Vanderbilt's Ascension Pushes Hogs Closer to Unwanted Streak

Arkansas continues to slip down SEC totem poll after Vanderbilt cracks Top 25

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) runs the ball against Ball State during the fourth quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's happened. The Vanderbilt Commodores are ranked. With the Commodores beating Ball State 24-14 and improving to 5-2, the AP Poll slotted the feel-good story at No. 25.

It's the first time the Commodores have been ranked in the AP Poll since the final poll of the 2013 season. Arkansas is slowly slipping down the SEC pecking order and Vanderbilt is an unlikely team to jump them, but the day of reckoning came much sooner than anyone expected. This is the latest sign. Arkansas now is perilously close to an unwanted SEC record.

Vanderbilt Commodores coach Clark Lea moments after quarterback Diego Pavia (2) got a first down against the Alabama Crimson Tide late in the fourth quarter of their game at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Only Auburn has a longer AP Poll unranked streak in the SEC outside of Arkansas. It's been 36 weeks since the Razorbacks have cracked the Top 25. Ever since breaking the Top 10 during Week 4 of the 2022 season, the Hogs crashed out of the polls two weeks later and haven't been back since. Auburn hasn't been ranked since Week 11 of the 2021 season (46 weeks).

It's hard to see the path back for the Razorbacks to the AP Poll this year. The tenor of the season swings back to pessimism after two weeks of being on top of the college football world after murmurs of being a "fringe" College Football Playoff contender. The icing on the cake? Tennessee is back up to No. 6 after beating Alabama and laughing all the way to the bank to cash a $250,000 check at the expense of Arkansas.

The Razorbacks will take on Mississippi State for the penultimate road trip of the year. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks latest SEC team to suffer post-bye week blues

• One LSU player Razorbacks had no answers for in 34-10 loss

• HOGS REACTION: Turnovers halt offense; officiating stalls momentum

• LSU's star shines brightest In key moment against Arkansas

• LSU's hot start puts Razorbacks on back foot in first half

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