Tennessee Football Lands in Top 10 of Final AP Poll

Tennessee football ended up losing to the eventual national champs in the first round, here is where the Vols are ranked in the final poll.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) scrambles between Ohio State defenders during a College Football Playoff first round game between Tennessee and Ohio State held at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee football ended up losing to the eventual national champs in the first round, here is where the Vols are ranked in the final poll.

The Associated Press released its final top 25 rankings for the season on Tuesday. Tennessee finished at No. 9, a slight drop from their pre-playoff position of No. 7. Despite Tennessee's disappointing ending to the season, 2024 was still a step forward for the program.

The Vols made their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance and finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, going undefeated at home but struggling on the road with losses to Arkansas, Georgia, and Ohio State. Their playoff journey ended with a first-round loss to the eventual champions, Ohio State.

Josh Heupel’s leadership in his fourth season in Knoxville saw Tennessee achieve notable wins over Alabama and Florida, marking just the second time since 2004 the Vols beat their most hated rivals in the same season. Their No. 9 ranking is the program’s best finish since 2022 and one of only three top-10 finishes this century.

Despite the disappointing end of the season for Tennessee, the Vols have a lot to build on heading into 2025. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava will be in his second season as a full-time starter, and Tennessee hopes that he will take a huge leap in his development. Coupling that development with the return of defensive coordinator Tim Banks could lead to even more success for Tennessee next season.

OTHER TENNESSEE NEWS

• Star Thomas Commits to Tennessee Volunteers
• Tennessee Volunteers Basketball Comeback Falls Short In Nashville
• Tennessee Lady Volunteers Star Talaysia Cooper In The Running For DPOY
• Tennessee Volunteers Finalizing Extension for Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks
• Tennessee Football Star DB Jermod McCoy Tears ACL
• Nelson Neumann Has High Praise For Tennessee Basketball Signee Amari Evans
• Watch: Tennessee Volunteers Signee George Macintyre Scores In Polynesian Bowl
• Tennessee Baseball: Alex Perry Stepping Away From Volunteers Baseball
• Watch: Tennessee Baseball Star Christian Moore Goes Against Cy Young Award Winner

Join The Community:

• Follow Caleb Sisk On Twitter: @CalebSisk_
• Follow Tanner Johnson On Twitter: @JohnsonTanner23_
• Follow Blake Schowalter On Twitter: @BlakeSchowalte1
• Follow Jonathan Williams On Twitter: @DR_JWill
• Follow Evan Crowell On Twitter: @EvanVCrowell
• Follow John Anthony On Twitter: @JAntSports

Follow Our Website

Make sure to follow our website Tennessee on SI.