Tennessee football still on top of SEC Power Rankings after Week 8 of 2022

Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (11) celebrates during a game between Tennessee and UT Martin in Neyland Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.Utvsmartin1022 0638
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (11) celebrates during a game between Tennessee and UT Martin in Neyland Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.Utvsmartin1022 0638
11 of 14
Quarterback Jayden Daniels scores a touchdown as the LSU Tigers take on the Ole Miss Rebels at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Saturday October 22, 2022Lsu Vs Ole Miss Football V2 7606
Quarterback Jayden Daniels scores a touchdown as the LSU Tigers take on the Ole Miss Rebels at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Saturday October 22, 2022Lsu Vs Ole Miss Football V2 7606

Defeated Ole Miss Rebels 45-20

Anybody still willing to question Brian Kelly at LSU? He really does have a dynasty brewing down there as the first competent coach to run the program since Nick Saban. It was going to take a bit of time to adjust, and he’s a slew of special teams errors from being 6-1 down in Death Valley.

Sure, that loss to Tennessee football was devastating, but the Vols were coming off a bye week, and LSU made a ton of special teams errors in that game too. If you take away the tricks Josh Heupel had up his sleeve with two weeks to prepare and those mistakes, that actually could have turned into an interesting game.

Ole Miss has appeared overrated, but that doesn’t mean they should’ve gotten blown out on the Bayou. That was all about LSU playing extremely well, and they are now a threat to anybody in the SEC. Their work has moved them into the top four of our SEC Power Rankings for a reason.

Now they get a much-needed bye, and they’ll come out of it with the West firmly in play. It all starts with a visit from Alabama, a game that looks huger than ever. Then they visit Arkansas and Texas A&M with a home game against the UAB Blazers in between them. That’s a tough stretch, but 10-2 is possible, 9-3 seems likely, and seven wins is a minimum.