Arkansas football didn't play this past weekend, but plenty happened in the SEC football neighborhood. Let's take a look at the most important developments in the conference:

1 - Ole Miss is a mess on the road

Ole Miss plays two completely different sports at home and on the road. In Oxford, the Rebels look like the No. 1 team in the country. Away from home, they look like a Liberty Bowl team. Trinidad Chambliss' Heisman Trophy candidacy took a huge hit, and the Rebels were knocked to the edge of the playoff picture, in a loss at Texas. Pete Golding's overall quality as Ole Miss' head coach is being called into question, and rightly so. It was easy to doubt him before the season began. It is even easier to doubt him now. Remember: When Chambliss leaves, Golding is facing a noticeable downgrade at quarterback unless he can somehow pull a rabbit out of the hat in the transfer portal. Ole Miss, in addition to losing leverage in the playoff race, also lost leverage in the push for the SEC Championship Game. Remember: Ole Miss has never been to Atlanta. Not once.

2 - Texas answers the bell

Texas was on the ropes and the Longhorns responded the way Steve Sarkisian hoped they would. Arch Manning still did make some mistakes, but he shrugged them off and produced highlight-reel plays to help the Horns grab a win they absolutely had to have. Now there is a chance Texas can finish 9-3. If there's one SEC team which can make the playoff at 9-3, it's Texas, due to the wins over Ole Miss and Ohio State. Texas could still lose four or five games, but now the path to 9-3 and the playoff is more realistic.

3 - Tennessee plays with fire and gets burned

Tennessee-South Carolina was a very poorly-played game. Both teams made tons of mistakes. Tennessee led by seven and was on the verge of putting the game away late in the fourth quarter, but the Vols could not get out of their own way. They gave the ball back to the Gamecocks, who scored 14 quick points in the first quarter and then went silent for the next two and a half quarters. Given one last chance, LaNorris Sellers finally finished a touchdown drive. Then came a Vol turnover and a Gamecock field goal for a 27-24 South Carolina win. The Vols have no one to blame for this but themselves. Yet another playoff contender lost a second game. The SEC's cluttered bumper-car reality gained more passengers in Week 8.

4 - Kentucky on course

Kentucky didn't look great against Vanderbilt, but the Wildcats remained in the hunt for a playoff spot. Will Stein is the favorite for SEC Coach of the Year.

5 - Alabama doesn't look the part

The Crimson Tide beat Texas A&M, but they weren't impressive. It's hard to see Alabama running the table the rest of the way.

Source: Yahoo Sports