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Tennessee football reaches top half of Week 12 SEC Power Rankings with South Alabama win

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee linebackers warming up for the NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and South Alabama Jaguars in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 20, 2021.Utvsal1120
Tennessee linebackers warming up for the NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and South Alabama Jaguars in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 20, 2021.Utvsal1120 /
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Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) before a football game against South Alabama at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021.Kns Tennessee South Alabam Football Bp
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) before a football game against South Alabama at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021.Kns Tennessee South Alabam Football Bp /

. 6-5 (3-4). Previous: . Volunteers . 7. team. 839

Last week: Defeated South Alabama Jaguars 60-14

No first-year head coach in the SEC has done as good of a job as Josh Heupel. Tennessee football was coming off a 3-7 season and entered this year under the cloud of possible NCAA sanctions along with a wave of transfers. They then lost what was always seen to be one of their toss-up games early in their quest for six wins, at home against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Add in the fact that this team still couldn’t beat Florida, which should have been part of its path to six wins in hindsight given that program’s struggles, and reaching bowl eligibility should have been completely off the table. Well, Heupel did it with one game left to play.

For the second time this year, Tennessee football hit the 60-point mark. That’s enough for the Vols to make the top half of our SEC Power Rankings, a first this season, and it’s a major testament to the job Heupel has done.

Now, they have a shot at guaranteeing a winning season, which seemed even more impossible early on. All they have to do is beat a winless Vanderbilt team at home. Vandy always plays its best game against Rocky Top, though, so the Vols have to be ready Saturday if they are going to take their final step at overachieving this year.

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