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Tennessee football: Vols continue slide in SEC Power Rankings after Week 8

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) runs the ball during the Alabama and Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.Tennessee Vs Alabama Football 100315
Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) runs the ball during the Alabama and Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.Tennessee Vs Alabama Football 100315 /
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Oct 3, 2020; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach stands on the sidelines during the first quarter of the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2020; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach stands on the sidelines during the first quarter of the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /

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A season-opening splash win against the LSU Tigers hasn’t lasted. Mike Leach’s team is now on a three-game losing streak, and once again, he’s at least making Tennessee football look smart for not hiring him in 2017 even if the Vols don’t look smart in a lot of other ways. Anyway, this bye week is exactly what these guys needed to right the ship.

You have to think that Will Rogers will take the lead role at quarterback this week. After a great performance against LSU, K.J. Costello magnified the issues that come with running a Leach offense in the ensuing weeks: interceptions. Costello already has 10 on the year with only six touchdown passes, and that offsets what have been not bad defensive performances.

Rogers does have just one touchdown and two interceptions, but at this point, he’s earned the shot to show what he can do. Leach’s programs always take a couple of years to pick up his system, to be fair, so this could be just a long year.

Well, another long game is in the works for these guys as well. Up next for MSU is a trip to the No. 2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. After falling to 1-4, though, they’ll have a chance to rebound a bit, as they then get to host the Vanderbilt Commodores and an inconsistent Auburn Tigers team. Down the line is a trip to the next team in these power rankings too.

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