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Another week means more movement in our power rankings:

1. LSU: The Tigers (2-0) have shown that you don't need a powerful offense to succeed. It's all about defense for LSU and that defense has been very good for the Bayou Bengals. After shutting down Oregon in Cowboys Stadium, LSU sported the purple jerseys in its home opener and totally dismantled an over-matched Northwestern State team, allowing just 95 total yards of offense. Moving the ball against this group looks like it will be a tall order for any team this fall.

2. Alabama: The Tide (2-0) isn't flashy on offense by any means, but this team manages the game well and is efficient. AJ McCarron seems to have cemented himself as the starter in Tuscaloosa after an impressive day in Happy Valley over the weekend. Help will eventually be on the way on offense, once receiver Duron Carter is cleared to play. He should provide a much-needed deep threat to the offense. Like LSU, consistently moving the ball on this defense is beyond hard.

3. Arkansas: This team has quietly put up a ton of points in its first two games. The Razorbacks (2-0) have outscored their opponents 103-10. Granted, Arkansas isn't playing top-level talent, but we can see that this offense can still move the ball, despite losing Ryan Mallett to the NFL draft and Knile Davis to a knee injury. It will be interesting to watch how injuries in Week 2 affect the Hogs. Quarterback Tyler Wilson left the game with concussion-like symptoms, receiver Jarius Wright suffered a strained knee, and defensive end Jake Bequette injured his hamstring. Arkansas won't need them against Troy this weekend, but they'll need to be healthy for the trip to Alabama to close the month.

4. South Carolina: The defense hasn't been pretty, but it made the necessary plays to squeak by Georgia in Athens on Saturday. South Carolina (2-0) has really been pushed in the first two weeks, but the Gamecocks have showed resiliency. They aren't winning the way they'd like to, but the Gamecocks are undefeated and have the early lead in the SEC East. Teams know Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery are going to be heavily targeted and both are still making plays.

5. Florida: We still don't really know what to expect from the Gators (2-0). Florida's defense has looked faster and much more aggressive under new head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but Florida hasn't faced SEC-quality opponents. This week, the Gators will as Tennessee comes to town with its high-flying offense. Chris Rainey has been the star on offense and John Brantley isn't making a lot of mistakes, but the playbook will have to open up as the Gators get ready for the conference season.

6. Auburn: This team just doesn't know how to lose. Auburn (2-0) has won a nation-leading 17 straight games -- 10 by eight points or fewer. The Tigers kept that winning streak intact after a back-and-forth slugfest with Mississippi State Saturday. The defense still has a lot of question marks, but when a play had to be made, the Tigers did it. The offense isn't too exciting, but plays were made at critical times and Michael Dyer looked like his running legs were back as he made the Bulldogs' defense look silly. Will taking it down to the wire eventually catch up with these cats?

7. Tennessee: Well, we know the Volunteers (2-0) will keep the scoreboard lights on. Quarterback Tyler Bray has looked like the league's best quarterback through the first two weeks, passing for 678 yards and seven touchdowns. Receivers Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter have made things easy for Bray, combining for 31 catches for 502 yards and five touchdowns. The Vols' offense will get a major test in Gainesville this weekend, where the winner will become top contender to challenge South Carolina for the division.

8. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs (1-1) came into the season as a trendy dark horse pick in the West, but left the weekend with yet another loss to the West under Dan Mullen. Mississippi State's defense showed it misses defense coordinator Manny Diaz and its three starting linebackers from last year as Auburn carved up the defense for 235 rushing yards. Chris Relf was most of the offense for the Bulldogs Saturday, until running back Vick Ballard finally got things going late, but Mississippi State needs much more from its receiving corps.

9. Georgia: This group of Bulldogs (0-2) has had a rough start to the season, but things get a little lighter from here on out. After losing a tough one in the Georgia Dome to Boise State, Georgia dropped a heart-breaker to South Carolina at home. Fans are no doubt growing more impatient, but the Bulldogs aren't out of the East race by any means. It will be a fight to get ahead now, but the season is far from over. It's all about staying together and making sure the Bulldogs are mentally ready for the rest of the season.

10. Vanderbilt: Getting that win over Connecticut Saturday was huge. The confidence is through the roof in Nashville and the Commodores (2-0) have a two-game winning streak for the first time since 2008. New coach James Franklin injected some swagger into this Commodores team and it showed when Vandy was down 21-14 in the fourth and scored 10 unanswered points. This defense is flying around and has been much more aggressive under defensive coordinator Bob Shoop.

11. Ole Miss: The Rebels (1-1) got into the win column over the weekend, but the offense still has a ton of question marks around it. Jeff Scott showed that he is a solid option at running back with Brandon Bolden and Enrique Davis out with injuries, but he looked like the only consistent weapon Ole Miss has on offense. The defense, which played very well against BYU in the first week, made things interesting against Southern Illinois by giving up 21 points in the second half.

