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Tennessee moves up six spots in ESPN's College Football Power Rankings

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey09/02/25GrantRamey
Colton Hood, Tennessee Football | Tennessee Athletics
Colton Hood, Tennessee Football | Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee Football moved up six spots to No. 18 in ESPN’s College Football Power Rankings after the 45-26 win over Syracuse in Week 1 on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

“Joey Aguilar fared well in his debut as the new Volunteers QB1,” ESPN’s Max Olson wrote, “putting up 281 total yards and three touchdowns to guide a 45-26 win over Syracuse in Atlanta. The veteran passer got plenty of help from an excellent run game that pounded the Orange for 246 yards on 6.2 yards per carry, including a team-high 92 yards from Duke transfer Star Thomas. 

“The Vols’ defense had a tough time getting off the field at times,” Olson added, “surrendering three fourth-down conversions and three long touchdown drives, but still delivered big plays with five sacks, two takeaways and a Colton Hood scoop-and-score. They’ll get one more tune-up against ETSU next week before Georgia comes to Knoxville on Sept. 13.”

ESPN gives Tennessee 50.4% chance to make College Football Playoff

Tennessee is No. 8 in ESPN’s Football Power Index, which projects the Vols to go 9-3. The FPI gives Tennessee a 50.4% chance to make the College Football Playoff. 

ESPN’s Heather Dinich, Bill Connelly and Andrea Adelson all added the Vols to their College Football Playoff projections after Week 1. Adelson had Tennessee as a No. 7 seed, while it was a No. 8 seed for Dinich and a No. 9 from Connelly.

Tennessee (1-0) and ETSU (1-0) on Saturday are scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time start, streaming on ESPN+ and SEC Network+ in the home opener at Neyland Stadium.

As for Tennessee opponents in the ESPN power ranking, Georgia stayed at No. 4 after its win over Marshall, Florida dropped one spot from No. 16 to No. 17, Alabama plummeted from No. 7 to No. 22 after its 31-17 loss at Florida State and Oklahoma stayed at No. 23.

‘(Kalen) DeBoer has to find answers and fast’

Tennessee goes to Alabama on October 18, hosts Oklahoma on November 1 and goes to Florida on November 22.

“The Crimson Tide probably wish they had a second chance to make a first impression after a 31-17 loss to Florida State,” Adelson wrote for ESPN. “Outside the opening scoring drive, nothing Alabama did looked like a championship-caliber team. Ty Simpson struggled for consistency, the ground game was never established, and Florida State bullied Alabama up front on both sides of the ball. 

“Coach Kalen DeBoer said there were ‘no excuses’ for the performance, but it was obvious Alabama missed starting running back Jam Miller and defensive tackle Tim Keenan III. Making matters worse, receiver Ryan Williams was concussed late in the game. DeBoer has to find answers and fast.”

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