AP Top 25 voter completely forgets the Tennessee Vols exist
The Tennessee Vols moved up two spots in this week's AP Top 25 poll, rising from No. 21 to No. 19 by virtue of their win against the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington this past weekend. Tennessee has been a mainstay in the top 25 since entering the AP poll last season after their season-opening win […]
The Tennessee Vols moved up two spots in this week's AP Top 25 poll, rising from No. 21 to No. 19 by virtue of their win against the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington this past weekend.
Tennessee has been a mainstay in the top 25 since entering the AP poll last season after their season-opening win against Ball State.
There's one AP voter, however, that doesn't think the Vols should be ranked. Either that or he forgot that Tennessee exists.
The Austin American-Statesman's Kirk Bohls didn't include the Vols on his top 25 ballot this week.
Bohls is a legendary sportswriter in Texas and I'm not about to question his credentials or his legendary status. Respect is earned and there's no doubt that he's earned it.
But I'm not sure how he left the Vols off his ballot (he also had Oklahoma State ranked No. 16, when most other ballots left OSU off). Maybe it was oversight. Or maybe he's only watched Tennessee from a distance. Either way, it was surprising to see the Vols left off of a ballot after earning a tough road win against Kentucky.
Ultimately, it won't impact the Vols' play on the field. But AP rankings while seemingly silly, can be important. They impact how the program is viewed, which is incredibly important when it comes to recruiting. And every little edge that a program can gain is a potential advantage.
We'll see if Tennessee catches Bohls' attention this week after what should be a big win for the Vols against UConn.
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