12. Kentucky: The Wildcats (2-0) might be undefeated, but the offense is still struggling, especially in the passing game. Morgan Newton has been a starter before, but he hasn't looked very comfortable out there on the field yet. He has just 211 yards passing, two touchdowns and four interceptions in two games this year. Someone needs to step up alongside La'Rod King in the receiving game to give Newton some help. Two bright spots have been a faster, more effective defense and the play of freshman running back Josh Clemons, who has 165 rushing yards and two scores this year.

A huge part of Mississippi State’s nine-win season a year ago was a defense that kept teams out of the end zone and created timely turnovers.

The architect of that defense, Manny Diaz, has departed and is now heading up Texas’ defense.

Also gone are Mississippi State’s top two tacklers from a season ago, linebackers Chris White and K.J. Wright, as well as the top pass-rusher, end Pernell McPhee.

Senior strong safety Charles Mitchell understands fully what the Bulldogs lost last season in the way of Diaz’s defensive smarts and the production on the field that White, Wright and McPhee provided.

But Mitchell also thinks the Bulldogs will have even more speed on defense in 2011 and maintain that same attacking style under Chris Wilson, who takes over as Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator after serving as co-coordinator alongside Diaz last season.

“You’re going to see a lot of speed on defense,” Mitchell said. “We lost a lot of good players at linebacker, but we’ve got some guys coming who run 4.5 (in the 40-yard dash). That’s going to be our identity, a fast defense that makes plays and creates turnovers, and we’re going to be that way all across the defense.”

The Bulldogs return one of the best inside tandems in the SEC in junior tackles Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd. What’s more, Mitchell is part of a secondary that returns intact, and it’s a secondary that possesses both depth and experience.

“We’re versatile back there, too,” said Mitchell, who was third on the team last season with 93 total tackles. “We’ve got corners who can move over and play safety and safeties who can cover like a corner. We also have some athletes back there who can move down and play like a linebacker when we need to on third-down situations.

“The main thing is that we have a lot of guys who’ve played back there. We won’t be making a lot of mental mistakes, and it’s a mature group.

“We want to be the best secondary in the SEC, the best one in the country. That’s what we expect out of ourselves.”

Mitchell said one of the Bulldogs’ goals this season on defense was to lead the SEC in turnovers. They had 28 a year ago, which tied for third in the league with Tennessee behind LSU (32) and Florida (29).

The other thing Mississippi State did last season was keep teams out of the end zone. The Bulldogs were third in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 19.8 points per game, and gave up just 30 touchdowns in 13 games. The only team in the league giving up fewer was Alabama, which held opponents to 19 touchdowns in 13 games.

“We’re going to have some new plays under coach Wilson, but it’s still going to be the same approach,” Mitchell said. “We’re going to go after the quarterback and make him do things he doesn’t want to do.

“One way or the other, we’re going to find the offense’s weakness.”

On the docket today is Mississippi State.

Coach: Chris Wilson

Position: Defensive coordinator and defensive line.

Experience: He's entering his second season on the Mississippi State staff and was co-defensive coordinator last season, assisting Manny Diaz. A 16-year coaching veteran, Wilson was the defensive ends coach for five seasons at Oklahoma before coming to Starkville prior to the 2010 season. He also served as the Sooners' special teams coordinator his final three seasons in Norman. Wilson got his start in coaching at Indiana State as a graduate assistant in 1993 and has also worked on the staffs at Northern Illinois, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Illinois State, Army and Colorado. Wilson was promoted to defensive coordinator in January, a day after Diaz left Mississippi State to become the defensive coordinator at Texas.

Of note: Earlier in his career, Wilson also coached linebackers. ... In his final season on the Oklahoma staff, the Sooners finished sixth in the country in sacks and were also in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense. ... He played his college football at Oklahoma and was a four-year letterman at linebacker from 1988-91. He finished his career with 311 tackles, which at the time placed him 11th all-time among Oklahoma linebackers.

His challenge: Obviously, this won't be completely new ground for Wilson. He was a co-defensive coordinator working under Diaz last season, but it was still Diaz's defense and he was the one game-planning each week and making all of the calls. That duty now falls on Wilson, who will have help from co-defensive coordinator Geoff Collins in his first year on the Mississippi State staff after coming over from Florida International. Diaz had the Mississippi State defense playing at a high level last season. The Bulldogs finished 21st nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 19.8 points per game. There will be considerable pressure on Wilson and the Bulldogs to pick up where they left off a year ago. He doesn't plan on changing up a whole lot in terms of scheme, but the Bulldogs lost all three of their starting linebackers. K.J. Wright and Chris White made a ton of plays, too. This figures to be Mississippi State's best secondary under Dan Mullen, and there's a lot of experience back there. Moreover, the defensive tackle tandem of Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd should be one of the best in the league. The Bulldogs still need to find a finisher off the edge, but Wilson's track record of producing top pass-rushing ends speaks for itself. The potential is there for this to be a very good defense. The Bulldogs have gotten better each season under Mullen, and now it's up to Wilson to navigate that next step of making this a championship-caliber defense.

Mississippi State hits the practice field next Friday to kick off spring practice in the SEC, and several other teams will follow the next week.

Football is back, and here’s a snapshot of what to watch this spring in the Western Division:

ALABAMA

Start of spring practice: March 21
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• McCarron or Sims? If you’re looking for one of the more intriguing position battles of the spring, it doesn’t get much better than A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims battling it out for the Alabama starting quarterback job. Both players are extremely talented and were highly rated coming out of high school, and they’re vying to replace a guy who was the essence of precision, smarts and productivity all wrapped into one -- Greg McElroy. McCarron played a little bit last season as a redshirt freshman, while Sims redshirted. We’ll see if one separates himself enough this spring for Nick Saban to name a starter.
• Back in the SEC: In addition to settling on a starting quarterback, the other thing the Crimson Tide would like to determine this spring is who will be protecting that quarterback from the left tackle position. Junior college signee Aaron Douglas is probably the guy to beat. He’s already on campus after attending Arizona Western College last year and drawing a wide array of interest from schools. He started his career at Tennessee, where he earned Freshman All-American honors in 2009 while playing right tackle for the Vols.
• Rushing the passer: The Crimson Tide would like to amp up their pass rush next season, which means getting there without having to blitz all the time. Jack linebacker Courtney Upshaw finished last season on fire and lived in the opposing backfield his last two games. This is an important spring for middle linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who’s also been used outside in pass-rushing situations. Hightower was coming off reconstructive knee surgery last season and didn’t appear to be all the way back. He’s eager to show this spring that he is all the way back and poised to be an All-SEC player again.

ARKANSAS

Start of spring practice: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Mr. Wilson: A year ago, Tyler Wilson got a chance to show what he could do with the first unit because Ryan Mallett broke a bone in his foot and missed the spring after undergoing surgery. This spring, it’s Wilson’s show again, although Mallett won’t be coming back this time. Wilson, a sophomore, is the odds-on favorite to win Arkansas’ starting quarterback job. He passed for 332 yards and four touchdowns against Auburn last season on the road after Mallett was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said he thinks Wilson can be a terrific quarterback, but wants to see him beat out Brandon Mitchell and Jacoby Walker for the job before handing him the keys to the Hogs’ offense.
• Getting defensive: The Hogs’ defense took the kind of step last season that was required to get them to 10 wins. They went from 89th in the country in total defense in 2009 to 36th in the country a year ago. The key figures from that defense return next season, and Petrino has said he thinks Arkansas will be even better on defense in 2011 than it was last season. Finding a replacement for Anthony Leon at one of the linebacker spots will be important this spring, and the Hogs could still use some more speed in the secondary.
• Fourth-quarter blues: Special emphasis was placed on winning the close games last season and getting it done in the fourth quarter. That will be a familiar cry on the practice field again this spring. All three of Arkansas' losses last season came on the heels of fourth-quarter breakdowns. The Hogs couldn’t hold a lead at home against Alabama, and the Crimson Tide rallied from two touchdowns down in the fourth quarter to win. At Auburn, the Hogs were snowed under by a 28-point Auburn avalanche in the fourth quarter. And in the Sugar Bowl, the Hogs couldn’t capitalize in the final minutes despite blocking a punt and recovering inside the Ohio State 20.

AUBURN

Start of spring practice: March 23
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Playing with a target: Auburn emerged from the shadows last season to go 14-0 and win its first national championship since 1957. Nobody really saw the Tigers coming. Now, even though they lost great players the caliber of Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, everybody will be circling the Auburn game on their calendars. With so many new faces in key positions, this team will have to establish its own identity and be prepared to get everybody’s best shot every weekend.
• Rebuilding the O-line: It’s hard to imagine Auburn playing a game without departed senior offensive line starters Lee Ziemba, Mike Berry, Byron Isom and Ryan Pugh. They were together so long and made so many career starts alongside each other. This spring, the Tigers start the process of replacing their four rocks up front. The lone holdover from the BCS National Championship Game is right tackle Brandon Mosley, although A.J. Greene was also a starter last season until he injured his ankle. Redshirt freshman Ed Christian is definitely somebody to watch at one of the guard spots, and don’t forget about junior John Sullen, who can play guard or tackle.
• Trotter in the race: Even as great as Newton turned out to be, coach Gene Chizik and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn were careful to make sure Newton was clearly the guy before naming him the starter at the conclusion of spring practice and heading into the summer. Junior Barrett Trotter and sophomore Clint Moseley were two of the guys battling with Newton last spring. But this spring, they will be battling each other for the starting quarterback job, a battle that’s likely to continue into preseason practice once heralded true freshman Kiehl Frazier arrives on campus this summer.

LSU

Start of spring practice: March 11
Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• Quarterback derby: Perhaps the most closely watched quarterback battle this spring will occur at LSU, where seniors Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee will try and hold off talented junior college signee Zach Mettenberger. Jefferson played better toward the end of last season, but the Tigers’ passing game was nonexistent for much of the 2010 season. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Mettenberger put up huge numbers in junior college last season after starting his career at Georgia. He obviously didn't sign with LSU to sit and watch.
• Kragthorpe to the rescue: Former Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe takes over as LSU’s offensive coordinator and does so after the Tigers finished 11th in the SEC last season in total offense and last in the SEC in 2009. Kragthorpe wants to make sure LSU is getting the ball in the hands of its best playmakers, but he also wants to make sure the Tigers are balanced. Their running game improved dramatically last season. With Stevan Ridley leaving early for the NFL draft, Spencer Ware is next in line after rushing for 102 yards in the Cotton Bowl.
• Special-teams makeover: The Tigers were gutted on special teams. Even special teams coordinator Joe Robinson left to take a job on North Carolina’s staff. Also gone are All-SEC place-kicker Josh Jasper, All-SEC return specialist Patrick Peterson and punter Derek Helton, who was second in the SEC with a punting average of 45.7 yards per game. LSU will be looking to fill voids across the board this spring in its kicking game, which was a big reason the Tigers won 11 games last season.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Start of spring practice: March 4
Spring game: April 9
End of spring practice: April 11

What to watch:

• New defensive chief: Manny Diaz was hired away by Texas to be the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator, meaning co-defensive coordinator Chris Wilson is now the guy running things in Starkville. Diaz and Wilson worked together closely last season, so it’s doubtful much will change. Dan Mullen did bring in Geoff Collins to serve as co-defensive coordinator to Wilson and also coach the Bulldogs' linebackers.
• Lining up linebackers: The Bulldogs lost all three of their starting linebackers from last season, including their top two tacklers in Chris White and K.J. Wright. Emmanuel Gatling was the other starter, although he shared time with Cameron Lawrence at one of the outside spots. So while Lawrence might have first dibs on one of those three starting jobs this spring, the competition will be fierce. Redshirt freshmen Felando Bohanna and Christian Holmes are two to watch in the middle. Chris Hughes played some last season as a true freshman on the outside, and third-year sophomore Michael Hunt will also be in the mix for a starting job.
• Relf’s supporting cast: Chris Relf enters his senior season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the SEC, and he’s also one of the league’s most improved players. The Bulldogs’ top threats in the running game return, but Relf will have several new guys he’ll be hooking up with in the passing game. Junior receiver Chad Bumphis has been working out and is expected back this spring after missing the Gator Bowl with a broken collarbone. The Bulldogs also redshirted several receivers last season they have high hopes for, including Malcolm Johnson, Robert Johnson and Jameon Lewis. Getting a healthy Marcus Green back at tight end will also make Relf's life easier.

OLE MISS

Start of spring practice: March 28
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Lee to call plays: The last time Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt didn’t call his own plays was 2007 when David Lee called them during Nutt’s final season at Arkansas. Well, Lee has reunited with Nutt at Ole Miss for the 2011 season after coming over from the Miami Dolphins, and Nutt has again turned over the offensive play-calling duties to Lee in order to spend more time focusing on other areas of the team. Lee will build what the Rebels do offensively around an underrated stable of running backs, led by Brandon Bolden.
• Quarterback questions: Jeremiah Masoli popped in at the last minute a year ago. But this time, it appears that the guy who separates himself this spring will be the Rebels’ quarterback for the season. Junior Nathan Stanley has the edge in experience. Randall Mackey is probably the most athletic, but will be limited this spring after undergoing knee surgery. Junior college signee Zack Stoudt is already enrolled and also eyeing the starting job, while West Virginia transfer Barry Brunetti will be in the middle of the race as well if he receives a waiver from the NCAA and is allowed to play this coming season.
• Building back the defense: After back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009 when Ole Miss’ defense was outstanding, Tyrone Nix’s unit came crashing down last season. More than anything, it’s a group that needs to regain its confidence this spring and play with that same attacking mentality that made the Rebels so effective on defense the previous two seasons. Linebacker D.T. Shackelford is a leader and the kind of guy you win with in this league, but Nix & Co. need to find a few more like him this spring, especially in the secondary.

For every tale of love on Valentine’s Day, there are also hearts breaking.

The SEC has spawned its share of heartbreakers:

1. Cyrus Kouandjio: The country’s No. 1 offensive tackle prospect announced live on ESPNU on national signing day that he would sign with Auburn. The only problem was that he never sent in his signed scholarship papers and began to have second thoughts. So after spending a few days sorting things out, Kouandjio reversed course and signed with Alabama. Auburn not only lost him, but lost him to its archrival.

2. LSU’s passing game: Not that one part of the game is ever the sole reason a team fails to win a national championship, but LSU was a passing game away from being right in the middle of that equation last season. The Tigers finished 107^th nationally in passing offense. They managed just 10 touchdown passes all season to go along with 11 interceptions.

3. Derek Dooley: In his first season as Tennessee’s coach, Dooley and his players had to endure the pain of losing two games they thought they’d actually won. In both cases -- against LSU in Baton Rouge and against North Carolina in the Music City Bowl -- the Vols were out on the field celebrating because they thought they’d won. But having 13 defenders on the field cost them against LSU, while a controversial officiating decision cost them against North Carolina.

4. Manny Diaz: Not only did he leave Mississippi State and take his many talents as a defensive coordinator to Texas, but several key in-state prospects that had committed to the Bulldogs backed out and went elsewhere after Diaz vacated Starkville.

