ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Alabama has insisted on making things interesting the last two games, but there's something to be said for getting it done when you have to. And the Crimson Tide have gotten it done for seven straight games now. They remain the SEC's only unbeaten team, not to mention the league's most physical team. They're also No. 1 again this week in the latest SEC power rankings:

1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide will be shorthanded this week without Terrence Cody, their 360-pound nose tackle who hurt his right knee last week against Ole Miss. Great teams have to overcome injuries, and this is the first significant injury Alabama has had this season. They played without left tackle Andre Smith in the Tulane game, but Cody is the centerpiece of their defense.

2. Florida: The Gators had a week off, which was good timing for running back Chris Rainey. He injured his shoulder in the LSU game, and Florida was just starting to get all of its offensive weapons going. The Gators face Kentucky at home this weekend before heading to Jacksonville on Nov. 1 for the showdown with Georgia.

3. Georgia: The Georgia fans haven't been enamored with the way the Bulldogs have been winning, but they are winning. That's all that matters at this point. Georgia now has to prove it can win away from home. The Bulldogs don't play another SEC game at Sanford Stadium the rest of the way, beginning with the trip to LSU this coming Saturday.

4. LSU: There's nothing like the heart of a champion. The defending national champion Tigers showed their heart and their toughness in the second half last Saturday in rallying past South Carolina on the road for a 24-17 victory. Their defense resembled the Tigers' defense of old, and quarterback Jarrett Lee came through with some key throws. The Tigers get their next two big games at home -- Saturday against Georgia and Nov. 8 against Alabama.

5. Vanderbilt: The Commodores dropped their second straight game, but they were right there in the fourth quarter with a chance to win at Georgia. They step outside the SEC this coming weekend at home against Duke with a chance to get their sixth win and become bowl eligible. Even though the offense is struggling, this is still a team that has what it takes to win seven or eight games.

6. South Carolina: It's been the story of South Carolina's football existence. The Gamecocks get close, knock on that door, but can't quite break through. They had LSU on the ropes last Saturday night at home, led at the half, but couldn't finish the job. They're off this coming weekend and then they dive into a final stretch that will define their season, beginning with Tennessee at home on Nov. 1.

7. Kentucky: Mike Hartline and Randall Cobb just may have saved the Wildcats' season. There's no telling where this team would have gone had it lost for the third straight week, especially to old nemesis Bobby Petrino. Hartline and Cobb hooked up for a pair of late touchdown passes to rally the Wildcats from a two-touchdown deficit in a thrilling 21-21 win over Arkansas.

8. Ole Miss: All four of the Rebels' losses this season have been by a touchdown or less, and they've had their chances in the fourth quarter to win all four. They showed some grit in fighting back from a 24-3 hole last weekend against Alabama, but were again hurt by their own mistakes. Get ready for some more drama this week. Houston Nutt heads back to Arkansas.

9. Auburn: Tommy Tuberville promised there would be significant changes in the offense. The Auburn fans can only hope. The Tigers had last week to try and find something offensively that worked for them. Kodi Burns moves in at quarterback, and they try to end a two-game losing streak on Thursday night at West Virginia. This is a pivotal game for Auburn. A loss in Morgantown, and the Tigers are looking at long odds of finishing with a winning season after starting the year ranked in the Top 10.

10. Tennessee: The Vols move out of the bottom spot this week after pulling away from Mississippi State in the fourth quarter for a 34-3 win. This is still a hard team to watch play offensively, but the defense continues to play at a high level. Phillip Fulmer may need to beat Alabama this Saturday to save his job. Wonder if his athletic director, Mike Hamilton, is going to give another long interview this week talking about the scenarios for firing Fulmer?

11. Arkansas: Just a crushing loss for the Razorbacks last week. They were on the verge of winning their second straight, clearly showing the kind of improvement Bobby Petrino had talked about. They just forgot to finish the job and blew a 13-point lead in the final minutes of a 21-20 loss to Kentucky. What can you say about tailback Michael Smith? He's playing as well as any running back in the country right now.

12. Miss. State: It doesn't get much worse for the Bulldogs. Offensively, they're almost helpless. In three of their last five games, they've scored a touchdown or less. They're now ranked 117th nationally (out of 119 teams) in scoring offense after losing 34-3 last week to Tennessee. Sylvester Croom has no choice but to make some offensive changes.