Tennessee Climbs to No. 13 in National Polls, Riding Momentum and Consistency
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee basketball is making noise again - and not just on the court. The Volunteers jumped to No. 13 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll this week, marking their highest ranking of the season so far. With a 7-1 record and a strong showing in Las Vegas, Rick Barnes’ squad is proving they’re more than just a top-25 mainstay - they’re a team with serious staying power.
Let’s start with the numbers. This is now the 85th consecutive week Tennessee has appeared in the AP Top 25.
That streak started with the opening poll of the 2021-22 season and hasn’t let up since. To put that in perspective, the previous program record was 37 straight weeks - a mark that’s been more than doubled.
Across the country, only Houston has a longer active run at 111 weeks. No other team is even sniffing 65 straight, and among SEC programs, Kentucky is the next closest - but still a distant 38 weeks behind.
Zoom in a little further, and the consistency becomes even more impressive. Tennessee has been ranked inside the AP Top 20 for 63 straight weeks, and 80 of the last 85 polls have seen the Vols in that top-20 tier.
Since late November of 2022, they’ve cracked the top 15 in 56 of 63 polls. That’s not just a flash of success - that’s a program that’s firmly entrenched among the nation’s elite.
A big reason for that stability? Rick Barnes.
Since the 2017-18 season, Barnes has guided Tennessee to 139 AP Top 25 appearances - all during his tenure on Rocky Top. Under his leadership, the Vols have become a fixture in national conversations, and this past week was a perfect example of why.
Tennessee went 2-1 during a tough three-game stretch at the Players Era Men’s Championship in Las Vegas. They opened with a commanding 85-60 win over Rutgers, powered by a breakout 32-point performance from senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie.
Gillespie followed that up with 22 points in a 76-73 win over No. 3 Houston, a statement victory that turned heads across the country.
The Vols then closed the week with a hard-fought 81-76 loss to Kansas, where freshman forward Nate Ament posted a team-high 20 points.
That run in Vegas clearly impressed voters. Tennessee’s point total in the AP Poll jumped by 276 points from the previous week, up to 771.
In the Coaches Poll, they added another 64 points, bringing their total to 337. It’s the kind of leap you only see when a team not only wins, but does it against high-level competition.
The SEC, meanwhile, continues to flex its depth. Seven teams from the conference are ranked in both major polls this week.
Tennessee is joined by No. 12 Alabama, **No.
15/14 Florida**, No. 17/16 Vanderbilt, **No.
18 Kentucky**, No. 20/24 Auburn, and **No.
25/23 Arkansas**. Missouri and LSU are also receiving votes, and Ole Miss is getting attention in the Coaches Poll.
It’s shaping up to be a bruising conference slate - and Tennessee is right in the thick of it.
Adding to the accolades, the first NCAA NET rankings of the 2025-26 season were released Monday, and the Vols landed at No. 12. That’s a strong early benchmark in a system that plays a key role in NCAA Tournament seeding.
Next up, Tennessee heads north for an ACC/SEC Challenge matchup against Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome. Tipoff is set for **7 p.m.
ET on Tuesday**, live on ESPN2. It’s another chance for the Vols to prove their ranking isn’t just a number - it’s a reflection of a team that’s built to contend.
With a mix of veteran leadership, emerging young talent, and a coach who knows how to win, Tennessee isn’t just climbing the polls - they’re building a case to stay there.