1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …

The finesse team just got serious, everyone. Dug in and bowed up, and for the first time in 3 seasons, looked like a legit SEC bully.

“The line of scrimmage was relentless,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Saturday. “We dominated it.”

Before you start to minimize what Tennessee did in Saturday’s rock ’em-sock ’em fistfight with suddenly shaken Texas A&M, let’s not overlook the specifics.

And what it all means moving forward this season for the Vols.

Too often we look at things at ground zero instead of a wide view angle. So it’s easy to say Tennessee’s win over Texas A&M is about a rare as an empty hooch bag in Neyland Stadium.

That would be a wild miscalculation.

The Aggies not only have the best run defense in the SEC — with a defense full of former 5-star recruits — but as a team, they were desperate. Lose another game, and the season can quickly head south.

This game, this moment, was their season.

Tennessee lined up, traded blows and walked out with its most impressive win in years. It wasn’t beating Alabama and Florida in 2022, or beating Georgia in 2016. It was better.

It was better because of the way it happened, and how it will make Tennessee more dangerous in the 2nd half of the season — and moving forward under Heupel.

This isn’t a finesse team anymore. This is a team that lined up against the best rush defense in the SEC, and ran for 232 tough yards. Meaningful yards, game-changing yards.

More than 200 yards — and here’s the key — despite any tangible help from Tennessee’s vaunted pass game. Texas A&M knew what was coming — and couldn’t stop it.

When you get to the elite of the SEC, when games are won and lost in 4 or 5 plays every game, you better be physical. You better be tough and aggressive, and close fast and separate faster.

The Vols ran the ball 49 times, threw it 22 and set the tone from the moment they ran through the T. The offense dictated tempo, the defense smothered everything Texas A&M tried to do offensively.

It may as well have been the 1980s with Johnny Majors, and the Vols were running option on one end, and the old Wide Tackle 6 defense on the other.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in one of these,” Heupel said. “And I’m good with it.”

Why, you ask? Because Tennessee officially became a bare-knuckle bruiser in the SEC. The Vols can play bully ball.

This is important because the 2 biggest games of the season remain — 2 games that will determine just how dangerous Tennessee can truly become.

The finesse team beat Alabama in 2022, but only after a handful of unthinkable plays on offense and a few dumb mistakes by Alabama. The finesse team was humiliated by Georgia.

Not anymore. Not this Vols team.

2. Changing the narrative

Heupel arrived at Tennessee with some baggage at UCF. His offenses were elite and kept UCF among the best teams in the Group of 5.

His defenses were average and got worse with each season.

So Heupel hired Tim Banks away from Penn State, and said he wanted an aggressive, tough defense. He promised to recruit to that side of the ball and push for impact players from the transfer portal.

It’s not an overnight fix in this league. You’re not flipping the switch and suddenly standing toe to toe with Alabama and Georgia.

It’s players, it’s strength and conditioning, it’s a mindset.

They’ve added 5 impact portal players (see: S Wesley Walker, DT Omar Norman-Lott) over the past 2 seasons and developed high school recruits (see: LB Elijah Herring, edge James Pearce Jr.).

They’ve built a strong, tough defense that can run and rip our your heart, in the image of the 2 teams they (and everyone else) is chasing in the SEC.

“It’s how badly do you want it,” Heupel told me in July. “Football is a game of want and will. I truly believe that.”

So Heupel began this offseason with a simple message to a team that won 11 games, and was a game away from possibly playing in the Playoff: inches.

It’s a game of inches. The only way you get there is being tougher and smarter than the other guy.

The Vols took big steps the first 2 years, and now it’s about inches. They failed in the first test at Florida, giving up 183 yards rushing and getting pushed around for an entire half — while digging a 26-7 deficit they couldn’t overcome.

Yet even in that loss, there were clear signs of distinct change. Florida’s 2nd-half drive chart: punt, punt, FG, punt, downs.

That’s 26 plays, 83 yards, 3 points.

Now here comes Alabama this weekend, the same Alabama that doesn’t look anything like previous championship iterations but keeps winning because — wait for it — it’s playing tougher and smarter since a 10-point loss to Texas.

