SEC Power Rankings following Week Seven of 2019: Vols finally make jump

While the Vanderbilt Commodores appear done under Derek Mason, the Arkansas Razorbacks are clearly showing improvement in Chad Morris’s second year. They aren’t winning all the time, but they are staying in games, and they have also enjoyed a couple of impressive outings. Consistency is the main issue with them.

However, after a 24-20 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats over the weekend, the Hogs have played two straight games in which they were close with teams. One was at a neutral site while the other was on the road. And they have been in other games. That is en encouraging sign, even if we did drop them in our SEC Power Rankings this week. We had to because of what everybody else did.

Still, the program is coming together. The only problem is it likely won’t come together enough to make a bowl game this year. Marked improvement is on the table, though, and they have already matched last year’s win total at least. They should have already passed it but had a bad outing against the San Jose State Spartans.

Surpassing it won’t be easy with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers up next. But then they get the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at home, and there’s a chance that they win both, but they certainly can win one of two. Again, for now, remaining respectable is the big deal.