Kirk Herbstreit saw Tennessee atop the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2022 season, and gave his impressions of the tremendous Tennessee offense has plenty to do with the No. 1 ranking.

Herbstreit believes Tennessee’s ranking is a statement to the college football world.

“For those who don’t think that the rankings don’t matter the first week they’re released, did you hear that? Could you hear Knoxville there?” Herbstreit asked during the ESPN reveal show Tuesday night. “When you put up Tennessee at No. 1, for some folks, they’re fired up about it.”

Herbstreit was effusive in his praise of the Tennessee offense on Tuesday. Anchored by Heisman candidate Hendon Hooker, Tennessee has scored at least 34 points in every game this season.

“I think right now, until somebody can stop their offense, and by the way, it’s a very interesting topic when you talk to coaches around the country when you talk about this offense that originated back with Art Briles at Baylor,” Herbstreit said. “There are some that are in awe, there are some that get frustrated with it, there are some that think it’s a gimmick. It’s not that everybody has the same opinion, it’s that everybody has a different kind of opinion.”

Tennessee will put its No. 1 ranking on the line when it travels to face No. 3 Georgia on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET/CBS). Georgia has defeated Tennessee 5 times in a row and has a 26-23-2 edge in the all-time series.