SEC Power Rankings following Week 8 of 2018: Vols finally move up

SEC Power Rankings following Week 7 of 2018: Vols finally move up

AUBURN, AL - OCTOBER 13: Linebacker Darrell Taylor #19 of the Tennessee Volunteers and defensive back Alontae Taylor #6 of the Tennessee Volunteers tackle running back Malik Miller #32 of the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images /

The good news is they’re actually looking better. The Arkansas Razorbacks played the Texas A&M Aggies to a touchdown game. They scored the most points of anybody against the Alabama Crimson Tide. And they had the Ole Miss Rebels beat until the end.

So Chad Morris has these guys improving. The bad news? They’re still 1-6 and 0-4 in the SEC. Those early season mess-ups were brutal, and it’s going to make for a bad year overall. The record makes it clear-cut that they still belong at the bottom of our SEC Power Rankings. And with the team at the bottom scoring a win, they had to drop a spot.

One knock is that Saturday was a game in which the offense actually could have done more against a bad defense. Scoring 37 would be impressive against anybody else, but after breaking 30 the previous week against Bama, they definitely could have done more.

No matter what, though, this team is in trouble for the rest of the season. After all, they still have to face the LSU Tigers. And the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Missouri Tigers are both on the road. The good news is they have a chance at a break with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane coming to town this weekend. And right after that, they could get a second straight win at home against the next team in these SEC Power Rankings.

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