The Athletic Releases Preseason Rankings

The Athletic's Ari Wasserman released his preseason poll and had the Tennessee Volunteers as the No. 15 team in the country.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) during the Vol Walk held before Tennessee's Orange & | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA

The Athletic's Ari Wasserman released his preseason poll and had the Tennessee Volunteers as the No. 15 team in the country.

In most preseason rankings, Tennessee sits on the fringe of the College Football Playoff, which didn't change in The Athletic's latest preseason poll. Senior writer Ari Wasserman had the Vols at No. 15 heading into 2024, citing quarterback Nico Iamaleava as the swing factor.

The Vols coaching staff has dedicated the past two seasons to acquiring the proper talent to surround Iamaleava. They feel the roster is nearly complete, and they've got a chance to compete this season. Iamaelava is the swing factor, and if he's at the top of his game, it's hard to find a ceiling for this team.

"Many of the headlines in college football this offseason were about the NCAA’s probe into Tennessee’s program, specifically when it came to the recruitment of former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his NIL situation," Wasserman wrote. "Tennessee’s legal response to that probe was fascinating. But now it’s time to find out: Is Iamaleava worth it? He’s the new face of the Volunteers program, one that returns a big chunk of its defense from a year ago. Can Tennessee recapture some of the magic from 2022?"

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