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Tennessee Football: Vols Reach Top 10 in Two More Preseason Polls

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 14, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the second half against the North Texas Mean Green at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 24 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the second half against the North Texas Mean Green at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 24 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee football continues to get more preseason hype, as the Volunteers reached the Top 10 in Athlon Sports and Bruce Feldman’s Preseason Top 25 polls.

The last time the Tennessee Vols were in college football preseason Top 10 polls on a consistent basis was right before the disastrous 2005 season. But all of that is changing during this offseason, 11 years later, as the hype behind the Vols continues to grow.

With college football preseason predictions beginning to come out and magazines beginning to hit the shelves, it is becoming more clear exactly what type of expectations the Vols are faced with this year.

And they are pretty high.

Bruce Feldman issued his Preseason Top 25 on Fox Sports Monday and placed the Vols at No. 8, third in the SEC behind Alabama and LSU. He cited Joshua Dobbs, the duo of Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara, the arrival of Bob Shoop on defense, and stars on that unit such as Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Cam Sutton, Derek Barnett, and Darrin Kirkland Jr.

He predicted the Vols would go 2-2 agains Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Alabama but would be in the national title hunt if they go 3-1 during that stretch.

Here’s a bit of what he said.

"To me, this is a very good team, that could have a great year if Dobbs can take the next step as a passer and if the D-line blossoms around Barnett."

In addition to Feldman, Athlon Sports released its Preseason Top 25 Monday and placed the Vols at No. 7. Noting that Tennessee has gotten better each year under Butch Jones and now returns 18 starters, highlighted by Dobbs and Barnett, the magazine had them ranked above any SEC team other than Alabama.

Tennessee’s rankings and expectations appear to be rising as the offseason wanes on, and now less than four months away from the opening kickoff, the hype is only going to get bigger.

But it’s nice to see the Vols back where they always should be.

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