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Tennessee football’s top 10 years following unranked seasons

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 18, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders cheer at the Vol Walk before a game against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders cheer at the Vol Walk before a game against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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After pleasantly surprising Tennessee football with a 7-6 record last year given all the factors working against the program, Josh Heupel has instilled cautious optimism in the program entering his second year. However, the Vols still finished 2021 unranked, and they haven’t finished any season in the top 25 since 2016.

Dating back to 1936, when the AP Poll first began and UT finished ranked No. 17, the Vols have finished the year unranked in both polls 38 times. Sometimes they fell harder the following year, but other times they turned it around and had a legendary season.

Heupel already improved the Vols from their 2020 campaign despite finishing unranked. Can he get the Vols into the top 25 this year? Let’s look at some of the most memorable times UT was able to make that leap by ranking Tennessee football’s greatest seasons following a year that they finished unranked in both polls.

These are the Tennessee football Volunteers top 10 years after finishing the previous year outside of the top 25 of the AP and Coaches Polls.

Tennessee players Jalen Hurd, left, Alvin Kamara, and Joshua Dobbs celebrate following the Vols’ 38-31 win over Georgia Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, at Neyland Stadium. Utvsugathroughtheyears28
Tennessee players Jalen Hurd, left, Alvin Kamara, and Joshua Dobbs celebrate following the Vols’ 38-31 win over Georgia Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, at Neyland Stadium. Utvsugathroughtheyears28 /

Scouting Report. 9-4 (5-3). 2015: Butch Jones. 2014: 7-6 (3-5). 10. player. 839. Pick Analysis

No. 22 AP, No. 23 Coaches; W Outback Bowl

In 2006, the Vols also went 9-4, and that was a bigger turnaround, as they had gone 5-6 the year before. However, they didn’t beat anybody who finished in the top 10 that year, and their only two top 25 wins were over the Cal Golden Bears and Georgia Bulldogs. As a result, they finished that year No. 23 in the Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the AP Poll.

The higher ranking in the AP Poll pushes this one up and pushes 2006 out. UT had gone 7-6 the year before this one and started off in the top 25, where they had not been in seven years at the time, but a 2-3 start with three blown two-touchdown leads knocked them out.

However, a 24-3 comeback over the Georgia Bulldogs got them rolling, and after a close loss at the Alabama Crimson Tide, they won out, finishing with a 45-6 win over the Northwestern Wildcats in the Outback Bowl. Every one of Tennessee football’s losses was by one possession, and Northwestern and UGA were two 10-win teams.

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