4. Tennessee Volunteers
Record: 8-1 (0-0 SEC)
Last Week: No. 5
Tennessee was one of the nation’s biggest surprises a year ago and returned just about every major contributor. Heading into this season, the Volunteers had a bit of a target on their back as a preseason top-10 team in the nation. And to this point in the year, the team has backed up their hype and put together a very strong campaign. With two collegiate superstars in Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield leading the way, head coach Rick Barnes has to be a happy man on the sidelines (at least for the most part).
To this point in the year, Tennessee has collected their fair share of elite wins while suffering only one loss at the hands of Kansas. Of course, their victory over Gonzaga is the crowning jewel but let’s not forget wins over Louisville and Memphis, either. The Volunteers were a preseason favorite by many to win the SEC and their non-conference performances have given a great glimpse into why.
To round out non-conference play, Tennessee will play three consecutive home games against Samford, Wake Forest, and Tennessee Tech. All of these should be fairly easy victories as the Volunteers will likely carry a top-5 national ranking into conference play. Hard to argue with how well the team has performed so far this season.