Tennessee football: Did Vols reach top of Week 4 SEC Power Rankings?

Sep 24, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Bru McCoy (15) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown against the Florida Gators during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Bru McCoy (15) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown against the Florida Gators during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 24, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton (2) scores a touchdown against the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton (2) scores a touchdown against the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

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Defeated Kent State Golden Flashes 39-22

Recency bias matters. Georgia probably has the best overall resume when you take into account their blowout wins over their two Power Five foes. However, most recently, they looked ugly against a Group of Five opponent, struggling to put away the Kent State Golden Flashes. That should never have happened.

Such a struggle alone, when we’re nitpicking, is enough to drop them one spot in our SEC Power Rankings. To be fair, this move relied heavy on a recency bias. Take that out, and UGA is clear-cut No. 1, as the Oregon Ducks continue winning. After a huge win over BYU, they scored a great win over the Washington State Cougars on the road this past weekend.

Still, Kent State is 1-3 on the year with no FBS wins. They aren’t a team Georgia should have struggled with, and doing so is more than enough for us to drop them on this list. It’s not likely the’ll do a lot to climb the rankings anytime soon either.

That’s because up next for Georgia are the three worst teams in the SEC, Missouri, Auburn and Vanderbilt. Then they have a bye before Florida, Tennessee football, Mississippi State and Kentucky, but it’ll be a major shock if they aren’t 8-0 before November.