Where Tennessee is ranked in ESPN's College Football Preseason Power Rankings

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Tennessee Football came in at No. 14 in ESPN’s College Football Preseason Power Rankings on Monday, one spot ahead of where the Vols were ranked in both the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 and US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll. 

Four opponents on Tennessee’s schedule made ESPN’s top 25, with No. 1 Georgia coming in ahead of No. 5 Alabama, No. 17 Oklahoma and No. 20 North Carolina State. Georgia was also ranked No. 1 and Alabama No. 5 in the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

Oklahoma was ranked 16th in both polls while North Carolina State was ranked No. 22 in the Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the AP Top 25.

“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,” ESPN’s Eli Lederman wrote. “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. 

“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.”

Tennessee was ranked No. 15 in ESPN’s final preseason SP+ rankings last week with an overall rating of 19.2, an offensive rating of 37.7, defensive rating of 18.6 and special teams ratings of 0.2.

ESPN’s Football Power Index has Tennessee ranked No. 9 overall with a projected win-loss of 8.6-3.5. The FPI gives the Vols a 95.4% chance to win at least six games, a 5.5% chance to win the SEC, a 36.9% chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, a 6.0% chance to make the national championship game and a 2.7% chance to win the national title. 

Season Opener: No. 15 Tennessee vs. Chattanooga, August 31

Tennessee opens the season against Chattanooga on August 31 (12:45 p.m. Eastern Time, TV: SEC Network) and faces North Carolina State on September 7 in Charlotte (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC), 

After hosting Kent State on September 14, the Vols open SEC play with road games at Oklahoma (September 21) and at Arkansas (October 5). 

Tennessee hosts Florida and Alabama back-to-back on October 12 and October 19, respectively, then has home games against Kentucky (November 2) and Mississippi State (November 9) before going to Georgia on November 16.

“A Week 2 neutral-site meeting with NC State will be a litmus test for the Volunteers,” Lederman wrote. “Can Tennessee navigate a relatively favorable SEC schedule on the way to the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance?”