3. Embracing bully ball, The Epilogue

Since Hepuel arrived in Knoxville in 2021, we’ve used numbers and statistics to show his impact on the offense.

The TD/INT ratio of Hendon Hooker, the completion percentage and the big plays, and the wildly underrated running game. So why not do the same for the defense to illustrate just how far it has come in 3 seasons?

From bad angles and missed tackles and lost pursuit, to this:

— The Vols are No. 2 in the SEC in sacks per game (4), No. 2 in tackles for loss (8.67), No. 4 in passes defended (4.83) and No. 4 in 3rd-down conversion percentage allowed (32.3).

— The Vols were 12th in the SEC in total defense in Year 1 under Heupel (421.7 ypg.), and they’re now No.4 (303 ypg.), shaving off 118 yards from that ugly debut season.

— The Vols gave up a bloated 29.1 points per game in 2021 and now give up 17.

Same defensive coordinator. Same assistants. Same scheme. Better players.

But 1 statistic shows more than any other just how far the defense has come, and how far Tennessee had to close the gap from finesse to fight.

In 2021, Tennessee was 13th in the SEC in opponent long plays (10+ yards), giving up a whopping 204 — including 41 of 20+ yards. This season, Tennessee leads the SEC, allowing just 64 long plays.

Better than Georgia, better than Alabama.

So while the Tennessee offense continues to run the ball at a high level and impose its will — No. 1 in the SEC and 2nd among Power 5 teams (230.3. ypg.) — the defense has joined the action.

There’s a new bully on the block, everyone. The finesse team just got serious.

4. The evolution of Mertz

Before we overreact, let’s look at the specifics of the situation.

Graham Mertz played the best game of his career and looked like a quarterback who could win more road games in the 2nd half of the season.

Now, a bit of reality: South Carolina has the statistically worst defense in the SEC.

But here’s the light beginning to shine through the clouds for the Florida offense: Mertz is driving the ball downfield. After 6 games of dink and dunk, Mertz and the Florida offense made pass plays in the 2nd and 3rd levels.

Mertz averaged 7.4 yards per attempt in 4 previous games against Power 5 teams. Against South Carolina, he averaged 8.8 yards per attempt, and had 11 completions of 15+ yards: 45, 30, 26 (twice), 24, 23, 22, 21, 19, 17, 16 yards.

It’s no surprise then, that he set career highs against the Gamecocks for attempts (48) and yards (423), and tied his career high in completions (30) set a week earlier against Vanderbilt.

More than anything, the ball went downfield — and gives the Gators hope for the 2nd half of the season.

“We’re starting to play better around him,” Florida coach Billy Napier said after the South Carolina game. “Ultimately, we’re capable. We can score.”

5. The Weekly 5

Five picks against the spread.

  • Tennessee (+9.5) at Alabama
  • Mississippi State (+6.5) at Arkansas
  • South Carolina at Missouri (-6.5)
  • Ole Miss (-6.5) at Auburn
  • Army (+28.5) at LSU

Last week: 3-2

Season: 19-16

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner.

“Really happy for this young guy. A great kid, loves the game and it’s all starting to pull together again. He slipped a little last year, maybe trying to do too much. But that explosion off the edge is back. That disruption and chase and quick, active hands. He looks better than ever, and he has completely reshaped his body. He’s stronger, and he’s built like an NFL edge in an odd front. He’s going to impress at the Combine, and he’ll have the tape. A high, high Day 1 pick.

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and 1 big thing.

1. Georgia: Even an injury to TE Brock Bowers shouldn’t slow down the rapidly developing pass game. There are too many weapons in the receiving corps (including backup TE Oscar Delp) for 1 player to shut down the pass game.

2. Alabama: Nothing about the offense is pretty — until you look closer. There are multiple open receivers on most pass plays. The more comfortable QB Jalen Milroe gets, the more dangerous Alabama becomes.

3. LSU: Treat this as a practice game. Play Jayden Daniels for a quarter and rest him. Then take 2 weeks to prepare for the game that should determine the West Division title.

