8. Tennessee (16-2)
Less than two weeks ago, Tennessee was the final unbeaten team in the nation before laying an egg in an abhorrent performance at Florida. The Volunteers showed us several times during that 14-0 start that they mean business, using an opportunistic offense and stout defense to win game after game. There are numerous reasons to expect Tennessee at or near the top of the league standings by the end of the season, but this team is far from perfect.
The Volunteers had a really nice performance on Wednesday, winning 74-56 over a ranked Georgia squad. Jordan Gainey had 19 points off the bench, Zakai Zeigler added 16 points and 7 rebounds, and the Volunteers did well defensively in the win. Tennessee didn’t quite get enough over the weekend, getting upset 76-75 by Vanderbilt. Four different players had at least 16 points, including a double-double from Zeigler, but the Commodores got the last laugh over their in-state rivals.
Saturday wasn’t Tennessee’s best defensive effort, with those 76 points in the most they’ve given up in a game this season. While the SEC is very strong, we’ve seen that defense buckle a bit more in recent weeks. We’re going to start asking some questions about this team’s consistency, even though they clearly have the talent to beat basically anyone in this league. The road ahead is challenging, including a trip to Auburn next weekend that will undoubtedly have national attention.