Tennessee
Tennessee Steadily Rises Up ESPN's Offseason Rankings As Season Draws Near | Rocky Top Insider
Tennessee has been slowly rising up ESPN’s 2024 college football power rankings over the offseason, with another bump coming in the final list before the start of the season.
The Vols were slotted at No. 16 in ESPN’s pre-spring football rankings from Mark Schlabach but moved up to No. 15 in the updated post-spring list.
In ESPN’s preseason power rankings from Monday, the Vols have moved up one spot again to No. 14 in the rankings.
While Tennessee’s defensive line is the top unit on the team, all eyes will be on the Vols’ offense with quarterback Nico Iamaleava driving the sports car that is Josh Heupel’s offense. The Vols reloaded with a new receiving threat in Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell before the spring and boast some exciting new running backs to supplement Dylan Sampson’s work.
“Tennessee’s 27 wins in three seasons under Josh Heupel represents the program’s best three-year run since Phil Fulmer won 28 games from 2002 to ’04,” Eli Lederman wrote for ESPN. “Still, pressure hangs over the Volunteers, who enter 2024 with College Football Playoff expectations. Nico Iamaleava takes over under center, tasked with rejuvenating an offense that dipped from its historic 2022 levels last fall, while Dylan Sampson (5.7 yards per carry in 2023) returns in the backfield.”
James Pearce Jr. was recently ranked as ESPN’s top player in college football as he prepares to devastate opposing lines this season en route to the NFL Draft. The Vols’ entire defensive line unit is stout, composed of experienced veterans and talented depth pieces. Tennessee does have question marks in the secondary this season, but a strong pass rush from an impressive defensive line should help things out from time to time.
“There should be stability on the offensive line as LSU transfer Lance Heard settles in next to three returning starters, but Tennessee’s strength lies with a defensive line that led the SEC in tackles for loss in 2023, a group set to be powered again this fall by potential first-round draft pick James Pearce Jr.,” Lederman continued on to say. “A Week 2 neutral-site meeting with NC State will be a litmus test for the Volunteers. Can Tennessee navigate a relatively favorable SEC schedule on the way to the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance?”
More from RTI: Tennessee Football Announces Checker Neyland Game For The 2024 Season
The Vols come in as ESPN’s seventh-highest ranked SEC team on the list behind No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 11 Missouri, and No. 13 LSU.
Oklahoma lands at No. 17 followed by Texas A&M at No. 22 to round out the SEC’s nine ranked programs.
Tennessee will start the season as the No. 15 team in the country according to the AP Poll. The Vols have four opponents ranked in the AP Top 25, with NC State landing at No. 24, Oklahoma at No. 16, Alabama at No. 5, and Georgia at No. 1.
See ESPN’s full preseason power rankings here.
Tennessee
TN Lottery Cash 3 Evening, Cash 4 Evening winning numbers for June 28, 2026
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 28, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 28 drawing
Evening: 5-3-8, Wild: 7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 28 drawing
Evening: 5-6-1-2, Wild: 1
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from June 28 drawing
05-08-17-19-31
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 28 drawing
04-11-31-54-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Tennessee
2026 Tennessee Football Position Preview: Running Backs | Rocky Top Insider

A position group that has stability at the top but questions behind the starter is running back. DeSean Bishop returns as the unquestioned starter after a dominant redshirt-sophomore year, but both the pieces behind him a year ago that split the load have departed.
Now, it’ll be a battle for reps between young returners Daune Morris and Justin Baker and Tulane transfer Javin Gordon. Tennessee has rotated up to three backs a game, as well, making a chance for two to be in a game-by-game position to contribute.
Bishop, the star of the room, has expectations that he could play his way into an NFL draft pick this upcoming year. This past season, he took 182 carries for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns. That was good for a really strong average of 5.9 yards per tote.
More From RTI: Tennessee Left Off Eight-Team List of SEC College Football Playoff Contenders
Gordon, the Tulane transfer, joins after his true freshman year with the Green Wave. While it wasn’t at the SEC level, he was very productive, posting 128 carries, 516 yards and five touchdowns.
Morris and Baker return after limited roles. Morris was the fourth back, meaning he got more run than Baker when injuries did occur. He finished his freshman year with 35 carries, 133 yards and a touchdown while also returning punts. Baker took 14 carries for 43 yards.
“It’s huge because you look at the production, you got a guy that understands what he’s walking into in terms of seeing it week in and week out in terms of the caliber of teams that we’re going against,” Tennessee running backs coach DeRail Sims said in the spring about Bishop returning. “His understanding of what it’s like when the game’s on the line and having to go out there and make plays in all three facets of the game, in running the ball, the protection piece, and the passing game. So it’s huge having Bish back.”
The other pieces of the running back room are three-star freshman Will Rajecki and redshirt-senior Hunter Barnes.
Tennessee
I-24 traffic to be impacted as Middle Tennessee Electric conducts electrical line work
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) – Traffic on Interstate 24 will be impacted Sunday as Middle Tennessee Electric crews conduct electrical line work.
MTE said crews will be performing electrical line work across I-24 near Exit 76 in Murfreesboro Sunday, June 28.
“The project will require one full interstate traffic stoppage and multiple rolling roadblocks beginning at sunrise,” MTE said. “The work is expected to take approximately five to six hours to complete.”
MTE said Guardian Traffic Control will assist with traffic management.
The work could be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
-
Mississippi3 minutes agoMississippi’s Top High School Quarterbacks: 10 Passers to Watch in 2026
-
Missouri6 minutes ago
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for June 28, 2026
-
Montana11 minutes ago
French Montana, Rick Ross & Max B Turn the BET Awards Into “ – BET Awards 2026 | BET
-
Nebraska18 minutes ago"They've Built This": Nebraska commit Barrett Kitrell carries on family football legacy
-
Nevada21 minutes agoOne dead, four hospitalized after head-on crash on I-15 in Clark County
-
New Hampshire33 minutes agoNashua downtown apartment project earns Plan NH 2026 Merit Award of Excellence » Nashua Ink Link
-
New Jersey36 minutes agoPrinceton Plasma Forge to power New Jersey innovation
-
New Mexico41 minutes agoSearch operation continues to close area in Cochiti Lake