The Tennessee Vols have a well-timed bye this weekend following the program’s big road win against the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 3.
Tennessee’s off week will allow several key players to get healthy while giving the team a moment to breathe after the emotional win against Oklahoma.
Despite not playing on Saturday, Tennessee, which is ranked No. 5 in the nation, is almost guaranteed to move up in the AP Top 25 poll this weekend.
That’s because No. 2 Georgia is set to travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night. And the loser should slip below the Vols in the AP Top 25.
If Georgia wins, the Vols should easily move in front of Alabama in the top 25. Ranking the Crimson Tide above Tennessee was already questionable (it’s really nothing more than a reputation vote, which is another sign that the AP Top 25 voting process is deeply flawed). If Alabama loses to Georgia, there’s no way they should stay ranked above the undefeated Vols.
It’s possible that if Alabama beats Georgia then the Bulldogs could stay in the top four. But again, that would be a reputation vote and it would make a lot of AP voters look incredibly foolish.
The only scenario where Tennessee wouldn’t move up in the polls would be if Ole Miss blows out Kentucky. Though that would still be a bad call by the AP voters since the Rebels are playing the Wildcats in Oxford (Tennessee’s wins against NC State and on the road against Oklahoma would be more impressive than the Rebels’ wins against Wake Forest and Kentucky).
As long as the AP voters act maturely and vote with logic, the Volunteers will be ranked at least No. 4 in the nation on Sunday afternoon.
The Top 25 poll doesn’t mean much this early in the season, but if it’s going to be a thing, the voters should at least feel a duty to get it right.