By Jimmy Hyams
The raging debate in Knoxville is whether Tennessee should be ranked No. 1 in the nation.
The Vols are No. 3 in the AP poll and No. 4 in the coaches’ poll.
Yet, no team in the country has more wins over ranked opponents than Tennessee.
Should that stamp UT as the top-ranked team? Is that the most important barometer in the ratings?
I used to vote in the AP poll and is not easy to discern from week to week where teams should be ranked.
You have to put weight on head-to-head matchups, on results v. ranked teams, on strength of schedule, on key injuries.
Then, there’s the eye test.
Does Ohio State “look’’ like a better team than Georgia or Clemson?
Here’s another factor to consider: In 2005, Tennessee started the season ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll. So if you beat the Vols in week one, you beat a top five team. But if you beat those Vols in week 10, you beat an unranked team.
So one team gets credit for a win over a top five opponent and another team doesn’t.
Doesn’t it make more sense to say you beat a team that is currently ranked rather than a team that was ranked when you played them?
Or, did that No. 20 team you beat fall out of the top 20 only because you beat them. You shouldn’t be penalized for that.
My point is, many factors play into the rankings. There is not a be-all, end-all formula.
Having said that, let’s take a deeper dive into Tennessee.
Using the higher ranking in the polls, Tennessee beat No. 14 Pitt on the road, No. 20 Florida, No. 25 LSU on the road, and No. 1 Alabama.
No team in the country has a resume like that.
But, Pitt, Florida and LSU are no longer ranked.
So how much credit should Tennessee get for beating teams now unranked?
Yet, each of those teams likely would be ranked if they had beaten Tennessee.
Where would I ranked Tennessee this week?
Third.
Tennessee has more quality wins than Ohio State and Georgia, but having watched those two teams play, I think they would beat the Vols head to head.
Why?
Defense.
While Tennessee’s run defense is much improved over last year, the secondary is horrible.
You might want to point out UT’s defense made some key stops against Florida and Alabama. But Florida gained 594 total yards (453 in the air) and Alabama gained 569 yards (455 in the air).
Maybe Tennessee’s top-ranked offense will be good enough to outscore Georgia. Maybe it could outscore Ohio State and Clemson and Michigan.
But I don’t recall a team winning a championship – or being ranked in the top five – that allows 425 yards per game (332 yards passing).
Tennessee might prove to be the exception.
We’ll get a much better idea Nov. 5 in Athens.
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