The SEC softball season is well underway, and after four series for some teams, the league is starting to take shape as pretenders and real contenders are separated.
The Oklahoma Sooners this weekend finally suffered their first conference loss while still taking the series from LSU, but even with OU's lone blemish, others have recently fallen even harder to help the Sooners rise closer to their usual top spot. But they're not quite there yet.
As painful as it is for OU fans to see, Texas is the clear No. 1 right now, and is also at the top of national rankings. Both OU and Texas have just one SEC loss, but the Longhorns' blemish came against Texas A&M on Sunday.
The Red River Rivalry will be April 10-12 in Austin, where the top spot will really be decided.
If not for slipping against LSU to end a 22-game winning streak, the Sooners likely would have gotten the top spot here. Despite the loss, OU is still one of the hottest teams in the country, and Patty Gasso clearly has her squad headed in the right direction as other competitors crumble.
Florida just dropped two of three to Arkansas, but still has SEC series wins over Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri. The Gators also looked great during their nonconference slate, which is still worth something.
Bama swept Ole Miss, then took two games from Arkansas and Missouri the past two weekends. We'll really learn what the Crimson Tide are made of when they host Texas this week. Bama winning that series would completely shuffle the SEC hierarchy.
Arkansas just took the series from Florida and also beat Georgia, but the Razorbacks dropped a series to Bama and have lost at least one game in every conference series so far. Arkansas also had a weak nonconference schedule it still needs to make up for.
Georgia belonged right below Arkansas after losing a three-game series to the Razorbacks. The Bulldogs, though, are on a five-game winning streak after just sweeping Kentucky.
Texas A&M has a chance to move up next week with a series against Georgia, especially after beating Texas on Sunday while losing the series. The Aggies also swept Kentucky and beat LSU.
Tennessee was ruling the SEC just a few weeks ago, but lost its last two series to Florida and Ole Miss. The Vols could climb the ranks again, but have to get back on track against South Carolina this week.
LSU has ugly conference record, but has had to endure series with OU, Texas A&M and Tennessee, so the Tigers are not as bad as their SEC mark shows. The Tigers also took two from South Carolina.
Mississippi State looked great through the meat of its nonconference schedule, but is still searching for its first SEC series win after taking on Tennessee and Georgia. The Bulldogs, though, have a rubber match against South Carolina on Monday to decide who really deserves this No. 10 spot.
South Carolina didn't beat anyone impressive during nonconference play yet, then has lost SEC series to Texas nd LSU so far. Another win to take the series from Mississippi State would at least bump it up a spot, but no further.
Missouri is the only SEC team just trying to stay above .500, but swept Auburn and had to endure two tough series with Florida and Bama, so there's still a lot TBD with the Tigers.
Ole Miss just stole a series from Tennessee to avoid being any closer to the bottom, but those were the Rebels' only two conference wins after getting swept by Bama, Texas and OU. Those are three stout opponents, though, so the series against Tennessee could be a sign for what's ahead for the Rebels.
Auburn's only two SEC wins so far came against the worst team in the conference. The Tigers were swept by OU and Mizzou.
Kentucky swiped a win from Auburn, but that's the Wildcats' only SEC success so far. And considering Auburn is right ahead, that could be Kentucky's only conference win of the season.