ESPN’s analysts and statistics are high on Josh Heupel’s Tennessee team as the Vols enter their SEC opener against Oklahoma this weekend in Norman.
The Vols are 3-0 through the first three weeks with 60+ point wins over Chattanooga and Kent State and a 41-point win over No. 24 NC State in a neutral site but face one of their toughest tests of the season this weekend with the Sooners.
Tennessee has jumped up nine spots in the AP rankings over the first three weeks as the Vols sit at No. 6 entering Saturday’s conference game. ESPN’s Power Rankings, though, are even higher on the Vols.
ESPN’s experts have Tennessee as the fourth-best team in the nation behind No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Georgia, and No. 4 Alabama.
Tennessee moved up one spot in ESPN’s rankings after the Vols’ 71-0 victory over Kent State to close down the early non-conference slate.
“We’ve seen some MAC schools throw some haymakers early this season — NIU upset Notre Dame last week, and Toledo romped over Mississippi State on Saturday,” Bill Connelly wrote for ESPN. “Kent State, however, is at the other end of the conference hierarchy. And Tennessee was out to send a message. After one quarter on Saturday night, it had outscored the Golden Flashes 37-0 and gained 283 yards to Kent State’s minus-31. It only got slightly better for the visitors from there. It was 65-0 at halftime, and the game reached a merciful end at 71-0. Nico Iamaleava went 10-for-16 for 173 yards and a touchdown in his short evening, and three different Vols backs rushed for at least 99 yards. This was, for all intents and purposes, a scrimmage.”
Tennessee began the season at No. 14 in ESPN’s power rankings.
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After starting the season at No. 9 in ESPN’s analytical SP+ rankings, Tennessee has made a jump up there as well.
Tennessee is now the sixth-ranked team in ESPN’s SP+ rankings behind No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Ole Miss, and No. 5 Georgia. The SP+ rankings give Tennessee the No. 7 rated offense, the No. 10 rated defense, and the No. 27 rated special teams unit.
As previously mentioned, both Tennessee and Oklahoma will officially begin the 2024 SEC slate on Saturday night in Norman. Despite a strong 51-3 victory over Temple to start the season, Oklahoma has left some meat on the bone in their last two games. The Sooners survived a 16-12 contest from Houston in Week 2 before needing 10 late-game points in the final six minutes to close the door on Tulane in Week 3.
What’s been a positive for the Sooners, though, is the improving comfortability of quarterback Jackson Arnold. Oklahoma’s sophomore quarterback showed off a running component to his game against the Green Wave with 97 rush yards and two touchdowns, now tallying 159 rush yards through three games this season.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live, on-site coverage from Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Normann this weekend.
