What we think we know after Week 2

The SEC's version of the Book of Revelations opens this week when we finally get an idea of the relative strength of some of the teams. This week's headliner carries a small "H" with the battle of reclamation projects: Tennessee vs. Florida. More on that later.

Up to now? Well, here are some scatter shot observations.

1. Who can argue the power of the God Thang Voodoo being practiced on The Plains? Auburn is undefeated. Most of the world is happy to declare that they don't know how that's possible. But the explanation is simple: When it's time to win or lose the game, Auburn makes all the plays. Ryan Smith's tackle of Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf came straight from the Nature Channel. You know, the slow-motion footage of a wildebeest -- that would be Relf -- one stride from freedom when WHAM! the lion -- that would be Smith -- appears out of nowhere to knock him off his feet. I don't fault Bulldog coach Dan Mullen for putting the ball -- and the game -- in the hands of his best player. Relf is a so-so passer and a strong runner. He needed a yard against a bad Auburn defense. Yet, the game was on the line and Auburn, again, rose up. Smith's tackle was one of the best you'll see anywhere. Which brings us to this: There will be no easy outs against Auburn this year.

2. Alabama is 2-0 and near the top of the rankings, but Nick Saban's squad still feels like a submarine running in deep waters. True, the Tide dismantled Penn State, which after a promising start gave away any chance of winning with its ridiculous quarterback shuffle. Alabama, on the other hand, showed just enough to prove its superiority, then largely shut things down for most of the second half. This week, North Texas. Next week, Alabama throws a coming-out party for itself and visiting Arkansas, the scariest team on the Tide's early schedule. Granted, Hog quarterback Tyler Wilson will be making his first start on extremely hostile ground. But Arkansas has enough skilled players to press Bama's formidable defense. In the end, Wilson and Bama QB AJ McCarron should be the decisive figures. Alabama was lucky to beat the Hogs a year ago, and they did it by knocking Ryan Mallett into bad throws. Different quarterback this year, same blueprint for winning.

3. Bob the Rebuilder meets Bob the Rebuilder in Gainesville this week. Derek Dooley's Tennessee team faces another test in the long road back to respectability. Will Muschamp's Florida team must cover a shorter distance, but it's a path still filled with as much broken pavement as N.C. 12. Two traditional powers. Two young hyperventilating head coaches still trying to prove their chops. At home, Florida's defense appears to give a clear edge to Florida. But that assumes Gator QB John Brantley doesn't perform in his year-long clinch as he did in 2010. What used to be the conference's first heavyweight fight has fallen in class to a middleweight bout. Doesn't mean it won't be an interesting trade of blows.

4. South Carolina is 2-0. Georgia is 0-2. Georgia looked feeble against Boise State, but pushed the Gamecocks up and down the field last Saturday in Athens. Based on the performances of both teams, the SEC East race is far from over. South Carolina, with all its supposed offensive firepower, has needed turnovers and special team points for both of its wins. Its defense, again stocked with future NFL players, continues to play without discipline or consistency. Sure Georgia is winless, but the Dawgs should have won Saturday. The rest of the schedule sets up well IF ... UGA quarterback Aaron Murry can play up to expectations and IF ... Georgia can piece together a better defense. Big IFs, sure, but this team can beat anyone left on its SEC schedule. It could also lose to everyone of them. For the record, the numbers don't portend a happy ending. Georgia is 7-10 in the SEC since 2009.

MG