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

By Caleb Calhoun

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 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Van Jefferson (12) celebrates with wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge (5) following a touchdown against the LSU Tigers during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Van Jefferson (12) celebrates with wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge (5) following a touchdown against the LSU Tigers during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Well, they are the best team in the country with a losing record. But we can’t keep the Ole Miss Rebels high in our SEC Power Rankings just because they keep losing to good teams. Two weeks ago they blew a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks, and we could make a case for them even being lower than here.

The only reason they aren’t is that Arkansas got blown out so badly we had to drop them further.

But with a chance to show how good they were, Hugh Freeze’s Rebels collapsed against the LSU Tigers. They went into halftime with the game tied, and Chad Kelly became completely useless in the second half. His play in crunch time of games this year has been a big issue.

The same holds true for their defense, which has struggled with consistency all year. As a result, this team is now 3-4 when it could easily be 5-2 or 6-1 on the year.

Now, the Rebels have work to do just to somehow make it to a bowl game. After all, the Auburn Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies are still on the schedule.

Georgia Southern is also on the schedule, but after that they have to beat the Vanderbilt Commodores on the road and the Mississippi State Bulldogs if they don’t beat Auburn or Texas A&M. That could be difficult.

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