5. Urban Meyer: The truth is that Meyer got it right the first time, but simply couldn’t bring himself to walk away when he stepped down prior to the Sugar Bowl at the end of the 2009 season. Meyer either talked himself out of it or was talked out of it and returned for what was an unfulfilling 2010 season for everyone associated with the Florida program. The edge was gone, the same edge that steered the Gators to two national championships in six seasons under Meyer, and there were also lingering health concerns. So this time, he walked away for good.

By now, we get it.

Mack Brown likes what he sees in terms of the quality of coaching in the SEC.

Who in the SEC hasn’t the Texas head coach reached out to, talked to or tried to woo to Austin to be a part of the Longhorns’ staff?

Texas might play in the Big 12, but the Longhorns’ staff will have a distinct SEC flavor next season.

And they’re paying some serious cash.

Georgia’s Stacy Searels is reportedly getting more than $400,000 to coach Texas’ offensive line. As recently as two years ago, that would have been considered a handsome salary for an offensive or defensive coordinator.

Of course, nobody in the SEC can say anything about paying outrageous salaries to assistants. Five of the 12 defensive coordinators in the league are poised to make $700,000 or more next season, and Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will rake in a cool $1.3 million.

Still, think about all the coaches in the SEC that Brown has come after since the end of the Longhorns’ disappointing 2010 season.

He hired Manny Diaz away from Mississippi State to be his defensive coordinator. That’s after LSU’s John Chavis said thanks, but no thanks. Tennessee’s Justin Wilcox was also in play for the Texas defensive coordinator’s job before withdrawing his name from consideration, and there were reports that Florida’s Teryl Austin was part of that whole process, too.

Unless there’s some late snag, it looks like Searels will leave Georgia to coach the offensive line at Texas. That’s after Auburn’s Jeff Grimes interviewed for that same job last week, but elected to stay on the Plains.

Brown also hired Bennie Wylie away from Tennessee to be his strength and conditioning coach and hired Bo Davis away from Alabama to be his defensive tackles coach.

If you throw in Major Applewhite, who went from Alabama to Texas following the 2007 season, that means five of the Longhorns’ assistants next season will have come from the SEC.

Hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, hire ‘em away.

Mississippi State stepped up to the plate financially with the hopes of keeping Dan Mullen around as head coach.

But it looks like the Bulldogs are going to lose defensive coordinator Manny Diaz to Texas. ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman is reporting that Diaz has accepted Texas' offer to become defensive coordinator.

That's a tough blow for the Bulldogs, who are coming off the high of routing Michigan in the Progressive Gator Bowl and finishing with a nine-win season.

Diaz, 36, did a terrific job with the Bulldogs' defense this season and was one of the top young defensive coordinators in the country.

The most frustrating part for Mississippi State is that he'd only been there for one season, and the defense figured to only get better under his direction going forward. The Bulldogs were third in the SEC this season in scoring defense.

But with Texas' deep pockets, the Longhorns were able to pry him away with a much more lucrative deal. Diaz's salary at Mississippi State was $260,000, which was a deal when you consider all the $700,000-plus salaries other defensive coordinators are making in this league.

Defensive line coach Chris Wilson could be in line to replace Diaz as Mississippi State's defensive coordinator. Wilson already had the title of co-defensive coordinator and came over from Oklahoma a year ago.

SEC blogger Chris Low looks at some of the top assistant coaching jobs in the SEC this season.

Checking in on what's making headlines around the SEC:

• Mississippi State's focus defensively is keeping Ryan Mallett and the Arkansas offense from ripping off too many big plays.
• Joe Biddle of The Tennessean writes that Vanderbilt doesn't have the same commitment to compete in football as the other SEC schools.
• Beefed-up Tennessee freshman defensive lineman Corey Miller is coming into his own.
• Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Auburn and Cam Newton aren't in the clear.
• Georgia star receiver A.J. Green has yet to make up his mind about turning pro early.
• A look at which teams commit the most personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
• Arkansas is no stranger to defending the option.
• LSU and Ole Miss' weaknesses will collide on Saturday. LSU has struggled to throw the ball, and Ole Miss has struggled to stop anybody throwing the ball.

Cruising around the SEC on a Tuesday:

• Florida coach Urban Meyer refutes playing any role in the Cam Newton investigation.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News writes that there's a serious attempt at character assassination going on with Newton.
• Auburn's Mike Dyer is just 31 yards away from breaking Bo Jackson's freshman rushing record.
• In light of last week's 41-20 beatdown by Arkansas, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier shakes up a few things.
• Arkansas starting cornerback Ramon Broadway will miss the rest of the regular season with a dislocated ankle.
• Ole Miss' visit to Neyland Stadium this Saturday has a special meaning for the Rebels' D.T. Shackelford, who grew up a Tennessee fan.
• Mississippi State's defense has been particularly stout near the goal line.
• With just about all of its running backs sidelined, Vanderbilt may have no choice but to pass more.
• Tennessee's offensive line shuffle will continue this weekend against Ole Miss.
• Alabama looks to regroup following the loss to LSU.

