National Analyst Releases SEC Preseason Power Rankings

Cole Cubelic, an on-field analyst for the SEC Network, recently announced his preseason rankings for SEC Teams.

Despite the spread of the Coronavirus Pandemic across the southern region of the United States, the SEC plans on holding their season at the end of September. The conference announced a 10-game SEC-Only schedule last week, and stated that the conference championship game would be played in late December.

Due to the unique nature of this season, many have started releasing their season predictions and rankings; one national media figure — ESPN Analyst Cole Cubelic — recently announced his SEC power rankings. Cubelic, who is also an on-field analyst for the SEC Network, placed Tennessee at No. 8, ahead of teams such as Mississippi State and Ole Miss, but behind teams such as Kentucky and Texas A&M.

MY 2020 SEC power rankings: pic.twitter.com/HucOkIqMCE

— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) August 15, 2020

The fact that the Vols trail Kentucky is one of the biggest surprises in the entire list, as the Wildcats have only beaten Tennessee 3 times in the last 35 years; however, many seem to think the result of the match-up formerly known as “the battle for the barrel” could end differently this season with Kentucky returning quarterback Terry Wilson, along with some talent upfront along the offensive line. Head Coach Mark Stoops is also viewed as a rising star in the coaching profession, which could have played a factor in Cubelic’s decision to put them significantly ahead of the Vols.

Jeremy Pruitt also returns elite talent in his third year on Rocky Top, in addition to bringing in new freshmen loaded with potential. On the offensive side of the ball Ty Chandler and Eric Gray will likely be able to gain more traction than they did last season due to a much improved offensive line which features four 5-star recruits. The talent upfront will also provide much needed time in the pocket for whomever starts behind center, allowing time for senior wide receiver Josh Palmer to shred defenses using his pure athleticism.

On the defensive side of the ball the Vols will need to replace seniors Daniel Bituli, Nigel Warrior, and Darell Taylor, but with returning stars like Henry To’o To’o that shouldn’t be as tough of a task as it may sound. Jaylen McCoullough could also have a breakout season in the secondary due to the departure of Warrior, as he was limited in playing time during his freshman debut.

The Vols season-opener will be announced in the near future, but they will play all of the teams they traditionally do, in addition to Auburn, Texas A&M, and Arkansas. If the Vols can find their way to the top of the SEC East, then they would play in the SEC Championship Game in late December.