Tennessee football cracks AP Top 25, but that may not be a good sign

For the first time since the first three weeks of 2020, Tennessee football is back in the top 25. Well, they are ranked in one poll, and honestly, given their recent history, it may not be something they wanted.

UT moved up two spots to No. 24 in the AP Poll after a 59-10 win over the Ball State Cardinals to open the season. They also moved up two spots in the Coaches Poll, which shot them up to one spot out of those rankings.

The Vols’ opponent this week, the Pittsburgh Panthers, have moved up to No. 14 in the Coaches Poll and remain No. 17 in the AP Poll. Pitt held off the West Virginia Mountaineers last week.

Since the start of the 2008 season, Tennessee football is 10-10 in games played while ranked in the top 25 of either poll. The undoing of the Jeremy Pruitt era began in their last game as a top 25 team, a 34-7 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats at home in 2020.

Even worse, five of those wins are against non-Power Five teams. The Vols are 2-6 when facing teams ranked in the top 25 since then as a top 25 team themselves. Their last outing in such a matchup was a blowout loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in 2020.

We should note that five of those wins also came in their 5-0 start in 2016. However, they then lost three straight, dropping out, and then when they got back in, they lost to the Vanderbilt Commodores their final regular season game.

That was the only year Tennessee football win its first game against a Power Five foe in any season since 2008 it was ranked in the top 25 too. The Vols beat the Virginia Tech Hokies. As for Josh Heupel, it’s the Vols’ first game as a top 25 team in either poll under him.

Now, this truly could mean a new era under Heupel. Many people expect the Vols to win, as they have a lot more experience while Pitt is undergoing a bit of a transition. Pitt also was just in a dogfight against WVU.

We’re also looking at the first UT team since 2008 that is in its second year under a head coach who had a winning season his first year on the job. Heck, it’s the first team since that year to not be in its first year under a head coach who had a winning season his first year.

Simply put, there are a lot of things different about Tennessee football this year. However, history suggests it would have been better for them to reach the top 25 after winning this game. At least they are outside of the Coaches Poll, though.