Where Tennessee is ranked in Brett McMurphy's Associated Press Top 25 ballot

Tennessee is the 19th-best team in college football entering the new season, according to the Associated Press Top 25 ballot published by On3’s Brett McMurphy on Monday. Four opponents were ranked ahead of the Vols: No. 1 Georgia, No. 5 Alabama, No. 15 Florida and No. 18 Oklahoma.

“Under Josh Heupel the past three years,” McMurphy wrote, “Tennessee has 30 wins, its best three-year stretch in nearly 30 years. Coming off their first College Football Playoff berth, the Vols winning ways should continue in 2025.

“Defensive lineman Joshua Josephs and cornerback Jermod McCoy head a stout defense, while the offense must adjust to new quarterback Joey Aguilar, who replaces Nico Iamaleava, who is off to UCLA.”

Preseason AP Top 25 to be released Monday, August 11

The preseason Associated Press Top 25 will be released next Monday. The Vols open the new season against Syracuse on August 30 in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

ESPN listed Tennessee as one of 32 teams the could make the 12-team College Football Playoff this season, with the Vols having a 38.5% chance to make the playoff according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

Tennessee is not ranked in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early top 25, but the Vols are ranked 13th in ESPN’s updated SP+ projections. The Vols are ranked No. 7 on defense, No. 21 on special teams and No. 34 on offense in SP+ grades. 

The SP+ score for Tennessee at No. 13 overall is 18.4. The Vols are had a 31.4 score on offense, ranked No. 34 overall, and a 13.0 score on defense, ranked No. 7 nationally. The special teams score was 0.2, ranked No. 21.

The SP+ preseason projections are based on returning production, recent recruiting and recent history. 

Tennessee ranked No. 10 in ESPN’s Football Power Index

Tennessee is ranked No. 10 in ESPN’s first Football Power Index update for the 2025 season. According to the FPI, the Vols have a 97.5% chance to win six or more games, a 4.2% to win the SEC and 38.5% chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff. 

The new FPI has a projects Tennessee to go 9-3 — 8.7-3.4 is the exact prediction — with an 0.8% chance to go undefeated. The Vols have a 5.6% chance to make it to the national championship game and a 2.3% chance to win the title. 

The Vols finished at No. 9 in the 2024 Football Power Index after going 10-3 with a loss at Ohio State as a No. 9 seed in the first round of the College Football Playoff.