All for Tennessee Official Week 4 SEC Power Rankings: Vols Shoot Up

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Volunteers rose while Georgia and Arkansas fell in the All for Tennessee SEC Power Rankings for Week Four of the 2016 college football season.

Well that was an interesting turn of events. The first weekend of mostly SEC games caused a major shake-up in the SEC Power Rankings, as we expected it would.

And news on Sunday caused a major shake-up in the entire conference.

The shake-ups started with Tennessee finally ending its 11-game losing streak to the Florida Gators. Then came the LSU Tigers firing Les Miles on Sunday after his team’s loss to the Auburn Tigers on the road.

So in a span of 24 hours, those two eras that have existed since 2005 came to an end.

Meanwhile, there is a clear-cut top tier right now in the SEC, and it has been narrowed down to three teams. All of them are undefeated.

There are three other one-loss teams who still have a lot to play for, and there are four two-loss teams that are still very dangerous.

Then there’s the bottom of the SEC, and it is a low bottom this year. The parity among mediocrity is truly a pathetic sight to behold.

We will break down all of these teams as well as celebrate Rocky Top’s rise. Vols fans are feeling pretty darn good about themselves right now.

So are a few other teams. And of course, with five games featuring two SEC teams this week, this list could change dramatically once again.

Here are the official All for Tennessee SEC Power Rankings following Week Four of the college football season.

Sep 24, 2016; Bowling Green, KY, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores players celebrate after a NCAA football game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Vanderbilt defeated WKU 31-30 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Vanderbilt Commodores

2-2 (0-1)

Last week: Defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 31-30 in OvertimeLast rank: 13th

Derek Mason’s team managed to fall to last place in our SEC Power Rankings…after a win. The Vanderbilt Commodores celebrated a huge road victory over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers this past weekend.

And while it was thrilling to see them get the win, movement around the rest of the conference forced them to this 14th spot. Of course, a one-point overtime win over Western Kentucky is nothing to celebrate or brag about.

But when you’re Vanderbilt and you lost to them last year, maybe it shows another slow step in the right direction. The unfortunate thing is that the defense, which should be Mason’s calling card, had another atrocious game. It gave up 496 yards of offense overall.

The good news for Vanderbilt is they found some decent quarterback play finally from Kyle Shurmur. It may have been against Western Kentucky, but 279 passing yards is nice. However, they mainly won because they forced three turnovers. So this still isn’t a good team.

And the Commodores are set to be significantly exposed over the next few weeks.

They are about to face an angry Florida gators team, and then they have to travel to the Kentucky Wildcats, who appear to have found something. Following that is a road trip to Georgia. So it looks like this team is staying at the bottom of our SEC Power Rankings.

Sep 24, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Stanley Boom Williams (18) is tackled by the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina Gamecocks

2-2 (1-2)

Last week: Lost to the Kentucky Wildcats 17-10Last rank: 12th

Well that thrilling win over the Vanderbilt Commodores doesn’t seem like anything that impressive anymore. And after getting blown out by the Virginia Tech Hokies, the East Carolina Pirates don’t seem like an impressive win either.

So after an embarrassing loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Will Muschamp’s team is further away from climbing out of the cellar of our SEC Power Rankings. This was Muchamp football at its absolute best…or worst, if we’re being accurate.

Playing a terrible defense, his team managed 10 points with only 177 passing yards from Brandon McIlwain. Heck, Kentucky spotted them two turnovers, and they still failed to generate any scoring.

That screams Muschamp ball, and it’s not shocking to anybody who has followed the SEC recently.

The Gamecocks clearly have quarterback issues that they have got to figure out in a hurry. This Kentucky loss seriously damaged their hopes of going to a bowl game at the end of the year.

Now with Texas A&M, Georgia, and Tennessee as three of their next four games, the wheels could fall off of this team in a hurry. They are barely above the Commodores right now in the SEC Power Rankings, and that is only because they beat Vanderbilt at the beginning of the year.

But it’s a different story for the team that just beat them. They are next on our list.

