Tennessee football has been named a top-20 team in the USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll. This poll provides insight into where we can expect many teams to start the year and their conference outlook compared to other programs.
The Vols are ranked No. 18 in the coaches poll, the eighth-highest SEC team in the top 25. Tennessee is behind Texas, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Florida.
Florida is one spot ahead of Tennessee, which could mean the Vols and Gators could be closely ranked when Tennessee travels to Gainesville later this year.
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Indiana, Texas A&M, and Iowa State are a few notable teams behind the Vols, which is why CBS Sports critiqued the Vols' ranking and declared them overrated in the preseason rankings.
CBS Sports shared three teams they believe are overrated and underrated in the updated rankings. Tennessee, along with South Carolina and Michigan, as overrated programs.
"There's no doubt that Tennessee is a top 25 team. It being ahead of the likes of Indiana and Iowa State is a bit of a stretch at this point," CBS Sports' Will Backus writes. "The Vols have regressed offensively since 2022, when quarterback Hendon Hooker just missed out on being a Heisman finalist, and losing starter Nico Iamaleava after spring practice was over certainly doesn't help.
"Tennessee did well to replace Iamaleava with Joey Aguilar in an unprecedented quarterback trade, but Aguilar's ceiling is significantly lower, and there's some turnover concern baked into his game. There's no guarantee he'll win the starting job over Jake Merklinger, either, though Merklinger has yet to start a collegiate football game.
"The wide receiver room is also a mess – there's just seven scholarship players, six of which have yet to catch more than seven passes in their career – and Tennessee has to replace the 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year in running back Dylan Sampson. UT may have a playoff-caliber defense again.
"That unit isn't without concerns. Potential All-American cornerback Jermod McCoy is working his way back from an ACL tear, versatile defensive back Boo Carter's status is up in the air after some offseason drama, and Tennessee is lacking depth and one identified starter at safety after a transfer exodus in the spring.
Tennessee players have already started setting the tone for the season with an underdog mentality, following the national media outlets' spring predictions that wrote off the Vols.
The Vols have a few more weeks before they have to take the field for the first time. Tennessee's season opener against Syracuse is scheduled for August 30 with a 12:00 PM ET kickoff.