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Tennessee football up two spots in SEC Power Rankings after Week 5 of 2020

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee and Missouri players shake hands midfield following a SEC conference football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Missouri Tigers held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 3, 2020.Kns Ut Football Missouri Bp
Tennessee and Missouri players shake hands midfield following a SEC conference football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Missouri Tigers held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 3, 2020.Kns Ut Football Missouri Bp /
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Oct 3, 2020; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee running back Eric Gray (3) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis-USA TODAY NETWORK
Oct 3, 2020; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee running back Eric Gray (3) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis-USA TODAY NETWORK /

. 2-0. Previous: . Volunteers . 4. team. 839

Defeated Missouri Tigers 35-12

By sheer nature of being 2-0, Tennessee football is in the top four of our SEC Power Rankings. We could also point out that the Vols beat the Missouri Tigers by a larger margin than the Alabama Crimson tide did the previous week. That has to count for something as well when we’re separating these undefeated teams this early in the season.

However, what stands out for the Vols is actually negative. Both of UT’s opponents remain winless this season, which is why they are in last place of these undefeated teams. Even the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Arkansas Razorbacks, who are 1-1, have wins over teams that have won other games. In fact, the Hogs were barely behind the Vols in these rankings.

What put Jeremy Pruitt’s team ahead was how convincing Saturday’s win was. There’s reason to believe this program truly has arrived in Pruitt’s third year, and national media seems to think so with the way it propelled the program into the top 15 of both polls.

Is it legitimate? We’ll find out soon enough. Up next for the Vols is a trip to Athens, Ga. to face the Georgia Bulldogs. After that, they host the Kentucky Wildcats. As a result, this team should get to 3-1 and has a clear path to six wins, but this weekend’s game will be the major test for the Vols and whether or not they belong with the top tier of SEC teams.

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