Tennessee is showing up in the preseason conversation, but not near the top of it.
On3 released its preseason top 25 Tuesday after polling 11 of its college football writers, and the Vols landed at No. 20.
That puts Tennessee in the mix with nine SEC teams overall, trailing No. 3 Texas, No.
4 Georgia, No. 8 Oklahoma, No.
9 Ole Miss, No. 10 Texas A&M, No.
12 LSU, No. 14 Alabama and sitting ahead of No.
25 Florida.
The ranking gives Tennessee another early read on where the national view stands entering Josh Heupel’s sixth season in Knoxville. The Vols were No. 18 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll last week, and they had spent most of the 2026 season in that poll before dropping out of the final rankings after a Music City Bowl loss to Illinois.
More preseason attention is still on the way. The first AP Poll of the year comes out Monday, Aug. 17.
A big part of the uncertainty around Tennessee is obvious: quarterback. True freshman Faizon Brandon and redshirt freshman George MacIntyre are competing for the starting job in fall camp, and neither has meaningful college experience.
Even so, the Vols are giving that young quarterback room plenty to work with. Tennessee brings back seven offensive starters and has potential All-SEC pieces in David Sanders Jr, Wendell Moe Jr, DeSean Bishop, Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews.
Defensively, the offseason brought a major reset. Tennessee hired Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator and added multiple new staffers on that side of the ball. The roster got a serious shakeup too, with the Vols active in the transfer portal.
There is reason for optimism in the back seven, but the defensive line remains a question mark, especially after Penn State transfer Chaz Coleman left the team earlier this offseason.
In Other News...
Tennessee QB Battle Just Got More Complicated For Faizon Brandon
The quarterback competition in Knoxville has already become one of the biggest storylines of camp, with Ryan Staub, George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon all in the mix as Tennessee works toward a decision before the season opener against Furman. Brandon arrived with plenty of attention of his own, and even in a crowded room, the freshman has been a name worth watching because of the tools that made him such a coveted addition.
ESPNs early view of the SECs 2026 freshman class only added to that buzz, placing Brandon near the top of the conferences incoming talent. What keeps the intrigue high for Tennessee is how his arm talent fits Josh Heupels offense, and whether that upside can ultimately separate him from the other contenders as the Volunteers sort through the race. [Read more 🡒]
Vols Red Zone Reps Offer An Early QB Clue As Receiver Concern Grows
Tennessees fifth fall camp practice offered another early look at the quarterback competition, and the red-zone work was where the picture began to sharpen. Faizon Brandon, George MacIntyre and Ryan Staub all got involved in passing drills, with Brandon and MacIntyre handling most of the first-team snaps as the Vols continued sorting out who is separating from the pack. With media allowed to watch the opening periods, the drill work was one of the more useful snapshots yet of how the offense is being organized near the goal line.
The other storyline was at receiver, where Radarious Jackson had a limited day and the margin for error felt even smaller. His reps were brief and the results were uneven, with drops and accuracy issues showing up while Tennessee monitored the position group through camp. The bigger question now is not just how the quarterbacks keep stacking these reps, but how quickly the Vols can get steadier production from a receiving room that already looks like it may need answers. [Read more 🡒]
James Pearce Jr's NFL Rise Just Hit A Serious Concern
James Pearce Jr.'s rookie year in Atlanta has already taken an unexpected turn, with the former Tennessee edge rusher now facing a potential absence that could alter the Falcons' defensive plans. Atlanta moved up in the 2025 first round to get him, banking on his talent to help a unit that is already dealing with injuries to other key players, and his rise from Knoxville to the NFL had been one of the more closely watched storylines surrounding the franchise.
Now the concern is not just on-field development, but availability. Pearce's situation traces back to a February arrest involving multiple felony charges after an alleged altercation, and the NFL's personal conduct policy looms over the case as Atlanta waits to see how long it may be without a player it invested heavily in less than a year ago. [Read more 🡒]