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Tennessee football in top half of SEC Power Rankings for Week 1 of 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Volunteers gather and sing the alma mater after the Tennessee vs Ball State football game in Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022.Utvsballstate 2461
Volunteers gather and sing the alma mater after the Tennessee vs Ball State football game in Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022.Utvsballstate 2461 /
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Sep 3, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) rushes for a two-point conversion against the Georgia State Panthers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) rushes for a two-point conversion against the Georgia State Panthers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports /

Gamecocks . 10. team. 850. . 1-0.

Defeated Georgia State Panthers 35-14

Another team with an ugly win over an FBS opponent is higher than it should be in our SEC Power Rankings because of the way so many other teams are so untested. To be fair, the South Carolina Gamecocks did beat the Georgia State Panthers, a team that shocked Tennessee football in the opener back in 2019, and Shawn Elliott is still their head coach.

As a result, Shane Beamer was right to note that other SEC teams have struggled with that opponent. Entering his second year with Spencer Rattler at quarterback, his team is still a threat to Tennessee football, which will have to visit Columbia in late November after a long stretch of games without a bye.

Still, that’s all a ways away from here. South Carolina struggled to dominate in this game, and we can’t look past that when breaking down teams in the league. As a result, they are still in the bottom half of these power rankings, and they have a lot to prove before moving up.

Lucky for them, that test comes immediately. This week, they have to visit the Arkansas Razorbacks, who look even more dangerous than they were last year. After that, they host the Georgia Bulldogs, so a win either of these next two weeks would shoot them up this list even if they lost one.

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