and Cordarrelle Patterson was the most versatile receiver out there and led the league in all-purpose yards.

POSITION

LB: 4
OL: 4
DE: 3
QB: 3
RB: 3
WR: 3
CB: 2
DT: 2
S: 1

Offense: 13
Defense: 12

No surprise that our list featured a heavy number of big fellas. Some of the top offensive linemen in this year's NFL draft hail from the SEC, and two of NFL draft guru Mel Kiper's top linebackers are SEC players. We also had five defensive linemen. In the quintessential line-of-scrimmage league, we had nine big uglies on our list, showing yet again how important it is to control things up front in the SEC.

Also, it was nice to see the quarterbacks return to real relevancy in the SEC this season. Manziel led the countdown and was the nation's best player, and Alabama's AJ McCarron and Georgia's Aaron Murray were the nation's most efficient quarterbacks, combining for 66 touchdown passes last fall.

We'll take one last look at our top 25 later today when we check out the players who just missed the cut, so stay tuned.

The recruiting train at Vanderbilt kept chugging along Wednesday morning. Entering the day with a top-25 recruiting class, James Franklin added to it with a commitment from ESPN 150 wide receiver Jordan Cunningham (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./University School of Nova South), who picked the Commodores live on ESPNU.

Cunningham ranks as the No. 13 receiver nationally and 107th prospect overall. He's currently the only ESPN 150 member in Vandy's 2013 class, and has a chance to make an impact for the Commodores this fall. Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd are returning, but Cunningham is a special talent, and the coaches will try to figure out a way to get him on the field.

You can never have too many playmakers in this conference, and to go into south Florida and nab a guy like Cunningham is a major win for Franklin and his coaches.

Here's a little portion of his ESPN scouting report:

"Cunningham is deceptive in everything he does. It's tough to gauge his ability to run by you. He has a long, lanky, wiry frame with layered muscle and room to add significant bulk and upper body strength. Speed is sneaky and more than adequate, but he may not be a true burner. Size/speed/body control combo make for legit vertical threat. He displays very good surge off the line and has quick feet to reach top speed quickly, especially given his size. Size and burst make for an imposing figure off the line."

Now that the bowl season is over, it's time to take a look back at what we learned in the SEC during the postseason:

1. It really is Alabama's world: For the second straight year and for the third time in four years, Alabama took home college football's crystal hardware. After the first 15 minutes of the Discover BCS National Championship, it didn't even look like No. 1 Notre Dame deserved to be on the same field as the Crimson Tide. Alabama wore down the Irish defense in the first half, and its defense tormented Notre Dame's offense for about 90 percent of Monday night's game. Nick Saban didn't have his most talented team, but he had his squad way more prepared than Brian Kelly did. Saban's way of making sure his players approach every game the same way proved to be excellent again. Notre Dame was completely overmatched, and with the talent coming back in 2013, Alabama should again be the favorite to win it all. Three-peat?

2. The SEC's dominance is still being challenged: Even though Alabama brought home the SEC's seventh straight BCS title, the SEC's perception is still being challenged. Social media has been buzzing with chants of "overrated" directed toward the SEC because Mississippi State, LSU and Florida all fell flat in their bowl games. Mississippi State lost by 14 to Northwestern, LSU lost to Clemson on a last-second field goal and Florida was run ragged by Louisville in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Heading into bowl season, Florida and LSU weren't expected to lose, but they got away from their ground games and paid for it dearly. Still, the SEC went 6-3 (.667) in bowl games, including Texas A&M's 41-13 rout of Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, and Georgia and South Carolina downing Big Ten teams. Only the WAC (2-0) and C-USA (4-1) had better winning percentages, and neither had nearly as many bowl teams. So is the SEC down? Well, while the SEC took a couple of bad losses in bowl season, seven teams finished the year in the Associated Press Top 25, including five in the top 10. The Big Ten and Big 12 had losing bowl records, the Pac-12 went 4-4 and the ACC was 4-2. So, if the SEC is overrated, what are the other conferences?

3. Florida's offensive issues are still a major problem: All season, we wondered what we'd see from Florida's offense. However, for 11 games, even if the offense came up short, the Gators found ways to win. Against Louisville, the Gators went in reverse and never got right again. Jeff Driskel threw a pick-six on the first possession, and the offense imploded from there. Mike Gillislee, who was easily Florida's best offensive weapon, carried the ball just nine times. The Gators panicked, but when they had to pass, they couldn't.

