At this point, I believe they would. They have been ranked in the top 25 for the past several years. They play top 25 teams and win the games that they are supposed to win. They are consistent with several 10 win seasons. I'd love to see the Vols get to that level of consistency. I know it's coming.
Let's don't make more of Memphis than they are.
Yes, they know how to win games. Yes, they are currently on a hot streak.
But in context: here are their toughest games this season: Ole Miss...Navy...SMU...Cincinnati...Temple (they lost that one).
If the post-September Vols had played that slate, we'd easily have won all those games.
Memphis is not being challenged with games like Georgia, Florida and Alabama. They're not even being challenged with games like Mississippi State, Kentucky and Mizzou. As others have pointed out, they're playing mostly mid-majors and (mostly) beating them.
BTW, they aren't that consistent. Last year they lost to all these teams: Navy...Tulane...UCF...Mizzou...UCF (again)...and Wake Forest. The year before, they lost to UCF (twice) and Iowa State.
Memphis are a good team. They're not an SEC-caliber team. And lately, we've been beating several SEC-caliber teams, even if not the top end (yet).
We'd whup the Tigers. I'd love to see them as a bowl opponent, just to prove that.
Go Vols!