Tennessee football is replacing a lot of production ahead of the 2025 college football season, but the Vols aren't as far off from where they were last season. ESPN's SP+ rankings have Tennessee just outside the top 12 in its College Football Playoff rankings.
ESPN's updated rankings consist of three main factors. Returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history all play a factor in ESPN's SP+ rankings.
Tennessee ranks No. 13 in the updated rankings, placing the Vols just barely on the outside looking in for the 2025 College Football Playoffs.
The Vols are the fifth-highest ranked SEC team in the SP+, sitting behind No. 2 Alabama, No. 4 Georgia, No. 5 Texas, No. 9 LSU, and No. 11 Ole Miss. Right behind Tennessee is Florida at No. 14.
The post-spring rankings place Tennessee as the No. 34 offense and No. 7 defense in the country, indicating that Tennessee's defense will once again be the reason it is in the hunt for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
If Tennessee can win the games it is supposed to win, including road games against Kentucky and Mississippi State and a neutral-site matchup against Syracuse, the Vols should be set up to have a shot at winning ten games again this year.
It will all come down to Tennessee beating Georgia at home, Alabama on the road, or Florida on the road. If the Vols win one of those three games, there's a good chance they will be back in the CFP.
Tennessee's loss of production is the biggest question mark ahead of the season. There is no clear answer at quarterback, and there are some questions on both sides of the ball that need to be answered before fall camp.
If Josh Heupel and the Vols can solve those issues before week one, Tennessee could be in a good spot to compete for another CFP bid.