SEC Power Rankings: Alabama Pulls Away (For Now) After Big Win Over the Aggies

Sep 14, 2013; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks cornerback

(9) is congratulated by safety

(27) after an interception by Hines during the second quarter against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

10. Arkansas Razorbacks

Record: 3-0

Previous Ranking: 11 (Trend: UP)

Last Week: Arkansas 24, Southern Miss 3

This Week: at Rutgers

Next Week: vs. Texas A&M

Arkansas is yet another team with scary stretch of games coming their way after they play Rutgers on the road this weekend. How appealing does a vs. Texas A&M, at Florida, vs. South Carolina, at Alabama, vs. Auburn, at Ole MIss six-game stretch sound to you? Throw in the road game against LSU to end the season and the Razorbacks schedule is about to really flip after playing three-straight weeks of cupcakes.

But like some of the other teams that are lower on this power ranking, Arkansas just needs to make sure they take care of business against opponents they should beat, and take advantage of the conference games that are winnable for them. Arkansas is in a better position to win those conference games because they face both Auburn and Mississippi State at home. So the need for them to knock off a South Carolina or Florida is not has high as, say, Auburn, whose two “easiest” conference games are on the road.

For now, Arkansas needs to make sure they beat Rutgers so they can go into SEC play not needing to pull off one of those upsets.