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

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) /

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Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images /

We probably overreacted here. In fact, try not to read too much into the Florida Gators blowing out the Colorado State Rams in Gainesville. Sure, CSU beat the Arkansas Razorbacks the week before. But that game was in Colorado. Meanwhile, Arkansas proved to be awful by losing to the North Texas Mean Green in a blowout.

That makes CSU’s close win over the Hogs actually look a bit embarrassing. So following a loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, the Gators didn’t do much to show they deserved this jump. However, the hideous play of the Ole Miss Rebels combined with the sluggish effort of the Vols enticed us to move them up just for this week.

Dan Mullen’s team clearly has an offensive identity. It’s just trying to find consistency there. Meanwhile, the transition to the 3-4 on defense has not looked as hideous as it might have looked just yet. So there are some positives.

But still, the Gators have a lot to prove. And they’ll get another chance at a quality win, or at least a conference win, this Saturday when they travel to Rocky Top to face the Vols. They also need to win because should they lose, a long season could be on the horizon. Right after Tennessee are the Mississippi State Bulldogs and LSU Tigers. So these guys need to win Saturday, or they could easily fall to 2-4 on the year.

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