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?”

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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.