Tennessee football hasn't been getting much respect recently. The loss of Nico Iamaleava has left the national and regional media assuming the Vols will fall off.
While that might be the case, don't expect Tennessee to drop to seven or six wins. Joey Aguilar and Jake Merklinger both offer unique talents at the quarterback position and could keep Tennessee playing at a high level.
The Preseason AP Poll dropped the Vols 15 spots to No. 24 in the rankings. Beyond the quarterback drama, Tennessee is returning a stout defense and could have an offensive line equal to or better than last year's offensive line, allowing the quarterback some time to settle into the offense early in the season.
Josh Pate, host of Josh Pate's College Football Show, released his first edition of the JP Poll, where he ranks the top schools in the country based on data.
While Tennessee dropped, it was nearly as significant a drop as the AP Poll. Tennessee comes in at No. 17, just behind the South Carolina Gamecocks at No. 16.
Other notable SEC teams in the top 20 heading into Week One are No. 1 Texas, No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Alabama, No. 9 Florida, No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 12 LSU, No. 13 Texas A&M, and No. 14 Ole Miss.
🚨JP POLL: WEEK ONE EDITION🚨 pic.twitter.com/Nd0Dpimduh
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) August 13, 2025
Rankings, projections, and predictions have Tennessee around LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M in the SEC standings, so while the Vols' ranking here isn't far off, it is considerably lower than expected.
Part of the reason could be a result of Tennessee's dwindling wide receiver room. Between off-the-field drama and a few upperclassmen, the Vols could be leaning on a lot of sophomores and freshmen to make plays on the perimeter this year.
Tennessee only has three receivers returning with quality experience, and each of them has missed part or all of Fall Camp so far, leaving the Vols' quarterbacks to start building chemistry with younger, inexperienced players.
The Vols coaching staff has a couple more weeks of preparation before its season opener against Syracuse. The two teams will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to open the year in a neutral-site, Power Four matchup.
Despite the slight upgrade in the rankings, Tennessee still has a lot to play for this season, and the national rankings should give the Vols a chip on their shoulder heading into Week One.