Opening weekend packs in tons of excitement, but it is admittedly difficult to learn much about a team. The scheduling approach of all 14 SEC teams has a lot to do with it. Some programs, like Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, come out of the gates with post-season worthy opponents like Oklahoma State and Long Beach State. Others punch down well below their weights like Missouri and Tennessee. Most try to find the sweet spot (like Arkansas did) where they matchup with a quality opponent that should provide a test without a big risk of losing the series.
With that in mind, wins matter above all else. It doesn’t matter who a teams played, the big question is how they handled the competition. So expect some wild fluctuation in these early season power rankings. The #10 team this week may be at or near the top by next Tuesday.