All for Tennessee Official Week 8 SEC Power Rankings: Vols Move Up

Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view during the first quarter of the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view during the first quarter of the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 15, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) passing against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) passing against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

No team in college football needed a bye week more than Butch Jones and the Tennessee Vols this past week. Because of the most brutal four-game stretch in maybe the history of the sport, they never had a chance to rest any of their injured players.

And as a result, they all piled up against the Alabama Crimson Tide, which resulted in a blowout. But as we’ve now seen, there’s no shame in losing to the Tide this year. Nobody is really playing them close.

With the other things that happened this past weekend, they were able to move up anyway. Now, fully healthy, they have a chance to make a stretch run.

The Vols still need some help to win the SEC East, but they have the right players to run the table. Joshua Dobbs is clearly a leader, Cameron Sutton could be coming back soon, and Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara are still deadly weapons.

There’s a chance they could have 20 of 22 starters back by the time the season ends. And with not one ranked team left on the schedule, they should be able to coast the rest of the way. The toughest game could come this weekend with the South Carolina Gamecocks on the road.

But Tennessee Tech, Kentucky, and Missouri at home should all be easy. Now, they just have to hope the next team in our SEC Power Rankings lose somewhere.