Now that we’ve put the ninth week of the season in our rear-view mirror, it’s time to pass out the SEC helmet stickers:

Auburn cornerback Demond Washington: The Tigers’ pass defense has taken its lumps this season, but Washington had a key interception at the Auburn 2-yard line in the second quarter after Ole Miss had recovered a fumble deep in the Tigers’ territory. Washington, a 5-9, 182-pound senior, tied for second on the team with six tackles and broke the game open just before halftime with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Washington now has 806 yards in kickoff returns on the season, which is a new Auburn record.

Florida place-kicker Chas Henry: If anybody deserved something good to happen to him, it was the hard-luck Henry. After missing both of his field-goal attempts two weeks ago in a 10-7 loss to Mississippi State, Henry drilled the game-winner Saturday in overtime, a 37-yarder that lifted Florida to a 34-31 win over Georgia and kept the Gators alive in the Eastern Division race.

Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett: Two weeks removed from suffering a concussion against Auburn, Mallett broke his own school record with 409 passing yards in the Hogs’ 49-14 victory over Vanderbilt. Mallett finished 27-of-44 and threw three touchdown passes. The Hogs scored 43 unanswered points after trailing 14-6 early.

Mississippi State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz: His defense didn’t play up to his expectations, or anybody’s expectations, last week in a 29-24 win over UAB. But the Bulldogs came back Saturday and held Kentucky’s explosive offense to two touchdowns in a 24-17 victory, extending Mississippi State’s winning streak to six games. The Bulldogs forced four turnovers and have held four of their five SEC opponents this season to 17 points or less. Diaz has done a terrific job with this defense.

South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore: Returning to full speed from a sprained ankle, Lattimore rushed for a career-high 184 yards in South Carolina’s 38-24 win over Tennessee. He also scored his 13^th touchdown, which is tied for the fifth most by a freshman in SEC history. He’s three shy of the South Carolina single-season record.

Taking a stroll around the SEC:

• Florida coach Urban Meyer says Chris Rainey is on track to play Saturday against Georgia.
• Tennessee fullback Kevin Cooper will sit out the South Carolina game after being suspended for academic reasons.
• Auburn's players say they will stay the course as the No. 1 team in the BCS standings.
• NCAA statistics show that Alabama has the toughest remaining schedule, writes Izzy Gould of The Birmingham News.
• Derrick Locke, Kentucky's leading rusher, will miss his third straight game with a shoulder stinger and won't travel with the team to Mississippi State on Saturday.
• South Carolina freshman running back Marcus Lattimore pronounces himself "100 percent" and ready to go against Tennessee.
• Mississippi State is zeroing in on its defensive mistakes from a week ago with Kentucky coming to town.
• Ole Miss safety Damien Jackson, the Rebels' second-leading tackler, appears doubtful with a knee injury for Saturday's game against Auburn.
• The NFL draft stock of Georgia outside linebacker Justin Houston is soaring.
• Vanderbilt starting defensive back Jamie Graham underwent knee surgery Wednesday and may be lost for the rest of the season.

Two of the best teams in the league are off this week. Alabama and LSU both take a break before getting it on next week in Baton Rouge.

The top team in the league, not to mention the top team in the BCS standings, hits the road. Auburn travels to Ole Miss on Saturday.

Here’s a look at what to watch this week in the SEC:

1. Feeling the grind: This will be the ninth straight week that Auburn has played without a bye. It’s about this time that the proverbial piano really starts to jump on an SEC team’s back when it hasn’t had a bye. The Tigers have attempted to play more guys on defense. But with some of the injuries they’ve suffered, there simply isn’t a lot of depth at linebacker or in the secondary. Cornerback T’Sharvan Bell, who didn’t play last week with a hamstring pull, is probably a game-time decision this week. Outside linebacker Daren Bates is also a question mark after injuring his shoulder in the LSU game.

2. Taking to the road: The schedule has been about as travel friendly as it gets to this point for Auburn. This will be only the Tigers’ third game away from Jordan-Hare Stadium this season when they travel to Ole Miss on Saturday. They’ve been a different team on the road, although most teams are. Auburn held on to beat Mississippi State 17-14 in Starkville the second week of the season. Cam Newton was held to 70 rushing yards on 18 carries in that game and didn’t score a rushing touchdown. Three weeks ago, Auburn nipped Kentucky 37-34 in Lexington on Wes Byrum’s 24-yard field goal on the last play of the game. So both of the Tigers’ road ventures this season have been harrowing.

3. Masoli’s momentum: Ole Miss quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is coming off his best game of the season in last week’s 38-24 loss to Arkansas. Auburn hasn’t faced a dual-threat quarterback of his caliber this season. Masoli racked up a career-high 425 yards in total offense against the Hogs, including 327 yards passing and 98 yards rushing. He’s one of only four quarterbacks in the country to average at least 50 rushing yards per game and 180 passing yards per game. Auburn has given up 14 touchdown passes, which is the most in the SEC.

4. King’s return: Georgia tailback Caleb King returns to the lineup for the Bulldogs after being suspended the past two weeks. They may need him, too, because Washaun Ealey has been slowed this week in practice by a knee injury. He said he sprained his MCL in the fourth quarter of last week’s 44-31 win over Kentucky. Ealey has rushed for 100 yards in each of the two games King missed and scored five touchdowns last week. Still, Georgia would prefer to have both of them healthy and keep a fresh back in the game at all times. Ealey said he will definitely play against Florida, although he may not start.

