Earlier this week, the final AP Top 25 poll was released and the Tennessee Vols came in at No. 6.

Tennessee finished one spot behind Alabama, even though both teams finished with 11-2 records and the Vols beat the Crimson Tide this season.

In addition to the head-to-head win over Alabama, the Vols also had better wins than the Crimson Tide.

It wasn't a total surprise that Alabama was ranked higher than Tennessee — that was the case over the final couple of weeks.

Ultimately, the final AP Top 25 rankings don't matter much. But finishing ranked inside the top five for the first time since 2001 would've been a big deal for Tennessee.

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Vols tight end Jacob Warren spoke with Off the Hook Sports' Dave Hooker this week and he was asked about where Tennessee was ranked in the final AP poll.

"You want to be as high as possible, you want to be in the playoff, you want to win it all, but yeah, very happy with what we were able to do," said Warren when asked about being ranked No. 6.

Warren was also asked by Hooker about being ranked below an Alabama team that the Vols beat.

"That's what we've been dealing with since — whatever week it was, I think the week before the SEC championship game," said Warren. "They had ranked them above us [and] once they did that, it was pretty obvious that nothing was going to change that. Because there was nothing that could've happened to change it, other than maybe them losing and us winning our bowl game."

"But yeah, they made it pretty clear that they thought they were the better team a couple of weeks before the season ended…and there was probably not much to change that. I'm kinda over it. It is what it is."

When asked if it's motivation, Warren admitted that it would be next season.

"You go into the offseason now just being like man, ok, we haven't arrived, we haven't accomplished everything that we want to accomplish, but we are on the scene," said Warren. "We are a prominent figure and a prominent name in the SEC, but also in the nation. And so going into next season, obviously looking to uphold that and show everybody that it wasn't just a fluke season or whatever. That we really are changing the culture and changing this program."

Warren is right — the Vols haven't arrived at the point yet where they get the benefit of the doubt from the national media. Tennessee at No.6 and Alabama at No. 5 proves that.

It sounds like Tennessee is motivated to change that perception.

Another 10 or 11-win season would certainly help change that perception. Though I'm betting the 2023 Vols will have their sights set a little higher than just 10 or 11 wins.

Featured image via Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports