What a difference a week makes.

Just seven days ago the majority of Big Orange Nation believed everything was going to be just fine.

The Vols controlled their own destiny in the SEC East race with the two toughest teams on the schedule already done and gone.

The drastic swings in support were funny to me.

This was still the team that had fallen by a combined 53 points against the two best teams on the schedule.

The Vols had one win over a good team, but that came at home in a must-win situation against an average Georgia team.

Still, everyone wanted to believe everything was ok, and Tennessee was on the trail to a BCS bowl game.

And then Saturday happened. Alabama 41, Tennessee 17.

I can go through numbers all day long, but I'll narrow it to the two biggest problems in my eyes, one from the ‘Bama game, and one for the program overall.

1. The Vols fell behind in the Alabama game 10-0, but regained the lead at 14-10 early in the second quarter. In the two scoring drives for the team that help them take the lead, Arian Foster had eight touches for 100 yards and a touchdown. After that the Vols were dominated on both sides of the ball. There's one key to that. In the second and third quarters combined, Foster had a total of three touches. That's just not enough for what had been the team's most effective offensive option.
2. Now for the bigger picture. In the opinion of most, myself included, the Vols two biggest games every year are Florida and Alabama. Those two teams outscored Tennessee by a combined score of 100-37. In the last three seasons the program has gone 1-5 against its two biggest rivals. When looking at those two teams, it appears these might have been the worst rosters the programs will field for the foreseeable future. Urban Meyer and Florida have all the talent in the world, and will continue to, but this year it was young, inexperienced talent. This will easily be the least talented team for Nick Saban at Alabama. They will only get better as Saban has time to recruit, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Of the remaining schedule, only Louisiana-Lafayette will be beatable if the Vols come out with a sub-par performance, and from what we've seen over the past years, it can be expected the team will come out flat in at least a couple of the remaining games.

That kind of talk was not heard much around Knoxville a week ago, but now it seems to be the opinion of most in an around Big Orange Country. Count me among the few that believed that would always be the case.

What a difference a week makes.

The Blemished Contenders

Last week I took a look at the remaining unbeaten teams and when they would lose (hope you guys took my word for it on the USF-Rutgers game).

I said all of those teams would finish with at least a loss, and I stand by that. I am starting to think Ohio State could finish unbeaten, but I'll still say the Buckeyes will fall in one of their last four games and just miss out on a second straight championship appearance.

With that said, here's a look at the five teams I think are poised to take advantage when the teams at the top of the rankings start to fall.

5)    Oregon

This weekend will determine it all for the Ducks when USC comes to town. If they can get past the Trojans, Oregon will be a top five team and have very winnable games the rest of the way, but I think USC will pull the upset. If I'm wrong, however, immediately move the Ducks up to second on this list.

4)    Florida

I know they already have two losses, but I think they're going to finish that way. Only one regular season game should cause the Gators much of a problem at all, and that comes when they travel to South Carolina. I think they will win that game, and then win a re-match with LSU in the SEC Championship Game. If that happens don't be surprised to see the Gators back in the national title hunt when other teams start losing.

3)    South Florida

Last week I picked them to fall, but this week they really are in a good spot to shoot up the rankings should teams in front of them start to fall. The rest of the schedule sets up where this team should finish with just a single loss, and once some of those other teams start to lose this team could find themselves right back in the thick of things.

2)    West Virginia

This team deserves more respect. They have just one loss in a close game to a top-10 team on the road, and Pat White was out with an injury in the second half of that ball game. They'll have the opportunity to prove themselves with a road contest at Rutgers this weekend. They also have to travel to Cincinnati later in the year. I think they'll win both of those games and find themselves in the national title game with...

1)    Oklahoma

The Sooners have struggled on the road a couple of times this year, but they only have one road contest left. That comes against a Texas Tech team that Oklahoma should be able to handle. Other than that everything is at home against lesser teams for the Sooners, before a match-up with Kansas or a re-match with Missouri in the Big 12 title game. I don't see them losing again, and I see them in the national championship game against the Mountaineers at season's end.

The toughest team for me to leave out of this was USC. I do believe they'll beat Oregon this week, but it would not surprise me if they lose.

With road games at California and Arizona State still to come, I think the Trojans will stumble somewhere.

I left LSU out of this because I can honestly see them losing at Alabama, but even if they don't I think they'll drop the SEC title game to Florida.

Virginia Tech and Missouri could easily play their way into position as they sit with just one loss, however, I think the Hokies will fall to Boston College this week, and the Tigers will drop the Big 12 title game to Oklahoma.

And yes, I still dislike Hawaii immensely. 

Heisman Watch

5) Pat White

4) Andre Woodson

3) Tim Tebow

2) Dennis Dixon

1) Matt Ryan

It's all about the quarterbacks in the Heisman Watch this week.

Ryan has been atop my list for three weeks, and until he has a bad performance he will remain there. That could come this week, though, as he and the Eagles square off against a stingy Virginia Tech defense.

Dixon faced questions about his leadership entering the season, but has answered all of those with 16 touchdown passes against just three interceptions. A win over USC would do a lot for his chances.

Tebow and Woodson fall into the same boat for me. They have been the two best and most important players in the country in my eyes, but to me it comes down to winning games, and with two losses I can't put them at the top.

I mentioned earlier that I believe West Virginia only fell to USF because White missed the second half, so that alone makes him a Heisman candidate in my eyes.