The AP preseason college football poll is about to arrive, and Tennessee figures to have a spot somewhere in the mix when the top 25 drops Monday, August 17 at noon ET.
The Coaches’ Poll is already out, and it gave the Vols a No. 18 ranking. That lines up with the broader picture, too, since most projections have Tennessee somewhere in the 15-25 range. Brett McMurphy’s released ballot pushed the Vols to No. 22, which made them the eighth-highest SEC team on his list.
That uncertainty around Tennessee isn’t really about perception. It’s about the roster itself. The Vols are still sorting out their starting quarterback battle between Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre, and on the other side of the ball new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is still putting his system in place.
Saturday morning’s scrimmage inside Neyland Stadium was part of that process. The work there, along with the film that followed, should give Josh Heupel and his staff a better feel for what this team looks like right now.
“Good work today inside the stadium,” Heupel said afterward. “Scrimmage, a lot of situational football, from special teams to different field zones, offense and defense, a lot of really good work.
Some things that obviously we got to continue to clean up. Some young guys that did some really good things, but some young guys that got to continue to grow and be ready to play championship-level football here as you get ready to play this season.
So a lot of positives, but we got to continue to grow here. A lot of work left here in the next three weeks to get ready to go play.”
Tennessee opens the season September 5, hosting FCS Furman before heading to Georgia Tech, returning home to face Kennesaw State, and then moving into its nine-game SEC schedule.
In Other News...
Tennessees First Scrimmage Just Changed The Vols Starter Battle
Tennessees first fall camp scrimmage did what these sessions are supposed to do: it started to clarify a roster full of competitions and gave the staff a better feel for where the depth chart might be headed heading into the 2026 season. After a summer of evaluating movement at key spots, the Vols now have a clearer picture of several projected starters for the season opener, with some of the biggest decisions still tied to how the next few weeks of camp unfold.
The quarterback and linebacker rooms remain the ones to watch most closely, especially with the opener drawing nearer and a few lineup spots still in flux. The latest camp observations point to a tightening race in one area and an opening elsewhere, which makes Tennessees next scrimmage just as important as the first one if the Vols are going to settle these battles with confidence. [Read more 🡒]
Former Vol Joey Aguilar Just Gave Fans A Reason To Watch Jacksonville
Joey Aguilar wasted little time giving Jacksonville a reason to pay attention in his NFL debut, getting into the Jaguars' Week 1 preseason game and showing the same kind of arm that made him an interesting add after going undrafted. The former Tennessee and Appalachian State quarterback got his first pro action in a setting where every snap can matter for a player trying to carve out a role, and he delivered the kind of early flash that tends to get noticed in camp.
Liam Coen had something to say afterward about Aguilars first completion, and it pointed to the type of play the Jaguars were willing to let him try. For Tennessee fans, it is another reminder that Aguilar is still in the mix at the next level, even if the path from preseason cameo to something more meaningful is always a long one. [Read more 🡒]