This has to be a major concern for the Gators going forward, because Gillislee is graduating and tight end Jordan Reed declared for the NFL draft. Driskel has to find some major help in the passing game this spring/summer, or Florida's offense will get pummeled again. Driskel's health is now a major concern because backup Jacoby Brissett is transferring, leaving the Gators with no experience behind Driskel.

4. More eyes will be on Ole Miss ... and Vanderbilt: Before the season, no one gave Ole Miss a chance at the postseason -- or even five wins -- but the Rebels went out and had a tremendous first year under Hugh Freeze. If not for a couple of horrendous second halves, the Rebels might have won eight games during the regular season. After a dominating performance in their BBVA Compass Bowl win against Pittsburgh, the Rebels could be looking at a spot in preseason Top 25 polls. Most of this team, including what could be a stellar recruiting class, will be in Oxford next fall, so expectations will be much higher.

The same can be said about James Franklin's Vanderbilt Commodores. After a historic nine-win season that ended with a commanding bowl win over NC State, the Commodores will be expected to keep up this act after being even better in Year 2 of the Franklin era. Vandy will lose some talent up front defensively, and Jordan Rodgers and Zac Stacy will be gone, but a host of playmakers will return, including receivers Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd.

5. Johnny Football's legend just keeps growing: After Texas A&M lost offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to Texas Tech, Johnny Manziel's field maturity was really going to be judged in the AT&T Cotton Bowl against the Sooners. Well, all he did without one of his best mentors was set a bowl record for total yards (516) in the Aggies' rout inside Jerry's World. Manziel zigged and zagged as though Kingsbury was feeding him info through an earpiece. People don't understand how much Kingsbury helped Manziel with his composure during games, but Manziel did just fine without him. It shows how much he's grown during his Heisman year. Things will be different next season with some key players also missing on offense, but to see Manziel play like that without Kingsbury has to be very encouraging for Kevin Sumlin and the rest of the Aggies' coaching staff.

Well, Nick Saban and his gang of future NFL ballers proved to us once again that it is indeed Alabama's world, after claiming their second consecutive national title and third in four years Monday night. That ringing in your ears is just the sound of "Roll Tide" being repeated over and over in your head. I've learned there's nothing we can do about it.

But will 2013 bring college football a team that can really stop the Tide? I mean, REALLY stop Alabama from winning a third straight national championship? Well, ESPN's Mark Schlabach seems to believe that the road to Pasadena is paved in crimson and white, as he has Alabama No. 1 in his Way-Too-Early-Top 25 for 2013.

It's hard to blame him at this point. Sure, Alabama's offensive line won't be nearly as good with Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack leaving. And it will take even more of a hit if/when D.J. Fluker decides to turn pro. But with quarterback AJ McCarron, running back T.J. Yeldon (we're assuming Eddie Lacy and his sweet spin move are headed to the NFL), wide receiver Amari Cooper and a host of studs on the defense returning, Alabama will again be the team to beat.

Oh, and a not-so-tretcherous schedule won't hurt the Tide's chances either.

But there are some quality teams in the SEC that will fight to dethrone Alabama, and Schlabach has four in his top 10. Texas A&M, which returns the Heisman-winning Johnny Football, ranks fifth, Georgia is sixth, South Carolina is seventh and Florida is 10th. The thing about all those teams is that they all return their starting quarterbacks, with Georgia's Aaron Murray being one of the best in the country alongside Johnny Manziel.

South Carolina will be one of the more balanced teams in the SEC next fall, and if Florida can actually find a passing game in 2013, watch out because that defense will still be fierce, even with a few junior defections.

LSU, checking in at No. 13, is the only other SEC team in Schlabach's top 25. The Tigers are expected to have a better offense, especially with Zach Mettenberger finally finding his comfort zone under center, but a poor offensive showing in the Chick-fil-A Bowl defeat to Clemson and the loss of junior running backs Michael Ford and Spencer Ware create an uneasy feeling around the offense. Plus, the defense just took a beating as a result of juniors departing for the NFL, especially up front. All-American punter Brad Wing also left.

The good news for LSU is that running back Jeremy Hill is returning, and he'll only be a sophomore.

It's a good list to start off with, but where in the world is Vanderbilt? The Commodores are coming off of a historic season in Nashville. There were nine wins that included a bowl victory, five conference wins and a seven-game winning streak. The quarterback and running back spots might be up for grabs, but Jordan Matthews is coming back, along with fellow receiver Chris Boyd. And most of the rest of the offense remains intact.

