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BREAKING: Tennessee Basketball Ranked No. 1 in AP and Coaches Polls

Tennessee basketball rises to No. 1 amidst a perfect 8-0 start to the season.
Tanner Johnson|
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) disagrees with a foul called against him during a college basketball game between Tennessee and Syracuse held at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) disagrees with a foul called against him during a college basketball game between Tennessee and Syracuse held at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee basketball rises to No. 1 amidst a perfect 8-0 start to the season.

Tennessee is the new No. 1 team in the country in the AP and Coaches polls, thanks to a week full of chaos in college basketball.

Last week was a treacherous time to be a top-five team. Four of the top five all lost, with Tennessee being the only team to escape the week unscathed after it blew out Syracuse 96-70. Former No. 1 Kansas lost twice on the road last week, first to Creighton and then to Missouri. Auburn lost a battle at Duke and then blew out Richmond on Sunday. Kentucky lost on the road at Clemson before rebounding with a win over Gonzaga. Lastly, Marquette lost to Iowa State on the road by double figures.

All of that carnage paved the way for undefeated Tennessee to go from No. 3 to No. 1 in the latest edition of the AP Poll. It is the first time Tennessee has been at the top of the polls since the 2018-19 season. They were the top-ranked team that season for four weeks, the longest run in school history. The only other previous time that Tennessee had been No. 1 was in the 2007-08 season when they held the ranking for just one week after knocking off Memphis in a legendary battle of 1 vs. 2 in the rankings.

The newly minted top-ranked Vols will take on Miami in New York City on Tuesday night for a chance to start the season 9-0. The Hurricanes have struggled mightily this season, losing their last six games after starting the season 3-0. The Vols will then face Illinois for a tough road test on Saturday. 

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Tanner Johnson
TANNER JOHNSON

Tanner Johnson is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate and professional sports. He brings a well-rounded perspective to his national reporting, drawing on his knowledge of teams from across the country. Tanner has provided in-depth coverage of teams such as the Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Volunteers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Arkansas Razorbacks, Florida State Seminoles, and TCU Horned Frogs. His experience spans various sports, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and track and field; reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.

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