As expected, the new AP Top 25 poll is out, and the Vols are on the rise after beating Alabama at Neyland Stadium 26-10. However, only up three spots after taking down the No. 6 team in the nation? That's how things have played out, with UT now checking in at No. 11. Sorry, but that's a bit of a joke.
There's simply no reason for the Vols to be on the outside looking in of the Top 10. The questionable teams in front of them: that'd be Utah, UCLA, and Texas Tech. Sorry, but we're not buying that any of them are stronger than the Vols.
In other changes for the Top 25, some Tennessee fans might notice that Kentucky is up to No. 12 in the nation after a thrilling win on the road in Norman against Oklahoma. This matters because before you know it, Tennessee will host Kentucky on Nov. 7 at Neyland Stadium, and it's very much in the cards that this could be a Top 10 heavyweight battle between two sides that don't like one another. And with a win in that contest, it'd only strengthen the Vols' resume for the Playoff.
Tennessee is now ranked No. 11 in the country after taking down Bama
Both squads are riding high right now, and understandably so. The Vols stunned Alabama despite being 7.5-point underdogs per the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Sooners were also home favorites going up against the Wildcats, but John Mateer went back to being John Mateer, which is never a good thing for Brent Venables and his staff.
Come Week 8, Tennessee is going to head to South Carolina to take on a struggling Gamecocks side. As for Kentucky, it will take on Vanderbilt. Both teams are expected to record a win, and it'd be a bit of a surprise if either didn't take care of business.
Should that happen, Tennessee would be 7-1 heading into Week 9, and Kentucky and Will Stein would be 7-1 as well. With both teams off on Halloween weekend, it would indeed set up a blockbuster affair in Knoxville once early November gets here. With the way things have gone for the Vols against UK historically, it'd be safe to say UT would enter that game with a ton of confidence, too.
it's a party pic.twitter.com/FZ8HYWExf9
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 18, 2026
Overall, Tennessee is 86-26-9 against Kentucky. The Vols hold a five-game winning streak, with Tennessee winning eight of the last 10 matchups. No one is going to overlook South Carolina, we get that. At the same time, if the Vols look at least somewhat similar to what we saw against the Crimson Tide, then a victory should be on the way for Josh Heupel and his players.
Teams ahead of Kentucky will need to lose too for this Top 10 battle to become a reality, but with how crazy college football has been in recent weeks, nothing can be ruled out. For No. 11 Tennessee, the defense is stealing the show, while DeSean Bishop has to be George MacIntyre's new best friend with how fantastic he's running the ball.
South Carolina will try to slow down Bishop, but that's much easier said than done. Then, Kentucky will hope to do the same. Good luck with that. Still, with all of that said, if you're a bit ticked off over the Vols being left out of the Top 10 this week, you're not alone.
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