What has appeared inevitable since roughly the end of September has in fact come to pass.

Georgia and Alabama will meet in the SEC championship game Dec. 2 in Atlanta, as both clinched their division titles with decisive victories this past Saturday. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide have been locked into the top two spots in AL.com’s SEC football power rankings for several weeks, and the gap between them and everyone else continues to grow.

There has been very little movement elsewhere as well, though the 7-8-9 spots have shuffled a bit this week. A razor-thin margin also separates the 3-4-5 positions.

So how do the teams in the SEC stack up as we head into the final two weeks of the regular season? Here’s the Week 12 edition of AL.com’s SEC football power rankings for 2023 (all times Central and all games Saturday):

14. Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7)

Last week’s ranking: 14

Last week’s game: Lost to South Carolina, 47-6

This week’s game: Open date

Any optimism that existed after last season’s apparent breakthrough and this season’s 2-0 start has long since vanished for the Commodores, who were barely competitive against a below-average South Carolina team. Vanderbilt totaled just 234 yards and gave up nearly 500. Because of the Week Zero game against Hawaii, Clark Lea’s team has a second open date this week. That will give them an extra week to prepare for the season-finale vs. Tennessee, though it might not matter much. A 10-game losing streak to end the season and a second 0-8 finish in three years seems inevitable for the Commodores at this point.

13. Arkansas (3-7, 1-6)

Last week’s ranking: 13

Last week’s game: Lost to Auburn, 47-10

This week’s game: vs. Florida International, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU

It’s over for Sam Pittman; they just haven’t told him yet. Auburn coming into Fayetteville and completely dominating the Hogs was the last straw. It’s regrettable, because he’s one of the more likeable coaches in recent SEC history. However, Pittman’s program has completely fallen apart this season, going from a physical, scrappy team to one that is getting pushed around on a weekly basis of late. The Razorbacks should beat FIU — a below-average Conference USA team — but the regular-season finale against Missouri could get ugly. A program that has fired its last six head football coaches (not counting interims) is almost certainly about to do it again soon.

12. Mississippi State (4-6, 1-6)

Last week’s ranking: 12

Last week’s game: Lost to Texas A&M, 51-10

This week’s game: vs. Southern Miss, 11 a.m., ESPN+/SEC Network+

It must be an odd feeling to be on the short end of a 51-10 shellacking and not be the team whose coach is fired the next day. But that’s exactly where the Bulldogs find themselves after their third straight loss, each more decisive than the last. Given the injuries his team has sustained and the circumstances under which he was hired, Zach Arnett deserves more than one season to get his program in place. However, the decision to make him the permanent head coach just two days after Mike Leach’s death last December seems in retrospect like one of the more puzzling and short-sighted moves in SEC history. State should beat a poor Southern Miss team this week, then will have to pour everything it has into the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night for a shot at bowl-eligibility.

11. South Carolina (4-6, 2-5)

Last week’s ranking: 11

Last week’s game: Beat Vanderbilt, 47-6

This week’s game: vs. Kentucky, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network

The Gamecocks finally found someone they could beat up on in Vanderbilt, though the rainy conditions in Columbia made for something of a slow start. Spencer Rattler enjoyed another fine day passing the ball, and South Carolina’s defense played one of its best games of the season. With the way Kentucky has been giving up big plays in the passing game this season, there’s some optimism heading into this weekend’s SEC finale. Shane Beamer’s team needs to beat both the Wildcats and Clemson (both games are at home, at least) to make a bowl for the second straight year.

10. Florida (5-5, 3-4)

Last week’s ranking: 10

Last week’s game: Lost to LSU, 52-35

This week’s game: at Missouri, 6:30 p.m., ESPN

The Gators have lost three straight games after a 5-2 start, and now must win at least one of two against No. 11 Missouri and No. 4 Florida State to qualify for a bowl game and avoid a second straight losing season under Billy Napier. Losing to teams the caliber of Georgia and LSU — especially at this point in Napier’s rebuild — is understandable, but it’s the home loss to Arkansas two weeks ago that could haunt Florida fans for the entire offseason. Most people still believe Napier will get things turned around in Gainesville, but he’s losing support by the week with repeated defensive collapses. Florida might be the fifth-best program in the SEC East, and that’s a tough pill to swallow.

9. Kentucky (6-4, 3-4)

Last week’s ranking: 7

Last week’s game: Lost to Alabama, 49-21

This week’s game: at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network

The Wildcats had the same difficulty they’ve had all year against teams that can pass the ball effectively, getting steamrolled by Alabama in much the same fashion Missouri and Georgia did earlier this season. Other than a convincing early win over Florida, this season has been a bit of step back for Kentucky, which has lost four out of five after a 5-0 start. The Wildcats have a dangerous SEC finale at South Carolina on Saturday, and then travel to face what will likely be a Top 10-ranked Louisville program. A 6-6 finish seemed impossible a month ago, but that might be what Mark Stoops’ team is looking at.

8. Auburn (6-4, 3-4)

Last week’s ranking: 9

Last week’s game: Beat Arkansas, 48-10

This week’s game: vs. New Mexico State, 3 p.m., SEC Network

It would be easy to write off the Tigers’ three-game winning streak as having come against the soft underbelly of the SEC (and it has), but the way this team has improved offensively since turning over the quarterback position to Payton Thorne has been the real story. Thorne played another dynamic game against listless Arkansas on Saturday, accounting for four touchdowns. The defense was as rock-solid as it has been all year for Hugh Freeze’s team. After what should be a decisive victory over New Mexico State, all attention will turn to the Iron Bowl, where the Tigers hope they can re-kindle some of that Jordan-Hare magic against an Alabama team that is firmly in the national championship race.

7. Texas A&M (6-4, 4-3)

Last week’s ranking: 8

Last week’s game: Beat Mississippi State, 51-10

This week’s game: vs. Abilene Christian, 11 a.m., ESPN+/SEC Network+

The Jimbo Fisher era officially ended on Sunday, ironically after one of the more thorough victories of his six-year tenure in College Station. But beating up on the weak teams in the SEC was never the problem for Fisher’s Aggies, who looked the part of SEC West contenders, but never could consistently beat the likes of Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss — particularly away from home. Texas A&M is already bowl-eligible, and with an FCS opponent in town this week should finish no worse than 7-5. But all the energy around the program in the next few weeks will be devoted to landing a head coach who can finally put the all-hat, no-cattle Aggies over the top.

6. Tennessee (7-3, 3-3)

Last week’s ranking: 6

Last week’s game: Lost to Missouri, 36-7

This week’s game: vs. Georgia, 2:30 p.m., CBS

In what might be the most-stunning individual game result of the SEC season, the Volunteers got taken to the woodshed in the second half by the Tigers on Saturday, allowing 33 unanswered points to end the game. Tennessee turned the ball over three times and committed nine penalties for 95 yards, and were unable to control things with their running game as they have at times this year. But it was the defense that got blown off the field in this one. What could have been a titanic home game with Georgia on Saturday is now merely a chance to play spoiler. Josh Heupel’s team still has a shot at nine wins, but the season has inarguably been a disappointment.

5. Missouri (8-2, 4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 5

Last week’s game: Beat Tennessee, 36-7

This week’s game: vs. Florida, 6:30 p.m., ESPN

Eli Drinkwitz’s program appears to be on the cusp of joining the SEC’s upper echelon, and staked a claim to “second-best team in the East” by throttling Tennessee on Saturday. Former walk-on Cody Shrader played like a superstar, rushing for 205 yards and catching five passes for 116 — becoming the only player in SEC history to have a 200/100 game. The Tigers’ defense was also impressive against the Vols’ strong running game. With remaining games against reeling Florida and rudderless Arkansas, a 10-win season and a Top 10 final ranking is absolutely attainable. Who would have thought that coming into the season?

4. LSU (7-3, 5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 4

Last week’s game: Beat Florida, 52-35

This week’s game: vs. Georgia State, 7 p.m., ESPN2

The Tigers aren’t a great team, but they have the most-watchable offense in the SEC and arguably the most-watchable player in the country in Jayden Daniels. LSU’s quarterback made history against Florida on Saturday night, setting the league record for total offense with 606 yards while also become the first FBS player to throw for 350 yards (372) and rush for 200 (234). He seems like a lock for SEC Player of the Year at this point, and should at the very least be in New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Brian Kelly’s team doesn’t play a lick of defense, but that shouldn’t be a problem in the final two games against defensively-challenged Georgia State and a Texas A&M team that just fired its coach. LSU fell short of a second-straight SEC West title, but a 10-win season is a strong possibility with a favorable bowl matchup.

3. Ole Miss (8-2, 5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 3

Last week’s game: Lost to Georgia, 52-17

This week’s game: vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 11 a.m., SEC Network

There’s no particular shame in being the third-best team in the SEC, not with Georgia at the peak of its powers and Alabama not far behind. Still, Rebels fans would have liked their team to be more competitive against the league’s twin titans. As it did against Alabama, Ole Miss put up a fight in the first half, but had no chance in the final two quarters. Games against these types of teams are going to continue to go this way until Lane Kiffin gets serious about defense. A non-conference game against a ULM team that has lost nine straight will be a good chance to rest — particularly banged-up quarterback Jaxson Dart — before the always hard-fought Egg Bowl in Starkville on Thanksgiving night.

2. Alabama (9-1, 7-0)

Last week’s ranking: 2

Last week’s game: Beat Kentucky, 49-21

This week’s game: vs. Chattanooga, 11 a.m., ESPN+/SEC Network+

The Crimson Tide has been on an absolute roll for the last month or so, and continued that by embarrassing the Wildcats on their home field. Jalen Milroe continues to set records, this time becoming the first player in Alabama history to rush for and pass for three touchdowns in the same game. But it’s the defense has that been masterful of late, and it stuffed Kentucky’s running game on Saturday and allowed only one sustained touchdown drive. Alabama takes its annual pre-Iron Bowl respite against an FCS team, this one being a Chattanooga squad that is 7-3 and ranked in the Top 20 in that division. Still, it shouldn’t be close by halftime.

1. Georgia (10-0, 7-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

Last week’s game: Beat Ole Miss, 52-17

This week’s game: at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m., CBS

As they did earlier this season against Kentucky, Florida and Missouri, the Bulldogs once again proved they can turn it on when they need to. After an uneven first six weeks of the season, the performances have certainly become more-consistent in the last month or so. Kirby Smart’s team played its regular smothering defense in the second half, and the offense welcomed back Brock Bowers just three weeks after ankle surgery. Saturday’s game at Tennessee means nothing in terms of the SEC race, but a slip-up in Knoxville could do serious damage to Georgia’s playoff hopes. With a chance to tie Alabama’s SEC record of 28 consecutive victories in their sights (and a chance to break it in the regular-season finale at Georgia Tech), it’s hard to imagine the Bulldogs letting up now.

Creg Stephenson has worked for AL.com since 2010 and covered college football for a variety of publications since 1994. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @CregStephenson.