The defense will lose a lot up front, but linebacker Archibald Barnes and cornerback Trey Wilson are the only other significant losses.

There was room for Vandy in there somewhere ...

Vanderbilt’s recruiting under James Franklin is rolling right along following the Commodores’ first nine-win season in nearly a century. But their biggest recruit may be the player they’re keeping.

Junior receiver Jordan Matthews, who led the SEC this season with 94 catches, said Sunday he will return for his senior season.

“I’m happy to get this behind me and excited about the decision I made,” said Matthews, a consensus first-team All-SEC selection. “I’m just ready to get back to work with my team. We have the longest winning streak in the SEC [seven games] and plan on keeping it that way and keeping this thing going.”

The 6-3, 205-pound Matthews developed into one of the most productive receivers in the country this season. He set a school record with 1,323 receiving yards and also caught eight touchdown passes. He posted seven games of at least 100 receiving yards, which was also a school record. Five of the 100-yard performances came against SEC defenses.

Several more records will be within reach for Matthews next season, but his decision to return has more to do with the Vanderbilt program and his teammates than it does him.

"The chance to get a world-class education here at Vanderbilt was a big factor. You can't get an education like this anywhere else," Matthews said. "But at the end of the day, I wanted to come back and spend time with my family, my teammates. I love playing with these guys, and there's still a lot we want to do."

Matthews said spending another season under the tutelage of Franklin and Vanderbilt receivers coach Josh Gattis was also too good to pass up.

"Everybody raves about coach Franklin's recruiting, and he's a great recruiter," Matthews said. "But once he gets the players here, he makes them better. Look at what he's done for my career. I feel like I have the best receivers coaches in the country when you add in coach Franklin and coach (Josh) Gattis."

Matthews, who will be one of the leading candidates for the Biletnikoff Award next season, is well aware that the Commodores won't sneak up on anybody in 2013. He said that's all a part of taking this program to even greater heights.

"We're just trying to go 1-0 each week," Matthews said. "Those same teams that will be circling us on their calendars next season, we'll be circling them, too. We always play with a chip on our shoulder, and we always play for each other. That's just going to continue."

Here’s a quick look back at Vanderbilt’s 38-24 win over NC State in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl:

It was over when: On fourth-and-14 with just over five minutes left in the game, Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers made the best throw of the day and extended what would be the game-clinching scoring drive. His 14-yard pass to Jordan Matthews set Vandy up on NC State’s 20-yard line, and Rodgers scored three plays later to give Vandy a 38-17 lead.

Gameball goes to: Vanderbilt’s defense. The opportunistic Commodores forced five turnovers. (It could have been six, but NC State recovered one of its fumbles.) Vandy had three interceptions, and forced two fumbles -- quite a stat line considering the Commodores entered the game with just 13 takeaways all season. Vandy also held NC State to just 41 yards rushing and had three sacks.

Stat of the game: Five turnovers. NC State turned the ball over four times in the first half. The Pack had two fumbles and also two interceptions by quarterback Mike Glennon, leading to a 28-14 halftime lead for Vanderbilt. A fumble in the second quarter led to Vandy’s 14-0 lead, and an interception later in the half led to another Vandy touchdown. An interception by Glennon to start the second half led to a Vanderbilt field goal and a 31-14 lead.

Unsung hero: Rodgers. Even with the five turnovers, NC State still had a chance in the fourth quarter to make it a two-possession ballgame -- until Rodgers made that clutch throw on fourth down. He finished with 108 yards passing, but also accounted for one rushing and one passing touchdown.

What NC State learned: First-year coach Dave Doeren has a lot of work to do in his first season. The Wolfpack were outplayed in all three phases of the game, and recruiting will obviously be a priority. NC State went 0-2 against the SEC this year, including a loss to a 5-7 Tennessee team in the season opener. The Tom O'Brien era is officially over, as interim coach and former offensive coordinator Dana Bible's career at NC State came to an end.

What Vanderbilt learned: The program has reached another milestone. The Music City Bowl win equaled the team’s single-season record of nine victories, set in 1904 and matched in 1915. Vandy extended its winning streak to seven games, the program’s longest in three decades.

What it means: Vandy is no longer a pushover and one of the few SEC teams the ACC can actually beat. The SEC continues its stranglehold on the ACC. The ACC dropped to 1-2 in its bowl games.