Tennessee Volunteers Ranks Among the Best in ESPN FPI Rankings

ESPN’s 2025 FPI ranks Tennessee No. 10 with a 9–3 projection and 38.5% chance to reach the College Football Playoff under Josh Heupel.

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel leaves the field following the College Football Playoff first round game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 22, 2024. Ohio State won 42-17. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have landed at No. 10 in ESPN’s first Football Power Index (FPI) update for the 2025 season, signaling strong national expectations despite a modest presence in traditional preseason polls. While ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 omitted the Vols entirely, advanced metrics paint a different picture for Josh Heupel’s program.

According to the FPI, Tennessee has a projected record of 9–3, with a 97.5% chance of winning at least six games. More notably, the model gives the Vols a 38.5% chance to make the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Tennessee’s odds of reaching the national championship game sit at 5.6%, with a 2.3% shot to win it all. The team also has a 4.2% chance to win the SEC title and a slim 0.8% chance to run the table undefeated.

These rankings follow a 2024 campaign in which Tennessee finished No. 9 in the final FPI standings after a 10–3 season and a first-round College Football Playoff exit at Ohio State.

Complementing the FPI, ESPN’s updated SP+ projections rank Tennessee No. 13 overall, with a team score of 18.4. The defense leads the charge, coming in at No. 7 nationally (13.0 rating), followed by special teams at No. 21 (0.2) and the offense at No. 34 (31.4).

While traditional rankings may not yet reflect Tennessee’s ceiling, advanced analytics suggest the Vols are positioned for another playoff-caliber run, anchored by defensive strength and returning experience in key areas.

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