For much of the past year, the Tennessee Volunteers have enjoyed life as a program in the top 15 of the AP Poll.
For a lot of the time, the Vols were even in the top 10, where Tennessee spent the final 12 weeks of the 2022 season.
Following Saturday’s 29-16 loss against the Florida Gators in Gainesville, it was clear the Vols would be sliding down the poll, it was just a matter of how far. On Sunday, we got our answer. Tennessee checked in at No. 23 in the AP Poll, falling a poll-high 12 spots from last week’s No. 11 ranking.
As we’ve seen time and again with how the poll works, it’s not just the fact that Tennessee lost. It also has to do with the fact that the Gators were unranked and dominated the Vols for the majority of the game.
While losing a game like that to a rival is always a tough pill to swallow, the good news for Tennessee is they still have plenty of time to get things back on track and one loss doesn’t necessarily mean your season is over.
Tennessee also has a stretch where they won’t play another ranked opponent until they square off with Alabama on October 21.
The college football world had plenty to say about Tennessee’s slide down the AP Poll.
Their still ranked?
Who'd they beat exactly?
— SECpix (@VolsPix) September 17, 2023
AP poll are frauds. No UCF shouldn't be ranked yet but also UM and UF shouldn't. They overrated Tennessee and gawd awful Texas A&M. So they make up by ranking UM and UF 🤦🏾♂️
— Andre I. (@andre0520) September 17, 2023
Of course Tennessee is above Florida. AP poll gonna AP poll.
— Hair Jordan (@13luJay) September 17, 2023
No way the AP poll didn’t rank Missouri after being 3-0 and beating the #15 team in the country. Yet they ranked Florida team that beat a heavily overrated Tennessee team, and they already have a loss😂
— Roddy’s Lobby (@grizzallday) September 17, 2023
