After a last-minute loss to the University of Alabama last week, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said the Vols were the best 3-3 team in the country. So, one loss later, you're probably thinking: Are the Vols the best 3-4 team in the country?

With that in mind, I give you my first Top 3-4 Poll:

1. UT -- Three losses to top-25 teams, only team to beat No. 6 LSU.

2. North Carolina -- Three losses to top-25 teams, beat third-ranked Top 3-4 team N.C. State.

3. N.C. State -- Played unbeaten Virginia Tech a four-point game in season opener, only lost to North Carolina (ranked second in the prestigious Top 3-4 Poll) by seven points.

4. UAB -- Lost to UT (ranked No. 1 in prestigious Top 3-4 Poll) by only seven points in the season opener.

5. Louisiana-Monroe -- Bounced back from 44-0 loss to Georgia to win three of its last four.

Other teams receiving consideration: None.

As a fan of the best 3-4 team in the country, you might be wondering: "Is it OK to shout "We're No. 1."

Answer: Only if you do it in the presence of fans of other 3-4 teams.

That's enough poll humor for today. Let's move on to a more serious subject, like "championships."

Never mind what the Vols have done in the SEC East. They're still in the running for the Tennessee state championship.

With that in mind, I give you my first Tennessee State Division I-A Football Poll:

1. MTSU (1-0) -- Upset Vanderbilt 17-15 in Nashville and has no in-state games remaining.

2. Memphis (1-0) -- Routed Chattanooga 59-14 in September, has one in-state game remaining (Nov. 12 at UT).

3. Tennessee (0-0) -- Ranked No. 1 in prestigious Top 3-4 Poll, has in-state games remaining against Memphis (ranked No. 2 in Tennessee State Football Poll) and Vanderbilt (ranked No. 4 in Tennessee State Football Poll.).

4. Vanderbilt (0-1) -- Only in-state loss to MTSU (ranked No. 1 in Tennessee State Football Poll), has one in-state game remaining, against third-ranked UT (Nov. 19).

Other teams receiving consideration: None.

As you can tell by the poll, the Vols could win the state championship without any help. With victories over Memphis and Vanderbilt, they could finish 2-0 and overtake both MTSU and Memphis in the final rankings.

Looking Ahead: If you're a fan of both UT and the Music City Bowl, the Vols' 16-15 loss to South Carolina on Saturday night could work to your advantage.

If the Gamecocks (5-3) win one more game and the Vols (3-4) win three more games, the SEC would have seven bowl-eligible teams. That could leave the Vols in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

A 6-5 South Carolina team might be a better choice than UT for the Independence Bowl, which gets the No. 6 team from the SEC. The Gamecocks also might be a popular pick for the Peach Bowl.

Music City Appeal: The Music City Bowl could offer UT fans one of the cheapest bowl trips in school history. It's only about a three-hour drive from Knoxville, and upper-level seats can be purchased for as low as $10.

The Music City Bowl, which will match an SEC team against a Big Ten team, is scheduled for noon on Dec. 30 in The Coliseum.

Wait Till Next Year: Following the Jan. 2 bowls, I'll announce my first Top 7-5 Poll, which will rank the best 7-5 teams in the country.