It’s a bit early for this sort of thing, but the Tennessee Volunteers received votes in the first AP Poll of the 2014 season.
The Vols, who have not been ranked since September, 2012, received 14 points in the AP rankings. They are essentially the 39th ranked team in the nation.
If Tennessee beats Arkansas State convincingly on Saturday, and some teams in front of them lose, then the Vols have an outside shot at a spot in the top 25.
While that’s undoubedtly too early to have UT ranked, it would be a dream come true for ABC/ESPN.
If the Vols have a number before their name prior to facing Oklahoma, it would give that matchup a little more meaning for television. It could also mean that ABC decides they want Tennessee @ Oklahoma as the national game of the week on September 13.
The matchup between the Volunteers and Sooners already has a kickoff time set for 8 PM ET. The game has also already been designated as a ABC/ESPN game.
However, it’s highly unlikely that Tennessee will be ranked for that matchup. And they shouldn’t be.
If the Vols win their next two games, then, by all means, we can start talking rankings.
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