The stage for Tennessee football’s critical game against Vanderbilt, with College Football Playoff implications on the line, is set. On Tuesday, the CFP committee revealed its final rankings of the 2025 regular season. In it, the Vols clock in as the No. 19 team in the country. This is a one-spot jump
On the other side of the upcoming rivalry matchup, the Commodores come in ranked at No. 14. This means that if the playoffs started today, neither team would be in the picture. However, a win over a ranked UT team may push Vanderbilt into the field.
This makes Tennessee the seventh-highest team in the SEC. Along with the Commodores, the Vols trail No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Georgia, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 10 Alabama and No. 16 Texas.
Topping the rankings nationally is still Ohio State. Then, it’s No. 2 Indiana, followed by No. 5 Texas Tech, No. 6 Oregon and No. 9 Notre Dame to round out the top-10.
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This is now the 22nd 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 9-seed in the playoffs and a road trip to eventual national champion Ohio State.
The Vols jumped out to a 5-1 start to the 2025 season, but have stumbled as of late. Self-inflicted mistakes cost Tennessee badly in a road loss at Alabama and again vs. Oklahoma. Tennessee gave up a pair of defensive touchdowns in both games while combining for four turnovers and a safety.
However, UT bounced back in its previous two games. The Vols trounced New Mexico State before hammering Florida on the road for the first win in The Swamp since 2003.
Now, UT will host Vanderbilt on Saturday in Neyland Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET with the game airing on ESPN.