5. Passing the buck: Florida hasn’t had much success throwing the football this season and enters Saturday’s game ninth in the SEC in pass efficiency. Quarterback John Brantley is averaging just 180.8 passing yards per game and has thrown six touchdown passes and five interceptions. The Gators have struggled to get much of anything going down the field in the passing game, but that’s where Georgia has been vulnerable. The Bulldogs are 11^th in the league in pass efficiency defense and have given up 12 touchdown passes, the third most in the league.

6. On the receiving end: David Paschall of The Chattanooga Time Fress Press asked Kentucky coach Joker Phillips this week if he could ever remember a season when there were this many elite receivers in the league. Phillips agreed that you go up against one every week and that's what sets this season apart is all the long, athletic receivers in the league. Phillips’ top playmaker at Kentucky, Randall Cobb, is one of the best do-it-all players in college football. But picking the top two receivers in this league right now would be an impossible task when you start trying to sort it out among Alshon Jeffery, Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Chris Matthews, Darvin Adams and Cobb.

7. Finishing the deal: It’s that time of the season again for South Carolina, the time of the season that hasn’t been especially good to the Gamecocks. They face Tennessee on Saturday night in the first of three straight SEC games that will determine whether or not the Gamecocks will make their first-ever trip to the SEC championship game. Their fate is in their own hands. History is working against them. Going back to the 2000 season, they’re just 7-22 in SEC games played the final weekend of October and extending through the month of November. In the past four years, they’re just 2-10 during that same span. Simply, they haven’t finished very well, and that has to change if the Gamecocks want to be in Atlanta on Dec. 4.

8. Distracted Hogs? Arkansas starting defensive tackle DeQuinta Jones was arrested this week and charged with marijuana possession. The Hogs are pretty deep at the tackle position, although the distraction of having a player arrested during game week on drug charges is never ideal. The Hogs could also be without junior receiver Joe Adams, who’s been slowed by an ankle injury and has missed the past two days of practice. Greg Childs was also nursing an ankle injury suffered in last week’s Ole Miss game, but returned to practice Wednesday and looks like he’ll be able to play.

9. Slowing down the Cats: Mississippi State has tackled well for most of this season. The exception was last week’s 29-24 win over UAB when defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said the Bulldogs missed 11 tackles, including four on one play. They look to extend their winning streak to six straight games Saturday when they take on a Kentucky team that has specialized in making people miss. Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said he’s still unsure if leading rusher Derrick Locke will be able to play after missing the past two weeks with a shoulder stinger. But Randall Cobb and Chris Matthews have been two of the most dynamic receiving threats in the league, and Mike Hartline is the SEC’s hottest quarterback right now after passing for more than 700 yards and eight touchdowns in his past two games.

10. Kitchings’ debut: Next up is Des Kitchings. He takes over a Vanderbilt offense that has been held to seven points in the past two games and has been painful to watch for most of the past two seasons. The Commodores are last or next to last in the SEC in just about every major offensive category. Coach Robbie Caldwell decided it was time to give Kitchings a shot and elevated him to offensive coordinator this week from his position as running backs coach. One of Kitchings’ priorities Saturday against Arkansas and for the rest of this season will be to generate some drives and keep the offense on the field. The Commodores are 118^th nationally in time of possession. Look for running backs Warren Norman and Zac Stacy to take on increased roles.

It’s been that kind of season so far in the SEC.

Just when you think everything might be starting to take shape, the next weekend rolls around and the landscape changes again.

This much is for sure: We’re in for one wild ride the rest of the way.

Here’s a look at what we learned in Week 7:

1. Newton for Heisman: As fate would have it, the seventh week of the season a year ago was when a player from the state of Alabama thrust his name to the top of the Heisman Trophy charts with a signature game. Alabama’s Mark Ingram had 246 yards rushing in a 20-6 win over South Carolina, a performance that announced to the college football world once and for all that Ingram was the real deal. We all know how that turned out. Fast forward to this past Saturday -- the seventh week of the 2010 season -- and it was Auburn’s Cam Newton making perhaps his strongest case yet why he’s college football’s most outstanding player with 328 yards of total offense, three rushing touchdowns and one passing. There’s nobody else in the country quite like Newton. For that matter, it’s debatable whether or not there’s ever been anybody quite like him in the SEC. You’re talking about a 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback with tailback speed, tailback moves and an NFL-caliber arm. But what sets him apart is his toughness. In his past two games, he’s carried the ball 53 times. Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said following the 65-43 win over Arkansas that there was really no way of knowing just how tough Newton was in the preseason because they didn’t allow him to be hit. Well, he’s doing the hitting now. Just ask Arkansas linebacker Jerico Nelson, who was flattened by Newton on his way to his first touchdown run.