Sep 24, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats tight end C.J. Conrad (87) celebrates with running back Benny Snell (26) after scoring a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated South Carolina 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky Wildcats

2-2 (1-1)

Last week: Defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 17-10Last rank: 14th

All of a sudden, the Kentucky Wildcats have new life. Just as we were predicting that the wheels would fall off of Mark Stoops’s program this year, they make a switch at quarterback. And without Drew Barker, they’ve been able to rise two spots in our SEC Power Rankings.

An ugly 17-10 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks following a shootout win the week before is enough to give this team some level of respect. They’re still in the bottom tier of the conference, but they’ve jumped ahead of Vanderbilt and South Carolina in terms of teams most likely to make a bowl game at the bottom.

Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, Stephen Johnson wasn’t great at quarterback for Kentucky. He only had 135 yards after all. But he was playing a Will Muschamp-coached defense and did a solid job managing the game.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky running backs stole the show with nearly 200 combined yards between Stanley Williams and Benjamin Snell Jr. Don’t read anything into the defense yet. They were playing the Gamecocks.

Still, this team now has life. Vanderbilt and Austin Peay are two games on the schedule that should be wins, and they might have a chance to go bowling if they win their other two toss-up games: at Missouri and at home against our next team, Mississippi State.

Sep 24, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald (7) and line backer DeAndre Ward (28) celebrate after defeating the Massachusetts Minutemen 47-35 at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Mississippi State Bulldogs

2-2 (1-1)

Last week: Defeated the UMASS Minutemen 47-35Last rank: 11th

It’s safe to say that these Mississippi State Bulldogs are hard to figure out, but they’ve got a lot of work to do. Right now, Dan Mullen’s team is in that limbo spot where they are just above the cellar dwellers of the SEC Power Rankings but not in that next tier yet.

At 2-2, at least they learned how to pull out a game Saturday in a shootout with the Massachusetts Minutemen.

Nick Dylan Fitzgerald threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 110 yards, continuing to show that he is developing as a very good quarterback for the Bulldogs.

The defense may still be an issue, but we also have to be fair and point out that UMASS gave the Florida Gators a hard time as well earlier this year. So maybe this team is just very dangerous, especially when you play them in Foxboro, with Mississippi State did.

We’ll find out more about where Mississippi State stands as a program with their upcoming schedule. Although they close with brutally tough opponents, the next four games are all winnable against Auburn at home, BYU and Kentucky on the road, and then Samford. Samford is probably a guaranteed victory, and the November games are probably guaranteed losses.

So the next three games will define Mississippi State’s season in a rebuilding year. If they play well in all three of them, they can slightly move up our SEC Power Rankings.

Sep 24, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ryan Williams (4) runs the ball during the second half against the Delaware State Hornets at Faurot Field. Missouri won 79-0. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Missouri Tigers

2-2 (0-1)

Last week: Defeated the Delaware State Hornets 79-0Last rank: 10th

No, the Missouri Tigers do not deserve to move up in our SEC Power Rankings…not yet. So they blew out another easy non-conference opponent. Big Deal!

It’s not nearly enough to change anything about their standing when they have two losses. Although their loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers now doesn’t look as bad, their loss to the Georgia Bulldogs looks worse. We’ll get to that.

But let’s first start with some positives. Even against Delaware State, 79 points is hard to put up. Drew Lock is clearly emerging as the quarterback of Barry Odom’s team as he threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns, while the Tigers’ running game is on point as well.

The biggest thing they have to worry about is not making critical turnovers, which they did against the Dawgs. After all, the defense has been solid too. And in this game, they did a 180 and had no turnovers.

So now the Tigers are 2-2 with still a lot to play for. And after gaining tons of style points, they have a chance to really show what they’re made of.

Their next two games are road trips against the LSU Tigers, and their unsettling situation, and the Florida Gators. However, after that they get to play MTSU, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and South Carolina.

If they can beat up on the cupcakes of the SEC, a bowl game is definitely possible.

