On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff committee released its initial top-25 rankings. This gave us a clear picture of what the playoffs would look like if they started today, and what teams outside the picture will need to do to get in. For Tennessee, it sits with three losses and clocks in at No. 25 in the country.
On Wednesday, Vols head coach Josh Heupel was asked to give his thoughts on the ranking. He claims that this was the first time he’s heard where UT sits and that it ultimately doesn’t matter much given the lack of control over its own destiny.
“I didn’t know where we were ranked,” Heupel said. “Certainly, we’re not in control of anything at the end of the day. We lost to three good football teams and had opportunities to be in and win those games. We got to be on the right side of it here as we go finish and go finish strong here.”
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Tennessee boasts a 6-3 (3-3 SEC) record ahead of its first second open date of the 2025 season and its final three-game home stretch of the year. With three losses already, the Vols are all but eliminated from playoff consideration. Tennessee could spend the rest of the season in the CFP top 25 rankings, but it will likely mean more for other playoff contenders who are looking for a resume-boosting win than for Tennessee.
The Vols are one of nine SEC teams in the rankings, coming in behind No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 Texas, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 22 Missouri. While Tennessee’s playoff hopes are all but dashed, the Vols could still have a real impact on the playoff race.
Vanderbilt has two losses. If the Commodores defeat Auburn and Kentucky in their next three games, then Tennessee will be the only thing standing between Vanderbilt and a College Football Playoff berth.
It’s the 19th straight week that Tennessee has been in the College Football Playoff rankings, dating back to the final rankings of the 2021 season. Tennessee came in at No. 1 in the initial CFP rankings of the 2022 season, No. 17 in the initial rankings during the 2023 season and No. 7 in the initial rankings of the 2024 season.
Josh Heupel’s team made the 12-team College Football Playoffs a season ago by posting a 10-2 (6-2 SEC record). Tennessee landed at No. 7 in the final rankings, which earned them the No. 9 seed in the playoffs and a road trip to eventual national champion Ohio State.
