Tennessee Basketball is now unranked for the first time in 90 weeks, but that doesn't mean the season is over. In fact, now is where it really begins. Although it may feel like the sky is falling, it's not. This Tennessee team has glaring issues, no doubt, they have to play defense better in big games, and the turnovers have got to be limited, but when the Vols are on, they're a great team.
Tennessee basketball falls out of the AP Top 25 after a horrible game vs Kentucky
Tennessee didn't just luck into beating Houston and Louisville. Plus, Rick Barnes made a great point that, besides the Florida game, pretty much every other loss the Vols have had, they shot themselves in the foot. Now, no team is perfect, but if Tennessee can clean up its mistakes, the Vols will be just fine.
With that being said, NCAA basketball analyst Andy Katz has released his inaugural March Madness bracket, and Tennessee comes in as a No. 7 seed in the South region, facing San Diego State.
🔮 FIRST BRACKET PREDICTION 🔮@TheAndyKatz gives his first bracket prediction of the 2025-2026 season 🚨
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 20, 2026
👉 https://t.co/aJ5dKzbh06 pic.twitter.com/Kwi0029tr7
Andy Katz has Tennessee as a No. 7 seed in the toughest region
If this were to be the Vols' draw, this is an absolute gauntlet of a region. If the Vols were to win, they would have to play Michigan (barring an insane upset), which has been the best team in the nation, aside from Arizona. I have no clue how they aren't on the one line. Plus, No. 3 seed BYU is 16-2 this year in the Big 12, arguably the best conference in college hoops this year.
Vols fans might feel like the season is over after blowing a 17-point lead, but it's not. Tennessee has an opportunity on Saturday night to bounce back and get the season back on track versus Alabama.