Sep 24, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) makes a pass during the second quarter of the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Bulldogs

3-1 (1-1)

Last week: Lost to the Ole Miss Rebels 45-14Last rank: 4th

Last week, we were willing to give the Georgia Bulldogs credit in our SEC Power Rankings for pulling out a tough road victory over the Missouri Tigers. Ignoring the Tigers miscues and the ugly play by the Dawgs, we simply noted that they were 3-0 and had a quality win against the North Carolina Tar Heels under their belts.

Well, that all changed this week.

The Dawgs rolled over and died against the Ole Miss Rebels. They literally had their tails between their legs. Kirby Smart’s team just flat quit.

Now, with Nick Chubb banged up, this team could be in a bit of trouble. They expect him to go this weekend, but it could be difficult. Meanwhile, Jacob Eason got exposed as another Georgia quarterback who struggles severely when there is pressure in his face.

And the defense showed it may have a lot of trouble covering talented receivers this year. All of this means that, despite being 3-1, Kirby Smart clearly has a lot of rebuilding work to do.

If the Dawgs are going to do anything this year, Smart has to do that rebuilding in a hurry. Up next he’s got a red hot Tennessee football team. South Carolina and Vanderbilt are winnable games that follow, but there is still Florida, Auburn, and a revitalized Georgia Tech team down the stretch. So it could be tough for them to move up our SEC Power Rankings.

Sep 24, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA;
LSU Tigers receiver D.J. Chalk (82) celebrates what was thought to be the game winning touchdown against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. The play was later overturned and the Auburn Tigers beat the LSU Tigers 18-13. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

LSU Tigers

2-2 (1-1)

Last week: Lost to the Auburn Tigers 18-13Last rank: 6th

Well that was fast. A team that started the year with national championship aspirations is in disarray after it just fired its head coach and its offensive coordinator. At 2-2, Les Miles’s firing may have been poorly handled.

After all, he had a 10-plus year career there and won a national title and two SEC titles while becoming the second-winningest coach in program history. Shouldn’t he have had the chance to turn it around?

Well, the Tigers are where they are now. With Miles and Cam Cameron gone, the offense is clearly hitting the reset button. Leonard Fournett being banged up and the atrocious quarterback play of Brandon Harris and Danny Etling is extremely concerning. It’s hard to see the offense getting any better.

The good news is that the defense can still be elite, and the Tigers may have a chance with Ed Orgeron as the interim head coach. He did a solid job with the USC Trojans wearing the same hat, so the Tigers’ season is not lost.

However, they have fallen in our SEC Power Rankings. With home games against Missouri and Southern Miss as two of their next three games, they’ve got a chance to build some momentum. A road win against the Florida Gators sandwiched in between that could help a lot. Then we could know where this team stands heading into its brutal schedule from late October through November.

Sep 24, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn celebrates after the Tigers beat the LSU Tigers 18-13 at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn Tigers

2-2 (1-1)

Last week: Defeated the LSU Tigers 18-13Last rank: 9th

Coaching for his career, Gus Malzahn saved his job with a thrilling 18-13 victory over the LSU Tigers last Saturday…costing Les Miles his job in the process. Still the Auburn Tigers avoided a disastrous 1-3 start, and they were able to move up our SEC Power Rankings.

Malzahn has embraced the fact that he has a defensive team and that Sean White is no Cam Newton or Nick Marshall. Still, White emerged with a solid performance of 234 yards through the air against a very talented Tigers defense. So maybe the unit is coming together after all.

And if Auburn’s defense keeps up what it is doing, perhaps it could begin to go on an impressive run. After all, losses to the Clemson Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies are not anything to be ashamed of.

Going forward, this team has a heck of a lot to play for, and since they didn’t even start the year in the Top 25, Malzahn is likely coaching with a bit of house money. The noise is louder on the outside than on the inside.

With Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State up next, Malzahn has a chance to build some momentum. Then the Tigers get a bye week to prepare for the Arkansas Razorbacks and Ole Miss Rebels before hosting the Vanderbilt Commodores.

That bye week is perfect timing, and don’t be surprised if this team gets red hot because of it. They could easily go on a five-game winning streak.

Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks (13) on the sideline during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Florida Gators

3-1 (0-1)

Last week: Lost to the Tennessee Volunteers 38-28Last rank: 5th

They didn’t fall too far in our SEC Power Rankings, but the Florida Gators probably aren’t feeling too good right now. They may be a bit shell-shocked after seeing their 11-game winning streak over the Tennessee Vols come to an end thanks to one half of play. How do you recover from blowing a 21-0 lead to the team you have proclaimed to own all year?

Well, they’ve got to. But what is clear is that Jim McElwain’s team could be in a world of trouble.

The offense is actually fine with Austin Appleby at quarterback provided Antonio Callaway stays healthy. They have a passing game. However, the defense may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

Tennessee gained nearly 500 yards of offense against that unit, and quite honestly they should have had more points. The Vols were inside the red zone three times in the first half and only came away with three points. In the second half, they threw an interception early as they were driving.

If the Vols just got field goals every time they were in field goal range, the Gators would have surrendered 47 points.

So this is a unit that is loaded with talent but still does not have the depth it needs to have. That could spell trouble with the schedule coming up. A road trip against the Vanderbilt Commodores could ease the pain a bit, but then they have the LSU Tigers, a dangerous Missouri Tigers team, the Georgia Bulldogs, and Arkansas Razorbacks on the road. So this team needs to regroup in a hurry.

Sep 24, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema talks to Razorbacks long snapper Matt Emrich (56) before a field goal attempt in the second quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas Razorbacks

3-1 (0-1)

Last week: Lost to the Texas A&M Aggies 45-24Last rank: 3rd

Many fans may be upset about the Arkansas Razorbacks only falling to No. 5 in the SEC Power Rankings. After all, they lost to the Texas A&M Aggies by a much wider margin than the Auburn Tigers did, and Auburn deserves a bump for beating the LSU Tigers. Right?

Wrong.

Arkansas actually played Texas A&M a lot closer than Auburn did. A series of unforced mistakes in the fourth quarter caused them to lose that game by that 21-point margin, but for the most part, the Razorbacks were in the game. Nobody can say the same for Auburn.

Meanwhile, Arkansas also has a quality win over the TCU Horned Frogs. So while they have played an easier schedule to this point overall, the Razorbacks are 3-1, Auburn is 2-2, and Arkansas has looked better against a common opponent. Now, this unit does have concerns, though.

Bret Bielema’s defense got exposed in its abilities to handle an offense that really likes to spread the field. Still, a couple of unforced errors skewed those point. And The offense is great news with Austin Allen able to open things up at quarterback.

Arkansas does have balance. They just can’t make those mistakes.

Going forward, they get a break with Alcorn State, but then they have a real test with the Alabama Crimson Tide traveling to Fayetteville to face them. In fact, they don’t have an easy game until the Missouri Tigers at the end of the season after Alcorn State.

Sep 24, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels players celebrate after the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi won 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss Rebels

2-2 (1-1)

Last week: Defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 45-14Last rank: 7th

Just like that, the Ole Miss Rebels are returning to form in the SEC. This team has played by far the toughest schedule of any team in the conference, so getting to 2-2 after such a dominating win over the Georgia Bulldogs was just what the doctor ordered.

Hugh Freeze’s offense has been playing well, as Chad Kelly once again showed why he could be the best quarterback in the SEC. But the defense began playing consistently, which is why they were able to dominate that game from start to finish.

Now, the Rebels sit at 2-2 but at No. 4 in our SEC Power Rankings. Even with potential NCAA trouble hanging over their head, they are a dangerous team and certainly have the talent to compete with anybody.

The problem is they still don’t have the depth.

And going forward in the SEC West, that depth is going to be a problem. Before even getting back to the SEC West schedule, Ole Miss has a tough game against the Memphis Tigers at home this week. This is a Memphis team that beat them last year and has a loaded offense once again this year, so it’s no pushover team.

Following that, though, they have road games against the Arkansas Razorbacks and LSU Tigers. Then they have the Auburn Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies with an easy one against Georgia Southern sandwiched in there. You don’t get breaks in the SEC West, and Ole Miss still has lots of work to do not to fall from this spot.

Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; The Tennessee Volunteers celebrate after a victory over the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 38 to 28. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Volunteers

4-0 (1-0)

Last week: Defeated the Florida Gators 38-28Last rank: 8th

Could Tennessee football finally be back to form after suffering through a decade of mediocrity? That just might be the case.

