SEC Power Rankings following Week Three of 2019: No change for Vols

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 14: Cedric Tillman #85 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Chattanooga Mockingbirds with Ramel Keyton #80 during the third quarter at Neyland Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images /

A 45-0 win over the Chattanooga Mocs shows that the Vols’ improvement is legitimate. And we will continue to give Jeremy Pruitt’s team credit for the progress it makes over the course of the season after such a horrible start. However, this team is still 1-2. Beating an FCS school was going to do them no benefit in our SEC Power Rankings.

They still managed to lose to the Georgia State Panthers, who were blown out by the Western Michigan Broncos this past weekend. Now, the good news is that the BYU Cougars, whom they took to overtime, are looking pretty good now as well after beating the USC Trojans on the road.

But at the end of the day, Rocky Top remains in serious trouble. And it’s just in time for their brutal SEC stretch to begin. Everything starts with a road trip to the Florida Gators this weekend. Then, after a bye, they have to face the Georgia Bulldogs. Two weeks later, they’ll visit the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Surrounding Alabama are two home games that will determine if this team turned things around, against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks. If UT wins both, a bowl is back on the table. But they’re almost certainly going to be 1-4 in three weeks and will be heading into November with a losing record.

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