Why No. 20 Is the Correct Ranking for Tennessee Football Going into the 2026 Season

Tennessee opens ranked 20th in the preseason AP Poll, and here is why it is the right ranking.

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (18) runs the ball in the first quarter of the Music City Bowl against Illinois in an NCAA college football game on Dec. 30, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The preseason AP Poll was recently released, with Tennessee falling at 20th in the initial ranking. This also puts Tennessee as the eighth-highest-ranked team in the SEC. A lot of talk is happening online about whether this ranking is too high or too low. However, I believe that this is the correct ranking for the Vols, and here is why.

Why 20th is the Right Ranking for Tennessee.

Tennessee quarterbacks, from left, Faizon Brandon (11), Ryan Staub (17), George MacIntyre (15) and Mason Phillips (13) during the Vols' first spring football practice in Knoxville on March 16, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Coming off of an 8-5 season, Tennessee finished last season unranked after falling in its bowl game to Illinois. While the season was a disappointment, the Vols proved they could hold their own with some of the best in the country. Because of this, Tennessee is actually starting off this season with a higher preseason ranking than last season (they started last season at 24th).

Add to this a giant question mark at the quarterback position. We still do not know who will be the starter this fall, and even when we do know who the starter is, that does not change the fact that either quarterback who is picked does not have any starting experience.

Plus, Tennessee has already lost a few players to injury for the 2026 season, including starting safety Edrees Farooq.

For these reasons, it makes sense that Tennessee was not ranked higher than they were.

On the contrary, the Volunteers have arguably the best receiver room in the country with Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews, Travis Smith, Joakim Dodson, TK Keys, and more.

The Vols also return a 1,000-yard rusher in Desean Bishop to round out a very good offensive group.

The defense also returns a good number of starters and transfers.

Even though earlier I mentioned the quarterback situation in a negative light, that does not mean that the starter will not be good. In fact, both of the quarterbacks are extremely hyped up, and if whoever the starter is gets developed right, he could be a dark-horse Heisman candidate.

To conclude, I believe that being ranked 20th is the perfect ranking for Tennessee because it is a good middle ground for the Vols. With the question marks surrounding the team, there is a chance Tennessee struggles and misses out on the top 25 again, or they could blossom and make it to the College Football Playoffs. The Vols’ season will ultimately come down to how the starting quarterback plays. If he plays well, the Vols will likely exceed this ranking, but if he struggles, the opposite will likely occur.