Where Tennessee Football Lands in ESPN’s Preseason Power Rankings

By Ric Butler
- Aug 19, 2025

Tennessee Rankings — Tennessee Football. Saturday, Sept. 15, 2024. Photo by Cole Moore/Rocky Top Insider

The Tennessee Volunteers will begin the 2025 season ranked as the No. 24 team in the AP rankings. Tennessee enters the year with a strong defensive presence and a new quarterback at the helm, with UT naming transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar as the starter when the season kicks off on Aug. 30 against Syracuse in Atlanta.

Tennessee’s ranking in the Coaches Poll and ESPN’s FPI rankings is a good bit higher, though. The Volunteers came in at No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released on Aug. 4, and jump all the way up to No. 8 in ESPN’s Football Power Index rankings.

ESPN’s analysts agree with the AP Poll more, though.

A group of the network’s college football experts has come together to compile their Top 25 power rankings heading into the season, which begins with Week 0 this upcoming weekend.

ESPN’s analysts have Tennessee at the same spot as the AP voters, sneaking in at No. 24 in its power rankings. These rankings are recent as they do factor in Joey Aguilar’s starting quarterback nod, which was announced on Sunday night.

“There’s no question all eyes on Rocky Top will be focused on new quarterback Joey Aguilar, who didn’t arrive at Tennessee until mid-May,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach wrote on Tuesday. “After starting 24 games at App State, Aguilar transferred to UCLA after the 2024 season. But when former Volunteers starter Nico Iamaleava stunned the Volunteers by entering the transfer portal and choosing the Bruins in the spring, Aguilar was on the move again. Aguilar had less than four months to get a handle on coach Josh Heupel’s frenetic offense and get comfortable with his receivers. He’ll get a good test against Syracuse in Atlanta on Aug. 30, followed by a home game against FCS program East Tennessee State. Aguilar will get thrown into the SEC fire when No. 5 Georgia travels to Neyland Stadium on Sept. 13.”

More From RTI: Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel Gives Encouraging Update on Wide Receiver Injuries

Josh Heupel spoke to the media for the first time since the news was announced on Tuesday afternoon, detailing the reasons that led to the decision to go in the Aguilar direction rather than redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre.

“Joey, coming in May, having to learn the offense throughout the late spring summertime, getting his feet on the grass with our guys, learning how we practice, but also growing each day just continued to trend upward in his comfort and control and command of what we’re doing,” Heupel said. “That’s decision making, accuracy with the football, our checks that he controls, you put all that together and that’s ultimately why we made the decision.”

Here’s a look at where Tennessee, along with other SEC teams, land in the preseason AP Poll, the USA Today Coaches Poll, ESPN’s Power Rankings list from Tuesday, and ESPN’s Top 25 FPI rankings:

AP Rankings (Aug. 11)