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Tennessee football flirting with top of SEC Power Rankings for Week 2 of 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee defensive back Dee Williams (3) celebrates with an assistant during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Pittsburgh Panthers in Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.Tennpitt0910 03036
Tennessee defensive back Dee Williams (3) celebrates with an assistant during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Pittsburgh Panthers in Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.Tennpitt0910 03036 /
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Tennessee defensive back Trevon Flowers (1) celebrates sacking Pittsburgh quarterback Nick Patti (12) on third down during overtime during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Pittsburgh Panthers in Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.Tennpitt0910 02681
Tennessee defensive back Trevon Flowers (1) celebrates sacking Pittsburgh quarterback Nick Patti (12) on third down during overtime during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Pittsburgh Panthers in Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.Tennpitt0910 02681 /

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

Defeated Pittsburgh Panthers 34-27 (OT)

Every team in this tier of 2-0 teams with a Power Five win has a case to be No. 1. Tennessee football beat a Power Five team on the road. Now, Alabama and Mississippi State did that too, and Mississippi State’s Group of Five opponent actually has a win elsewhere, unlike the Vols’ Group of Five opponent from their opener, the Ball State Cardinals.

However, the Vols’ Power Five foe, the Pittsburgh Panthers, beat another Power Five team. Pitt held off the West Virginia Mountaineers in the opener and then had a 10-day rest, as did Rocky Top. In spite of all the sloppy mistakes they made in the game, they still marched into hostile territory and pulled out an epic win.

Taking that into account, they should be higher than those other two teams in our power rankings for now, and there’s a case to say they should be higher. Still, with WVU losing to the Kansas Jayhawks this week, Pitt’s win looks less impressive, so they could also be lower.

We’ll find about more about Tennessee football in two weeks. This week, they have no chance of making too much noise, as the Akron Zips come to town. Other teams actually have a great shot at moving ahead of them. However, then they host Florida, and after their bye, they visit LSU and host Alabama, so things are about to get tough.

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