Skip to main content
Tennessee

Where Tennessee football is ranked in the final USA Today Coaches Poll for the 2023 season

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey01/10/24GrantRamey
Nico Iamaleava
(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) looks to pass during a NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Connecticut at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 59-3.

Tennessee football finished the season ranked No. 17 the final USA Today Coaches Poll, moving up six spots while receiving 529 points in the poll. The Vols were also No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25, moving up eight spots in the final poll after the 35-0 win over Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day. 

The Coaches Poll and the AP Poll had identical top fives, with Michigan finishing at No. 1 after beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Texas finished at No. 3, ahead of No. 4 Georgia and No. 5 Alabama. 

Missouri finished No. 8 in both polls after an 11-2 season ended with a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and Ole Miss also finished No. 9 in both polls after an 11-2 season and a win over Penn State in the Peach Bowl. LSU finished at No. 12 after a 10-3 season.

The Vols have won 20 games over the last two years, the most in back-to-back seasons since winning 20 in 2003 and 2004. After going 11-2 in 2022, Tennessee finished 9-4 this season, with losses at Florida, at Alabama, at Missouri and at home against Georgia.

Way-Too-Early Top 25s looking ahead to the 2024 season have Tennessee ranked anywhere from No. 11 to No. 21.

Athlon has Tennessee at No. 11, the Sporting News has the Vols at No. 14 and On3 has Tennessee at No. 15. ESPN, Action Network and Pro Football Focus all have the Vols at No. 17 and Bleacher Report has them at No. 21. 

“Volunteers fans got a sneak peek into the future in a 35-0 rout of Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach wrote after ranking Tennessee 17th. “With (Joe) Milton opting out of the bowl game, freshman Nico Iamaleava got the start. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 151 yards with one touchdown and three more scores rushing.”

Tennessee finished the 2022 season at No. 6 in the AP Top 25 after beating Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl to finish 11-2. 

The Vols started the season ranked No. 12 in the AP Preseason Top 25 and dropped as low as No. 25. The Vols moved up three spots to No. 9 overall in Week 2, after the 49-13 win over Virginia in Nashville, then dropped 12 spots in the AP poll after the 29-16 loss at Florida.

The Coaches Poll had Tennessee at No. 10 in its preseason top 25 released on August 7. The Vols were ranked as high as No. 9 in the Coaches Poll and dropped as low as No. 23.

You may also like