2. Passing on by the Tigers: For everything Auburn has done right this season, the Tigers still haven’t stopped anybody who can throw the football. They were shredded by Arkansas’ passing game on Saturday, and that’s something that needs to get fixed in a hurry as they turn their attention to LSU. But here’s the catch: LSU throws the ball as poorly as Auburn defends the pass. The Tigers managed all of 103 passing yards and no touchdown passes against McNeese State in a 32-10 win. Auburn, meanwhile, was busy giving up 428 passing yards and five touchdown passes to Arkansas in a 65-43 win, and most of those yards were generated by the Hogs’ backup quarterback, Tyler Wilson. Time and time again, Wilson completed passes over the middle or down the field, and there wasn’t a safety in sight. It doesn’t help the Tigers any that senior safety Aairon Savage went down in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a significant injury. The Tigers hadn’t given up a lot of big plays on defense until the Hogs exposed them on Saturday. The other thing to consider is that Auburn won’t see another passing game as explosive as Arkansas’ the rest of the way, but you can bet that teams will be putting it in the air against the Tigers until they prove they can stop it.

3. Bulldogs believing: It’s official. Mississippi State is the SEC’s most improved team. The Bulldogs (5-2, 2-2) have won four straight games, and they’re doing it the old-fashioned way with physical, bloody-your-nose football. In taking down Florida 10-7 on Saturday, Mississippi State ran the ball 49 of its 58 plays and had 24 straight running plays at one point to finish with 212 yards on the ground. Dan Mullen has this program on the move, and a big part of that has to do with the mindset he’s instilled in Starkville and the way he’s hired. His staff has done an excellent job, highlighted by what John Hevesy has done with the offensive line and what Manny Diaz has done with the defense in his first season as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator. Mississippi State was third in the league in rushing offense going into the Florida game, and the Bulldogs have now held five of their seven opponents to 17 points or fewer. When you can run the ball on offense and limit teams’ scoring on defense, you’re going to win a lot of games.

4. Spread ain’t working: Something’s gotta give at Florida. That offense is wretched, and watching the Gators try to run that spread offense with John Brantley at the helm is like watching a toddler repeatedly trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. It doesn’t fit, and it’s not going to fit. Brantley simply doesn’t fit that offense, and this isn’t a pile-on-Brantley thing, either. After all, the guy’s a drop-back passer. That’s what he does and does well. Anybody who’s seen him throw it knows he can, which leads us to the most obvious question: What happened to tweaking that offense and molding it around what Brantley does best? Right now, the Gators don’t have anything to hang their hat on offensively. They can’t run the ball. They can’t throw it, and they’re asking their quarterback to do things he can’t do. And, yes, the play calling lacks the creativity we’re used to seeing out of Florida’s offense, which brings up another point. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio is getting fleeced by the fans right now. But it’s Urban Meyer’s offense, Meyer’s team and Meyer’s responsibility to get a lot more than he’s getting right now out of a team loaded with four- and five-star prospects.

5. Least of the East: Does anybody want to win the Eastern Division? South Carolina’s 31-28 loss to Kentucky and Florida’s 10-7 loss to Mississippi State means that all six teams are mathematically alive … and we’re in the latter half of October. In the previous two seasons, Florida was on the verge of wrapping this baby up by now. The only three teams in the East that control their own destiny at this point are Florida (4-3, 2-3) South Carolina (4-2, 2-2) and Vanderbilt (2-4, 1-2), if any of those three can win out. It’s safe to say the Commodores aren’t going to win out. But at this rate, it’s probably safe to say that nobody in this division is going to win out, which would really throw things into a jumbled mess. Ultimately, South Carolina’s visit to Florida on Nov. 13 will probably determine who goes to Atlanta, but Georgia is also lurking in the shadows after being left for dead as recently as two weeks ago. Should the Bulldogs win their remaining three SEC games against Kentucky, Florida and Auburn, they could win the East if South Carolina loses two of its remaining four games to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida. Even Kentucky, which has lost two of its three SEC games by a touchdown or less, still has some life. Should the Wildcats win out against Georgia, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Tennessee, they would own the head-to-head tiebreaker with South Carolina if the two of them finished deadlocked in a two-way tie. That would entail South Carolina beating Florida, but losing to either Arkansas, Tennessee or Vanderbilt. A lot to digest, for sure, but something says this is a race that’s only going to get more convoluted as we go forward.

It's the Friday version of SEC lunch links:

• Auburn's Onterio McCalebb is displaying more durability in Year 2.
• Former Tennessee running back Bryce Brown cites depression as one of the reasons he wanted a release and says that he didn't fit in with the other players.
• Florida coach Urban Meyer says quarterback John Brantley is good to go for Saturday's game against LSU. Running back Jeff Demps will also play, but won't be 100 percent with a sprained foot.
• Alabama's defense inside the red zone is a dead zone for opposing teams.
• Alabama's all-time leading receiver, DJ Hall, was one of two former Crimson Tide players arrested Wednesday in Tuscaloosa on drug charges.
• Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes a glass-half-full stance and examines how Georgia might still win the SEC East.
• Kentucky's goal is to bring down the big guy -- Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton.
• LSU fans recall their wide gamut of emotions at the end of last week's 16-14 win over Tennessee.
• Mississippi State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz knows better than to misjudge Houston's short-handed offense.