All for Tennessee
Fansided

SEC Power Rankings following Week 3 of 2018: Vols still near bottom

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Kai Locksley #1 of the UTEP Miners tries to avoid a tackle from Defensive back Micah Abernathy #22 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Linebacker Jonathan Kongbo #99 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the UTEP Miners and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-0. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Kai Locksley #1 of the UTEP Miners tries to avoid a tackle from Defensive back Micah Abernathy #22 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Linebacker Jonathan Kongbo #99 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the UTEP Miners and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-0. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
14 of 15
Next
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images /

Everybody in the country is apologizing to Ed Orgeron right now. After major criticism of the hire in 2016 and a very rough start to the first half of 2017, it was a sure bet that he would be done early with the LSU Tigers. But Coach O rallied the team throughout the second half of last year, and he has taken them to new heights this year.

In terms of resume, it’s hard to beat LSU’s. Yes, they have beaten an FCS school. But their other two wins are against ranked opponents, one at a neutral site and one on the road. Both of those teams are undefeated outside of facing LSU, and one of them, the Auburn Tigers, has beaten another ranked team in the Washington Huskies.

So yes, the Tigers are the real deal, and they have an identity. It’s the identity that has served them well this entire decade ever since Nick Saban restored the program all those years ago: tough defense, making plays when needed at quarterback, finding breaks when they come, and running the ball well.

The formula hasn’t changes this year, and it’s why LSU is No. 2 in our SEC Power Rankings. We could really make a case for them to be No. 1 when you look at what they’ve done so far. But the good news for them is they’re about to build a ton of momentum with a very easy slate.

Over the next two weeks they host the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Ole Miss Rebels. Then these guys visit a bad Florida Gators team. That’ll get them to 6-0 before they have a huge match-up at home against the Georgia Bulldogs in what could be a game for the ages. That’s the start of a brutal three-game stretch, all at home, that is followed by the Mississippi State Bulldogs and then the next team in these rankings.

Home/Vols Football