![Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel cheers on a player during the first half of an NCAA football game against Tennessee at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 22, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_50,w_2492,h_1401/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/212/01kjg4bz93eghfgzvz2a.jpg "Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel cheers on a player during the first half of an NCAA football game against Tennessee at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 22, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
With Joey Aguilar out and Trinidad Chambliss back, the SEC has experienced a whirlwind of news over the past week.
In the wake of everything, FanSided's Austen Bundy released his "SEC football rankings after Trinidad Chambliss, Joey Aguilar eligibility is settled," and he had the Tennessee Vols placed at No. 8 in the conference. The Vols were placed above Mississippi State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Auburn, South Carolina, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Missouri. I think No. 8 is fair, given that the quarterback room at Tennessee is completely unknown. Where I push back is when Bundy says, "Heupel didn't make much of a splash in the transfer portal this cycle, so the team's success is going to largely ride on his coaching skills and whoever's already in the locker room."
The Vols made a large splash in the portal in my opinion, grabbed two of the best linemen in Chaz Coleman and Xavier Gilliam. Plus, Tennessee completely revamped the safeties room, which should bode well for Jim Knowles' three-safety system. However, Tennessee did finish eighth in the conference last fall, and this team feels improved, but the Vols have a very tough schedule. Fans probably won't like being in that 8-5, 9-4 range again, but with the uncertainty at QB1, it may be likely.
Vols offensive weapons give young QBs a strong foundation
You can’t help but feel that a lot of 2026 will hinge on George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon this fall. Both young signal-callers have huge potential, but the question remains: can they begin to scratch the surface of what they’re truly capable of next season? Tennessee doesn't need them to be Heisman contenders, but they do need to be reilable in big games and haev the intagable sto run the offense and make the checks and throws needed.
The good news for Tennessee is that their young quarterback won’t be going it alone. The Vols boast an impressive wide receiver room, one of the nation’s top running backs in DeSean Bishop, and a reliable tight end in Ethan Davis. On top of that, Tennessee’s offensive line is solid, giving whoever starts a strong foundation and plenty of weapons to work with.
All in all, Tennessee will have a busy spring evaluating i quarterbacks and seeing who has the edge. If whoever ends up being the starter is even just average, Tennessee could shatter the No. 8 ranking.