Tennessee Football fell six spots in the Week 9 AP Poll on Sunday afternoon after a 17-point road loss to Alabama on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. It’s the first time that Tennessee has fallen in the AP rankings this season.
Josh Heupel’s Vols fell six spots from No. 11 to No. 17 after the loss to the Crimson Tide.
Tennessee’s spot in the AP rankings is the same position as its landing spot in the Week 9 Coaches Poll. Both are at No. 17.
17 in both the AP and coaches poll. pic.twitter.com/1jhrWvNtmY
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 19, 2025
After a disappointing loss against the Crimson Tide, Tennessee will now have to lock in for the rest of the season in order to have any hope at a spot in the College Football Playoffs. Tennessee still has two ranked games on the horizon against No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 10 Vanderbilt, but the Vols’ margin for error just became zero.
Here’s a look at Tennessee’s AP Poll history so far this season:
- Week 1: No. 24
- Week 2: No. 22
- Week 3: No. 15
- Week 4: No. 15
- Week 5: No. 15
- Week 6: No. 15
- Week 7: No. 12
- Week 8: No. 11
- Week 9: No. 17
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Tennessee is the eighth highest-ranked team from the SEC behind No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, No. 8 Ole Miss, No. 10 Vanderbilt, No. 13 Oklahoma, and No. 15 Ole Miss.
Tennessee opened the season with a non-conference win over Syracuse, following that up with a home-opening win over East Tennessee State. The Vols dropped their first game of the season against Georgia in Week 3, but bounced back with three straight wins over UAB, Mississippi State, and Arkansas to get the wheels back on track. With Tennessee’s loss against Alabama now in the rear-view mirror, the Vols will look ahead to a road game at Kentucky this Saturday night before a home game against Oklahoma the following week.
Tennessee will then close out the season with a home game against New Mexico State, a road game at Florida, and a home game against Vanderbilt.
“Disappointing result,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said after the Alabama game. “Ultimately, offensively, just self-inflicted wounds in the first half killed a bunch of our drives. The positive is the way they came out and competed early in the second half. Defense, good stop, offense goes and scores, turnover— we don’t take advantage of it. Self-inflicted wounds on that possession again. But again, you’re playing a good team. The details are going to matter. We lost in the details tonight. Ultimately, that’s my responsibility, our responsibility, players and coaches together.”
No. 17 Tennessee will take on Kentucky in Lexington this Saturday night at 7:45 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. The Vols have opened up as a point favorites over the Wildcats.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee football coverage leading into the Vols’ Week 9 game against Kentucky on Saturday night.