4. Ole Miss: Don’t look a month ahead. Georgia is not going anywhere. Three winnable games (at Auburn, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M), where Ole Miss will be favored, can set up a huge November game in Athens.

5. Tennessee: Vols haven’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003, the last of 3 straight wins over Alabama in Tuscaloosa — and the first team to win 3 straight at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

6. Missouri: Don’t underestimate a 17-point win at Kentucky and as impressive: an easy win without much input from WR Luther Burden III (2 catches, 15 yards).

7. Kentucky: If QB Devin Leary continues to struggle with accuracy, the 2-game losing streak could reach 3 or 4 or more. Leary threw for 317 over the last 3 games (Florida, Georgia, Missouri), for an average of 105.6 ypg.

8. Florida: Gators went into the 4th quarter with a chance to beat Georgia in 2022. Have they closed ground in 2023 with a completely overhauled defense?

9. Texas A&M: Ainias Smith is the fastest, most dynamic player on the offense. He has touched the ball 5 times in the past 2 games (both losses).

10. Arkansas: That’s 8 one-possession losses dating to last season. The culprit: The Hogs are only averaging 98.5 ypg. rushing against Power 5 opponents (all losses).

11. South Carolina: Find 4 wins on the 2nd half schedule to reach the postseason: at Missouri, at Texas A&M, Jacksonville State, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Clemson.

12. Auburn: Tigers are averaging 155 yards passing and a 6.3 average yards per attempt. That’s why they’ve lost 3 SEC games by a combined 102-48.

13. Mississippi State: There are plenty of unknowns heading into the 2nd half of the season. At the top of the list: Do the Bulldogs lean more on QB Will Rogers, or continue with the philosophy and move toward establishing the run?

14. Vanderbilt: Coach Clark Lea keeps taking about Vanderbilt’s “slim margins.” The slim lines of scrimmage are the problem. Commodores can’t get push on either side.

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: Now is it time to pass around the hat to buy out Jimbo (Fisher)? Or do we have to wait until (Bobby) Petrino starts a coup? At what point do we just clear the deck and start over? — Tim Taylor, Dallas.

Tim:

It’s getting more difficult by the week to stand by Fisher, and what he has accomplished despite every possible advantage. Year after year, he lands top 10 (or 5) recruiting classes and loads the roster with blue-chip recruits.

And year after year, the Aggies can’t win games that matter — and more disturbing, lose games they should win. Now, the next problem: game management.

The hiring of an OC/play-caller (Petrino) gave Fisher — in theory — the freedom to be the CEO coach. To make sure critical game day decisions aren’t flubbed.

Yet over and over this season, those game-day decisions — down and distance decisions, 4th-down conversion attempts, take the field goal, or try to convert — have been botched.

Again, in theory, it’s the only thing he is charged with (and motivating his team), and it couldn’t be a bigger problem halfway through the season. There’s enough talent on this team to win out and finish 9-3.

But there’s also enough bad history of late to see this thing tank again like 2022.

Maybe this is the best way to look at it: If you take away the high and low of Fisher at Texas A&M — the 9-1 record in the SEC in 2020, and 2-6 in 2022 — his record in conference games is 15-13.

You’re not paying a coach $9.5 million annually for that record, with that athletic and facility support, and an NIL fund second to none in college football.

9. Numbers

244. In 3 games against Auburn under Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss has given up 732 yards rushing and 11 TDs — or an average of 244 yards per game.

Auburn’s strength is its run game, 3rd in the SEC at 191.5 yards per game. The pass game is an adventure, but the run game uses 2 QBs (Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford) and 3 RBs (Jarquez Hunter, Brian Battie, Jeremiah Cobb) to wear down opponents.

Meanwhile, we give you the Ole Miss rush defense: significantly improved from last season, when Auburn rushed for 301 yards on 48 carries. The Rebels are giving up 126.8 ypg. under new DC Pete Golding — including holding Alabama to 131 yards.

If Auburn gets 200-plus rush yards again this weekend on The Plains, it could lead to coach Hugh Freeze’s first signature win.

10. Quote to note

Alabama coach Nick Saban: “Hopefully we can learn how to beat the other team. Not just win the game, but beat them.”