With the defending kings of the SEC all but de-throned, other SEC powerhouses are starting their drives to the crown.

- Two teams still control their own fates in the race for the SEC Championship.

After beating Tennessee at Neyland Stadium last Saturday, Auburn moved to 3-0 in the SEC. Combined with Arkansas’ loss to Florida, Auburn took the top spot in the SEC West.

Georgia moved to 2-0 in the SEC after crushing last year’s champion LSU. With the Vols losing to Auburn, the Bulldogs are in sole possession of first place in the SEC East.

The Dawgs and the Tigers are the two undefeated teams left in the SEC, leaving many fans and analysts looking forward to Nov. 13, when the Dawgs will face the Tigers at Auburn.

Auburn has the best chance to be undefeated at that time, only having to play Louisiana Tech, Arkansas, Kentucky and Ole Miss before Georgia.

Georgia still has to play Florida and Tennessee, along with Vanderbilt and Ken-tucky, before making the trip to Jordon-Hare Stadium.

- In the contest for the “Toughest Conference in the Land,” the Southeastern Conference once again has made its claim.

SEC teams dominated the polls last weekend.

In the AP poll, the SEC has a nation-best six teams in the top 25. In the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll, the SEC has five teams in the top 25, which is tied with the ACC and Big Ten.

Georgia is still the highest-ranked team in any of the top three conferences, but the ACC has three teams in the top 10 with Miami, Florida State and Virginia moving up.

The SEC also boasts the most players in the NFL.

According to the SEC’s Web site (www.secsports.-com), the SEC has 260 former players in the NFL this year.

The Big Ten was second with 215, and the ACC third with 212.

Among schools in the SEC, Tennessee has the most former players in the NFL with 38. Georgia and Florida tied for second with 36.

- Coaches and players alike know the importance of the size and sound of the home field’s crowd. Fans of SEC schools have not disappointed.

So far this season, SEC stadiums have been filled, on average, to 97.5 percent capacity.

Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium has regularly been filled to 103 percent capacity on Saturdays, leading the SEC.

Florida and Arkansas fans also have filled their stadiums to over 100 percent capacity.

Georgia fans are making sure the hedges continue to shake, filling Sanford to exactly 100 percent capacity.