Tennessee football's spot in preseason coaches poll is about where you'd expect
Josh Heupel and Tennessee football will start the 2025 season ranked No. 18 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
It's an indication that coaches believe the Vols will take a step back from 2024 but not a big step. UT finished last season ranked No. 8 in the coaches poll after losing to eventual national champion Ohio State in the College Football Playoff first round.
Tennessee is the eighth highest among nine SEC teams ranked in the preseason top 25. The others include No. 1 Texas, No. 4 Georgia, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 LSU, No. 13 South Carolina, No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 17 Florida and No. 21 Texas A&M.
The Vols open the season against Syracuse on Aug. 30 (noon ET, ABC) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Syracuse is not ranked, but it received votes in the preseason poll.
There are three teams ranked in the preseason poll on UT's schedule: No. 4 Georgia, No. 8 Alabama and No. 17 Florida. Other opponents — Oklahoma, Arkansas and Vanderbilt — didn't make the top 25, but they received votes.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel does not have a vote in the poll.
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College football rankings, preseason
US LBM Coaches Poll
2024 record in parenthesis
- Texas (13-3)
- Ohio State (14-2)
- Penn State (13-3)
- Georgia (11-3)
- Notre Dame (14-2)
- Clemson (10-4)
- Oregon (13-1)
- Alabama (9-4)
- LSU (9-4)
- Miami (10-3)
- Arizona State (11-3)
- Illinois (10-3)
- South Carolina (9-4)
- Michigan (8-5)
- Ole Miss (10-3)
- SMU (11-3)
- Florida (8-5)
- Tennessee (10-3)
- Indiana (11-2)
- Kansas State (9-4)
- Texas A&M (8-5)
- Iowa State (11-3)
- BYU (11-2)
- Texas Tech (8-5)
- Boise State (12-2)
Dropped out from 2024 final poll: No. 20 Missouri (10-3); No. 21 Army (12-2); No. 22 Syracuse (10-3); No. 23 Memphis (11-2); No. 24 UNLV (11-3); No. 25 Colorado (9-4).
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma (6-7) 221; Missouri (10-3) 142; Louisville (9-4) 126; Southern California (7-6) 116; Utah (5-7) 86; Baylor (8-5) 76; Auburn (5-7) 50; Iowa (8-5) 49; Memphis (11-2) 34; Army (12-2) 33; Tulane (9-5) 31; Georgia Tech (7-6) 27; TCU (9-4) 24; Nebraska (7-6) 19; Syracuse (10-3) 16; Washington (6-7) 15; Navy (10-3) 14; Arkansas (7-6) 14; Duke (9-4) 12; Colorado (9-4) 12; Minnesota (8-5) 11; UNLV (11-3) 8; Florida State (2-10) 8; Kansas (5-7) 6; Vanderbilt (7-6) 3; Buffalo (9-4) 1.
US LBM Board of Coaches for the 2025 season: Tim Albin, Charlotte; Dave Aranda, Baylor; Tim Beck, Coastal Carolina; David Braun, Northwestern; Jeff Brohm, Louisville; Fran Brown, Syracuse; Troy Calhoun, Air Force; Jason Candle, Toledo; Ryan Carty, Delaware; Jamey Chadwell, Liberty; Bob Chesney, James Madison; Curt Cignetti, Indiana; Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan; Spencer Danielson, Boise State; Ryan Day, Ohio State; Kalen DeBoer, Alabama; Manny Diaz, Duke; Dave Doeren, North Carolina State; Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri; Sonny Dykes, TCU; Jason Eck, New Mexico; Mike Elko, Texas A&M; Luke Fickell, Wisconsin; Jedd Fisch, Washington; James Franklin, Penn State; Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame; Hugh Freeze, Auburn; Willie Fritz, Houston; Alex Golesh, South Florida; Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois; Blake Harrell, East Carolina; Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky; Charles Huff, Southern Mississippi; Brent Key, Georgia Tech; GJ Kinne, Texas State; Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic; Tre Lamb, Tulsa; Dan Lanning, Oregon; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Clark Lea, Vanderbilt; Lance Leipold, Kansas; Pete Lembo, Buffalo; Sean Lewis, San Diego State; Mike Locksley, Maryland; Chuck Martin, Miami (Ohio); Joey McGuire, Texas Tech; Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State; Jeff Monken, Army; Jim Mora, Connecticut; Eric Morris, North Texas; Billy Napier, Florida; Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh; Brian Newberry, Navy; Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State; Jay Norvell, Colorado State; Gerad Parker, Troy; Brent Pry, Virginia Tech; Matt Rhule, Nebraska; Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia; Jay Sawvel, Wyoming, Willie Simmons, Florida International; Kirby Smart, Georgia; Mark Stoops, Kentucky; Jon Sumrall, Tulane; Lance Taylor, Western Michigan; Jeff Traylor, Texas-San Antonio; Scotty Walden, Texas-El Paso.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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