SEC Power Rankings following Week Five of 2019: Bye didn’t help Vols
9. team. 893. . 3-2 (1-1). Previous: . Bulldogs
It’s one thing to lose a close one at home to the Kansas State Wildcats and then rebound with a solid win at home over the Kentucky Wildcats. But the Mississippi State Bulldogs could have at least given the Auburn Tigers a game. Losing to them 56-23 is embarrassing, and it led former Vols defensive coordinator Bob Shoop to apologize on Twitter.
Having a winning record and a victory in the conference keeps them in the middle of the pack, but we had to drop the Mississippi State Bulldogs two spots in our SEC Power Rankings. A game like that is just embarrassing, and with our emphasis on recent performances for power rankings, they are now back in the bottom half of the league.
Joe Moorhead’s team is still young, to be fair, and has a lot to figure out. This weekend, they have a bye to start working on those things. But as a young team, they are about to have to prove themselves on the road.
Three of their next four games are on the road, and two are against teams they need to beat, the Tennessee Vols a week from Saturday and the Arkansas Razorbacks to close out the stretch. Thei only home game is the Texas A&M Aggies. With Abeline Christian and the Ole Miss Rebels at home late, they have a path to five wins. But six won’t come without a road victory.