This is the highest we have placed the Vols in our SEC Power Rankings in a long time. With a 4-0 record and that ever-elusive victory over the Florida Gators, this team could be thinking about something much bigger now.

The Vols are clearly the opposite of what they were last year. After blowing three two-score leads in 2015, they have come back from being down two scores or more in three of their four games this year. So the mental toughness is there. The defensive adjustments are there with new coordinator Bob Shoop.

And Butch Jones and Mike DeBord have an offense that can turn into a juggernaut when Joshua Dobbs gets going. He did that on Saturday, and the Vols torched the Gators for 38 straight points.

So this is clearly one of the top three teams in the SEC at this point. The Vols left numerous points out on the field and still managed 38 points. If they can get a bit more disciplined early, this team will be even more dangerous.

But with one big game behind them, we are about to find out just how dangerous Tennessee is. They still have three more games in this brutal four-game stretch, beginning this weekend with a road trip against the Georgia Bulldogs. How they play these next three games will define their season.

By the way, after Georgia, they just happen to play the top two teams in these rankings. Let’s go to them next.

Sep 24, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight (8) celebrates scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Texas A&M Aggies

4-0 (2-0)

Last week: Defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 45-24Last rank: 2nd

We are hearing that this year is different for the Texas A&M Aggies. After a third straight fast start, fans are beginning to be skeptical of whether or not Kevin Sumlin’s team can carry this through October.

However, in each of the past two years, the Aggies struggled to put away the Arkansas Razorbacks in their fast start. This year, they beat a much better Arkansas team with ease.

And all of a sudden, they look dominant.

There are a few things different about these Aggies. The defense has clearly bought in under John Chavis in his second year with the program, and he clearly has established a new culture there. They are also now shutting down spread offenses as a result of him.

Meanwhile, Trevor Knight is the perfect quarterback for Sumlin’s offense. In the SEC, Johnny Manziel proved that mobility combined with accuracy is needed to run the air raid to success. Knight has been dominant since he took the reigns at Texas A&M, so the Aggies offense is as dangerous as ever while the defense has arrived.

That’s a deadly combination.

But to stay in this spot in the SEC Power Rankings, the Aggies have to get through a brutal path still ahead of them in the SEC West. They first have to put away the South Carolina Gamecocks on the road, but then they have the Tennessee Vols in a dangerous home game. And Alabama, Ole Miss, and LSU are still on the schedule.

And speaking of Alabama …

Sep 24, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Tim Williams (56) and defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) celebrate after tackling Kent State Golden Flashes quarterback Mylik Mitchell (not pictured) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama Crimson Tide

4-0 (1-0)

Last week: Defeated the Kent State Golden Flashes 48-0Last rank: 1st

The Texas A&M Aggies have reeled off a more impressive string of recent victories than the Alabama Crimson Tide. As a result, many analysts have moved Kevin Sumlin’s team to No. 1 in their SEC Power Rankings. But we can’t do that.

After a 48-0 dominant win over the Kent State Golden Flashes, the Tide still belong at the top. They covered a 44-point spread! And they did it despite calling off the dogs midway through the game!

So yes, this team is clearly the pinnacle of SEC football and remains that way. Jalen Hurts is a superstar quarterback who continues to come into his own, the Alabama defense looks more and more unstoppable, and Lane Kiffin has a bunch of weapons to play with on top of Hurts.

So overall, this unit is once again just reloading, not rebuilding.

And the Tide get to enjoy another cupcake on their schedule, the Kentucky Wildcats, before their real SEC season begins after passing their early tests.

In two weeks, they’ll begin a brutal stretch starting with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Then they face the Arkansas Razorbacks, Tennessee Vols, and Texas A&M Aggies in three consecutive weeks. After a bye, they have to face the LSU Tigers.

So these guys have a brutal road ahead to continue their dynasty, but nobody in their right mind would count Saban out. For now, Alabama remains No. 1 in our SEC Power Rankings. To take their spot, somebody will have to beat them.