Three critical Tennessee storylines to monitor this week

The biggest Tennessee Vols storylines Christmas week.
Tennessee wide receiver Radarious Jackson (5) high-fives fans at the Vol Walk before a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 29, 2025.
Tennessee wide receiver Radarious Jackson (5) high-fives fans at the Vol Walk before a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 29, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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2. Where does Tennessee basketball land in the new AP poll

Tennessee basketball has been on a tear as of late. They defeated Louisville last Tuesday, 83-62, in a convincing win. The Vols were dominant from start to finish.

It was refreshing to see Tennessee play so formidable. They were making smart passes, defending hard, and hitting shots. The Vols dominated Gardner-Webb Sunday in a game where it was never really close. The depth has shown to be a big difference this past week.

Tennessee was ranked 20th going into this week, and they will surely move up, but how far? The top-10 seems a bit overzealous, but the top-15 seems something that is very achievable. Stay alert for where the voters have Tennessee placed on Monday afternoon.

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